Who can forget Walt Disney’s famous words, “You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world…but it requires people to make the dream a reality.”
From the instant a Guest starts planning their Walt Disney World vacation to the moment they begin their return home, the focus is on delivering legendary guest service and one-of-a-kind experiences. Since Walt Disney World Resort opened in 1971, the company has relied on Cast Members to exceed the expectations of the millions of diverse Guests who visit the resort each year.
By the Numbers
When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, approximately 5,500 Cast Members worked at Walt Disney World Resort. Today, the resort is the largest single-site employer in the United States, employing approximately 64,000 cast members in more than 3,000 different job classifications. The average tenure of a Walt Disney World Cast Member is eight years.
Total Employment* Payroll (billions)
Full-time: 39,700 $1.8 (FY11)
Part-time: 24,300 Benefits (billions)
Total: 64,000 $0.8 (FY11)
*Includes Florida-site Disney corporate employees
Cast Member Offerings
In recognition of the magic Cast Members create for Guests each and every day, Walt Disney World Resort offers a wide variety of programs, services and benefits that are designed to make a difference in Cast Members’ lives.
- Walt Disney WorldResort offers competitive pay and benefits, including several options for medical, dental and vision coverage, to eligible Cast Members and their dependents. Members of all health plans also receive free preventive care.
- The Center for Living Well Family Healthcare offers integrated medical care and convenience for Disney CIGNA-enrolled Cast and their families. Access to doctors, lab and X-ray services and a pharmacy is all provided in one onsite location. Confidentiality is held in the highest regard and busy schedules are easily accommodated.
- Disney offers an innovative collection of programs, tools and resources that Cast Members and their families can use to improve their health. The wide range of wellness offerings include personal health assessments, free, on-site screenings, flu vaccinations, physicial activity programs, discounted weight loss programs, an on-site gym, healthy food options in cafeterias and vending machines, a customized wellness website powered by WebMD and specialized programs and support groups for Cast Members with chronic conditions. Eligible Cast, spouses and partners can even earn extra cash in their paycheck or flexible spending account by participating in the Wellness Rewards program.
- Disney supports Cast Members with their everyday life needs. Personal Life Resources offered by LifeCare provide Cast Members onsite seminars and access to information and resources to assist with parenting, childcare, aging, eldercare, financial and legal needs and more. From plumbers to pet sitters, homework help to home remodeling, specialists are ready to do the legwork and tell Cast Members and their families who is reliable, available and in their budget – all for free.
- Disney supports and encourages diversity and inclusion through a variety of initiatives, including Diversity Resource Groups, which represent Cast who share common perspectives; Local Diversity Action Teams, which seek to further promote diversity in work areas; “diversity chats” during regular staff meetings; and company-wide events focused on diversity. These initiatives and many more ensure the company continues to draw creativity through diversity.
- Equipping Cast Members with the skills they need to move forward in their careers is a commitment Disney takes seriously. Thousands of Cast Members enroll each year at Disney University, which offers more than 225 classes on topics ranging from hospitality management to basic computer skills. Other popular offerings include Disney Learning Centers, which are located throughout property and provide library and computer resources, and The Walt Disney Company’s tuition reimbursement program.
- Walt Disney WorldResort has teamed up with the Central Florida YMCA to offer two on-site childcare facilities for Cast Members. The centers offer extended days and hours of operation, opportunities for discounted tuition rates based on need, back-up care for when a primary provider is not available and affordable summer camp at Mickey’s Retreat at Little Lake Bryan.
- Grocery items are offered to cast at near-wholesale prices at a convenient onsite store. From fresh fruits and vegetables to bread, rice and pasta, items represent every category of the food pyramid and are the same high-quality ingredients served daily at Walt Disney World restaurants. All items are priced near wholesale, reflecting Disney’s commitment to providing affordable, healthier options for its employees
- Cast Members may use pre-tax dollars, which are automatically deducted from their paychecks, to pay for monthly bus passes on Lynx. Using pre-tax dollars results in a potential savings of 15 to 35 percent each month, depending on individual tax status. In addition, Walt Disney WorldResort has provided Lynx with $440,000 in matching funds, plus an additional $1.25 million over a five year period to enhance service to the resort for Cast and Guests.
- Walt Disney WorldResort partners with businesses throughout Central Florida to offer Cast special discounts on products and services. Cast Members simply present their company identification cards at participating locations to receive exclusive discounts on food, merchandise, travel and more
- Most Cast Members are eligible for free theme park admission at all four Walt Disney Worldtheme parks, as well as the theme parks at Disneyland Resort in California, Disneyland Resort Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland. Most Cast Members also are eligible for complimentary tickets provided twice a year. While enjoying the parks, Cast Members are eligible for a number of merchandise and food and beverage discounts.
- Whether it’s learning to zumba or striking a batter out, Disney Cast Members can pursue a variety of recreational offerings that bring the magic of Disney to their leisure activities. Cast-exclusive events are held throughout the year and all Cast have access to Mickey’s Retreat at Little Lake Bryan, a 19-acre recreation facility that offers swimming, a children’s play area, picnic pavilions and volleyball, tennis and basketball courts.
- Walt Disney WorldResort rewards and recognizes Cast Members in a variety of ways, including service celebrations, annual Cast appreciation events, local recognition programs specific to departments, and through the newly created Walt Disney Legacy award program, which honors top-performers around the globe.
- Walt Disney WorldResort also shows its support and compassion for Cast by providing assistance in special situations. For example, the company made significant donations toward Haiti relief efforts in 2010, from monetary contributions to help Cast with family in Haiti to facilitating volunteer opportunities through the American Red Cross and Clean the World.
Relationship with Unions
Since before Walt Disney World Resort opened, it has worked hand-in-hand with union organizations. Throughout the decades as the business has expanded, union labor has continued to play a vital role and grown accordingly. Hundreds of labor agreements have been successfully negotiated with dozens of labor unions, representing more than 36,000 Cast Members.
Additional Magic Makers
In addition to Disney Cast Members, thousands of other workers employed by businesses that operate at Walt Disney World Resort play an important role in delivering the magic. Walt Disney World Resort has worked closely with such businesses since before the resort opened in 1971, enabling it to offer the best possible service and diversity of offerings to guests, achieve efficiencies that make investment in other areas of the business possible and adapt to market conditions.
All of these types of businesses are required to uphold the strong tradition of Guest service that is the hallmark of the Disney experience. Over the years, Walt Disney World Resort has forged several long-term relationships that have enabled these businesses, including some which are small and/or minority-owned, to thrive and grow.
- Operating Participants employ an estimated 14,000 workers at Walt Disney World Resort. They represent an expanding base of third-party operators that offer a variety of goods and services directly to Guests. With approximately 110 Operating Participant companies in 150 locations, they can be found in virtually all theme parks, resorts, water parks, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and Downtown Disney. They operate six of the pavilions at Epcot World Showcase (China, Mexico, France, Italy, Morocco and Japan), entertainment facilities at Downtown Disney like Cirque du Soleil and AMC Theaters, two YMCA childcare facilities, Hess Gas Stations and more.
- On any given day, thousands of other businesses play a critical role in delivering a seamless experience to Guests. Whether providing transportation for Disney’s Magical Express, helping to build the resort’s newest attractions or providing overnight cleaning services at resort hotels, these companies are integrated into numerous operations at Walt Disney World Resort.
