From Pyra Dong on July 27, 2009 at 9:17 PM
Aw... I wish my theme park job had more perks like to blow cash-- it reminds me of being a freshman in college (sigh... good times)
Yup yup. It takes a strong person to work at a theme park. You really don't get paid enough and lots of pressure is placed on you to make other people happy. If you were in it for the money, you should just look for a job elsewhere. You NEED to love theme parks-- therefore try to grab any perks given to you. Like I said... not for the money. Like how turkey legs can sometimes be only $1.00 for us... MMmmMmmMm

From 69.122.57.31 on July 27, 2009 at 10:02 PM
this is all so true! we even had a special name for payday...Every Paycheck Comes On Thursday...yes, EPCOT :) thursdays were always the day we spent all our money on PI and the trading pins...and had to go to the cast member store to buy the hugely discounted items guests returned!

From Joshua Counsil on July 28, 2009 at 6:22 AM
That job would be nothing but a party for me. The coachman would be shipping me off to the salt mines in no time.

From TH Creative on July 28, 2009 at 4:07 PM
Back in 1982 when I was a cast member I was an Elvis Costello fan. I always chuckled at the song "Clubland" (which told the stories of the bar fly lifestyle). One lyric that seemed CM appropriate went: "Thursday to Saturday, Money's gone already!"

And while PI was not open we still had Giraffe, the Laughing Kookabura, Illusions, Peoples, JJ Whispers and the Big Bamboo. In retrospect, with CMs scraping up the change hidden in their second hand couches at Lake Vista Village Apartments, it was pretty wise of Church Street Station to schedule Nickel Beer Night on Wednesdays.

But now that I am older (and not necessarily wiser) I'm am pleased to be the primary breadwinner in my household. My part time CM spouse earns WDW wages but gets the perks (discounts and the maingate pass).

But I am CERTAIN that we spend more at WDW than she gets paid every year. From dining and gifts and drinks and drinks and drinks (don't try this at home kids. Stay in school or you will end up wearing guy-liner) I have no doubt we spend more than she earns.

I would go so far as to claim that Disney must track what individual CMs spend on their discount purchases and have likely determined that if they were to layoff my wife the company would probably LOSE money!

From Wok Creative on July 28, 2009 at 11:47 PM
Working seasonally at Disneyland, I also worked at Farrell's part time during the rest of the year. At closing time when the Manager was counting up the money and we had finished the nightly cleaning, with the front door still locked, we spent most of our tips on the video games. Management always encouraged it by throwing in a few free tokens (the first one is always free!) In the early 80's, most of the tips I got were in the form of quarters.

Related - While working in the kitchen for the Plaza Inn and Inn Between, I had moved up to being a cook. One check came that changed my rate to a full time, higher level cook. Even in 80's dollars, the extra amount was about $500.00 more than it should have been for the week. Most everyone said to be quiet about it, but I figured it would be found out eventually and be hard to pay back (besides being the right thing to do.) I don't remember if there was any more than a thanks for being honest... Things like that always work out better in the end anyway. It was fun and a privilege to move up to cooking and I didn't want to blow that opportunity.
I guess I learned a lot there.