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Why won't WDW hire minors?

Walt Disney World: I really want a job at WDW

From Tyler Bell
Posted March 4, 2011 at 1:18 PM
I want to work at Disney, but Disney is the only resort that won't let 16 or 17 year olds get a normal job instead of a charcter.


Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.

From Anthony Murphy
Posted March 4, 2011 at 5:39 PM
You gotta be 18!

I think it has more to do with legal responsibilites like cash handling and emergency situations.

Thats just my guess. Good news for you that you have to wait one more year!

From Betty Rohrer
Posted March 4, 2011 at 8:16 PM
from my season last year at a small local park, rules for under 18 had to be followed carefully or large fines would happen. rules about where and what could do, plus hours worked and breaks.

From James Koehl
Posted March 4, 2011 at 9:28 PM
I don't know about Florida/California law, but at least in Ohio there are all kinds of limits to what a minor is legally allowed to do, what kind of machinery they can use, how long they can work, how often they must take breaks, etc. Disney probably figures that it is too much work to hire them and then work around all their limitations. Hang in there, Tyler, you'll be older than you ever expected to be before you know it!!!

From Joshua Counsil
Posted March 5, 2011 at 4:28 PM
If you're 17, you shouldn't want to work for Disney! You should be a rebellious, anti-authority, anti-corporate hell-raiser! Come on! This is your last chance to not conform. Soon, you'll be part of the system and working for the man!

From Hermione Potter
Posted March 5, 2011 at 8:02 PM
Are you sure about that? My friend was a lifeguard at the Disney hotels when she was in high school and she was under 18...maybe it's just the specific job you were looking at? This was awhile ago though, so maybe they changed the rules since then.

I know in FL minors have to have a 30 minute break every 4 hours so that likely has something to do with it - it's easier to have one person to work 8-10 hour shifts with one break than it is to either give that person 2 breaks or have two minors.

From TH Creative
Posted March 7, 2011 at 10:21 AM
What are you talking about?! The Seven Dwarfs work there!

Oh you said "minors." I thought you meant "miners."

Nevermind.

From Ryan Sanford
Posted March 7, 2011 at 10:45 AM
Go to college and get an internship there :)

From Tyler Bell
Posted March 8, 2011 at 6:18 AM
I was a seasonal sales clerk at SeaWorld during christmas.

From Robert Niles
Posted March 8, 2011 at 9:21 AM
Way back in the day, if you were 16 you could work foods, 17 for custodial and you had to be 18 to work operations (attractions). In foods, I believe you had to be 18, though, to work a register.

From April C
Posted March 8, 2011 at 10:11 AM
Universal hires tons of minors.

From Terri Pierce
Posted March 8, 2011 at 11:14 AM
haha TH that actually made me LOL.
If it's anything like Georgia laws Bosses don't want to deal with the responsibility of hiring someone under 18 unless its a smaller business or someone notorious for treating minors well, I.E. Chick-fil-a, YMCA, Retailer stores, Publix. A lot of places won't hire you under 18 just for liability reasons. One small move such as 1 extra hour of work for someone under 18 causes a big to-do... and Disney has enough people attacking them.
It wouldnt look so good in the headlines-
"Disney disobeys child labor laws, underage and overworked"

From Carrie Hood
Posted March 9, 2011 at 5:29 AM
Well many moons ago when I was 15 and started working at theme parks, the rules where not nearly as strict as they are now. We didn't have the half hour break crap to deal with, much less half of the rules on "What minors can and cannot do/work" as there are now. It changed about 98/99 and was a tremendous pain in our collective asses when it did. I worked for Seaworld nearly all of high school, when the laws changed just implementing them was a nightmare and trying to make sure they got followed was even worse. So I can only guess it was some point around then that Disney would have changed their rules regarding minors and working.
You could always try one of the other theme parks that do hire minors or simply wait the year until your 18.

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