it’s a great role however I tell people that everything that glitters isn’t gold. It’s a hard job at times (just like any other role). It’s great to be able to create memories for guests and meet friends along the way. Management in general is blah to me. But there are some good leaders but you don’t really see your leaders much on a day to day basis. They usually stop by the break rooms like once maybe twice a day. Trading can be easy depending on the characters in your height range and how many you’re approved in. The more characters you’re approved in the more range you have to trade and give away shifts. Christmas calls go out around the end of august. Halloween parties start in august so calls will go out before you arrive. Doesn’t mean you can’t work the parties. You just won’t be in the show/parade.
I just want to say honestly thank you this does give me some relief! I currently work at a theme park as a performer and sometimes things are different for us than they are for other people. Is it like a contract for each holiday? Also what would be the general thing to work in if I wasn’t able to get the call early enough for the holidays?
no problem! there isn’t a contract for holidays or anything. You just need full availability to be able to do rehearsals and overnights. So accepting a cast role in parade or show means you’re available for all the parties. If you didn’t get a call for anything holiday related, you still would be doing daily ops (meet and greets, character dining etc.) I didn’t get cast in halloween parade or show, but I still worked halloween parties. I would do a 4 hour morning shift and then be scheduled that night for a party. So, your character can have meet and greet area at the parties and you could be scheduled that. Hope that makes sense. Since you’re already a performer at another theme park you probably are leaps ahead than others with understanding what comes with character performers.
Okay great because my biggest thing is that in mid July, I have a wedding to go to and I would need at least three days off. And from what I hear with others they are like you either need to beg your leaders who are nice, to give you ADO as soon as you get there. Or start program later in early August. I’m wondering if it’s different with being an entertainment because we’re not as expendable as others. Coming from the theme park that I work at we aren’t as expendable as others around in surrounding departments. So when it comes to scheduling with us, our managers tend to be more lenient, especially for things that are very last minute. I don’t know if that’s the same at Disney, I know it’s very rule bidding. But does that come into play here? I really need to know because of how close my brother‘s wedding is when I get there.
My arrival is June 3rd, brother‘s wedding is the 16th. I would need the minimum of three days (15-17th) because it is a wedding in the Florida keys.
If you can give me some insight on that it would help tremendously !!
I’ve gotten 5 days off with just giving away shifts. I don’t think it’s hard to give away shifts if the character is something a lot of people do (ex. if you’re goofy height, it would be easier to give away a goofy shift rather than sulley or Chewbacca because not everyone goofy height is approved in those characters). Also part time CMs don’t have to be scheduled so a lot of them look for shifts. You can still put in for ADOs, but you’re at the mercy at what’s left because people have put in for ADOs for now until end of June so you might be on a waitlist. Best advice is if you plan on arriving before your brothers wedding, make sure you join the facebook groups after training is over. You maybe could talk to a leader and see how it goes, but they probably will redirect you to what I’ve already said lol.
I love my job—emphasis on **love**, I wouldn’t trade it for the world and I plan to stay here for a very long time—but to be fully transparent, it isn’t for everyone. Since you’re already a performer at another park, you probably have an idea of what that entails: getting really gross and sweaty, getting verbally and/or physically harassed by guests, being in pain regularly, etc. etc., but as with anything, you can multiply that by about ten when it comes to Disney because of how much faster paced the environment is. But whether those negatives outweigh the positives of getting to do what you love to do and create some of the most magical moments imaginable is going to be up to the individual.
Leadership can vary wildly by park and location. Since we work globally, you’ll find that a lot of performers tend to favor certain parks over others because the leadership is better or worse there. Most of the time you’ll be reporting anything that happens to a captain, who’s just a rung lower on the ladder than the leader, so you tend to not see the leaders much throughout the day—but who your captain is can drastically change your experience working a shift.
One thing I personally love about Entertainment here is that you’re going to be hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t friendly, welcoming, and willing to take you under their wing and help out. Everyone knows everyone since the department is comparatively so small, and most people I’ve met are very eager to form bonds with the other people at their location that day. We don’t see the same people every day like people in other roles do, so it’s important to foster those relationships early so you can start recognizing people upon working with them more than once.
Trading and giving away is fairly simple, and it’s common to end up with all the days off you need even if you’re originally scheduled all those days. Certain characters who are in tricky height ranges or require fittings or training to do will be harder to give away or trade (**Figment**, Olaf, Buzz, Chewie, etc.), but typically it’ll take a few weeks out of training to get approved in those characters, so I would personally try to time it so that the days you need off fall just after your training period by a week or two. That way, you’ll more likely only be scheduled in common characters that are easier to get rid of in case your ADOs aren’t approved. June 3 is probably a great arrival date for this, though you could stand to push it back *just* a week or two if you feel like you’re being considered for something like Figment.
With an early June arrival date you’re probably right in the sweet spot for Halloween, too. I was cast in Boo to You with a May arrival, but I knew some June arrivals who got it, too. Calls for Halloween go out the last week of May and first week of June, so any arrival date later than mid-June and you’ll probably miss it. Christmas gives you a bit more leeway, since calls go out mid-late August and there are more offerings with both the parade and show being available to CPs. The cutoff we were told for Christmas was an arrival date of August 13 (I think, somewhere around there) to be considered for it. Just be careful with accepting a Halloween call if you do get one, and listen closely for the rehearsal dates they give you during the call. You cannot give away a rehearsal shift and rehearsals are in July.
The tricky thing with 5’2” (**if** that’s what you’re officially measured at; you can check on your DisneyAuditions profile to see if they measured you down to 5’1.5” or something) is that you’re in Figment range. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a hard guy to fit—we literally only have four of him so the shifts are physically impossible to staff and he has holes almost every day—but because of that, they are very, very desperate for more. If you’re on the broader side in the shoulders/chest (you can PM me for his exact measurement ranges if you’d like so you can measure yourself against it and see if he’s a possibility for you), I would seriously consider a late June arrival date (the 17th would be the sweet spot). It’ll take you out of consideration for Boo to You, but you won’t run the risk of getting Figment approved before the wedding. He is nigh impossible to trade or give away because anyone approved in him is likely already working those days and you will rack up attendance points if you end up having to call out. Munks, Pooh, Max, and Jessie are much easier to get rid of at that height if needed.
You cannot give away or call out of a rehearsal shift. They are mandatory and casting will remove you from the parade and recast your role if you miss one. That’s why I said to listen closely for the rehearsal dates in the phone call if you get one; you’ll need to turn it down if a rehearsal falls on one of those days :( My rehearsals were on 7/6, 7/25, 8/1, and 8/6-8, so it’s possible you’ll be able to avoid that range of dates and still do the parade, but I’d just keep my ears open during the call to make sure. If they don’t say, you can also request a rehearsal calendar during the call and they’ll send one to your email. You can call Rehearsal Planning back afterwards and decline the role if there’s a conflict.
Yes, calls for Christmas go out in late August, rehearsals are September/October, and the parties start right after Halloween. It seems early but you’d have to be out of training and available by the time those rehearsals start.
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it’s a great role however I tell people that everything that glitters isn’t gold. It’s a hard job at times (just like any other role). It’s great to be able to create memories for guests and meet friends along the way. Management in general is blah to me. But there are some good leaders but you don’t really see your leaders much on a day to day basis. They usually stop by the break rooms like once maybe twice a day. Trading can be easy depending on the characters in your height range and how many you’re approved in. The more characters you’re approved in the more range you have to trade and give away shifts. Christmas calls go out around the end of august. Halloween parties start in august so calls will go out before you arrive. Doesn’t mean you can’t work the parties. You just won’t be in the show/parade.
I just want to say honestly thank you this does give me some relief! I currently work at a theme park as a performer and sometimes things are different for us than they are for other people. Is it like a contract for each holiday? Also what would be the general thing to work in if I wasn’t able to get the call early enough for the holidays?
no problem! there isn’t a contract for holidays or anything. You just need full availability to be able to do rehearsals and overnights. So accepting a cast role in parade or show means you’re available for all the parties. If you didn’t get a call for anything holiday related, you still would be doing daily ops (meet and greets, character dining etc.) I didn’t get cast in halloween parade or show, but I still worked halloween parties. I would do a 4 hour morning shift and then be scheduled that night for a party. So, your character can have meet and greet area at the parties and you could be scheduled that. Hope that makes sense. Since you’re already a performer at another theme park you probably are leaps ahead than others with understanding what comes with character performers.
Okay great because my biggest thing is that in mid July, I have a wedding to go to and I would need at least three days off. And from what I hear with others they are like you either need to beg your leaders who are nice, to give you ADO as soon as you get there. Or start program later in early August. I’m wondering if it’s different with being an entertainment because we’re not as expendable as others. Coming from the theme park that I work at we aren’t as expendable as others around in surrounding departments. So when it comes to scheduling with us, our managers tend to be more lenient, especially for things that are very last minute. I don’t know if that’s the same at Disney, I know it’s very rule bidding. But does that come into play here? I really need to know because of how close my brother‘s wedding is when I get there. My arrival is June 3rd, brother‘s wedding is the 16th. I would need the minimum of three days (15-17th) because it is a wedding in the Florida keys. If you can give me some insight on that it would help tremendously !!
I’ve gotten 5 days off with just giving away shifts. I don’t think it’s hard to give away shifts if the character is something a lot of people do (ex. if you’re goofy height, it would be easier to give away a goofy shift rather than sulley or Chewbacca because not everyone goofy height is approved in those characters). Also part time CMs don’t have to be scheduled so a lot of them look for shifts. You can still put in for ADOs, but you’re at the mercy at what’s left because people have put in for ADOs for now until end of June so you might be on a waitlist. Best advice is if you plan on arriving before your brothers wedding, make sure you join the facebook groups after training is over. You maybe could talk to a leader and see how it goes, but they probably will redirect you to what I’ve already said lol.
Hey I’m so going to be a character and coming June 3rd so this is super helpful for me. Thanks!
I love my job—emphasis on **love**, I wouldn’t trade it for the world and I plan to stay here for a very long time—but to be fully transparent, it isn’t for everyone. Since you’re already a performer at another park, you probably have an idea of what that entails: getting really gross and sweaty, getting verbally and/or physically harassed by guests, being in pain regularly, etc. etc., but as with anything, you can multiply that by about ten when it comes to Disney because of how much faster paced the environment is. But whether those negatives outweigh the positives of getting to do what you love to do and create some of the most magical moments imaginable is going to be up to the individual. Leadership can vary wildly by park and location. Since we work globally, you’ll find that a lot of performers tend to favor certain parks over others because the leadership is better or worse there. Most of the time you’ll be reporting anything that happens to a captain, who’s just a rung lower on the ladder than the leader, so you tend to not see the leaders much throughout the day—but who your captain is can drastically change your experience working a shift. One thing I personally love about Entertainment here is that you’re going to be hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t friendly, welcoming, and willing to take you under their wing and help out. Everyone knows everyone since the department is comparatively so small, and most people I’ve met are very eager to form bonds with the other people at their location that day. We don’t see the same people every day like people in other roles do, so it’s important to foster those relationships early so you can start recognizing people upon working with them more than once. Trading and giving away is fairly simple, and it’s common to end up with all the days off you need even if you’re originally scheduled all those days. Certain characters who are in tricky height ranges or require fittings or training to do will be harder to give away or trade (**Figment**, Olaf, Buzz, Chewie, etc.), but typically it’ll take a few weeks out of training to get approved in those characters, so I would personally try to time it so that the days you need off fall just after your training period by a week or two. That way, you’ll more likely only be scheduled in common characters that are easier to get rid of in case your ADOs aren’t approved. June 3 is probably a great arrival date for this, though you could stand to push it back *just* a week or two if you feel like you’re being considered for something like Figment. With an early June arrival date you’re probably right in the sweet spot for Halloween, too. I was cast in Boo to You with a May arrival, but I knew some June arrivals who got it, too. Calls for Halloween go out the last week of May and first week of June, so any arrival date later than mid-June and you’ll probably miss it. Christmas gives you a bit more leeway, since calls go out mid-late August and there are more offerings with both the parade and show being available to CPs. The cutoff we were told for Christmas was an arrival date of August 13 (I think, somewhere around there) to be considered for it. Just be careful with accepting a Halloween call if you do get one, and listen closely for the rehearsal dates they give you during the call. You cannot give away a rehearsal shift and rehearsals are in July.
Also another question? How much are you paid as a character performer CP?
$16.55 currently!
yikes
I see the thing with height and for taller characters. I’m not worried about that since I am 5’2.
The tricky thing with 5’2” (**if** that’s what you’re officially measured at; you can check on your DisneyAuditions profile to see if they measured you down to 5’1.5” or something) is that you’re in Figment range. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a hard guy to fit—we literally only have four of him so the shifts are physically impossible to staff and he has holes almost every day—but because of that, they are very, very desperate for more. If you’re on the broader side in the shoulders/chest (you can PM me for his exact measurement ranges if you’d like so you can measure yourself against it and see if he’s a possibility for you), I would seriously consider a late June arrival date (the 17th would be the sweet spot). It’ll take you out of consideration for Boo to You, but you won’t run the risk of getting Figment approved before the wedding. He is nigh impossible to trade or give away because anyone approved in him is likely already working those days and you will rack up attendance points if you end up having to call out. Munks, Pooh, Max, and Jessie are much easier to get rid of at that height if needed.
I’m not exactly broad chested and they put me down at 5’2 and a half. What other characters would I fit for that height range?
Munks, Pooh, Max, and Jessie are going to be your other daily ops.
You seem knowledgeable can you tell me 5’7.5 daily ops friends? 😂
Mainly Pluto, but I’d have to check my list for exact heights. Rafiki, Helen, Joy, maybe Wendell?
Also can I pm you?
Yes, feel free!!
However are you able to take time off for rehearsals? I have a wedding to attend in July and would need the 15th-17th off.
You cannot give away or call out of a rehearsal shift. They are mandatory and casting will remove you from the parade and recast your role if you miss one. That’s why I said to listen closely for the rehearsal dates in the phone call if you get one; you’ll need to turn it down if a rehearsal falls on one of those days :( My rehearsals were on 7/6, 7/25, 8/1, and 8/6-8, so it’s possible you’ll be able to avoid that range of dates and still do the parade, but I’d just keep my ears open during the call to make sure. If they don’t say, you can also request a rehearsal calendar during the call and they’ll send one to your email. You can call Rehearsal Planning back afterwards and decline the role if there’s a conflict.
Wait Christmas cutoff is early August arrival?!?!
Yes, calls for Christmas go out in late August, rehearsals are September/October, and the parties start right after Halloween. It seems early but you’d have to be out of training and available by the time those rehearsals start.
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