In the corporate world, choosing a job can depend mainly on the benefits offered. For most of us colliegettes™, we don’t choose our current jobs based on things like health insurance and the number of vacation days. But in the future, factors such as those are going to have a large impact on our career decisions. And since I’ve been at Disney I’ve discovered just how important the perks can be.
One of the most exciting benefits to being a cast member is free park admission. That’s right, I can go to the parks as much as I want, anytime I want! Since I’ve started working, hardly a week has gone by since that I haven’t spent some time playing around at one of the four parks. The most visited on my list is Magic Kingdom, by far. Least visited, Disney’s Animal Kingdom. For some of my of-age colleagues, weekends are spent drinking around the world at Epcot. And visiting Hollywood Studios during Star Wars Weekends was definitely a sight I’ll never forget. Blowing off some steam on your favorite rides can be really helpful, and remind you of why you’re working where you are. So if you need a job where you have a chance to let loose a little bit, make sure you check out the company’s policies on vacation days. If all else fails, you could always be a cast member and have a mini-vacation in a world of fantasy whenever you’d like.
Another great perk for cast members is what’s called a Main Gate pass, which allows you to bring up to three people with you into the parks at a time. For salaried cast members, on any day of the year, with exception to block-out dates when the Main Gates are invalid, they can play in any one of the four parks with three of their friends. As a part time cast member I’m able to bring three people in sixteen times throughout the year. This is especially convenient when friends or family come to visit, much like this week! Being able to help make my neighbors’ first visit to Disney even more magical is a bonus unlike any other. And getting to spend the day with the happiest boss around isn’t too bad either!
Other than park admission, Disney offers discounts on rooms, dining plans, merchandise, and even park tickets for those times you have more than three people. It’s the little things that add up to making the job worthwhile—even part time cast members are eligible for some sort of medical coverage! As we all start to look for official jobs in the world, scoping out the benefits that come with each potential working opportunity should be a major part of your final decision (if you’re lucky enough to have more than a few options, especially in the still rebounding economy!). Figure out what type of payback you want from your job and think carefully at the big picture. Psychologically, rewards work much better at keeping you motivated in anything that you do. So remember that it’s not just about the salary, the work, or the time involved; make sure there’s some sort of way for your career to give back to you.
Images courtesy of Alexis Brost