The Jungle Blog

A dodgy picture of Disney HQ in Hammersmith London.

My face to face interview was for Friday October 1st 2010, I had to be at Disney HQ at 9.30am to fill in additional paperwork, meet people & have a presentation at 10am.

So to save on the hideously early & expensive commute on Friday morning, I got a train down with my mum Thursday afternoon & got to our hotel for around 5pm. The journey was lovely however our suitcase we shared only had one wheel! So there was a rapid dash around Birmingham to find a new gorgeous pink one & jump on the train.

Once we got to the hotel we relaxed & then headed out to explore Hammersmith, found Disney HQ, we got some dinner (M&S salad & MacDonalds fries yum) & then after I tucked mum up, I went down to the pub below the hotel. I met some absolutely lovely people from the WDWIP boards & although utterly terrifying at first, they were so nice that it wasn’t akward at all & a quick drink turned into a couple of hours… Gary had already done the CRP programme so told us some stories & we asked him questions, mainly about getting terminated!

The next morning we arranged to meet at 8.45am in the hotel foyer, to then wander down to Costa Coffee to meet other applicants; because I had met other people before I felt at ease, meeting new people. So I would recommend, others do that. During the day after the presentation we helped to calm each others nerves as they each got worked up when their interview times were coming up.

So the presentation was fun, Jill was the Disney Recuriter who talked us through it, cut with watching the hyper infamous Valerie bounce around Epcot, which got us all excited, there were some Disney trivia questions after, but I didn’t win a prize pen. Then the times were given out. I joked to the girls outside I would get the last one & I did! Times are given out based on location apparently & at 5.40pm me & a guy were given the last time slot!

So off we went back to Costa to chill & talk whilst the others from Ireland & Scotland mostly had the first interviews. Slowly friends got nervous & wandered off to their interviews, which were by now running over an hour late. They recommended that you arrive 20 mins before, so Yummy can check your forms & other things they ask you to bring. Knowing the interviews were late & all my friends had had theirs, I went at 5pm back to Disney HQ. There waiting was one girl & two lads- from WDWIP. We had some banter, giggles & helped to settle each other nerves.

Hannah came down & sat with us & answered our questions & talked to us. I thanked her for putting me through despite my phone drama, she was so lovely. Jason (another yummy worker) came to take us upstairs, we joked that they had saved the best for last. Which they clearly had! We then sat in another room with the lad I was meant to go into the interview with & another woman. As the four of us had paper work to fill in with Jason (he asked what we wanted on our Cast Member badges & preffered dates) the other two left for an interview. Then we anxiously waited.

Me & the girl went in together with our interviewer Hollis, she was nice but its so hard to read their perception of you. She asked the same questions really as the phone interview, but because i’m eager to do either food & beverage or merchandise she asked me some more f&b questions, like why I want to do it? My answers I felt were a bit waffled I guess, but I hope I got my point across & that I am so suited to a career at Walt Disney World.She also asked us where we had travelled & who with, as they want to see I guess how we would deal living with people from other countries.

For being the last people we got stickers & our photo taken that may appear on a Yummy blog - oh my. I suggested that if he took our picture that Jason would have to give us a yes. As it stands I’ve yet to see if he stands upto his side of the bargain! I didnt realise but I had been in Disney HQ for over 2 hours!! I could of stayed there longer.

After we went for dinner with some WDWIP-ers from Friday & Saturday’s interview, but I had to dash off as our train was at 10.20pm. Finally crawled into bed at 2am after a hot shower & a cuppa tea :)

Now we wait for the results; for THREE WEEKS.

Hannah said before they only used to have about 300 people apply so they used to give everyone a phone interview. However long before our applications, which had over 1,200 - they cut down the numbers at each stage. So we had 1,200 who applied, 300 had phone interviews & about 120 got interviews over 2 days. They had 60 each day however on the Friday 1 person cancelled the day before & 3 we’re no shows. They always over ask people for this reason. In January applications there was one day about 50 people for the F2F & between 5-10 people didn’t return for their F2F interviews!

Disney also would know exactly how many staff were needed all year round a year or two in advance, but now due to the economic downturn Disney can only predict. I guess its down to the peak holiday seasons, advance bookings for hotels & park tickets sales. So now most people get “Opportunity List”-ed with dates given asap. A few Yes’s & I hope even fewer No’s!!

There are apparently 4 places per year if you want to work in HRC & they get paid $7 odd dollars an hour but with the chance for raises over the year. You fill in a seperate form at the F2F. However you dont get the same perks, no discount, no unlimited free park access (just passes) & higher rent!

So this is some information I found out - Correct as of October 2010.

Wages

Food & Beverage (tipped) $4.10

Food & Beverage (non-tipped) $7.95

Merchandise $7.75