Disneyland Cast Members Are Fighting to Save Their Broken Bodies

Disneyland performers are revealing the truth behind the fairytale.

“The magic starts to fade away and you’re just left with not being able to pay rent, permanent injuries, and management who doesn’t value or respect you.”

Today they start voting on a union to bring the magic back. They're organizing with Actors' Equity.
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[mako]

I was just there... and the prices for tickets are INSANE. They should be able to pay performers appropriately and protect their health.

[bardnightingale]

Disney should be ashamed. They make enough money to ensure their workers have excellent benefits and are better cared for.

[juliannemarie]

as someone with a permanent life long disability from a guest interaction (while i was making $10 an hour lol) i cannot commend you all enough for being brave enough, collected, informed, and persistent enough to share your love so deeply and create a proper safe situation. love you all! (esp. Mai Vo!)

[mizzbehavin]

I can verify that the dangers to cast members, is 100% true. Way back in the day, I was a cast member at D. Land...the heads were rather heavy. After 6 years, my C spine started calcification due to the added weight, and I developed osteoarthritis, with bulging disks. Disney didn't care. I'm now, permanently disabled, and have developed scoliosis.

[kaseywahl]

Interesting how all of the most profitable companies are the worst places to work. Almost like there's a common factor between those two things.

Greed.

[cuttwice]

These costumes sound like OSHA violations.

[justaguy]

Whenever I go out to Disney, number 1 rule in my brain is to always be respectful of the people who are making my day possible. Chances are that they can barely afford food if at all, so the least you can do is not make their jobs more painful than they already are.

I 100% support unions against Disney, fight for your rights, you guys.

[Dorky-Corky]

I did the college internship at WDW back in 2006. I was a character attendant. One night I was working Extra Magic Hours at Mickey's County Fair in the Judge's Tent. My Mickey was the only one there, so we left the door open for people to come in and see him. A group of overly enthusiastic college guys came rushing in, and before me or my Mickey knew what was happening, one ran for Mickey and clotheslined her just under the bottom of the head. Yes, my Mickey was a 5ft tall little slip of a gal. The edge of the head slammed into her throat and she ended up with a bruised esophagus.

Another time, I ended up developing laryngitis from so many damp cold mornings being out and constantly having to be "On" and sociable with guests and speak loud enough to be heard by everyone. Management didn't believe me at first, then didn't want to make accommodations for me, they were fully prepared to make me spend the week or two I was voiceless without work or pay. And finally very reluctantly assigned me temporary work in the kitchens and costume departments at Animal Kingdom. But before that, they made it a point to tell me it was my own fault I got laryngitis, and that it wouldn't have happened "if [I] hadn't been yelling at guests."

Disney is the Happiest Place on Earth...so long as you don’t work there.

[paulpease]

Wow. I actually briefly dated a woman who apparently got a settlement from Disneyland after a guest broke her neck by pulling on her costume.

[noname]

They deserve better. These people are dream-employees who love their job like Spongebob but their bosses are worse than Mr. Krabs.

[WillowEtain]

It is absolutely shameful that corporations making billions treat all of their employees so poorly. They expect employees to sacrifice themselves for next to nothing for them while making bags and bags of money for the company.

[johnnyringo]

Former Dept. 384 cast member here. One of the best jobs i ever had, I made life long friends. But came with a price, neck and back injuries. Always wish we had a union back when i worked.

[dvdv]

"It's really really hard to make magic when you're unhappy inside."

That really really makes a lot of sense. 😪

CHANGE HAS TO HAPPEN!! 🙏🙏😤😤

[mbrow]

I'm a Southern Californian who was a child in the 1960s, so Disneyland has always been in my heart. Even today, as a senior, I get giddy and silly when going to the parks. Disneyland truly IS magic, but that is a direct result of the countless cast members who work their rears off to always present a smile and never break character. While I shudder at today's ticket prices, which are obscene even for So Cal residents, these cast members absolutely deserve employment protections and a living wage. Orange County is crazy expensive, housing-wise. Why can't some of those billions in profit go toward lower-rent housing for cast members? Why can't some of these billions go toward sufficient disability coverage? Why can't Imagineers/costume designers come up with costumes that provide the complete illusion without injury? I hope that you all are able to unionize. The Disney Resorts are nothing without all of you.

[yearthousandmusic]

My husband worked at disney world- I told him to quit after 2 weeks because the type of old pressure washer he had to use for 10 HOUR SHIFTS (because they refused to upgrade and buy new ones) he developed trigger finger and his fingers were going numb! If he wouldnt have left I know he wouldnt be able to use his hands! How sick for a company making this much money!!!

[moziemo]

I was not a performer but gained a severe back injury on my college program for Disney World. I was working in strollers and while we were trained on "proper procedures" it did not help us with receiving well over 800 strollers and wheelchairs a day that need to be stacked. Needless to say I am still living with this injury today. I had to leave my program early and felt like I had nobody to turn to in my time of need. Disney did not care about me.

[OncePOV]

As an admitted Disney adult and huge Disneyland fan, this hurts. I appreciate the work the cast members put in to make the parks special. It’s all about them.

[aegisofhonor]

what upsets me is they charge such a huge amount to go to these parks and the workers get paid only a fraction more then they did when a ticket was $50.

[DavidNunezPNW]

I worked for Disneyland in the character department and let me tell you it's so much worse job safety wise. They can let you go for just about anything and people often disappeared and we never heard from them again. So sad and I'm so happy this is actually happening!

[LukeM]

Reminds me of my ex-sister in law. She was a tough woman. But she said her first day working as a server at Disneyland made her cry. A lady acted like such a massive bitch to her, it made her cry. As I told her "sounds like the happiest place on earth, except for the employees.."