The magic is still there Over the past few weeks I’ve heard several people complain that currently Walt Disney World is less than magical. They say that too many places remain closed, and that there is trash everywhere. They don’t like that the trams still aren’t running. They will also complain that some of the Cast Members have been grumpy. I’d like to point out what is most likely behind a good part of these problems.
Like pretty much everywhere across the country, Walt Disney World has a staffing shortage. The Disney College Program is starting again, so that will take care of part of the problem, but that will only fill a small percentage of the open positions. The International Cast Members were all let go and headed home when Walt Disney World closed. They are now living their lives elsewhere. When Walt Disney World reopened Cast Members were taken from other positions (such as tram driver) to staff World Showcase. Seasonal Cast Members were also let go. I know people who were seasonal. They are all working full time jobs elsewhere now.
A lot of laid off Cast Members moved out of the area when Walt Disney World closed. Others needed to look for employment elsewhere. When Walt Disney World reopened last July, most Cast Members were not called back at that time. They needed to find a way to feed their families. Many will not leave their new positions to go back to Walt Disney World.
That leaves the issue of grumpy Cast Members. They are working longer hours than ever before. Some have been moved to new positions that they don’t like as well as what they had before the closure. They aren’t getting much time off. Add Florida weather into the mix. This July has been the warmest since I’ve lived in Florida, and it could end up being the hottest on record. Try working outside in the heat and humidity for hours on end, only to have guests yell at you because the lines at the Global Marketplaces are too long. I’d be grumpy too.
Disney creates magic, but it’s up to us to do our part to find that magic. Whenever I see a character or watch the sky light up once again, I know that Walt Disney World is still magical. I also know that we can help the Cast Members to find that magic once again. Please, just be nice, even if something has gone wrong. We can’t always control our circumstances, but we can control how we react to them.