True Story
The Worst Job I Ever Had was at “The Happiest Place on Earth” (Part 4)
The Nightmare of Working at Disneyland
The previous three posts in this series have given you a glimpse into my time as a part-time employee at Disneyland. As unsettling as those stories were, they barely scratch the surface of the park’s darker underbelly. What follows are the hidden truths that the Disney Company would prefer to keep out of the public eye.
Note: Non-members can read the full story at this link.
RATS!
Visitors to Disneyland might marvel at the impeccably maintained grounds, but just beyond the public eye lies a different reality.
Behind the scenes, less pristine areas provide the perfect breeding ground for a large population of mice and rats that emerge nightly after the park closes.
Controlling this infestation was challenging — traditional rodent extermination methods are off-limits because of the risks of using toxic substances in areas frequented by the public. And the rats aren’t confined to backstage — they’ve found plenty of hiding spots throughout the park, complicating efforts to manage them. So Disney has found a natural and effective manner to control the population.
There are hundreds of resident feral cats that live on the property and hunt rats at night. During the day, they rest in well-hidden “cat houses,” but if you keep your eyes open, you might see some cats walking around during the day. Feeding stations were set up around the property where the cats can get their fill when they can’t subsist on hunting alone. They are spayed or neutered and given medical care. Kittens are put up for adoption.
A Popular Final Resting Place
Death is just about the last thing anyone wants to be thinking about when they visit Disneyland, but an exceptional number of cremated ashes have been spread by the relatives or friends complying with the last wishes made by the deceased.
Disney employees frequently catch guests dumping the ashes of their loved ones in various places around the park. And they spread them everywhere from the front gates to popular water-related rides.
The Haunted Mansion was the favorite dumping attraction when I worked there and remains the fan-favorite today.* Many guests say they do it because it held a special place in the heart of the deceased who expressed a desire to spend eternity within Disneyland’s borders. Many specify their favorite ride as their last wish.
Unfortunately, whenever someone spreads cremated remains, the attraction must be closed down until it’s cleaned and sanitized. Hidden cameras were installed in every room of the Haunted Mansion, and the culprits are expelled from the grounds. Repeat offenders are banned for life.
*Disneyland closed the Haunted Mansion for renovation on January 22, 2024 and there has been no statement on when it will reopen, but as of May 2024 it’s still closed.
Labor Issues
One of the main reasons I quit working at Disneyland were the many labor policies I disagreed with. Below is a list of the ones that irked me the most. I don’t know if these policies have changed since in worked there in 1980.
- We were not paid during the time we picked up our costumes, dressed, and walked through the park to the assigned location for the day. That process could take 20– 30 minutes, coming and going, depending on your costume and location at the park. Arrivals at our assignment could be affected by issues with costumes. And catching a ride from the parking lot.
- The employee parking area was the furthest from the entrance to the park when I worked there. The parking lot was a 15-minute walk so most employees relied on the parking lot shuttle for transportation to the main gate. The shuttle wasn’t always available when we arrived, and was sometimes full since it made many stops. Once we were dropped off at the gate, we walked to ‘Costuming’. Today, Disney has built an off-site employee parking lot that also requires a shuttle and is a longer walk.
- Employees have always been paid the minimum wage. When I worked there, the pay was $3.10/hr. Only management makes more, but all the park employees start at minimum wage.
- In 2018, they made as little as $11.00 until an employee strike raised it to $15— NOT a living wage in Orange County, California. In July 2023 employees went on strike again and negotiated a slightly higher rate.
- In January 2024 a law passed in California raising the minimum wage to $20, so many hourly workers saw a substantial increase in earning. Yet rents in the surrounding area are high and were increased when the announcement was made so many still cannot afford both a car and a shared space and must sell the car and walk to work. To make matters worse, as the park has grown, it created a shortage of rental units and Anaheim has no undeveloped land to build more anywhere near Disneyland.
- The majority of park employees still can’t afford to rent an apartment on their own and must live in shared living arrangements and share air mattresses with workers on opposite shifts.
- Others that can’t find such arrangements sleep in their cars in the parking lot.
At the end of the summer, I quit my job. While I’ve shared many of the reasons with you, another significant factor was my desire to return to school full-time. My stint at Disneyland taught me invaluable life lessons, and I have no regrets. I’m someone who relishes unique experiences and it was truly an adventure.
