1. Go to special events whenever possible- The most fun I had on my entire program was at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. This was a special ticketed event that took place from August-November at Magic Kingdom. My roommate and I knew that we each wanted to go twice and decided that it would be beneficial to buy a season pass for the event. We were hesitant to spend the money but it was such a great idea. The ticket was the cost of 2.5 parties, and we ended up going to 10. We grew so much closer and it got us out of the house more often. Sometimes after a shift, I would throw on a T-shirt and meet her at Magic Kingdom. Buying the pass was the best decision I made on the entire program.
2. Take advantage of Cast Member opportunities- There are so many opportunities that are available exclusively to cast members and their friends and family. Disney opened the Skyliner while I was on my program, and I was able to go on it a week before it opened because of my cast member status. They give cast members the first chance to try out new rides and experiences, which is such a cool opportunity. My family came up to visit me when they were filming the Disney Parks Christmas Parade, which is something we always watched on TV. I was able to take them with me to a taping, and we got to see it being filmed in person.
3. Don't spend too much money on merchandise- The cast member merchandise discount is really nice, and even better in the holiday season. There is also a discounted store that sells overstocked and seasonal items, and it is very easy to be tempted by all of the great stuff. However, I spent way too much money on clothes that I don't wear and other things that I don't use. I wish I had saved more money for after my program had ended so that I could've taken a couple weeks off of working.
4. However, if you really love something, buy it when you see it- From working in merchandise, I learned that if I liked something, I needed to just buy it. Everything sells out quick, and there is nothing worse than seeing guests walking around with something sold out that you really want. I wish I had bought the things I really wanted when I saw them, rather than spending all my money on discounted junk.
5. Spend time with your co-workers- Spending time with co-workers was my favorite thing to do when I wasn't working. You see the same people at work so often, and it is nice to be able to spend time to get to know them more. It is way more fun working with your friends and knowing that you have support.
6. Utilize dining discounts- The restaurants can get really expensive, so my friends and I went to food & beverage locations that gave us a cast member discount. If we were going to go out, we wanted to go somewhere where we would at least save some money. Also, it is way cheaper to go out to eat off-property or to go to quick-service locations instead of table service. However, if you are going to treat yourself, check the hub to see what restaurants offer cast member discounts.
7. Check the hub regularly- The hub was where you could sign up for the new opportunities and enter contests. If you didn't act quick, sometimes things filled up or expired. I checked the hub first thing in the morning, and multiple times throughout the day. Your schedule could also change at any time, so it is important to make sure you are going into work at the right time.
8. Find a time to go grocery shopping every week- It it way easier to justify going out to eat when you don't have groceries at home. I cooked for myself every single day, while all of my roommates were driving through the Wendy's out front. Not only were they eating worse, but they were spending more. I went out to eat with my co-workers sometimes, but I tried to always have food at the apartment so that I didn't feel the need to stop after my shift.
9. Use shift trade pages- If you aren't a morning person, use shift trade pages to trade for night shifts. You don't get penalized for trading shifts, and it can give you the opportunity to work some place new. I traded shifts every week for different times, locations or positions. When I worked at World of Disney, I hated working on the register, so I used the shift trade pages to switch to stock shifts. This gave me a better work experience, and it helped out the people who hated stock and preferred register.
10. Reserve some time for yourself- I tried to spend at least 2 half days at home. This gave me time to rest and relax so that I wasn't so tired for my upcoming shifts. Going to the parks is fun but it is hard on your body if you run around the parks during all of your free time and then spend all those long shifts on your feet. Sometimes it's nice to just stay in bed and rest your legs and feet, as well as catch up on sleep, so that you are more energized the rest of the week.