I lived 2 miles from the Magic Kingdom for 4 years and I know this world well. The reality is that Disney has a near-infinite supply of starry-eyed laborers who

I lived 2 miles from the Magic Kingdom for 4 years and I know this world well. The reality is that Disney has a near-infinite supply of starry-eyed laborers who will work for them under virtually any conditions. People come from around the world just to work at Walt Disney World. Disney always underpays and chews people up. There is no illusion that The Mouse cares about any of its employees at an individual or personal level. Most people will some modicum of skill or self-respect burn out relatively quickly, but the romance of working at the parks means there will always be a long line of comparable people ready to replace them. If you go in with your eyes open, it's not necessarily the worst place in the world to do a stint, but you need to be aware that Disney does not care. They will always underpay, they will always expect complete and utter control over your schedule, and they will always chew through people with zero regard for the ramifications -- because they can. Most professionals who work there end up taking the job, spending 1-2 years internalizing this, and moving on to greener pastures, often with a massive increase in personal cynicism and a serious reorientation of career goals, but there are some who are so devoted to the Mouse God that they'll stick around indefinitely. There's a substantial number of retirees driven to Florida for its low taxes, low cost of living, and warm and humid weather which minimizes the impact of common old-age maladies like arthritis. These people are really in the best situation to work at Disney, as the income is understood to be supplemental and the main goal of employment is to stay active, help make children happy, etc. For employees in that type of situation, Disney can present fairly agreeable terms. For everyone else, there is little doubt that a "career" in the parks is short-lived and sub-optimal (but of course, Disney doesn't really mind, because there're plenty of people left to burn out).