Inside the Roles (I)
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
No matter what program you embark on, there’s a number of different roles to choose from, and sometimes there isn’t a lot of information on them. Today, I’ll be talking about two roles: Quick Service Food & Beverage and Hospitality.
Quick Service Food and Beverage
Quick Service Food and Beverage (QSR) is a challenging role to undertake, and I’m not going to glorify this role- it ultimately boils down to serving guests in a high-volume, counter-service or cart food location, not unlike any other fast-food or quick-casual food vendor you’d find scattered across the country. Unlike these outlets however, Disney’s QSR is hardly mundane and anything but typical.
If you’re offered a position in QSR, you could have a role that takes place in almost any place imaginable on Disney property. While outlets like Columbia Harbor House and Pecos Bill Cafe at the Magic Kingdom may come to mind, QSR also embodies the various carts and wagons located throughout the numerous parks, and the various sweets & ice-cream shops located throughout property (excluding the Confectionary and Sweet Spells, these are merchandise locations).
Yes, the hours can be long and work can be demanding sometimes (just like any other role), but not without its own merits. QSR cast have their own special way of “making the magic” for guests- and even though a lot of people who go into the role initially may not be too enthused, they end up loving it before they leave. Some benefits of this role is that you can truly leave your work at work, something that sometimes you can’t escape with the next role I’m about to describe. It’s also possible that in this role, you’ll be given a certain amount of liberty to work independently in the field, which can be pretty fun. These roles also tend to pay a bit more than the program base-rate, which always helps.
Program participants typically are cashiers and food expeditors, or are stand alone vendors at the carts. It’s possible you could be exposed to the elements, and you’ll likely be standing/moving about for your entire shift.
Hospitality
Hospitality majors are often attracted to the Disney College Program experience, and what better place to get started than in a hospitality role! Hospitality is probably the most difficult role to score on the college program. Prior guest service experience and a pretty darn good phone interview are necessities for this role. Because of the significant investment Disney makes in training these cast members, it would be advantageous to sign-up for an advantage program if you’d like to improve your odds.
As far as the role goes, it can vary from resort to resort. At most resorts, this involves at least three sub-roles, Cashier (Front Desk), Lobby Concierge and Runner. The former is pretty much just like any other hotel cashier in the formal sense- they check you in to your “Disney Vacation” and get you established at the resort. However, the level of detail and explanation required is often a much higher expectation from anywhere else you’d work. You’re not just checking people in to a hotel, you’re setting up their vacation!
Lobby concierge, as you can probably deduce, assists guests in a resort lobby, typically adjacent to the front desk to organize dining reservations, excursions and other activities, and sell tickets. This sub-role is a lot like a glorified vacation planner at one of the parks. The runners do exactly that- run items per guest requests. Other resorts have additional sub-roles that you may or may not be selected to perform. This includes Club Concierge (Disney desk experience is required for this, and is located at deluxe resorts only), Lounge Attendant and Bell services.
Something to keep in mind is that resorts operate 24/7/365. There is a great potential for you to be given “funky” shifts, because they must always be staffed. These roles can be a lot of fun, but are a lot of stress as well.
Coming up on Thursday: The Large Envelope
Coming up next week: Acceptance, Moving up in the Ranks
Labels: College and CareerStart Programs • Hospitality • Quick Service • Roles •
