For some, working at a Disney Resort is a dream job. Being able to be right in the middle of the magic and help families create memories is something not a lot of people get to do. Heck, some people even move across the country — or even the world — for the chance to work at places like Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
However, recently, it seems that Disney is having a little bit of trouble keeping Cast Members happy. Not only does Disney frequently get called out for its low wages — which left some workers living in their cars — but there were also a number of walkouts and protests when Disney CEO Bob Chapek called Florida’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill, “irrelevant to the company”.
There was also the issue of Cast Members and studio employees not receiving the same great perks that they once did. Now, however, it looks like Disney is trying to increase the perks — at least a little bit.
For years, one of the biggest perks was that Cast Members would be able to get into the theme parks pretty much whenever they wanted and bring some of their family or friends with them. They were also given a number of complimentary tickets that they could give to friends and family, so they could get into the Parks without the Cast Member.
Those days have been significantly cut down and last year, Disney told Cast Members they could either have the theme park perk, or they could receive the Disney Bundle — which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ — for free.
This year, Disney has changed course and has informed Cast Members that they will not have to choose. Cast Members will now be able to have both the theme park access and the Disney Bundle. However, they will only have free access to the ad-supported version of Disney+, which will launch on December 8. Disney has not told Cast Members if they will be able to pay to upgrade to the ad-free tier.
Disney Cast Members also get perks like discounts at other Disney theme parks and Disney Resorts. They also get discounts at Disney hotels. The one exception is Tokyo Disney Resort, which is not owned by Disney.
