CM Salaries About This Page:

[carters_mom]

Earlier my husband was talking about how his Union is the same as the Character CM's at WDW. He said that he saw somewhere that they earn $27hr. across the board no matter who they portray. WOW! Can it be true, anyone else know?
After hearing how little other CM's earn I was surprised by this. If so I'm in the wrong business!

[griffin]

I don't know about the characters, but I was talking to the guy taking pictures inside the Imagination Pavilion (while DS was running around like a maniac!) and he mentioned how the pay in florida is very low compared to other parts of the country...

[bradk]

i have the rate schedule in front of me.

character performers are paid $8.75 - $12.93 per hour as of 9/28/08. i believe face characters do earn more than the fluffies.

the highest paying union job I can see is entertainment tech rigger which can go up to $22.60 per hour. chef assistants are also on the higher end.

[carters_mom]

That seems a bit more likely.

[bau8]

Characters (not face) also need to sign a waiver stating that they understand they will shrink due to the weight of the costume and the risk of bodily damage and that they can't go after Disney because of it.

[SARH7]

I met one of the girls who used to be Mickey (I did her wedding flowers a few years back). She was probably mid 20's when i met her, but i never asked how old she was when she did it...probably the college program thing. I should have asked her how it was to wear the costume!

[smilechaser]

Originally Posted by carters_mom

Earlier my husband was talking about how his Union is the same as the Character CM's at WDW. He said that he saw somewhere that they earn $27hr. across the board no matter who they portray.

Wow!! Where do I get an application?? Heck, I can be Goofy for $27 and hour, most days I am goofy for free.

Seriously, oh how wonderful it would be to be Tink for a day....a dream come true. I love when she sticks her cute little nose in the air and goes "hhmmmffff". Too cute!

[griffin]

As far as who would do it? Who knows, I was Barney once at an open house where my mom worked, the kids seemed to like it. Another time I was a purple dot/hockey puck promoting eye health...A friend of mine got me roped into that one!

[chezp]

Originally Posted by bradk

i have the rate schedule in front of me.

character performers are paid $8.75 - $12.93 per hour as of 9/28/08. i believe face characters do earn more than the fluffies.

the highest paying union job I can see is entertainment tech rigger which can go up to $22.60 per hour. chef assistants are also on the higher end.

That seems much more likely and fits in with what I've heard from CMs over the years.

[JanetCatherineB]

I don't think I could payed enough to dress as Mickey or Goofy or any other character for that matter. I did 2 years as Chuck E Cheese and wow that was enough. The pay was GREAT but the kids get rough and mean and the Parents don't watch them. And Imagine, Mickey and Goofy, those outfits look heavy and Hot at least when I was the Rat I was in an air conditioned building and it was still hot.

And I know from working at DCA in the past that there are a TON of height and weight requirements. But not sure on how much they made in DL or DCA or even WDW for that matter. They did work a TON of hours and a lot of overtime. They also usually worked 45 on and 30 off and that 30 off seemed well deserved in my book.

~J~

[skateycat]

keep in mind, y'all , we do not pay state or local taxes so the pay actually equals out. when i moved here in 1990, i took a big pay cut hourly, like 7.00 per hour. however, somehow, i was bringing home more in my paycheck. i am an rn in critical care and, yes, i could make lots more up north, but who would want to????? live up north that is, when one can drive to the happy place at a moment's notice...one of my bennies of living here...that and hurricanes...ha ha ha

[lauren-roxy]

Thanks for the info Brad. That seems to fit more with what I had heard.

[suzq62982]

Along time ago when we were at Disney, I believe a CM told my Dad that Tinkerbell got paid an ungodly amount of money. I don't remember exactly what it was.
Because her job is so dangerous. Flying off the castle on a wire... And that she had to be very small. Under 5 foot I believe and well under 100 lbs.. It was an impressive amount and the CM said she comes into work, goes to her dressing room in the castle starts the fire works and she's done. Might take a whole 2 hours..
I really wish I was 3 inches shorter and ALOT skinnier!!

[bradk]

the flying tink (now that i have to distinguish them) only has to fly for the performances when she can fly. that's her job. for that, she gets paid an amount equal to a 40 hour work week + hazard pay.

[emtpej]

They also probably have a lot of non-union jobs, including the college program / international students, as well as management / executives... most if not all of those, they probably don't or can't publish the pay scales. Not to mention independent contractors...