[Mick]

I work for a Disney subsidiary.

In my experience Disney is a good parent company -- stable and well-run.

But it's known throughout the industry for paying lower wages than its competitors.  If you have people literally willing to work for free, you pay market rate only for key people.

I've always known I could get paid more elsewhere but there are other considerations -- primarily having a job I love in a place I want to live.

Four quick thoughts:

1)  I have an aunt who has had some ups and downs in her life, including the fact she was widowed at age 32.  She visits Disney twice yearly with her kids, and absolutely loves it.  The place is so incredibly well-run that the fantasy is pervasive.  They've really nailed the curve, and everything about Disney is pleasant, it keeps unpleasant realities away.  And I can see why some people love it that much.

2)  My sister in law is a Stanford ME/Harvard MBA.  She interviewed with Disney out of Harvard and was offered a job. She literally thought the offer was a typo to the point that she confirmed it with two separate Disney people.

3)  One of my son's Princeton friends turned down a Wall Street job to take on a Disney finance job.  And yes, he's originally from Southern California.

4)  I absolutely get the appeal of doing a job that you love, no matter what the income.  At the dinner table one night when my eldest was 15, I was preoccupied and not really following the conversation and he said "Dad, what's your dream job," and I replied "Bartender in Maui," absolutely without thinking about it.  He laughed and I looked up to find out what I'd missed to find myself face to face with my furious bride.  "Can I talk with you for a minute?" she said.  Let's just say I didn't do any talking.

[Mick]

I work for a Disney subsidiary.

In my experience Disney is a good parent company -- stable and well-run.

But it's known throughout the industry for paying lower wages than its competitors.  If you have people literally willing to work for free, you pay market rate only for key people.

I've always known I could get paid more elsewhere but there are other considerations -- primarily having a job I love in a place I want to live.

Four quick thoughts:

1)  I have an aunt who has had some ups and downs in her life, including the fact she was widowed at age 32.  She visits Disney twice yearly with her kids, and absolutely loves it.  The place is so incredibly well-run that the fantasy is pervasive.  They've really nailed the curve, and everything about Disney is pleasant, it keeps unpleasant realities away.  And I can see why some people love it that much.

2)  My sister in law is a Stanford ME/Harvard MBA.  She interviewed with Disney out of Harvard and was offered a job. She literally thought the offer was a typo to the point that she confirmed it with two separate Disney people.

3)  One of my son's Princeton friends turned down a Wall Street job to take on a Disney finance job.  And yes, he's originally from Southern California.

4)  I absolutely get the appeal of doing a job that you love, no matter what the income.  At the dinner table one night when my eldest was 15, I was preoccupied and not really following the conversation and he said "Dad, what's your dream job," and I replied "Bartender in Maui," absolutely without thinking about it.  He laughed and I looked up to find out what I'd missed to find myself face to face with my furious bride.  "Can I talk with you for a minute?" she said.  Let's just say I didn't do any talking.