Merchandise

[Charmed09]

Hey all,

Any help/tips on Merchandise would be greatly appreciated! I'd like to read some current/former Merch bloggers! Thanks.

 

[morganelizabeth]

i'm so glad someone started this thread! i was just accepted for Merch on friday and would love to read as many merch blogs as possible/learn and great tips before i get there. :]

 

[vintageromance]

hey! I'm a former merch cp (as well as a fall advantage one lol) I worked in the magic kingdom, if you have any questions I'd be happy to answer. =)

 

[Elenadc]

I'm a former (and future) Merch CM too. I worked in the Backlands at DHS and absolutely loved it!

 

[Pancakes]

I think I'm going to put Merch as my second preference. What are the pros and cons of this role? I'm a cashier at shop rite...so should that give me a little heads up on what it is going to be like? Even though disney merch is probably 100x more intense than a grocery store haha

 

[khancock]

I noticed they have added some video overviews of some of the positions on the cp site. Merchandise is one of them.

I didn't do merch, but I did work in QSR. That overview is pretty good for that role. I'd guess that the merchandise one is good too.

https://www.wdwcollegeprogram.com/sap/its/mimes/zh_wdwcp/students/role_descr/onstage.html

 

[WDW_lover_in_SC]

I think I'm going to put Merch as my second preference. What are the pros and cons of this role? I'm a cashier at shop rite...so should that give me a little heads up on what it is going to be like? Even though disney merch is probably 100x more intense than a grocery store haha

This role is a very rewarding role but trust me your grocery store doesn't have even close to the amount of people you will be dealing with in one day if you end up in the right spot. Merh is a great role with not many cons. It has the usual cons that all CP roles have such as long/late shifts. Demanding you to interact with ever customer you can. But the pros are great. You know exactly how all the discounts work. See or know about a lot of Merchandise before other cps would. (Vinylmations are a good example) I enjoyed Merch but I wouldn't do it again as I don't enjoy dealing with money. But it's a lot of fun!

I noticed they have added some video overviews of some of the positions on the cp site. Merchandise is one of them.

I didn't do merch, but I did work in QSR. That overview is pretty good for that role. I'd guess that the merchandise one is good too.

https://www.wdwcollegeprogram.com/sap/its/mimes/zh_wdwcp/students/role_descr/onstage.html

This video is a very accurate video of a day in the life as a Merch CM

 

[Elenadc]

As a general note to people considering Merch: you could be working with food. It's not terribly likely, but it is possible. In my old area we had a small coffeeshop that was considered a Merch location. So if anyone has a big issue with working with food, you might want to reconsider Merch, or request a location that you know doesn't have a food location.

On the bright side, food locations that are classified as Merch give you your CM discount on all the food!

 

[mickeyonasticky]

Hey :] I'm currently in merch in MK, so if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask away!

I also have a CP blog, which is linked in my signature below

 

[Lauren528]

I have my phone interview tomorrow and Merchandising is my first choice, how likely is someone to get their first choice? And about how many spots are available in Merch?

 

[WDW_lover_in_SC]

I have my phone interview tomorrow and Merchandising is my first choice, how likely is someone to get their first choice? And about how many spots are available in Merch?

When I did my first program Merch was my number 1 and I got it. But it doesn't always happen that way. Not sure how many spots any role takes really but there is a good bit of merch qsfb and attractions roles.

 

[shelovesdisney]

What are the best stores/parks to request for Merch?

 

[WDW_lover_in_SC]

What are the best stores/parks to request for Merch?

They honestly are all about the same they sell a lot of the same merchandise. But World of Disney is a fun one I've heard and obviously the Emporium on Main Street. I enjoyed working at D Street.

 

[DisneyGirlie]

Not to bring anyone down, but I think it's important to realize Merchandise is more than just working in a store on Main Street.

I wanted merch most of all and didn't get it, but I got a private message from someone who tried to make me feel better by telling me her daughter's role was merchandise, but she ended up stacking and cleaning wheelchairs. So, I guess wheelchair/stroller rental is considered merchandise. I would never have even thought of that, so I think it's a role with a wider spectrum than people think.

 

[piratechick]

Not to bring anyone down, but I think it's important to realize Merchandise is more than just working in a store on Main Street.

I wanted merch most of all and didn't get it, but I got a private message from someone who tried to make me feel better by telling me her daughter's role was merchandise, but she ended up stacking and cleaning wheelchairs. So, I guess wheelchair/stroller rental is considered merchandise. I would never have even thought of that, so I think it's a role with a wider spectrum than people think.

Very true! The stores are not the only part of merchandise. Strollers/wheelchair rental is part of merchandise. So is the candy stores (where you make candy), some food stands, baby care (you keep the kids busy by playing with them, doing arts and crafts, and watching movies with them), the balloon people (the ones you see selling the balloons), and photopass for the rides.

I worked in Dinoland, Animal Kingdom in my last program. I worked in the big Chester And Hester store, all of the merchandise carts located throughout Dinoland, the Dinosaur store for the ride including the photopass pictures (some of the pictures were hilarious!), and the carnival games. The carnival games is what surprised me. I thought they were part of Attractions, but turned out they are not. It's considered Merchandise because there is cash handling involved. We also had to deal with all lost and found. Whenever a cast member from another role finds a item, it comes straight to us because we are in charged of taking it to Guest Services if it's not claimed after an hour.

This time I hope I get put in either Epcot or the Emporium at MK. I requested these two locations to the recruiters. The Emporium at MK handles baby care and it would be so awesome that I would get pay just for watching movies with the kids. And I love Epcot and heard it was voted the number one most favorite park to work at by cast members. Though, working the Confectionary at MK would be awesome as well because I love sweets and would love to make them.

 

[tinkerbelle22]

Not to bring anyone down, but I think it's important to realize Merchandise is more than just working in a store on Main Street.

I wanted merch most of all and didn't get it, but I got a private message from someone who tried to make me feel better by telling me her daughter's role was merchandise, but she ended up stacking and cleaning wheelchairs. So, I guess wheelchair/stroller rental is considered merchandise. I would never have even thought of that, so I think it's a role with a wider spectrum than people think.

That's true! I don't have any CP experience myself (yet!) but my cousin was a merch CP, back when I was a lot younger so I really didn't know much about the whole system. He got placed stacking strollers at some store in the Wide World of Sports. He really didn't like it, mainly because he accidentally checked all of the roles while still expecting to get his first choice. So he wasn't too thrilled with the kind of merch role he got.
I'm a Spring 2012 hopeful, and merch is my fourth choice (that is if my list doesn't change again before August!) My cousin's bad experience has nothing to do with the fact that it's not one of my first choices, it's mostly because I worked at Build A Bear last summer and had an awful time. I'm not jumping for joy at the idea of going back to retail, but I figure it shouldn't be too bad, considering it's in Disney World!

 

[robinsonsfan]

I don't care where I am working!! I am just so happy that I get an opportunity to work at Disney World!

 

[theflyingzero]

This is just kind of a random questions but is it better to working in one BIG store all the time or a bunch of smaller stores? I read in this post someone worked all of the back of DHS and someone else all of Dinoland and i think that would be awesome i dont really want to work in a big store is there anything i can about this or no?? I really want to be changing alot i feel like working in one big store would get boring.

 

[jlg263]

This is just kind of a random questions but is it better to working in one BIG store all the time or a bunch of smaller stores? I read in this post someone worked all of the back of DHS and someone else all of Dinoland and i think that would be awesome i dont really want to work in a big store is there anything i can about this or no?? I really want to be changing alot i feel like working in one big store would get boring.

I think there are advantages and disadvantages with both options, just like it is with pretty much everything on the CP, haha. I worked a bunch of places on my last CP. I worked the "big" store in DHS (Mickey's of Hollywood), a smaller clothing store (keystone), the autograph store, the store half inside and half outside the park, and several carts. I think my location had a great variety because you got to experience a large store that carried almost everything as well as a bunch of smaller stores. We would also get shifts stocking the carts so that would involve bringing ice to the drinks and running back and forth between the cart and the trailer where all of the merchandise was stored. I also had 3 different costumes. It was great, but the downside would be getting stuck at a cart for an entire day (it gets hot and you're very bored, haha). I loved it there, but requested the emporium in MK for a different experience this summer. We'll see if I actually get put there though... I could see getting tired of being in the same store all the time though.

 

[kel89]

There is a lot more to Merchandise than just stores. I work Main street east. (the opposite side of emporium) It includes the train carts, firehouse, photopass registers, uptown jewelers, the chapeau, tip board pin cart and the confectionery. Having so many locations is fun because we are always in rotation and get moved around alot, so it makes the day go by faster. I love merch because there is so much interaction with guests. I get to talk to everyone and pin trade, it gives you a lot of opportunity to learn a lot about them. Plus Magical Moments are super fun! The down side is having a lot of challenging guests - but its all part of the challenge in being here.