Disney Security

[Security]

Hi Everyone,

I graduated college recently with my bachelor's degree in business administration. I am currently pursuing my master's of business administration and about a month ago, started working a PT security job to pay a few bills while in school. However, I really enjoy the nature of the work and am thinking about getting into the management side of it. Ideally, I would like to work for a company that has a lot more going on than the shopping center which I'm currently employed at. I've been thinking about it a lot these past couple of weeks and decided that Disney World would be a great place to work. Looking after the safety of millions and millions of people, plus the excitement of working in one of the world's largest theme parks sounds very appealing to me. But the only problem is that I'm not really sure how to go about getting a job with Disney Security... Does anyone have any advice they can offer me so that I can start preparing for a career with them? I would really like to apply for a management position in about a year from now, after I get my MBA. Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Erik

[NRM_Oz]

Not being a yank I don't know a great deal about your needs for qualifications but I would table the following:

1. Project management certification

2. Public safety - yes event planning is important

3. Risk Management - a simple course shows your desire to utilise your knowledge

4. Workplace safety - especially when dealing with parades and crowds.

This is just a generalisation and works well with any shopping centre, large public premises or opening of a theme park or major event.

[The Hussard]

Working for security at Disney World is like working for a small city ,with all the people going there . Maybe they have Mickey Mouse undercover agent

[Security]

Not being a yank I don't know a great deal about your needs for qualifications but I would table the following:

1. Project management certification

2. Public safety - yes event planning is important

3. Risk Management - a simple course shows your desire to utilise your knowledge

4. Workplace safety - especially when dealing with parades and crowds.

This is just a generalisation and works well with any shopping centre, large public premises or opening of a theme park or major event.

I have taken risk management courses at the graduate and undergraduate level, so I'm hoping this will help. I was also planning on attending a public safety conference that will soon be held in NYC, but not totally sure yet. However, if you think this will help my chances of being employed by Disney Security, I might actually go to it.

Does anyone else have any advice on how I might go about finding a security management position with an organization like Disney?

Thanks,
Erik

[gcmc security part 2]

I have taken risk management courses at the graduate and undergraduate level, so I'm hoping this will help. I was also planning on attending a public safety conference that will soon be held in NYC, but not totally sure yet. However, if you think this will help my chances of being employed by Disney Security, I might actually go to it.

Does anyone else have any advice on how I might go about finding a security management position with an organization like Disney?

Thanks,
Erik

If I remember correctly most of the upper management personal at Disney were all former LE or 20+ years in security.

Pretty much can guarnatee they are going to want you to have CPP, as well as much much more experience in the industry.

You are talking about a Security Department, that last I recall numbered over 1200 people during the season. This is not your everyday mom and pop operation, this requires a bit more than some part time experience and a degree.

But good luck!

[Security]

If I remember correctly most of the upper management personal at Disney were all former LE or 20+ years in security.

Pretty much can guarnatee they are going to want you to have CPP, as well as much much more experience in the industry.

You are talking about a Security Department, that last I recall numbered over 1200 people during the season. This is not your everyday mom and pop operation, this requires a bit more than some part time experience and a degree.

But good luck!

Thanks for your reply, but I am not interested in applying for an upper management position just yet. I would like to start at middle or even lower management if I have to.

[integrator97]

Even for lower management, you should have more than a months experience. A degree alone isn't enough. Disney isn't a for profit security operation, so security/LE experience, or proven management experience is what they will be looking for, not business administration.

[gcmc security part 2]

Thanks for your reply, but I am not interested in applying for an upper management position just yet. I would like to start at middle or even lower management if I have to.

Yeah you more than likely would need to start off as an officer for quite a few years before you would even be considered.

[ESI AGENT]

Here in California I met a guy who was getting his exposed firearm permit to work at Disneyland. He mentioned that they like their security agents to be crossed trainined as a EMT. "smart choice" If that's true someone is thinking. Being crossed trainined as an EMT should open doors for organizations that are looking for a better staff. Remember in most places security are the first responders.

[Maelstrom]

I'd have to agree with the above suggestion, being multi-skilled is an advantageous position to be in as you have more to offer the organisation, just curious... but have you considered contacting Disney Security directly? surely they'd be the best people to answer your questions related to organisational requirements etc.

[Curtis Baillie]

The one time Director of Security at Disney held many different positions including:
distribution
VP of Operations
health services
risk management
general services
pest control &
creative costuming and procurement.

Later he had laundry operations, security, and transportation, all at the same time. Today Bill Turner is the director of U.S. Retail Operations at Nike, Inc. - courtesy of Loss Prevention magazine.

Just goes to show there's opportunity to wear many different hats at Disney.

[NRM_Oz]

Just a funny story related to Costumed Actors. Was working a CPP (Chaperone) Role with the Easter Bunny at a football match. We had 10,000 x 1" chocolate eggs for EB and friends to toss out to patrons before the first grade match (this was a redneck area). About 1/2 way round the field, we get smart teenagers and male adults who decided it would be more fun to peg (throw) them back at the promotions people walking alongside EB on his motorised cart together with my partner and me. EB was copping a hiding from the incoming eggs and my partner copped a few to the head (never take the position on the outer) as we called the police for support and disposed of the remaing eggs tipping bucket loads over the side of the fences to get rid to them. Poor EB was a very nice girl who was covered in bruises from the impact of the eggs on her face through the mesh for the mouth and eyes.

[kingsman]

https://disney.recruitmax.com/main/careerportal/Job_List.cfm?szSearchType=Advanced

My father works for Disney security as a security officer. He has no degree, but did work as a police officer back in the 1950's. Personally, I think it time he retired...

[Security]

https://disney.recruitmax.com/main/c...hType=Advanced

My father works for Disney security as a security officer. He has no degree, but did work as a police officer back in the 1950's. Personally, I think it time he retired...

Hey, thanks for posting this. I was wondering where I could find current job openings at Disney.

Just so everyone knows, I plan on working more than one month as a PT SO before applying. I'm actually getting promoted to supervisor after the holiday season, and that will be a FT job for me which I plan on doing for a year. I don't plan on applying to Disney until after I get my MBA, though. But I was browsing through the job openings and it seems like the supervisory jobs with Disney Security aren't that difficult to get... Just a year or two of experience and a HS diploma. So in a year's time with my work experience and educational background, I'm pretty confident that I'll have a good shot at getting into lower management and hope to work my way up from there (I don't plan on becoming Director of Security right out of school, or anything like that.) Anyway, it's just a goal that I have set for myself... If it doesn't work out, that's fine. I just want to work in a place that has crowds of people and a whole lot going on. I'll certainly keep my options open.

Thanks,
Erik

[Hank1]

You may not be able to get right into Management. There may some "grunt work" involved first, regardless of degrees one may have. Good Luck.

Be Safe,

Hank