Maintaining the Magic: Facilities Operations Services Careers at Disney | S3E13
ON THIS EPISODE OF LIFE AT DISNEY
In this episode of the Life at Disney Podcast, we’re talking to three experts on the magic that guests might not notice on their trips to a Disney Park — Facilities Operations Services (FOS), Facility Asset Management (FAM) and Recruitment for those roles.
FOS cast members are responsible for "maintaining the magic” of Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, caring for infrastructure, utilities, attractions and more. Jobs are typically related to engineering, maintenance, safety and facility support.
In a FAM role, cast members work to plan operations behind the scenes — often working in project management, budget, scheduling and inspection roles. FAM cast members keep the operations running smoothly and on time!
Tune into the episode to learn more about the technical side of Walt Disney World and Disneyland!
MEET OUR GUESTS
James, Planner/Scheduler II, Facilities Shared Services, Disneyland Resort
James started his Disney journey taking annual family road trips from Connecticut to Walt Disney World, where his interest in the company grew. He participated in the Disney College Program and worked Attractions at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. He stayed in Anaheim to become a lead and trainer before shifting to the Resort Maintenance Base for four years, taking corrective calls from the parks and assigning them to the right team.
In June 2022, James transitioned to the Attractions Engineering Services teams to assist with classification of attractions downtimes. What started as a two-person team covering Disney’s California Adventure Park grew into a dedicated team for both parks. From there, he was approached about planning for the Utilities and Support Services Team, where he is now a Planner II.
Amanda, Associate Project Manager, Facility Asset Management, Walt Disney World Resort
Growing up in southern Florida, Disney was always a familiar and meaningful part of Amanda’s life. She attended the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida and came across an opportunity with Disney at a campus career day event. She applied and has been with the company for 14 years since then.
As an Associate Project Manager, she makes sure documentation is issued on time, coordinates with contractors, and communicates updates with clients and partners. Other days are spent in the field, boots on the ground, where she works closely with project partners and the design team to navigate site conditions and resolve issues.
Matt, Senior Recruiter, Disney Experiences
Before joining Disney, Matt served in the U.S. Army as a mechanic working on heavy-wheeled vehicles. After leaving the military, he relocated to Orlando and saw an advertisement for Bus Mechanics at Disney. He applied and was offered a position, officially joining Disney in January 2000.
Matt was promoted to Working Foreman and in 2007, accepted a Planner role with Worldwide Safety & Accessibility (WSA) and partnered with Quality Engineers to develop maintenance and safety plans for attractions across Walt Disney World. He worked as a Service Manager within Quality Engineering and led maintenance teams for four years. In 2014, Matt transitioned to Disney’s Hollywood Studios as part of the Attractions Engineering Services team, where he led third-shift maintenance operations.
His recruiting journey began in 2018 when he learned Casting Services was seeking a recruiter to support hourly technical maintenance roles. Today, Matt recruits on the Disney Experiences Professional Recruiting team, supporting Facilities Asset Management (FAM).
NO TWO DAYS LOOK THE SAME
In FOS and FAM — it’s rare that two days look exactly the same.
While Amanda’s days are usually centered around keeping things organized across multiple teams, she spends some days based in the office and others out in the field.
James currently supports Operating Engineers (Boilers, Chillers, Compressed Air), Plumbers, Plumbing Water Treatment, Waterways Laborers and Refrigeration, which means he’s ready to assist these functions on any given day. James’ consistent first task is checking his calendar for any job walks that need to be covered.
“It’s important for planning to go on these early walks so that we can determine the level of maintenance or additional labor required to ensure the area is properly maintained,” James said.
The recruitment routine for these roles is a bit more consistent, according to Matt, who said he begins the process by partnering with the hiring manager to understand the business needs and role requirements.
“From there, we review and refine the job posting, launch the recruitment strategy, source qualified candidates and manage the interview process,” Matt said.
Throughout the hiring journey, recruiters maintain regular communication with candidates to keep them informed, engaged and supported.
OBSERVING WORK OUT & ABOUT
While a good portion of FOS and FAM work happens where guests can’t see, there have been special times when Amanda, James and Matt have seen a direct impact of their efforts out in the parks.
Amanda’s first project after joining FAM was refreshing the Main Street Emporium and all its supporting stockrooms.
“It was a big project, so it was incredibly rewarding to see it come to life and hear positive feedback from both guests and cast,” Amanda said. “That was truly a meaningful moment because you could see how improvements behind the scenes also made a difference onstage.”
For James, he said a part of his role’s benchmark for success is that the guest experience is not impacted at all.
“We strive to ensure that our facilities are fully operational all day, every day,” James said. “We’re able to ensure that our guests get to experience every part of their vacation that they planned for.”
Matt said the best part of being a recruiter is knowing that the work makes a difference.
“Throughout my recruiting career, I have seen candidates who I sourced and hired go on to achieve incredible things,” Matt said. “Some have received awards and recognition for their contributions, while others have earned promotions and taken on new leadership opportunities. Seeing people grow, succeed and make a positive impact on the business is incredibly rewarding.”
TOOLS FOR SUCCESS
There are a few key skills our guests noted that anyone applying to FOS or FAM roles with Disney should have stored in their arsenal.
Amanda and James agree that communication skills are critical, since FOS and FAM jobs contain many moving parts that sometimes spread across teams. If someone fails to communicate an update or challenge within a project, it could lead to delays or worse setbacks.
Amanda said having the ability to build and maintain relationships is also very important to succeeding in FOS and FAM.
“We are a company built on relationships and being able to build and sustain those relationships will help you succeed not only day to day, but throughout your career,” Amanda said. “We also build relationships with contractors and designers in our department and having positive experiences will always support a successful project.”
As far as applying to FOS and FAM roles goes, Matt said to not lose hope if you aren’t selected for the first job or two that you apply for.
“Persistence matters,” Matt said. “Keep applying, keep learning and keep looking for opportunities to connect with recruiters and professionals in your field. Stay persistent, and don't give up. Your next application could be the one that gets you the call from a recruiter.”
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