What it's really like to work at Disney

It's not all smiles behind the masks. Photo / iStock

Working at a Disney theme park is a dream for many children, but it turns out that dressing up like a fairy tale princess isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

Employees at the company's theme parks have been sharing revelations about their jobs on the anonymous confessions app Whisper and the stories range from heartwarming to heartbreaking.

Among the secrets shared, staff members revealed that they wanted to kick the children, they are banned from dyeing their hair and that mean guests can often leave them in tears.

One of the biggest complaints among employees was the strict dress code, with many criticising their inability to express their individuality.

One contributor said: "Got an interview to work on the Disney cruise line! Unfortunately I have tattoos, piercings and brightly coloured hair and that is not accepted."

Another added: "I want to quit my job at Disney World, but then I think about how good of a job it is and how much fun I have at work. I wish I could dye my hair and get acrylic nails again."

Meanwhile, another fell short of the entry requirements because her body type didn't fit, saying: "I've always wanted to work at Disney and be a princess. You need to be a size 10 (UK) and under 5ft 6ins. I'm already screwed."

For others, the most difficult thing about the job was the fact that anyone playing a character had to stay in character for the entire time that they wore the costume, to prevent the illusion being shattered for any children.

This proved problematic for one employee when they wanted to gush over celebrities who were visiting the park.

They said: "When I worked at Disney I wanted so much to freak out whenever I met a celebrity. Totally sucks when I can't break out of character."

For another staff member the rule led to an even more awkward encounter, with the worker revealing: "I used to work at Disney, where Rule No.1 is: Always stay in character.

"I once walked in on Belle and Gaston having sex. They paused and then Belle says: "Don't tell the Beast.""

For some, the attitude of the guests has marred what was once their dream job.

One employee said: "I work at Disney World and being around children and their parents all day every day has taught me how not to raise my children."

Another added: "I work seasonally for Disney World and guests are so mean sometimes I leave work in tears."

This mistreatment by guests has led to many employees feeling contempt towards the tourists.

One such contributor said: "I work at Disney and 'have a magical day' is mouse for "go f*** yourself"."

Another added: "I work at Disney Land and I want to kick the kids, especially the ones that come near me."

Meanwhile, a particularly troubled employee revealed they had taken to drinking alcohol before work.

They said: "Every day before my shift I drink liquor to help make me more cheerful for the children."

It's not all bad though - some employees revealed that their job brought them enormous amounts of happiness, with one person saying: "I work in Disney as Rapunzel, the children who visit give me life.

"It brings me joy to see a child's face light up when they see her."

There are also the perks of having an enormous costume wardrobe to hand, which came in handy when one employee wanted to propose.

They revealed: "I work at Disney World and I got the park manager to let me use the Mickey costume in a show to ask my boyfriend to marry me. I'm a guy."

MailOnline Travel has asked Disney for a response to the comments made on Whisper.