The last scheduled raise under Walt Disney World’s 2023 union contract arrives this month, bringing minimum pay for covered cast members to at least $20.50 an hour. That contract, which Disney called a five-year agreement, runs through October 2026, so the next round of bargaining is close.
The contract covers cast members represented by the Service Trades Council Union, a coalition of six unions representing more than 40,000 Walt Disney World workers. Members ratified it in March 2023 with 97 percent approval, about two months after rejecting Disney’s earlier offer. It raised the minimum wage to $18 by the end of 2023, added $5.50 to $8.60 an hour in raises over the life of the contract and created eight weeks of paid child bonding leave.
Here is where the final step lands for some of the most familiar jobs. Housekeepers reach $24 an hour, dishwashers $22, prep cooks $24, line cooks $27.10, chef assistants $28.60 and bus drivers $24.50. Cast members hired after December 3, 2023, reach a $20 minimum instead of $20.50.
For context, Florida’s minimum wage rose to $15 an hour on September 30, so Disney’s floor for union cast members now sits about $5.50 above the state minimum. That gap matters as Walt Disney World raises prices, including the Annual Pass increase that took effect October 6, and spends billions on new lands at Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom.
What comes next is the open question. We have not seen any public announcement from Disney or the Service Trades Council about talks on a new contract. The last time this came up, the previous contract expired on October 1, 2022, and the new one was not ratified until March 2023, with raises paid retroactively. We will report as soon as talks are confirmed.
Our take is that cast members are the reason a Disney day works, from the bus driver who gets you to the park to the housekeeper who resets your room. Guests are paying more every October, and the people delivering the experience should feel that growth too. A smooth, fair contract is good for cast members and good for anyone planning a trip.
