Cast Members

News

Walt Disney World Cast Members Participate in Hula Competition

Recently, several Walt Disney World cast members channeled the spirit of aloha at an annual hula competition in Orlando.

The Ho'ike Hawaii 16th Annual Hula Competition is an annual event that brings Hawaiian and Tahitian dancers and dance teams to central Florida for a friendly dance competition with others who share their love of the hula culture.

New Hidden Mickey Pins Arriving at Disney Parks This Month

The next collection of the 2013 Hidden Mickey pins are being released later this month at Disneyland and the Walt Disney World Resort.

If you don't know what the Hidden Mickey Pins are, they're given to cast members to use for pin trading with guests and each pin features a small Mickey Mouse icon. The pins sets are different at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, so if you're lucky enough to make it to both coasts you might have quite a collection!

German Tourist Accused of Making Fake Bomb Threat at WDW

This past Sunday morning, a tourist from Germany was arrested after allegedly making a fake bomb threat near the entrance of the Magic Kingdom.

Jochen Naumann, 37, apparently told cast members working the security checkpoint at the Magic Kingdom that he had two bombs in his backpack. When the cast member questioned Naumann further, the German tourist repeated he had bombs in his backpack.

A sherriff deputy stationed at the checkpoint then called in a bomb-sniffing dog while he took the tourist into custody. The dog did not find any explosive devices in the man's backpack.

Cast Members Donate 3.1 Million School Supplies

Walt Disney World cast members were busy earlier this month with a back-to-school supply drive to raise supplies for low-income families in central Florida. Their efforts were a success with over 3 million items, including some 13,000 backpacks, collected. In fact, the amount of pencils, erasers, crayons, rulers and the like collected by the cast members over a three-week period was enough to fill five school buses.

The school supplies will help fill a growing need, acording to Orange County superintendent Barbara Jenkins:

Magic Kingdom Worker Interview

Ever wanted to get the scoop on a Walt Disney World park from an insider's view? Recently, a cast member from the Magic Kingdom answered questions online during a "I Am A . . ." discussion at Reddit.com. The cast member states he/she works at the Magic Kingdom's main entrance turnstiles and also in "parade audience control;" in the past, the cast member has worked in merchanidse and at Toy Story Mania at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Disneyland Paris Cast Members On Strike For Second Time This Year

Cast members who portray the costumed characters at Disneyland Paris went on strike for the second time this year last week.

The strike stemmed from a conflict over a sexual harassment allegation. A Disneyland Paris spokesperson had this to say about the situation:

The situation was related to fears concerning a cast member who will return to work following disciplinary measures. Resort activity returned to normal on Thursday morning.

Disney Makes Changes To Appearance Codes For Employees

Recently, Disney announced some changes in their policies affecting appearances of their employees. First, for the first time in sixty years, Disney will allow male workers in both Walt Disney World and Disneyland parks to grow beards or goatees. Next, the company will allow employees to partake in casual Friday.

Disney Launches New Employee Donation Matching Program

Disney and its employees have long been known for their generosity and charitable works, yet Disney has said it wants to do more and help make the world a better place. They've recently started a new employee donation matching program to help achieve this goal.

The new program, called "Disney Employee Matching Gifts: A Program of The Walt Disney Company Foundation," will match Disney funds with any employee contributions to charities and schools.

Spotlight on Disneyland's Oscar

He's been around longer than many Disney fans have been alive, and he's still serving up a great breakfast five days a week at the Carnation Cafe in the Disneyland Resort. We're talking about Oscar Martinez. With 54 years of service, he is the longest tenured cast member at the Disneyland Resort.

Disney Cast Members Raise $36K for Make-A-Wish Foundation

In true Disney spirit, five hundred cast members and volunteers recently participated in the "Encore! Cast and Orchestra" program donated over 47,000 hours to put together "Dream Our Dreams, A Musical Tribute to the Legacy of Disney." The program was held at EPCOT center's "World Showplace" in early August, and raised over $37K for the "Make-A-Wish Foundation."

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Articles

Head Out on a New Adventure as a Wilderness Explorer at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Just like Russell in Disney/Pixar's UP, young guests at the Animal Kingdom can become a Wilderness Explorer.

The Wilderness Explorer experience gives kids - and grown-ups - the opportunity to discover all the natural surroundings of the Animal Kingdom while working toward earning one or more of the more than 30 badges available.

Disney Cast Members Couch to 5K Plus

The fun and inventive runDisney events have been inspiring Disney fans around the world to get up off the couch and get moving. But the Walt Disney Company's commitment to health and fitness isn't just about getting guests to visit the property. Since 2011 hundreds of Cast Members have been taking steps in the right direction to become more active.

Simple Ways to Treat Mom at Walt Disney World

If you are planning on being in Walt Disney World over Mother's Day, don't forget to treat Mom to something special while you're touring. There are lots of ways that you can show her how much she means while still enjoying a fun family vacation.

Canoe Races of the World at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

Today is Labor Day and we're celebrating the Disney Cast Members that make our Walt Disney World Vacations so very special with a look at a Cast Member tradition that goes back to Disneyland in 1963. I'm talking about the annual two-week event that is Canoe Races of the World (commonly referred to as C.R.O.W.) held in the Magic Kingdom, and in Disney Parks around the globe.

Disney Castmember BlanketEARs Stitch for a Cause

Back in 2007, a group of Disney castmembers would meet once a week to knit caps for soldiers that were serving overseas. In the past 5 years, the group has grown into a larger organization that calls themselves the BlanketEARS.

Cast Member Working on Animal Kingdom Ride Dies

A 52-year-old Disney cast member working on the Animal Kingdom's Primeval Whirl ride died on Monday. Russell Sherry Roscoe of Webster, Florida, sustained head injuries when he was struck by one of the ride's moving vehichles and later died at an area hospital.

Walt Disney World President Meg Crofton said in a statement released Monday:

"Our Walt Disney World community has experienced a tragic loss. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Russ Roscoe's family and we are working to assist them during this difficult time; our thoughts and our prayers are with them.

Cast Member Character Paintings

Walt Disney World sets the theme park standard for rides, shows, attractions, dining, and phenomenal employees, but something that doesn't get mentioned nearly enough is the fact that Disney parks don't stop there. They take guest engagement further than any other theme park operation by "plussing" the experience guests have just walking down the street.

Photo Tour: AquaDuck on the Disney Dream

A friend of ours just returned from a cruise on the brand new Disney Dream cruise ship and sent over this great review of the AquaDuck -- the cruise industry's first water coaster on a ship!

Thanks to WDWFG for the chance to rave about this incredible water coaster. The AquaDuck may seem like a kids' ride to some, but I was surprised to note that the concept was terrifying to many. Not a lot of folks want to hang out above the ocean with only a thin piece of plastic between them and an 150 foot drop!

Disneymooning 101 Part 3: Making the Best of Your Trip

We've covered planning your trip and picking your resort, and dining and special experiences you can book before your trip. Now, we cover how to make your honeymoon a very special one once you arrive on Disney World property!

"But What Would We DO At Disney World Without Kids?"

While it's obvious to some of us, others haven't really ever considered going to Disney World without their children in tow. Here's a quick guide to some of the advantages to leaving the little ones behind.