Disneyland Resort prepares to name 2009 Ambassador team
Hundreds of current and former Disney cast members will gather in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle just after park opening tomorrow morning when Disneyland Resort President Ed Grier names the 2009 Disneyland Resort Ambassador team.
The Ambassador program dates back to 1965, when Walt Disney selected guest relations hostess Julie Reihm to serve as the Disneyland Ambassador to the World during the park’s 10th anniversary. Reihm helped handle interview and public appearance requests, travelled to five continents to represent Walt Disney and Disneyland, and served as VIP host for luminaries who visited Disneyland during the anniversary celebration. The position proved so valuable that an Ambassador or Ambassador team has represented Disneyland ever since. Walt Disney World and the international Disney resorts also all have Ambassador programs.
(From left) 2009 Ambassador Finalists Carey Borning, David Enriquez, Karen Priore, Quinn Shurian and Danielle DuBois pose with Mickey Mouse and Goofy at Disneyland. Photo © Disney.
For the first three decades of the program, the Disneyland Ambassador, sometimes referred to as the “travelling ambassador” or “Disneyland Hostess”, was a female cast member, often selected from the ranks of guest relations hostesses. The first Ambassador team, including the first male Disneyland Ambassador, was selected in 1995. 2002 Ambassador Matt Ebeling was the first solo male Ambassador chosen worldwide. Names and photographs of all past Disneyland Ambassadors are available on the Disneyland Public Relations Web site (link).
Friday’s announcement culminates a weeks-long interview process for the five Ambassador Finalists, who were among nearly 40 Cast Members to apply for the opportunity to serve as the Disneyland Resort’s official good will ambassadors. The five finalists for the 2009 team come from varied positions around the Disneyland Resort. Carey Borning currently works in entertainment events. Danielle DuBois is a cast member in the Imaging department, and David Enriquez comes from entertainment costuming. Karen Priore is a cast member in the Walt Disney Travel Company office in North Anaheim. Quinn Shurian splits his time between Cast Communications and Adventures by Disney.
(From left) 2009 Ambassador Finalists Danielle DuBois, David Enriquez and Carey Borning prepare cookies for dessert. Photo © Disney.
Enriquez says he was inspired to apply for the position after attending an Ambassador ceremony shortly after taking a job with Disney. He said “when you love something so much, you just want to grab the biggest megaphone you can and tell the whole world. I can’t think of a better way to tell people about Disney than this.” Priore said that she read about the position online, including an article here on MousePlanet, and is looking forward to an opportunity to represent off-site cast members. Borning said that the candidates receive feedback following each round of interviews, and all of the finalists agreed that the experience of the interview process will be invaluable throughout their careers.
Following a two-month training period, the 2009 Ambassador team begin a scheduled packed with over 200 local, national and international events. The Ambassadors works closely with the manager of the Ambassador program, who schedules appearances and commitments. Typical duties include hospital visits and parade appearances with the Disney characters, and participating in community outreach events and academic incentive programs. A portion of the 2008 Ambassadors’ schedule is available on the Disney Web site (link). The candidates got a small taste of the life of an Ambassador during the Miley Cyrus birthday event, and some even had the opportunity to give interviews to local media. The finalists also appeared at a Disney VoluntEARS event at the Ronald McDonald House in Orange last week.
As the official representative of the Disneyland Resort cast, the Ambassador serves as a member of the C.A.S.T. Committee, and attends cast recognition programs, banquets, Spirit Award announcements, and retirement parties. The Ambassador is an active participant in Disney VoluntEARS efforts, and speaks at resort meetings about cast activities. The Ambassador also travels locally and around the world, as the “Emissary of Goodwill” from the Disneyland Resort. Ambassadors may attend grand openings or special events at other Disney resorts. Finalists Borning and DuBois are no strangers to international travel – Borning spent several months working in the entertainment department for the Tokyo Disney Resort, and DuBois lived in Japan for a year. Shurian recently served as an Adventures by Disney tour guide for the family featured in the October 12, 2008 episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The family travelled to Canada while their new home was under construction.
(From left) Ambassador Finalist Karen Priore, Disney VoluntEAR Leadership Council President Dave Alden and Ambassador Finalist Danielle DuBois serve dinner at the Ronald McDonald House in Orange. Photo © Disney.
When Ambassadors are not otherwise scheduled, they can request cross-training days, where they learn the roles of other cast members. If Ambassadors have always wanted to see what it was like to be a Jungle Cruise skipper, or to learn to pilot the Monorail, they are in a unique position to fulfill that dream. In fact, 2008 Ambassador David Gill says that had hoped for a job as a Monorail driver when he first applied to work at Disneyland, and that he is going to make sure he cross-trains on that attraction before his term is up.
Once their term is over, Ambassadors are guaranteed positions with the Disneyland Resort. While some return to their original departments, others explore the new opportunities they were exposed to as Ambassadors. Previous Ambassadors are often called on to represent the resort at major events and to serve act as media hosts during press events. Former Ambassadors are also invited to return each year as the newest Ambassadors are named.
The 2009 Ambassador ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. Friday morning at the Sleeping Beauty Castle Forecourt in Disneyland. Park visitors are invited to watch the ceremony from Town Plaza.
