One of the best parts of any celebration is dressing for the occasion, and cast members at Walt Disney World Resort are ready to celebrate the resort’s 50th anniversary in style with their favorite accessory — new EARidescent Disney nametags!
With “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” only days away, cast members are coming together virtually and in person to officially put on their spectacular new 50th-themed nametags featuring EARidescent and gold details and the 50th anniversary logo.
Whether they’ve been here for 50 years or one day, the tradition of wearing a Disney nametag is one that every cast member keeps close to their heart (literally!), and there’s no better way to commemorate the important role each of us plays in bringing the magic of Disney to life for our guests and fellow cast members.
Check out how just a few of our Walt Disney World cast members are celebrating:
As the clock struck midnight earlier today, our third-shift cast members became the first to put on their 50th nametags!
Cast members working across Walt Disney World and at home share this historic moment together
Of course, no look is complete without a smile, and our cast members are grinning from ear to ear!
Cast members are wearing their new 50th nametags with pride, knowing they are part of this special moment in history and the heart of our celebration
Stay tuned for all of the latest news about the “The World’s Most Magical Celebration.”
The low pay for many Disneyland Cast Members along with the high cost of living near Anaheim, California has been causing housing and food insecurities for a number of years, and now the majority of Cast Members are joining a class action lawsuit against the resort in hopes of gaining a living wage.
The 25,000 (of Disneyland’s total 32,000) Cast Members involved in the suit allege that the company is legally obligated to pay them a living wage, and the ability to “live” hours away from their place of employment on top of food insecurities and the inability to consider having children does not quite constitute living.
Unions and Cast Members began to feel added pressure on wages when Disneyland changed the way certain roles are paid. For instance, some tipped positions like valet attendants recently had their roles modified so that they would no longer be handling luggage. But handling luggage is the way that many valet Cast Members make enough money to live on where their role is otherwise paid minimum wage or close to it.
Because of their low pay, some Disneyland Cast Members are experiencing food insecurities, while others are having to put off having children and buying a home. Some are even opting to sleep in their cars, because while affordable housing projects have helped some Cast Members make it work, others have not been able to find a solution close enough to work to justify the drive and the job.
Many Cast Members also believe that leaving their positions, despite the fact they many do not want to as they are there because they love what they do for work, will not help. While the COVID-19 crisis may present a different picture, Disneyland has not historically had a difficult time filling frontline hospitality roles, so many fear if they were to leave the positions would simply be filled by those willing to accept the low pay and the problem would never be resolved.
A 2018 study conducted by Occidental College and the Economic Roundtable reported that 11% of Disneyland Cast Members have experienced homelessness, while 68% felt food insecurities and 73% stated that they do not earn enough to cover their basic living expenses.
Some Cast Members have taken on second jobs to offset their Disneyland pay, but many find it difficult to do so given their requirement to have full availability at Disneyland. Even part timers have a hard time working a second job because of the varying shifts they get scheduled in the park. Some have turned to rideshare jobs and delivery services that are easier to work on their own time.
The cost of housing has gone up throughout Orange County as well, and many Cast Members believe rents are raised whenever possible because landlords understand the benefits of living close to the park and assume people will do what they can to be able to pay them.
The suit is also pointing to tax subsidies that the Walt Disney Company gets for the Anaheim property, claiming that those are extra dollars available that could be put towards giving the people who make the magic at the resort a living wage. Additional complications have been noted with revenue from the Mickey and Friends parking structure, which is a garage the City of Anaheim has ownership of though it is located on Disney property. “Measure L” as the involved Cast Members and union leaders are referring to this point in the suit, asks that the company increase wages to at least $18/hour plus any adequate increases to match the cost of living by 2022.
Currently Disneyland starts Cast Members at $15/hour, one dollar over the $14 minimum wage required by the state of California. There are plenty of perks and benefits to being a Disneyland Cast Member, too, but at the end of the day perks cannot compete with a living wage. As far as benefits, Cast Members do have access to public transportation cost subsidies, childcare, elder care, added paid sick time during COVID, and free access to educational programs (from GED courses to Master’s programs) all entirely covered up-front by the company.
Ultimately, Cast Members choose to work at Disneyland despite the low wages, because they want to be there. They enjoy creating happiness for Guests from all over the world and they truly have a passion for what they do- They would just like to be paid accordingly for it.
The entire resort is gearing up for the 50th-anniversary celebration of the opening of Disney World, and all four theme parks are preparing to debut new shows and experiences, beginning October 1–the first day of the anniversary celebration!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the youngest of the four theme parks, just announced this week that it’s revamping the uber-popular Finding Nemo: The Musical. The new show will debut sometime next year.
Animal Kingdom is also ramping up to bring Guests the recently announced “KiteTails” show.
“Hearts and imaginations will soar as incredible kites and windcatchers dance through the air to the beat of beloved Disney songs during this high-flying performance at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. Be awed by elaborate, three-dimensional kites of Simba, Zazu, King Louie, Baloo and more as they take flight above the Discovery River Amphitheater—beginning October 1, 2021, during the 50th anniversary celebration of Walt Disney World Resort.”
“KiteTails” will have multiple performances throughout the day. The showtimes begin at 11:15 a.m., and the last performance is at 5:15 p.m.
You can see this fascinating display of colors and characters at 11:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 1:15 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 4:15 p.m. and 5:15 p.m., so you can fit it into your Animal Kingdom day’s schedule whenever you like. The show takes place at the Discovery River Theatre near Dinoland, U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
See characters from many of your most favorite Disney and PIXAR films take flight in this display of beautifully designed props and inflatable kites, some of which are 30 feet long!
Walt Disney World already has a lot of bonuses in place for any Disney Guests who visit on or after October 1st of this year, since it marks their 50th anniversary, but now they’ve added additional sweeteners for anyone who stays at the Disney Resorts Collection hotels!
Anyone who is staying at a Disney Resorts Collection hotel during the “World’s Most Magical Celebration” can officially enter the Disney World theme parks earlier than everyone else. Furthermore, Disney visitors who are residing in the Disney Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resort hotels can take advantage of extended evening hours on select nights in select theme parks.
There will also be special appearances by Disney “friends” (i.e. Disney characters), who will be wearing new EARidescent garb. Cast Members will also be wearing special-edition nametags. While you’re on your way to the parks, you can also see special 50th-anniversary decor on the Disney monorail, select Disney Skyliner cabins, and select Disney Transportation buses!
If you haven’t picked which Disney hotel to hang your hat in, you may want to give Disney’s Contemporary Resort a try! This Resort has just had a makeover, making it a mix of retro and modern, and characters from the Pixar Incredibles movies are being featured in lots of its decor.
Walt Disney World is also encouraging Guests to book rooms at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, because the resort has new rooms that are based on the Disney film (and Polynesian heroine) “Moana.” The resort has a new entrance with lots of Polynesian detailing, which was only just finished as another part of Disney World’s current refurbishments!
Once you’ve picked a resort to stay in, be sure to try the limited-edition Joffrey’s Coffee blend that’s been formulated just for Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration. With two new restaurants opening as well (one French and one futuristic), you won’t go hungry!
There’s been another rhino birth at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park!
From a Disney Cast Member;
It’s always a momentous occasion to share news of a successful animal birth at Walt Disney World Resort. Today, I would like to introduce you to an adorable baby white rhino, born to first-time mom Jao backstage at Disney’s Animal KingdomTheme Park. Mom and baby are doing great under the keepers’ watchful and joyful eyes. I am happy to report that the beautiful calf snuggled up to mom and began nursing right away.
While we give Jao and her baby boy ample time to bond, it will be a little while before we know the calf’s weight. Typically, white rhino calves can weigh as much as 140 pounds at birth. Did you know that the majestic rhinos are the world’s second-largest land animal?
Rhinoceros also have one of the longest gestation periods of any mammal – approximately 16 to 18 months. Our animal care team’s veterinarians, scientists and animal keepers kept a close eye on Jao throughout her pregnancy, conducting regular checkups and ultrasounds to ensure a safe birth.
Jao was paired with dad Dugan, the bull of the herd, through one of the Species Survival Plans, which are overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to ensure the responsible breeding of endangered species. This birth is a true milestone for this endangered species. And our herd continues to grow. This delivery marks the 12th rhino born at Disney, and the second rhino born in the last year. And even more hooves are on the horizon as another first-time mom, Lola, is expected to give birth this fall.
In the coming weeks, Jao and baby are expected to join the “crash” (a group of rhinos), in their habitat on the Harambe Wildlife Reserve where park guests can catch a glimpse of the herd while aboard Kilimanjaro Safaris.
