Each year, hundreds of thousands of cast members across The Walt Disney Company celebrate their service anniversaries. These cast members are honored in one-of-a-kind, only-at-Disney ways. Starting at their 10th anniversary and continuing every five years thereafter, cast members are honored with beautifully engraved, personalized statues or plaques. In addition, they are invited to an exclusive milestone service celebration, where their dedication is recognized in a memorable and meaningful way.
Take a look at some of the incredible Disneyland Resort cast members who attended the recent Disney Experiences Service Celebration at Disney California Adventure park and discover the unique stories behind these cherished awards that honor their years of dedication.
Felipe Castillo Almazan Jr, a photographer with Disney Photo Imaging, celebrated 10 years and earned his Mickey Mouse plaque.
The Mickey Mouse plaque continues to honor the tradition that Walt Disney himself started when handing out plaques at the very first service awards celebration. Felipe Castillo Almazan Jr, a photographer with Disney Photo Imaging who celebrated 10 years and earned his Mickey Mouse plaque, said, “To me, as a Disney cast member for Photo Imaging, tradition is creating and capturing timeless memories for all guests.”
Kate, an accessibility associate coordinator, celebrated 15 years and earned her Sleeping Beauty Castle statue.
The Castle statue represents the magic that cast create for guests around the world. Kate, an accessibility associate coordinator who celebrated 15 years and earned her Sleeping Beauty Castle statue, said, “To me, magic is what makes the imaginary feel real, what lets us step out of time and into a story. Magic can be as big as the fireworks or as small as a smile.”
Andy Lavadia, a nurse at Disneyland Resort, celebrated 20 years and earned his Simba statue.
The Simba statue represents bravery and resourcefulness when meeting new challenges, resulting in visions of endless possibilities. Andy Lavadia, a nurse at Disneyland Resort who celebrated 20 years and earned his Simba statue, said, “My vision for my role has always been to remain positive, exude optimism, display professionalism and show respect to every guest and cast member I interact with.”
Rita Burns, a workers’ compensation manager, celebrated 25 years and earned her Tinkerbell statue.
The Tinkerbell statue represents the pixie dust that helps cast create Disney magic, lifting the spirits of those around them. Rita Burns, a workers’ compensation manager who celebrated 25 years and earned her Tinkerbell statue, said, “I always strive to bring that special pinch of pixie dust to every interaction I have with our cast members; they deserve magic, just like our guests!”
Steven Barnett, a sales support & services manager with Disney Vacation Club, celebrated 30 years and earned his Jiminy Cricket statue.
The Jiminy Cricket statue represents the importance of character and integrity that has contributed to our company’s success. Steven Barnett, a sales support & services manager with Disney Vacation Club who celebrated 30 years and earned his Jiminy Cricket statue, said, “Let your conscience be your guide’ has always been a mantra I have lived by throughout my Disney career. Once you take that leap of faith and trust yourself to make choices with your heart, the head will follow, and it is always the best decision for everyone in the end.”
Gina Nassar, a manager with Communication Events, celebrated 35 years and earned her Pinocchio statue.
The Pinocchio statue represents the company’s dedication to high standards of innovation, much like the innovative animation achievements found in the movie “Pinocchio.” Gina Nassar, a manager with Communication Events who celebrated 35 years and earned her Pinocchio statue along with her husband Al, said, “I’ve found the most success when blending our amazing cast members with experience, new ideas and passion – this is how we innovate, drive meaningful change and shape our future.”
Laura Iwasaki, a cast member with Global Information Security, celebrated 40 years and earned her Donald Duck statue.
The Donald Duck statue represents the humor that is the cornerstone of Disney entertainment. Laura Iwasaki, a cast member with Global Information Security who celebrated 40 years and earned her Donald Duck statue, said, “Here at the resort, humor is about having fun. Aside from work, there is a lot of fun to be had with cast events, celebrations and day-to-day enjoyment with your fellow cast members.”
Dale Janish, a sound mechanic, celebrated 45 years and earned his Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse statue.
This statue represents the unparallelled success The Walt Disney Company has attained in the entertainment industry as a result of extraordinary teamwork and reminds us that, by working together, we can achieve the impossible. Dale Janish, a sound mechanic who celebrated 45 years and earned his Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse statue, said, “I believe the most important step in any project is to gather the team around a common goal; we’re at our best when everyone is informed and working together.”
Mark Surface, a Parking Operations host, celebrated 50 years and earned his Snow White and the Seven Dwarves statue.
Just like “Snow White” marked a groundbreaking achievement in storytelling, reaching 50 years of service marks an unforgettable achievement. Mark Surface, a Parking Operations host who celebrated 50 years and earned his Snow White and the Seven Dwarves statue, said, “Achievement to me means the growing-up and responding to various changes within the Disneyland Resort while also maintaining a special magic, no matter where I may have been placed within my fifty-plus years.”
Bob Sendzik, a now retired cast member, celebrated 55 years and earned a statue featuring a personalized portrait.
Cast members who reach milestone anniversaries of 55 years are exceptional, and their service award statues aim to showcase just how unique and extraordinary these individuals are. This year, at Disneyland Resort, now retired cast member Bob Sendzik received a personalized statue with his painted portrait included on it for his 55 years of service!
At The Walt Disney Company, cast members are truly the heart that keeps beating and moving us forward over new horizons. With so many choosing to continue making magic for decades to reach these milestone service anniversaries, the tradition of service award statues and celebrations will carry on as Walt Disney himself intended.
For more on service award statues and the recent addition of new statues modeled after the castles at Shanghai Disney Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, check out the Disney Parks Blog.