A glass wall is all that separates Brian Odell from looks of awe and sheer delight, as guests peer through the window to catch a glimpse of the candy maker in action.
Brian, a senior candy maker in Disney Wonderful World of Sweets, is no stranger to the allure of candy making and has been providing this sweet experience to Disneyland Resort guests for over 33 years.
While Brian has been at his craft for over three decades, candy making has been a prominent part of Disneyland park since shortly after opening.
The Beginning of a Sweet Career
Brian displays delicious treats at Disney Wonderful World of Sweets.
Brian first began candy making at Candy Palace on Main Street, U.S.A. in 1992, which has remained a staple for confectionary treats since it opened as Candyland on July 22, 1955, just a few days after the park first opened its gates.
Brian had originally joined the resort with a culinary background and after a few years of working in various food and beverage locations, he wanted to learn a different skillset. “I saw candy making as an opportunity to try a more specialized craft,” Brian said. “Learning how the traditional items and candy canes were made was an amazing experience.”
After starting his career at Candy Palace, he worked in every confectionary kitchen in the resort, including his current location, the newly opened Disney Wonderful World of Sweets in Downtown Disney District.
“When I started [in candy production,] it was one kitchen and just five cast members,” Brian explained. “Now, we’ve expanded to over five or six locations with over 200 cast members, and it feels great to see the new locations and [candy making] grow.”
Passion for Candy Making Continues Growing
Brian’s favorite part of candy making is seeing the magic come to life in every child (and adult) that passes by.
“[I love] seeing the kids’ faces in the windows, with their eyes wide and their mouths open,” Brian said. “It’s all about bringing special treats and happiness to our guests.”
That happiness that Brian’s unique role brings to guests is part of what fuels his passion for candy making.
“There’s something special about what we do,” Brian said. “We have that emotional connection with our guests, and we do that for everybody.”
Candy Making Reimagined
Disney Wonderful World of Sweets cast members celebrate the grand opening.
Marceline’s Confectionary has recently undergone a sweet transformation, officially reimagined as Disney Wonderful World of Sweets, continuing the progression of the multi-year transformation taking place across Downtown Disney District.
“It’s been a journey of growth with the department and I’ve had many opportunities to do neat things and meet so many people,” Brian noted. “It has been great to be here during a time when our company and parks have grown in many different directions and to be part of that growth [is special].”
Cast members experiencing the reimagined location for the first time.
Brian celebrated the opening of Disney Wonderful World of Sweets alongside his fellow cast, including Carol Meadows, who received special recognition from her team on opening day.
Carol celebrates her retirement and opening of Disney Wonderful World of Sweets.
Carol, who helped open Marceline’s Confectionary over 25 years ago, retired from Disneyland Resort just in time to see the transformed location, and celebrated her full-circle moment.
“It’s a happy place to work,” Carol said, as she reminisced about her time at Marceline’s since it first opened in 2001. “I enjoyed it all, but I really enjoyed working with the guests.”
For Disneyland cast members like Brian and Carol, creating magical moments for guests is at the heart of candy making – a sweet tradition that began decades ago and will continue for many years to come.