Disney’s relationship with Toys for Tots began more than 75 years ago, and in the many decades since, cast members have showcased their devotion to carrying on the tradition. Beginning in 1947, when Walt Disney and his animators designed the original Toys for Tots train logo that is still used today, a legacy was set forth that is still very alive today.
A Timeless Tradition: Walt Disney’s legacy with Toys for Tots
Cast members across Disneyland Resort continue to strengthen the relationship, as well as their own personal connections, with Toys for Tots with the Disney Ultimate Toy Drive. The Disney Ultimate Toy Drive allows cast to share the joy and send a message of hope to children and families in need during the holiday season.
Cast members in the Costuming department with handmade bears they created to donate to Toys for Tots. Each bear was crafted with repurposed fabric from costumes to create new, one-of-a-kind toys made with care.
A family connection to giving back
For Bri Foster, senior manager of Operations Support in Disney California Adventure park, the Toys for Tots drive is more than an initiative, but a commitment to paying it forward. Bri’s father, a military veteran, sent her a candy cane gram after he joined the Disneyland Resort in 2012. Bri’s father began his Disney journey after years of military service, following in his daughter’s footsteps 10 years after she began her own career at Disney.
Candy cane grams are just one way for cast members to support the cause, with proceeds benefiting Toys for Tots, while spreading holiday cheer to their fellow cast. “My Dad loved sending candy cane grams [because] it was a whole different way to ‘play’ at a place he loved to work,” said Bri. “I have one of his grams framed in my office to remind me of our time at Disney together, and I can feel his hand squeezing my shoulder every time I read it.”
Bri with the original candy cane gram her father sent her. Note reads: “What can I say, what a gift working at a magical place where my daughter is at. You never know when good things happen and being here with you is a great thing. I hope the season is going to be great for you. Love, Dad.”
Even though Bri’s father has since passed on, Bri has kept the candy cane gram close to her heart and preserved in her office because of what it represents: an everlasting connection with her father and his commitment to not only their family, but also families in need.
“He worked a lot when I was growing up to support our family of six, so 2013 was the first time we got to celebrate the new year together. Working together during the holidays became a new tradition for us. He was here until he passed in 2017, and those four years working together was a gift I could have never known to ask for, but I’m so glad we [had] together.”
Holiday-themed cards that cast members can purchase to send candy cane grams to fellow cast, with proceeds donated to Toys for Tots.
Bri maintains this connection to her father by continuing to support Toys for Tots and leading the very team that distributes candy cane grams at Disneyland Resort. “I love that we get to do this as a community, and I [get to] keep my dad’s memory alive this way each year. Having the ability to share the gift of this [candy cane] gram, this moment of time from one person to another, is just that… a gift. And how that gift of love transforms into a gift of love for children in need is what makes this place so magical.”
Vicki with Marines supporting Toys for Tots at a pop-up shop hosted at Disneyland Resort.
Honoring military ties through generosity
Vicki Takahama, a senior hearing rep assistant on the Workers’ Compensation team at Disneyland Resort, began donating to Toys for Tots early on in her 20-year Disney career.
“It excites me to see the [Marines and cast] come together with the number of toys we bring in to give to the children,” said Vicki. “I’ve had a lot of military in my family and I’ve gotten to know some of the Marines. It’s just close to my heart to see what they do [for others].”
Bringing toys she hand-selected to donation bins hosted across Disneyland Resort is near and dear to Vicki’s heart. “It’s so fun to go shopping for [children] and making sure that the kids receive toys for Christmas always makes me cry from happiness.”
Tomorrowland cast members join together for a group photo with U.S. Marines after dropping off donated toys at the Toys for Tots donation bin in Downtown Disney District.
Disneyland cast members: A community united in giving
Disneyland Resort cast members from across Tomorrowland came together to spread holiday cheer on an even larger scale. Kelley Mettling, an Attractions stage manager in Tomorrowland, was crucial in the accumulation of toys for donation by celebrating the cast who brightened the season for others in need.
“I recently joined the Tomorrowland team in January, but I have been [contributing] to Toys for Tots for over 10 years,” said Kelley. “It feels great knowing that so many kids will have a magical Christmas, opening gifts that were donated from Tomorrowland.”
Cast at Cerritos Warehouse pose together for a photo in front of the 232 toys their team donated to Toys for Tots.
Joining the group donation train was the team at Cerritos Warehouse. This group of cast and leaders work at an off-property location to support Disneyland Resort but remain close to the magic in both heart and proximity. Their devotion to the resort’s long-standing partnership with Toys for Tots stems deep given the many former military members that make up this team of cast members.
Omar Elizondo, an Engineering Services area manager, organized this team’s donation for Toys for Tots for the last three years. “I can relate to the kids the toy drive is for – I see myself in them and remember not always being as fortunate as I am now,” said Omar. “It feels good to be able to organize, give back and to be a part of the long tradition of the Disney and Toys for Tots partnership.”
Donating a total of 232 toys this year, Omar was proud of his team’s commitment to making a difference for hundreds of children and families. “Although I help organize the effort, I do not do this alone and [would like] to thank the Disney VoluntEARS, military, cast members from our Cerritos location and our [Engineering Services] team who participate and make our toy drive a success every year.”
Cast come together with U.S. Marines to capture a photo of their donation in Downtown Disney District.
“Whether it’s buying a gift or raising money, supporting Toys for Tots is something that brings us all together,” said Bri. “However we celebrate the holidays, we all have one cherished moment from childhood, a moment of wonder that dashes disbelief. You never know when a small moment in time will turn into a cornerstone, or when the small things you do, like donating, will make such a HUGE difference to someone else.”
The lasting impact of Toys for Tots
Since the founding of Toys for Tots more than seven decades ago, the toy drive has distributed over 630 million toys to more than 280 million children. With more than 17,500 toys donated from Disneyland Resort this year alone, our cast members are proud to carry on the tradition of making magic for kids and families in need during the holidays.