In my role as the founder/editor-in-chief for Daps Magic, I get to do some pretty cool things. Some things are just outright fun, and others have deeper meaning.
Two weeks ago, I had a very special week. The week had two events, both of which involved the Disneyland Ambassadors. The two events also marked a pivot point in the term for the local Disney Ambassadors and their two-year terms.
The first event was the Minnie Walk at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County. This event brings the CHOC Walk in the Park at Disneyland Resort to CHOC for the kids who are unable to leave the hospital. This is an event that is full of heart, joy, and hope. It is beautiful to see Disney VoluntEARS, the Disney Ambassadors, Disney characters, and other local organizations and volunteers come together to make something special for these young patients. Looking around the room, you see young faces beaming with joy as they make their way around the second floor of CHOC in wheelchairs or hooked up to machinery. It is impossible not to be moved by seeing how these acts of kindness can brighten these young ones’ lives.
The event also marked the last event with the current Disneyland Ambassadors before the new team was announced the following day. In my coverage of stories at the Disneyland Resort, I end up crossing paths quite frequently with the Disney Ambassador team here. They are fantastic people. I frequently get asked, “Which ones have been your favorite?” My answer is always the same: “the current team.” It seems that somehow (maybe it’s Disney magic?) each team builds on the one before. Each team is always the right team for the moment. It has been such an honor and joy getting to know multiple Disney Ambassadors through the years. Raul and Jada are no exception. They are fantastic people with huge hearts who represent the 36,000 cast members at the Disneyland Resort wonderfully. They build people up, share the magic of the park (now resort) where Walt Disney once walked, and are the kind of people who brighten each room they enter.
The following day, the new Disneyland Resort Ambassadors were announced during a ceremony in the Fantasyland Theatre at Disneyland. On this beautiful morning, Michele and Oralia were announced as the next Disney Ambassador team. After the ceremony and cavalcade, I found myself in front of the castle with these two new Disney Ambassadors. Next to me was my friend Benji from Laughing Place. Two years before, we had interviewed Raul and Jada together. This year, it was a new team, and a new chapter was beginning.
As this new chapter begins, I can’t help but think what a joy it is to do what I do. I am surrounded by incredible people who make a positive difference in the world. I get to work with other people who bring positivity into the world through their kindness, their platforms, with Disney magic, and by seeing the good in others. It really is an amazing thing to experience.
From my perch here at Daps Magic, I get to see and experience some pretty incredible things. As I think about this new chapter beginning for the Disney Ambassadors around the world, I can’t help but reflect on the Minnie Walk. At one point, I walked up to a table and saw Raul playing with a young patient and their family at one end of the table. At the other end, Jada was drawing with crayons with another young patient.
Those simple acts of kindness embody what I love about the Disney Ambassador program. Yes, they get to represent Disney at some incredible events and appear on television, events, and travel around the world. What I’ve noticed through the years, though, is they bring the same level of kindness and attention to children at a hospital as they do executives or celebrities. It is inspiring to observe and a way to aspire to live.
As we come down the home stretch for the current team’s term and the next team of Disney Ambassadors prepares to officially begin on January 1st, I’m looking forward to seeing what is next! There are a lot of exciting things to look forward to with Disney in the coming years. I look forward to seeing these things. Even more, I look forward to seeing how this next team of Disneyland Ambassadors represent the cast members and share kindness and magic in the coming year! I hope that as they do this, I will be doing the same (along with our amazing team at Daps Magic)!
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