Disneyland Resort prepares to name 2009 Ambassador team
Hundreds of current and former Disney cast members will gather in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle just after park opening tomorrow morning when Disneyland Resort President Ed Grier names the 2009 Disneyland Resort Ambassador team.
The Ambassador program dates back to 1965, when Walt Disney selected guest relations hostess Julie Reihm to serve as the Disneyland Ambassador to the World during the park’s 10th anniversary. Reihm helped handle interview and public appearance requests, travelled to five continents to represent Walt Disney and Disneyland, and served as VIP host for luminaries who visited Disneyland during the anniversary celebration. The position proved so valuable that an Ambassador or Ambassador team has represented Disneyland ever since. Walt Disney World and the international Disney resorts also all have Ambassador programs.
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Friday’s announcement culminates a weeks-long interview process for the five Ambassador Finalists, who were among nearly 40 Cast Members to apply for the opportunity to serve as the Disneyland Resort’s official good will ambassadors. The five finalists for the 2009 team come from varied positions around the Disneyland Resort. Carey Borning currently works in entertainment events. Danielle DuBois is a cast member in the Imaging department, and David Enriquez comes from entertainment costuming. Karen Priore is a cast member in the Walt Disney Travel Company office in North Anaheim. Quinn Shurian splits his time between Cast Communications and Adventures by Disney.
link). The candidates got a small taste of the life of an Ambassador during the Miley Cyrus birthday event, and some even had the opportunity to give interviews to local media. The finalists also appeared at a Disney VoluntEARS event at the Ronald McDonald House in Orange last week.
As the official representative of the Disneyland Resort cast, the Ambassador serves as a member of the C.A.S.T. Committee, and attends cast recognition programs, banquets, Spirit Award announcements, and retirement parties. The Ambassador is an active participant in Disney VoluntEARS efforts, and speaks at resort meetings about cast activities. The Ambassador also travels locally and around the world, as the “Emissary of Goodwill” from the Disneyland Resort. Ambassadors may attend grand openings or special events at other Disney resorts. Finalists Borning and DuBois are no strangers to international travel – Borning spent several months working in the entertainment department for the Tokyo Disney Resort, and DuBois lived in Japan for a year. Shurian recently served as an Adventures by Disney tour guide for the family featured in the October 12, 2008 episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The family travelled to Canada while their new home was under construction.