To the Cast Members who never got to say goodbye – to friends, to family, to the places that became home; 

To the Cast Members who never dreamed of making magic anywhere else or of doing anything else – not sure of where to go or what to do now;

To the Cast Members who are still clocking in every day – and feeling guilty for having jobs while friends and work family have lost so much;

To the Cast Members who still have jobs – but don’t know where they will be or what they will entail;

To the members of the First Order and the Rebel Alliance; to the Space Rangers and folks of the Briar Patch; to the astronauts, world travelers, safari explorers, and monsters; to the entertainers, merch cast, food service cast, and custodians; to the bellhops, front desk clerks, activities cast, and everyone everywhere in between…

To the memory-makers, picture-takers, and magic-makers:

I am so sorry. You deserved so much better. My heart is broken for you and I am praying every day that you find peace and guidance and magic in the days and weeks to come. I’ve tried to think of what I can do or say to make things better, but I know that I can’t. This is heartbreaking and each and every one of you deserved better. 

But can I let you in on a secret?

No matter where you are, YOU are the magic. YOU tell the stories. YOU make wishes come true, and make dreams a reality. YOU make hope and joy tangible things. 

And those aren’t things we can afford to ignore in our world. 

Walking away from my last clock out at Saratoga on my CP was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. But I knew that my special kind of magic – the kind that only I could make – was needed somewhere else. Far from Space Rangers and runaway trains and princesses and dinosaurs. 

Maybe yours is too. 

Maybe yours will be needed back with Disney real soon. 

Maybe you’ll find your place in a kingdom far, far away.

This world is a mess. People are angry, and broken, and hurting. We could all use a lot of hope and quite a bit of pixie dust, as well. 

And you have the power to bring that to every corner of the world. 

Whatever your happily ever after entails, please know that YOU make it happen. 

You are the storyteller. The one at the wheel. The one with the magic wand. You decide how it ends.

As I left my last shift as a Cast Member, I was holding back tears and one of my favorite coordinators/trainers asked me why I was sad. She told me that I would always have my memories and my experiences, and that I could make magic anywhere. She said: “It all starts with you.” (I love you, Jo!!! So, so, so very much. ❤). And, wow. That put things into perspective. 

In the 3.5 years since my college program ended, I’ve taught in 3 different schools in many classrooms full of kids – ages ranging from toddlers to 4th graders. I believe I was needed in each of those places for the time I was there, and know that I learned so much from each experience. I hope and pray that I was able to leave a little magic in each place, as well. I truly, truly believe we all have a purpose and we all have places we’re meant to be – if only for a brief time. I know that I was meant to do the Disney College Program, but that I was never meant to stay on with that role forever. My place is in the classroom, watching kids explore and experiment and create stories of their own. Maybe in 10 years, that place will change. But I know that’s where I’m supposed to be right now.

Where are you needed? Where can you make a difference?

Never forget that you have the power to bring magic to people. To make people happy, to tell stories, and to change lives in ways that few people can. Do not overlook that. Disney trains Cast Members in a way unlike anywhere else I’ve ever worked or studied. The qualities the company embraces in training and carrying out day-to-day magic-making duties build up incredible world-changers. And you are one of them.

Your story isn’t over. You may not be where you thought you’d be, and you may not like this chapter at all. But it’s just a part of the story. Not the end. Your story is far from over. 

Walt said that it took people to make the dream a reality when building Disneyland. I believe that we can – and have a duty to – make those dreams a reality beyond the parks, as well. There are people who will never make it to the parks in this lifetime, but they need a little bit of that magic all the same. And we have the power to bring it to them. Wherever and whoever they are. That’s pretty cool, if you think about it.

Don’t give up. Trust that what is meant for you will come your way, and those that need you and your special kind of magic will be placed in your life so you can touch them and bring them hope. Maybe your journey will bring you back to Disney, maybe it will show you how to use your magic-making gifts elsewhere. But know this: this is what you were born to do. 

You are a magic-maker. Wherever and whoever you are. You write the story. You make the magic. Just have a little faith, and don’t forget the pixie dust.

I love you, and I believe in you. Reach out and find your happily ever after. ✨