From its first years of operation in the 1950’s through the present, Disneyland Park has undergone many changes, and one man has been there to witness them all. This week, Disneyland chef Oscar Martinez celebrated his 55th anniversary of working at Disneyland, a milestone that no other Disney park employee has reached. He is one of only six Walt Disney Company employees who have worked at the company for 55 years.
Martinez began his Disneyland career in 1956 as a busboy before becoming the chef at Main Street U.S.A.’s Carnation Cafe …

After four years of a bitter contract disputes between Disney and their hotel union at the company’s Disneyland Resort, the two have finally come to an agreement. On Monday, Disney announced that a five-year contract agreement had been reached for the 2,100 members of Unite Here Local 11.
A joint statement released by Disney and the union says:
We are pleased that we were able to craft a fair and comprehensive agreement that works for the Disneyland Resort and most importantly, for the 2,100 union hotel workers who now have the …

In an effort to provide a traditional Thanksgiving meal to those less fortunate, Chef Tony Marotta and his team at The Walt Disney World Resort partnered with the Coalition for the Homeless to serve close to 600 people a feast on Thanksgiving.
The meal was prepped on Sunday, and included a bounty of traditional Thanksgiving favorites like roast turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing, green beans, pumpkin pie and sauces, gravy and cranberry relish all made from scratch.
Said Marotta:
It is an extremely rewarding experience to be able to provide a sense of …

Last weekend, over 1,200 Disney VoluntEARS and their friends and families participated in National Family Volunteer Day. The VoluntEARS at the Orange County Food Bank helped assemble 26,341 food boxes for seniors in need this holiday season.
In fact, the 421 pounds of food that went into the boxes set a record for the amount of food and the most food boxes ever assembled during one day at the Orange County Food Bank!
Since it’s creation six years ago, in conjunction with Disneyland Resort, this special event has become one of the …

In keeping with their charitable spirit, Disney has announced they will be introducing a new program to “make the world a better place.”
Dubbed “Disney Employee Matching Gifts: A Program of The Walt Disney Company Foundation,” this program will match employee’s donations to charity and worthy schools.
Not only was this program designed to encourage Disney cast members to become more involved in causes they believe in, but also for Disney to stay true to their philanthropic motto of “Compassion, Conservation and Creativity.”
With this new program, Disney will match all employee donations …

In early September, we announced a new interactive role play game that would be launching at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Dubbed Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, this new game is currently being play-tested by Disney Cast Members to prepare for the official launch early next year.
In Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, guests will be recruited by Merlin in a quest to defeat Disney Villains working to take over the park. Armed with special trading cards imbued with “magical spells,” guests must search for clues and find magic symbols to help locate …

After celebrating its 10th anniversary earlier this month, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge now has something else to smile about – being awarded AAA Four-Diamond status.
By earning this prestigious status, Animal Kingdom Lodge has become the seventh Walt Disney World resort to achieve this honor, a distinction awarded to only four percent of AAA-rated hotels. Some of the world-class amenities and services offered by the lodge include three African-inspired restaurants; a thatched-roof lobby with a mud fireplace and flowing stream inside; and an elevated “kopje,” which is actually a rock outcropping that enables …

In an effort to grant wishes to five local children suffering from life-threatening illnesses, The Disney Store at the Shops at Mission Viejo and Make-A-Wish Foundation are teaming up to give each child a private party with Mickey and Minnie Mouse, as well as a shopping spree.
The event happens April 29, and each child will receive a $100 gift card to the Disney Store, as well as a special meet and greet opportunity with Mickey and Minnie. The kids will also be able to enjoy story time with a Disney …

Yesterday marked a huge milestone for Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa opening this fall, and Mickey, Minnie and pals were on hand to join the celebrations.
The major structural work on the resort was completed yesterday, so now Disney cast members can add the finishing touches, decor and landscaping for that Disney magic we all know and love. To celebrate, crew members from Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company, Inc. joined with Disney Cast Members on the beach and even exchanged gifts to commemorate the occasion – leis for the Disney Cast …

Disney Cast members, inspired by the upcoming Disneynature film African Cats and Earth Day, are working to add more environmentally friendly actions into their daily routines.
Last year, cast members made 10,000 conservation pledges, and they’re hard at work to double that number this Earth Day and reduce their carbon footprint. Some of the ways Disney Cast members will use to “green” their home and work routines include:

Using reusable shopping bags and food and drink containers
Raising thermostats by two degrees in the summer and lowering two degrees in the winter
Making an effort …