The actor turned 80 on November 17, 2024
Disney has been around since 1923 and the company's first theme park, Disneyland, opened in Anaheim, California, in 1955. Throughout the years, Disney parks have employed hundreds of thousands of budding actors, singers, and other creative professionals, and some of them managed to become world-renowned celebrities.
In this gallery, we remember some of the famous faces who've worked at Disney parks. Click on and get to know them.
Before he became a Hollywood star, Kevin Costner worked as a skipper on the Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland.
The famous comedian and actor worked at Disneyland's Fantasyland Magic Shop from 1955 to 1958.
Movie star Michelle Pfeiffer also worked at a Disney park. She played Alice in Wonderland in the Main Street Electrical Parade back in the '70s.
Before becoming a global superstar with the Black Eyed Peas, Taboo worked at Disneyland. "I emptied the trash and wiped down tables, but my job that I remember the most was picking up horse manure for the Electrical Parade," he said in an interview.
The then-actor and TV personality Ronald Reagan welcomed guests during the opening of Disneyland California in 1955.
The award-winning singer and actress worked on the Disney Cruise Line for six months before auditioning for 'American Idol.'
"I was Calliope the muse in 'Hercules: The Muse-ical,' and I was also the Circle of Life soloist in Disney's cruise,' she said in an interview.
When he was a teenager, TV host and comedian Wayne Brady played Tigger in a parade at Walt Disney World in Florida. "Inside that costume it was about 90,000 degrees," he joked.
Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson worked as a tour guide on the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park backlot tour at Disney World's Hollywood Studios.
"It was an inspiring, incredible place to come to work every day," Kevin Richardson recalled about the time he spent working at the Disney park.
Legendary actor and comedian Robin Williams worked as a skipper on Disneyland's Jungle Cruise.
While most celebs on this list worked in the US, actor Taye Diggs had a job performing at Tokyo Disneyland. Diggs performed in a show called 'Sebastian's Caribbean Carnival.' "I sang and I had bananas on my arms(…) it was tons of fun!" he recalled.
Before becoming chief creative officer of Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and now Head of Animation at Skydance Animation, Lasseter worked at a Disney park as a tour guide on the Jungle Cruise.
Richard Carpenter, of the duo The Carpenters, also worked at a Disney park. He used to play the piano on Disneyland's Main Street U.S.A.
Two years before being crowned Miss America 1993, Leanza Cornett played the Little Mermaid at Disney World.
The famous 'RuPaul's Drag Race' contestant, Alexis Mateo, worked as the Disney character Aladdin at Disney World.
In 1992, the actress got a job as a 'Streetmosphere' player at Disneyland. "I played Annie Hannigan, cleaning lady to the stars. The contract only lasted a year, but it convinced me that I could make a living acting," she said.
The actress, best known for playing Mrs. Darbus in the 'High School Musical' movies, played Alice at Disneyland back in the early days of her career in the '70s.
Children's book author Kate DiCamillo is another Disney park alumna. "I grew up in Central Florida and I learned to work by working for Walt Disney World. It’s super thrilling to me that the 18-year-old that was at Spaceship Earth telling people to watch their step is now a part of Disney," she recalled in an interview.
Florida politician Katherine Harris worked as a "pageant hostess" at Disney World from 1973 to 1975.
The musician, best known as a member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, worked at Disneyland, apparently at the same time as Steve Martin, whom he taught to play the banjo.
'Growing Pains' actress Joanna Kerns played Pinocchio's Blue Fairy in the Main Street Electrical Parade.
The American actress played a roller-skating Statue of Liberty in 'Show Me America' at Disneyland in 1970. "I carried a torch that spewed confetti or Ping-Pong balls," she recalled.
Horror movie actress Sarah Butler played Belle from 'Beauty and the Beast' (1991) at Disneyland.
The British reality TV star and actress worked eight months on a Disney cruise ship back in 2001.
President Nixon's White House Press Secretary Ron Ziegler worked as a talking guide on the Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland.
The British actor, best known for his role in the soap opera 'Hollyoaks,' reportedly played Aladdin at Disneyland Paris back in the '90s.
Sources: (Ranker) (Hollywood Reporter) (Mental Floss) (Mickey Visit) (Pop Sugar) (Politico) (Disney)
Celebrities who once worked at Disney parks
From Hollywood stars to famous musicians
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Disney has been around since 1923 and the company's first theme park, Disneyland, opened in Anaheim, California, in 1955. Throughout the years, Disney parks have employed hundreds of thousands of budding actors, singers, and other creative professionals, and some of them managed to become world-renowned celebrities.
In this gallery, we remember some of the famous faces who've worked at Disney parks. Click on and get to know them.