Who gets invited

Joseph Gardner presents a Disney Trophy to Jungle Jeff.
L-R: Jungle Jeff, Jack Santiago, Ernesto Salas, Sara Walsh.
L-R: Jungle Jeff, Cheryl Noel, Chapin Noel, Sara Walsh, Jack Santiago, Ernesto Salas, and two Contemporary Resort catering team Cast Members (top right).
Pure backstage fun, Disney Cast Member style.
More backstage fun, Disney Cast Member style.
The Disney retirement party happened a few weeks after the official Halloween retirement date.

Who gets invited to a Disney retirement party?

Whoever you want to invite.

Obviously the entire 100-ish Cast Member Disney Institute team get auto-invited.

But here’s the rub, i picked a small venue.

Didn’t pick it to keep it small. Picked it for what the Contemporary Resort and the entire North end of Walt Disney World property means to me.

We live, intentionally, less than one-mile from the North side of Walt Disney World property. Can literally see our home from The Napa Room.

Thirteen of the 15 total years in Resort Operation’s locations are visible from The Napa Room. The other two Resort Ops years were at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resort Hotels (1990 opening team).

Back to who gets invited.

Wayne gave me 12 extra invitations. That’s it. Understood it because of DI’s size and the Napa Room’s size.

  1. Cheryl Noel
  2. Chapin Noel
  3. Lee Cockerell
  4. Bob Spina
  5. Joe McColgan
  6. Lori McColgan
  7. Karel Rhodes
  8. Djuan Rivers
  9. Richard (The Grand’s Legendary “Greeter”)
  10. Neal McCord (my first Resort Ops supervisor and the person who recommended me to Disney Institute)
  11. Joao (John) and his wife….
  12. Arlete (The Grand’s legendary Main Lobby Showkeepers)

Intimate was the way to go.

Would have been cool if Walt (and Roy) Disney stopped by in a Dream.

Maybe they did.

Due to the Pirates Code, their appearance (or not) has never been commented on.

Richard Disney's Grand Floridian legendary Greeter
Richard and i worked together in the mid-and-late 1990’s. My son and i visited his Kissimmee Hospital room to pay final respects before heading to Glacier National Park. Richard was still lucid. When we returned, he was onto his next realm in our Universe.

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By jeff noel

Retired Disney Institute Keynote Speaker and Prolific Blogger. Five daily, differently-themed personal blogs (about life's 5 big choices) on five interconnected sites.