BEST. DAY. EVER! Disneyland Resort Cast Members Make Magic for Their New Friend
Originally published at Disney Parks News
Disneyland Resort Transportation & Parking cast members recently orchestrated a magical day in the theme parks filled with surprise meet and greets, reserved seating for shows and Lightning Lane access to favorite attractions for their newfound friend. Chris Parker, who has limited speech and mobility due to cerebral palsy, frequently visits the resort, spending his time riding the trams between Downtown Disney District and the Mickey & Friends parking structure. During his many tram rides, Chris sparked friendships with a number of Resort Transportation & Parking cast members, most notably Jonathan Pascual and Halley Burns.
“I’ve never experienced anything more magical here than my friendship with Chris,” said Jonathan Pascual. “I’m just happy we’re able to serve him and give him this amazing experience.”
Chris with his friends from the Disneyland Resort Transportation & Parking team
Jonathan and Halley, along with 18 of their fellow trams cast members and a little bit of pixie dust, teamed up to plan a magical day in the parks for Chris. The group began their day in Avengers Campus with a special viewing of “The Amazing Spider-Man” stunt show followed by an escort to the Ancient Sanctum, where they anxiously awaited a surprise visit from the web-slinging hero himself. Chris, who shares the last name as Spider-Man’s Peter Parker, was delighted to meet his favorite hero for the first time.
Spider-Man surprising Chris with a special visit at the Ancient Sanctum
But Spidey was not the only visitor, Miss America Chavez surprised the group as they entered the Lightning Lane entrance for WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure. Chris made sure to bring his Disney autograph book and collected signatures from both heroes. The group spent the rest of their day riding Chris’s favorite attractions like The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure and Toy Story Midway Mania.
Chris taking a ride on WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
This act of cast member kindness did not go unnoticed. Ken Potrock, President of the Disneyland Resort, sent a personal note recognizing the magic makers for going above and beyond to spread joy.
As Walt Disney once said, “You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it requires people to make the dream a reality.” Cast members truly are the heart and joy of the Disneyland Resort. Check out the video below to watch the magic unfold for Chris!
