A duo of Disney Dreamers are stepping into new roles as Walt Disney World Resort Ambassadors. Congratulations to Marilyn West and Stephen Lim who will represent the over 74,000 cast members of Walt Disney World. This position elevates cast members who work at the resort into ambassadors who visit remote locations and host on-site events during their two-year term.
After an extensive search that spanned two months and a variety of interviews, the pair was selected from hundreds of hopeful candidates. With thousands of Cast, community and special events throughout the year, the Ambassadors are responsible for championing the efforts of Disney VoluntEARs while recognizing and celebrating the many achievements and milestones of Disney’s Cast Members.
Together, Marilyn and Stephen will represent the resort throughout an exciting era of growth and development, including the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and several new attractions as Walt Disney World moves toward its 50th anniversary in 2021.
“Being a member of the Walt Disney World Ambassador team is an extraordinary honor—as well as a tremendous responsibility,” said George A. Kalogridis, president of Walt Disney World Resort. “It takes very special people to represent America’s largest single-site workplace and, on behalf of all their fellow Cast members, I congratulate Marilyn and Stephen on their selection.”
Who are the new Ambassadors
Ever since her first visit to Walt Disney World Resort, Marilyn was fascinated by theme parks, roller coasters, and how they came to be. That fascination later blossomed into an engineering degree from the University of Kentucky, which Marilyn knew she wanted to put to use one day at Disney. After successfully completing three undergraduate internships at Walt Disney World Resort, Marilyn soon found a permanent home supporting Worldwide Safety operations for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, where her early childhood fascination is incorporated into her everyday responsibilities.
Stephen grew up in the sunny state of California, where he was just a short drive away from Disneyland Resort. In fact, he opted to attend University of Southern California due its close proximity to the magic. As a frequent visitor to the parks, Stephen developed a deep passion for all things Disney. While his Disney career may have first began in California, it wasn’t long before he was packing up his bags and heading to Florida to continue his journey. He currently serves as a front desk service advisor supporting Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, where he puts his vast knowledge of Disney’s theme parks and resorts to use each day. He also facilitates Traditions classes to welcome new Cast Members into their roles.
The tradition of the Disney Ambassador began on Disneyland’s 10th anniversary when Walt Disney decided he needed help fulfilling all the request for appearances and media interviews about the theme park. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Marilyn and Stephen will be part of a 53-year time-honored tradition that helps to inspire and bring the legacy of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts to life for Cast Members, guests and the community.
The reveal was made during a special ceremony at Disney’s Contemporary Resort when the 2019-2020 Ambassador team was surprised with the exciting news of their new roles. Current Walt Disney World Ambassadors Ken Facey and Brandon Peters, as well as several Walt Disney World Ambassador alumni, were among the enthusiastic group of well-wishers who congratulated the new team. Following a three-month training, the team will begin their busy two-year term, January 2019 through December 2020.
Congratulations to Marilyn and Stephen. We’ll miss seeing Ken and Brandon at all the events, but I’m sure they’re ready to move on to new roles in the Walt Disney Company too.