MiceChatters, we’re about to embark on a magical journey that spans 58 years of Disneyland history! Join me as we welcome the sparkling new Disneyland Ambassadors for 2024-2025, Jada Young and Raul Aquino Rojas. ✨
I was honored to be in attendance at the announcement ceremony and speak with the new Ambassadors, as well as many previous Ambassadors we’ve had the pleasure of working with at almost every Disneyland event over the years.
Welcome Disneyland’s Ambassadors for 2024/25
Selected from a sea of over 250 hopefuls, Jada and Raul join an elite club tracing its origins back to 1965 when the first Disney Ambassador, Julie Reihm Casaletto, was handpicked by Walt Disney himself. The announcement of Jada Young and Raul Aquino Rojas was the 50th time the Disneyland Resort has selected Ambassadors. The program has been so successful that every Disney Resort now selects Ambassadors to represent their properties and help spread the pixie dust around the world.
Jada Young shared, “I’m thrilled to be a Disney Ambassador to represent our cast members across the resort and have the opportunity to show up as something bigger than myself.” Aquino Rojas added, “It’s an honor to be part of the ongoing legacy of the Disneyland Resort and join the historic Disney Ambassador program.”
What Does a Disneyland Ambassador Do?
A Disneyland Ambassado’s role is both ceremonial and practical, representing the Resort to cast members and the public. As the park’s official representative, an Ambassador wears many hats… and not just of the Mickey variety. They’re often the face of the park during media interviews and play host to dignitaries, celebrities, and other VIPs.
Away from the spotlight, Ambassadors are kept busy doing community outreach, visiting hospitals, schools, and community organizations. The Ambassadorship extends even further, with responsibilities ranging from participation in internal park events and celebrations, traveling to other Disney parks worldwide, sharing stories via social media, and even playing a role in training and development initiatives within the resort.
Becoming a Disneyland Ambassador
But for those wondering, the path to becoming an Ambassador isn’t sprinkled with fairy dust. It’s a demanding process, open only to the Resort’s cast members. The aspirants must not only have been spreading magic for at least a year but also embody Disney’s values. And yes, they need to be at least 21 – old enough to have witnessed enough magical sunsets over Sleeping Beauty Castle to really know what being an Ambassador means.
After months of interviews and slowly weeding down the garden of candidates to the final contenders, the final interviews were held on THE MORNING OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT! The four final contenders were all in attendance at the announcement in a room filled with more than 40 previous Ambassadors, and only the selection committee knew who would get the job.
It’s a long and challenging process filled with tasks, community service, and many rounds of interviews. Jada and Raul certainly earned their ears!
A Disneyland Legacy
Diving into yesteryears, the Ambassador Program was a spell first cast by Walt Disney to honor the outstanding dedication of his cast members. And since the selection of Julie Reihm in 1965, over 100 cast members have stepped into the coveted role, becoming the face and voice of Disneyland Resort. In the early years, only one Ambassador was selected each year. But some years have had as many as four ambassadors serving as a team. In recent years, Disney has been selecting a pair of Ambassadors who serve a two-year term.
Disneyland Ambassadors since the program’s inception:
- 1965 – Julie Reihm
- 1966 – Connie Swanson (Lane)
- 1967 – Marcia Miner (Phillips)
- 1968 – Sasha Sherbin
- 1969 – Shari Bescos (Koch)
- 1970 – Cathe Birk
- 1971 – Marva Dickson (Thomas)
- 1972 – Emily Zinser
- 1973 – Bonnie Drury (Cook)
- 1974 – Carol DeKeyser (Mezzano)
- 1975 – Kathy Smith (Hall)
- 1976 – Christina Schendel (Walker)
- 1977 – Susan Donald (Edwards)
- 1978 – Raellen Lescault
- 1979 – Leona Dombroske (Ross)
- 1980 – Nancy Englert (Murray)
- 1981 – Willie Van de Zwaag
- 1982 – Joanne Crawford
- 1983 – Mindy Wilson
- 1984 – Ellen Coleman (Marchese)
- 1985 – Melissa Tyler
- 1986 – Barbara Warren
- 1987 – Kendra Howell
- 1988 – Carolyn Long
- 1989 – Wendy Freeland
- 1990 – Jennifer Faust
- 1991 – Jill Ornelas
- 1992 – Suzanne Palmiter
- 1993 – Kathleen Mitts
- 1994 – Bonnie Delehoy
- 1995 – Gerard Aquino, Julia Onder, Michelle Tryon
- 1996 – Chris Allen, Gina Purugganan, Janet Tanasugarn, Heather Thompson
- 1997 – Christina McGeorge, Cathie Milam, Robyn Schatz
- 1998 – Oscar Carrasco and Dorothy Stratton
- 1999 – Dorrell Mitter, Jennifer Simis
- 2000-2001 – Doina Roman-Osborn, Heri Garcia
- 2002 – Matt Ebeling
- 2003 – Daina Baker
- 2004 – Rebecca Murphy
- 2005-2006 – Andrae Rivas, Becky Phelps
- 2007 – Adonis Reeves, Garnett Schoonover
- 2008 – David Gill, Liz Hetzel
- 2009-2010 – Danielle DuBois, Quinn Shurian
- 2011-2012 – Jolie Hales, René Torrico
- 2013-2014 – Megan Navarette, Sachiko White
- 2015-2016 – Allie Kawamoto, Jessica Bernard
- 2017-2018 – Alexa Garcia, Mikey Trujillo
- 2019-2021 – Raffa Baron, Justin Rapp
- 2022-2023 – Mark Everett King Jr, Nataly Guzman
- 2024-2025 – Raul Aquino Rojas, Jada Young
The Disneyland Ambassador program has evolved over the years, but its importance and allure are as important to the Disneyland Resort as it ever was.
Let’s learn a bit more about Raul and Jada. Disneyland shared the following background information about their newest Ambassadors:
Meet Raul Aquino Rojas
Raul Aquino Rojas was born in Zihuatanejo, Mexico and came to the U.S. when he was a year old, and grew up in Lynwood, Calif. Aquino Rojas’ childhood was filled with much laughter watching “Winnie the Pooh” and many Disney movies, and he visited Disneyland for the first time when he was 7. The fond memories he made with his family from that visit stayed with him for many years and kept the magic alive for him.
In 2019, Aquino Rojas began his Disney career as a Disney PhotoPass Photographer at Disneyland Resort. Aquino Rojas currently enjoys leading his cast both within Disney Photo Imaging and Guest Show Operations teams. In his spare time, he enjoys tapping into his creative passions through photography and writing. You can often find him on adventures hiking and camping out in nature.
Meet Jada Young
“As a native of Long Beach, Calif., Disneyland Resort has always been a huge part of Jada Young’s upbringing. Aside from her early memories of park days with her family, one of her most memorable experiences would be the first time she got to perform with her middle school show choir at the Royal Theater in Fantasyland at Disneyland park. She anchors herself with gratitude to her village of family and friends and the sacrifices they made so she could have these opportunities.
Young’s Disney career began in 2017 at the premier tire shop of Radiator Springs, home to Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters in Cars Land. As an attractions cast member, Young’s leaders have supported her development all around the resort. Throughout the last six years, she’s held leadership roles such as Core Lead and Trainer in both attractions and Special Event Operations. She also worked with the Youth Education Series (Y.E.S.) Program as a facilitator for Disney’s Approach to Leadership and Teamwork. After returning from the resort’s closure, she was a part of the opening team of Avengers Campus and helped kick off the Disney100 celebrations as a Disney Media Rep. “
Let’s Hear From You!
So, raise your churros as we toast to Jada and Raul and wish them well on their incredible journey ahead. Have you met any of Disneyland’s Ambassadors or seen them speak in public? Were you aware of this bit of Disneyland history? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
