Funworld Goes Inside Walt Disney World's Celebration Under the Stars

LATE ONE AFTERNOON EACH JANUARY, Magic Kingdom Park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, closes uncharacteristically early. As the sun sets in the west over the Seven Seas Lagoon, the red carpet begins to roll down Main Street U.S.A. Simultaneously, a culinary team rolls out specialty F&B carts along pathways in themed areas, like Frontierland. Meanwhile, technicians scurry to prepare an exclusive fireworks show, complete with projections that after dark will shine upon Cinderella Castle.

No tickets may be purchased for the celebration rooted in gratitude.

“The moment that you are welcomed to the event—walking the red carpet—makes you feel like a rock star, like a movie star,” says Felipe Mota, a 10-year cast member (the name Disney bestows upon its employees) working at Disney’s Riviera Resort.

Mota joined 6,500 other cast members who celebrated a milestone anniversary in 2025 at Magic Kingdom Park. The Service Celebration party, branded as “CelebrateYou!” (stylized as one word with an exclamation point), honors those from 10 years, all the way up to 50+ years of service at the theme park resort.

When Mota and others arrived, he and his wife walked the red carpet while Disney Experiences leaders applauded them.

“That energy is an important part of the party. It includes not only fellow cast members, but Disney executives,” explains Jackie Swisher, vice president of Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park, who recently celebrated 20 years at Walt Disney World and brought her mother to CelebrateYou!

“She’s a fan of mine and she’s a supporter, but I had never had the opportunity to take her to a company event where she had a chance to meet cast members of mine,” says Swisher, who began her career with the resort as a professional intern in the industrial engineering department. “So, my favorite Disney memory is absolutely [spending the evening] with my mom.”

Funworld was given the unprecedented opportunity to see the great length Walt Disney World goes to when showing appreciation to their cast on the special night.

An Attraction Within an Attraction

Disney’s time-honored tradition providing entertainment at the Service Celebration is legendary. After walking the red carpet, cast members and their guests are free to enjoy Magic Kingdom park all to themselves.

Around every corner, an exclusive menu awaits. In 2025, specialty F&B items included 5,500 lbs. of legendary shrimp (that holds a reputation for being the size of a fist), street corn, a special recipe macaroni and cheese, and cannoli carts serving dessert.

Just as plentiful, Disney character greetings with many featuring familiar faces from the past. The talented comedians from the former Comedy Warehouse at Pleasure Island came back together for several sets, much to the delight of older cast members who remember visiting the troupe during their younger years.

A DJ in Tomorrowland spins Disney tunes perfect for dancing.

And all enjoy low wait times on popular attractions that are operating.

At the end of the night, an extended fireworks spectacular—created just for the evening—lights up the night sky and features music from retired evening shows and parades at Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Altogether, more than 150 experiences await cast members.

Another highlight is the opportunity to see colleagues from different segments of the business. Throughout the night, Funworld heard squeals of joy when an attendee would recognize a face not seen in years.

“This is no ordinary employee party,” Swisher confirms with a smile. “It’s also a bit of a family reunion. You get to see people you haven’t seen in a while.”

A Beautiful Circle

Instilling a sense of value and appreciation is one of the characteristics of CelebrateYou! Swisher tells Funworld.

“We know—both through data as well as our own experience—that happy cast members do amazing work by creating happiness for our guests. So, when our cast members feel seen, and valued, and heard, they stay with us longer. They are more effective at the jobs they do and they create more magical memories for our guests,” Swisher says.

Retaining employees for more than 10 years is quite the feat. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports as of January 2024, the median number of years that a wage and salary worker stays with a current employer is only 3.9 years (that’s down from 4.1 years from 2022).

“For those cast members who are so excited to be here to celebrate, their energy translates back into the operation and allows us to create these amazing memories for our guests. So, it’s a beautiful circle.”

Mota agrees. “It gives you a feeling of being so proud to work for this company. They take the time, make the effort, and plan an event like this,” he says.

In all, Walt Disney World employs more than 80,000 cast members, earning the attraction the title of Central Florida’s largest employer.

Party Planning

Planning for CelebrateYou! takes place year-round. Walt Disney World has a dedicated team that plans and tailors every detail of the celebration. Yet, the Florida attraction is not alone: Disneyland also honors its cast with a Service Celebration gala in March. Across both coasts, the two resorts traditionally recognize nearly 9,000 cast members annually, equating to more than 148,000 years of service at both the Florida property and California resort.

“The service award celebration is in some ways, the pinnacle and just a truly amazing way for us to be able to reinvest in our cast—and that’s such an inspiration,” Swisher says.

While the Service Celebration traditionally takes place on one night each winter, Walt Disney World cast members have access to additional resources year-round. Benefits include access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), the on-site Partners Federal Credit Union, and life support through Care.com that connects workers to child and senior care, housekeeping services, pet care, and homework help among others. In addition, eligible cast members also receive support with childcare costs at two licensed childcare facilities right on Disney property.

Disney Aspire allows eligible full-time and part-time hourly employees a catalog of programs and degree options across various fields of study—from high school equivalent degrees to undergraduate diplomas.

And while CelebrateYou! is a memory that Mota will recall with excitement for the next five years until he reaches his 15-year milestone, he’ll live on the energy felt at January’s event.

“I was joking with my cast members during the day [before the party] and I said, ‘Tonight, don’t bother me. I booked the Magic Kingdom!’” Mota concludes with a laugh.