Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Today we get to return to Disneyland for a Cast Member story! Amanda Henderson was an Entertainment Host and she still has an incredible love for Disney in general, Disneyland in particular, and for the characters that is infectious and an absolute joy to listen to. Of course she’s got some great stories, too, and that’s one of the main reasons this podcast exists. Without it, so many people would have missed out on ever hearing these!
By the way, if you hear some extra laughing in the background, that’s our mutual friend Kathryn. She sat in on the interview to listen, and some of what Amanda shared just had to be laughed about!
Amanda talks about…
- How she got started working at Disneyland and specifically as an Entertainment Host
- Why the hiring process for an Entertainment Host is an audition rather than a traditional interview
- Traditions Class—what it was like for her, getting her nametag, and what made her nametags unique
- The best Cast Member “first day” story I’ve ever heard
- What an Entertainment Host does
- The awful way some people treat Entertainment Hosts
- Her favorite moment of making magic for a guest
- Something a guest did to make magic for her
- Her favorite costume she got to wear
- Her favorite character location and her favorite characters to host
- How she felt when the voice actor for Robin Hood passed away
- What she loved most about what she did
- What guests can do to really make an Entertainment Host’s day
- Her first time thinking, “I’m a part of this now!”
- Why Disneyland is such a special place to her
- If she could have any job working for the Walt Disney Company, what it would be and why
- What inspires her—including, in her words, the “best story ever.”
Find Amanda:
Podcasts Spotlighted in this Episode:
I want to hear from you, so please email me, leave a comment below, or call the Listener Feedback line at (734) 23-STORY.
If you call in, don’t worry about having to sound perfect. If you ask me to, I’ll edit out any mistakes so you sound as good as you possibly can. You’re even welcome to start your entire story over again and I’ll use the “take” you want! If you want to submit a story anonymously, for whatever reason you may have, email it to me and tell you me you wanted it shared that way. I’ll read it on the podcast, but keep your name private.
Thanks for listening!
Music and voiceovers provided by Rick Moyer.
Some product links in this post are affiliate links.
