Celebrating Disney Cast Fathers Across Disney Experiences

At Disney destinations around the world, creating happiness is often a family tradition. Across generations, cast member dads have built meaningful careers filled with purpose, opportunity, and pride in their work.

This Father’s Day, Disney is celebrating the dads whose love for creating memorable guest experiences grew into something even greater: a shared family journey. Across parks, resorts, and ships around the world, children who once looked up to their fathers’ Disney careers are now carrying forward a tradition rooted in hard work, heart, and storytelling.

Disneyland Resort cast members Lily and Jim share a special father-daughter bond.

In 2011, Lily’s wish was granted by Make-A-Wish and Disney, sending her on the trip of a lifetime. Aboard the Disney Dream, Lily set sail to The Bahamas to experience Disney magic at sea and swim with dolphins, but there was even more magic in-store.

After spending the last 11 months deployed overseas in Iraq, her father, Jim, was able to join Lily and family on the ship, thanks to Make-A-Wish. Jim is a U.S. Army Veteran with 23 years of service and a member of Disney SALUTE, our veteran employee resource group that honors and empowers cast members with a military background.

While on board, the Moser Family experienced incredible care from Disney Cruise Line crew members. “The way the crew treated us, we felt like the only people in their orbit,” Jim raved. “The trip was magical in every way and it’s a memory our entire family will always cherish.”

Following her wish, Lily was eager to inspire others and joined the Make-A-Wish Oregon chapter volunteer team as a Wish Ambassador, where she shared her story of hope. Remarkably enough, Jim also served the chapter as a wish granter, helping to make dozens of wishes come true.

In 2021, after moving from Portland, Oregon to sunny Southern California, Jim joined the Disneyland Resort Security Special Services team. Feeling inspired by her dad, Lily began her Disney career journey the following year with Disney Imagination Campus.

To celebrate their incredible Disney journey and the magic of wish granting, we invited Lily and Jim to join us at our Wishes Assemble event. Hosted by Disney, Make-A-Wish and MrBeast, the event celebrated nearly 40 wish children and their families on World Wish Day at Disneyland Resort.

Lily and Jim reflect on their time at Disney as a full-circle moment. Once their annual family vacation spot, Disneyland is now a place where the father-daughter duo can reminisce while feeling proud to represent the magic daily as cast members. But at the root of it all, Disney will always hold a special place in their hearts.

“My life would not have been the same without the hope, strength, and joy Make-A-Wish and Disney brought me and my family,” said Lily.

Lily is proud to share she is now seven years seizure-free and her critical illness diagnosis is considered resolved, and as a father, Jim could not be happier.

To learn more about Lily and Jim’s story of hope, check out their feature right here on the Disney Parks Blog.

Across the country at Walt Disney World Resort, Brian’s journey began with a honeymoon trip that inspired him and his wife to leave Chicago for Central Florida in search of a better future. He started as a Walt Disney World Resort bus driver and steadily built his career over time while supporting his family.

Through the Walt Disney World Electrical Apprenticeship Program, he developed new skills, grew into leadership roles and now helps lead the overnight Engineering Services operations that keep Magic Kingdom powered and ready for guests each day.

At home, his children watched that journey unfold through the persistence and pride he brought to his work.

Today, that influence continues through his son, Giovanni, who supports events at ESPN Wide World of Sports, and his daughter, Gianna, who creates meaningful guest experiences at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort while continuing her education through Disney Aspire, the company’s education investment program.

“Seeing my dad’s Disney story play out in front of us really inspired my sister and I to dream big and take pride in the magic we help create,” Giovanni shared.

For Gianna, watching her father’s growth showed her what was possible.

“Seeing how much pride he took in creating magical experiences made me want to be part of that too,” she said. “Now, getting to welcome families at the start of their vacations feels really special because I remember feeling that same excitement growing up.”

For Brian, seeing his children build careers of their own at Walt Disney World has become one of the most meaningful parts of his 25-year Disney journey.

“You always hope your kids are proud of the example you set,” Brian said. “Watching them build lives and careers of their own here means more to me than I can explain.”

For nearly four decades, Faron Kelley has helped shape guest experiences across Disney through leadership roles spanning entertainment, marketing, and operations. Today, he serves as senior vice president of Disney Sales Strategy and Solutions.

His daughter, Callie, grew up watching the care, leadership, and passion he brought to his teams each day. Years later, she followed in his footsteps through the Disney College Program and now works in Magic Kingdom merchandise, recently stepping into a coordinator role in Liberty Square.

“When she came home from Traditions with her name tag and costume on, that’s when it really hit me,” Faron shared. “Seeing her begin her own journey here after growing up around this company was incredibly emotional.”

When Kamalia Hopkins first started her role as a Youth Activities Counselor at Aulani Resort in November 2024, she was hesitant to share that her dad, Kama Hopkins, was Aulani’s Hawaiian Culture Advisor.

“I wanted to prove myself and show that I was a good worker,” Kamalia said. “I didn’t want anyone thinking I got the job because I have connections.” But keeping the secret proved to be difficult considering they have the same name.

Kama Hopkins is known throughout Aulani as talkative, friendly, and positive – whether you’re referring to dad or daughter. “People say we’re both Mr. and Miss Aloha,” Kamalia laughs. “My dad is always the first one to make friends with new cast members, and I try to be the same way.”

The elder Kama shared one of his favorite sayings, passed along by one of his mentors, “Always with aloha,” he says. “I teach my kids to approach everything from a place of aloha.”

At Aulani Resort, aloha is shared daily by both Kama and Kamalia. In her role at Aunty’s Beach House, Kamalia helps lead Aulani’s youngest guests through programs and activities, many of which involve stories of Hawai‘i.

As Hawaiian Culture Advisor, Kama guides how the culture is presented, ensuring that Aulani’s use of language and stories is accurate and appropriate. Beyond their titles, Kama and Kamalia are also two of the 31 cast members at Aulani Resort who are fluent in ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i, Hawaiian language.

Kamalia shares her dad’s love and appreciation for ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i and speaks it with keiki as much as possible. “Sometimes we get kids in Aunty’s Beach House who speak Hawaiian, and I’m thankful that I get to be a resource for them. I can play games with them in Hawaiian and help them exercise their main language outside of home and school.”

While they’re family by blood, the ‘ohana created at Aulani seems to be what attracted them to Disney, and also keeps them both here. “As a parent, I see the family environment that exists naturally at Aulani,” says Kama. “The opportunity for growth in Disney is unlike any company I’ve ever worked for. With her skills and background, I knew this was the right place for my daughter.”

Kamalia agrees, “It’s the people. My leaders are always praising us for the good work we do, and they’re so encouraging and uplifting. Even if I was at Aulani for staycation, I’d stop in to see my coworkers.”

She has also warmed up to sharing that Kama is her dad, “I’m so glad that my dad is someone who people like to have around and enjoy working with,” says Kamalia. “He is one of the most positive, loving and friendly people I know. That’s how I try to live.”

Aboard the Disney Dream, one crew member is living a fatherhood journey unlike any other. Alex, a dedicated part of the Disney Cruise Line team for the past 13 years, is experiencing the ultimate gift of working side-by-side with his two sons, Alex Christopher, and Oriel.

Alex’s story began with a leap of faith when he left the Dominican Republic to pursue a contract at sea. His initial goal was simple: help his family reach their financial goals. What started as a temporary career choice quickly evolved into a deep-seated pride in leadership, mentorship, and Disney culture.

“When I first started 13 years ago… I thought it would be a short contract,” Alex recalled. “But then you see the impact you make, and Disney becomes a part of who you are. Now, looking at my boys next to me, I realize I wasn’t just building a career; I was building a path for them.”

Inspired by their father’s career, Alex Christopher, and Oriel eventually decided to forgo career paths on land to head out to sea. Stepping onto a cruise ship as a first-time crew member brings an inevitable wave of homesickness.

When Alex Christopher followed in his father’s footsteps, his first few months were tough — the two were stationed on different ships, and the distance felt vast. To support the family, Disney Cruise Line facilitated a transfer to bring them together.

“The first few months on a different ship were really hard,” he said. “But when I requested a transfer to be with my dad and brother, and Disney approved it, that changed everything. I remember telling my brother, ‘Wow, Disney really do magic’—not just for the guests on the upper decks, but for us down here.”

“Having them here changed ship life from an endurance test into a comfort,” Oriel added. “You come off a long shift, and you aren’t alone in a room. You are with your blood.” On duty, their dynamic is rooted in deep professional respect. Off duty, their shared cabin fills with the joyful energy of home.

“When we are in the cabin, it’s loud, we are playing music from back home, watching movies, joking around, and just being a family,” Oriel said. “But the moment we put on that nametag and step through the door, it’s strict professionalism. On deck, he isn’t ‘Dad’: He is a leader, and we respect that.”

This dedication to excellence can be hard to switch off. Alex’s wife frequently laughs during his vacation time back home, teasing him for bringing his rigorous Disney standards into their household.

“She says, ‘Alex, you bring too much of that Disney perfectionism home with you. Relax, you aren’t on the ship!’ I can’t help it, it’s the standard we live by now,” Alex said with a smile.

For Alex, being a father at sea has redefined what it means to anchor a family.

Instead of watching his children grow up from afar through occasional phone calls, he is actively guiding his children through adulthood and career success right beside them.

“People ask me if it’s hard working with my kids, and I tell them it is the greatest gift,” he said. “Most fathers have to say goodbye and wonder how their sons are growing up. I get to stand right next to them and watch them become men, professionals, and leaders every single day. That is the real magic.”

At Disney, no two career journeys look exactly the same, but many share a common thread of growth, purpose, and connection. Some begin in frontline roles and evolve into skilled trades or operations. Others unfold over decades, leading teams and helping shape the future of the business. Along the way, something even more meaningful often takes root.

Here, careers have a way of growing alongside family, fueled by pride in work and a deep sense of belonging. For many cast members, the values they bring to their teams each day are the same ones their children grow up witnessing at home through leadership, care, accountability, and the way they treat others.

Over time, those examples can leave a lasting impact, inspiring the next generation to pursue paths of their own. Today, cast members at Disney build careers, creating stories of mentorship, opportunity, and family legacy that spans generations.

This Father’s Day, these families remind us that Disney is more than a place to work. It is a place where passion is passed down, futures take shape, and the example one generation sets can help inspire the next to lead.