For more than 43 years, millions of guests from all over the world have been invited to stop and enjoy the warm melodies of traditional folk music from Jalisco, Mexico, right here at the Mexico pavilion in the World Showcase at EPCOT.
The world-famous Mariachi Cobre group has been delighting guests at EPCOT with their beautiful music filled with stories of life and love since opening day on October 1, 1982. This year, we are thrilled to welcome Esteban Carrillo, co-founder and director of the group, to join another special group of cast members who’ve received the prestigious Walt Disney Legacy Award.
This unique peer-nominated award is reserved for cast members who exemplify Walt’s timeless values of Dream, Create and Inspire. Over the last four decades, Esteban has been a treasured part of the World Showcase, touching the lives of guests and cast alike. Known for his ever-present smile, his peers say, “If anyone doesn’t have one, Esteban will make sure they do by the end of the day.”
Creating Happiness Since 1968
Esteban has been creating happiness at Disney even before EPCOT was opened and fondly recalls his first performances at Disneyland, starting in 1968, as part of a youth mariachi group. During the days of these early performances, he had the great fortune of flying in Walt Disney’s personal plane, which felt like a dream.
Inspiring the Next Generation
With over five decades of incredible experiences sharing mariachi music and Mexican American culture with the world, Esteban has had a huge impact on the mariachi community. Some of his fellow band members who nominated him for the Legacy Award were inspired by him at a young age.
Rene Aguirre Garcia, a Mariachi Cobre member who hails from the same hometown of Tucson, Arizona, as Esteban, recalls growing up with posters of him and his brother/co-founder of the group, Randy Carrillo, hung up on his walls.
“As a kid, he was the director of many of the workshops I would go to and he was definitely one of my idols,” says Rene. “I always looked up to him and aspired to be part of the group one day. I never thought I’d be playing alongside him, but the last few years have been a dream come true.”
A Forever Legacy
Esteban shared how proud he is to join this select group of recipients of the Legacy Award at Walt Disney World, including his brother, Randy, co-founder of Mariachi Cobre who recently retired, but remains one of his biggest inspirations.
But that’s not the only honor Esteban has received during his impressive career. In 2022, he served as inspiration for one of the five Mariachi Forever stamps released by the United States Postal Service honoring the cultural importance of mariachi around the world.
Throughout his remarkable career, Esteban remains humble, admitting he’s still surprised when he receives letters and cards from family or friends accompanied by a stamp with his photo.
“It’s quite an honor. I’m very proud they’re putting mariachi out there to a bigger demographic to promote our music and our culture,” he says.
From his signature smile to his cheerful confidence, he makes sure Walt Disney World feels like home to all our visitors.
When asked one of the reasons why he nominated Esteban, Rene says, “He goes above and beyond for all of our guests here at EPCOT and I believe he embodies exactly what Walt Disney wanted a cast member to be like.”
Whether sharing a special song for a magical moment with a guest or mentoring newer members of the band, Esteban’s known for dedicating his time to creating happiness and joy. While excited to wear his new blue Legacy nametag, he recognizes and credits his success to the entire Mariachi Cobre group. He says he shares this with them because without them, he wouldn’t be the musician or person he is today.
Congratulations, Esteban, and thank you, Mariachi Cobre, for sharing your beloved culture, traditions, and música with the world!
