Scott Wolf: When did you first learn about the Ambassador program?

AR: I learned about it working here my first year. I think it was our fortieth anniversary, so "(singing) Forty Years of Adventures." I was just fascinated by the program.

Gerry Acquino, who was the first male Ambassador, was actually a performer in "Lion King." So at that time the Ambassadors would do their Ambassador duty and they would also do their regular role. So he would go off and do events and he'd come back and I would just drill him, "What did you do?" "How does that work?" and "How fun is that!" "You went to where with Mickey?!" "How does this happen?"

So I really got to see hand's on from him how the Ambassador program worked at that time and then throughout the years I just continued to observe and see if it was something I'd really be interested in and if it's something I can do. I'm from Entertainment, I don't know a whole lot about the park just because I come in at 3:00, everyone's leaving. It's just a whole other world I think in Entertainment sometimes. So I was just really fascinated by that.

Then once again I got to work with Dorothy Stratton and Oscar Carrasco (in 1998). Once again I got to work with them and I thought, "This is a really cool job. I think I want to try out for this someday."

What were you doing with them?

AR: We were actually doing a puppet show. It was called "The Disney Crew." It was about anti-drugs, so we'd take this show to different elementary schools and do this puppet show about how bad it is to do drugs and what happens to your body, and Dorothy and Oscar were the hosts of that show. So I got the chance to get to know them and really find out a little bit more about the Ambassador program.

I interviewed twice before I became Ambassador, so this was my third time interviewing for Ambassador.

It was unlike any interview you would ever imagine.

What was the whole the process for Ambassador like?

AR: Basically, it starts with you turn in an application and then you start with your first round of interviews. There are three rounds of interviews.

What type of things were on the application?

AR: They pretty much ask the basic questions. There is an essay included in the application, like give us 150 words about... and they give us a topic. Or, tell us about the Year of a Million Dreams. What has been your favorite aspect of the Disney Dreams giveaway? Or something like that, so they can get an idea of writing skill and also your input and where your heart is on the company initiatives.

For the interview, you're in there and right now we range from nine to twelve people that interview the potential Ambassadors. They're selected directors and people who utilize the Ambassadors the most. So they come in, groups of three, and you get hammered all these questions. It can be a little bit intimidating. You're sitting on the side of the table and there's this whole line of people and they're basically hammering off questions and all of them are experts in their area, so it's like, "Tell us a little bit about diversity inclusion." "Tell us a little bit about what you know of what's going on at the hotels," or the Year of a Million Dreams. All kinds of stuff.

The kind of myth about the Disneyland Ambassador program is that you had to be somewhat of a Disney guru. You need to know everything about Disneyland and that was a little bit intimidating for me at first. It was like, "I don't know that much guys, but I'll try." So it did take me some time to really focus in and figure out who my panel was so I could be familiar with those lines of business.

One thing that really did help me out was Andrae and Becky, our fiftieth anniversary Ambassadors, started Ambassador 101 which is basically a five week course that basically prepares you for the interview process. That was huge. I was in the first graduating class of Ambassador 101. It was great, we went over media training, we went over writing skills, what the Ambassador role is all about, the history of the Ambassador program, all kinds of those things so you were able to be prepared because it's unlike any interview. First of all, you're with twelve people and all of them experts in their area. It's not about pitching what you have, "Here's my résumé." It's, "Alright, ask me anything you want."

So you go through that interview and then you would either get a call that said proceed to the next one or not. That's a semi-final interview with higher manager level, director level, once again a panel of twelve. If you make it through that you're a semi finalist and you go on to finals and meet with the (Disneyland) president and his executive team.

That one is a little more personal. "How long have you been here?" "What do you like about the resort?" but yet still asking you fundamental questions that you may need to know while you're in the role.

Had you met (Disneyland President) Ed (Grier) or did you know him at all before that?

AR: This was Ed's first year here at the resort. I had met him before but this was his first time looking at the Ambassador program and how everything goes and yet this is our first time interviewing with him, not knowing how he's going to interview and that kind of stuff.

So you couldn't even talk to previous Ambassadors to find out.

AR: I know. Andrae and Becky were very encouraging. "We thought that the last interview was the easiest because it was more like a getting to know you type of interview." But then they were like, "But, I don't know. This Ed may be totally different." I was like, "(concerned) Great."

It was about a three week to a month process of just what am I going to do because your whole life is somewhat on hold. If you get called, then this. If not, then this. So it's one of those things where you just go for it and if you're passionate about it you just go for it with a good attitude. It was definitely something I was always interested in and wanted to do and I just wanted to give it a try. It wasn't something I thought would happen.

Do they still narrow it down to four before they announce who wins?

AR: It differs based upon who they think can go on, so there's no set number. Last year we had four people that were semi finalists. This year we had five, and one year we had ten. So it differs.

During the time when you're selected as a semi finalist and before the ceremony there are events that they put you on to see how you work with people and all kinds of stuff. So we did the CHOC walk and we did a merchandise event together. There was a lot of things that we had done, so we got pretty close.

What was the ceremony like?

AR: We had the ceremony at the train station and it was one of those days where you just eat later. (She laughs) Honestly, I had a hard time with it because I thought, "This is going to be so embarrassing if I don't get called. All my families here and I don't want them to feel bad," because you invite your family and then you have everyone coming out from your line of business to come and support you and you're like, "No!" Just tell me how it is.

One of my most favorite things about that day was that I had never been in Walt's apartment. That was our holding location, in Walt's apartment.

What did you think of it?

AR: I was just so elated to be there, I was like, "I can't believe this is where Walt used to stay!" It was so exciting for me. It brought me back to the reason that I was working at Disneyland was because of this one man's dream. It was really neat for me to be there and have that be our last space before we went out in front of everybody, so that was real special.

It was neat, too, because since it was at the train station we could go out on the patio, and right on the patio outside you can oversee the train station and City Hall and everything so we got to see all of our family and friends coming in. I'd be on my cell phone, "Hey, look up! No in the corner! Look higher!" It was really neat just to be there. That was such a special time and it's one of my favorite places here at the park. I think inside, walking thru the castle is one of my favorite locations and then Walt's apartment.

So we had the ceremony and Garnett's name was called first and it was like, "Oh well, there's just one more. We made it through. I didn't collapse or die." And then they called my name and then it was "Okay, don't collapse at that!"

We had a rehearsal that morning. That day I think was one of the longest days in history for me. I think I got up around 4:30 and I didn't get to bed that night until 2:30.

But, they called our name and I just remembered, "Okay, we're supposed to do something. Oh, we have to step down and take pictures," because we had this whole rehearsal on what we're supposed to do if we were selected.

Then we did our first little parade down Main Street, USA and we came back and we had some interviews with Cast TV and the Disneyland Line (the internal TV station and newsletter). After that we went to lunch with Diane Killeen, the manager of the Ambassador program, our parents and some other people that supported the Ambassador program. We had lunch with them.

Where did you have lunch?

AR: We went to Catal at Downtown Disney.

Were many of the past Ambassadors at the ceremony?

AR: Yes. Somehow they're always incorporated into the ceremony. They all came down the stairs of the train station as and they called their names and their year out.

This year (for the 2008 Ambassadors) was special, we had these huge poster size pictures of them, their official Ambassador photo parade out with them so you're able to see them then and now so that was really fun. I came home with this huge poster of myself and I'm like, "Mom, what do you want me to do with this?" Under the bed, for now.

Every year, they're able to just come and be a part of the ceremony and their wisdom is something I just glean. "Adonis, take as many pictures as you can." "Adonis, make sure to get as many business cards as you can." You just take everything you can and hold on to it because they've gone this route and they told me the end of the year is always going to be the hardest because you're trying to figure out next steps and still doing your events, and it has been, it's been difficult but yet I felt like because of them I was prepared.

More from Adonis:
Ambassador memories - (interview from her Ambassador year)
A very special memory (interview from her Ambassador year)
Ambassador memories

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