Scott Wolf: You just were named Ambassadors! What is that like? What was the ceremony like for you?

Jolie Hales: It’s been nothing but a positive experience for us, but when you get in situations where you’re that close to your dream it can make you very nervous. At the same time, it was amazing to look around and see the support. We had support from our fellow cast members, we had support for each other, we had support for the other finalist, all the past Ambassadors. There was nothing but positive, positive support. And that meant so much to me! That’s how I got through it.

SW: Were you nervous on the stage today?

JH: I was nervous on the stage. I told René, “If I am going to be the Ambassador, I want to be the first name picked because I don’t want to sit there and be like, ‘Oh no! This is my last chance, they better call my name! Oh, that’s not it.” But I was the second name, and it worked out because I didn’t pass out on the stage, I was very good, but I was nervous up there. (To René) Were you nervous?

René Torrico: A big thanks to Daisy Duck!

JH: Oh, Chip! I almost ripped his poor arm off I was squeezing it so hard.

RT: They were just holding on and, “It’s okay! It’s okay! It’s going to be fine.” I’m like, “I can’t breathe, I don’t know,” and then they called me name and I’m like, “What?! Are you serious? Are you serious? Then I immediately saw my dad and the water works and that was it.

SW: Do you have any favorite memories of the process leading up to this?

RT: Everybody is very positive at each round of interviews. You do an info session and then it’s three rounds of interviews. Everybody is always positive and they always want to just help you grow personally and professionally and they give you feedback and tell you what you can do and what you can change. It’s taking all that feedback in and making the appropriate tweaks here and there. It’s awesome. It’s been great.

The whole process is amazing, it’s stressful, I haven’t slept in two and a half months.

JH: I know! He hasn’t slept! Poor René!

RT: I was just nervous. You always want to be good enough to go to that next round, and for me being an offsite cast member, I’m not always around the resort and I’m not always on property so I had to kind of go out of my way to learn, “Okay, what is this? What is this called? It’s an attraction. And we can go here. And it’s from this date to this date. Okay, make sure you’ve got it all down! And flash card and flash card and flash card!” It was like an SAT.

JH: It really was!

SW: Do you think you’ll sleep tonight?

RT: I hope so!

JH: I don’t know, actually now it might be hard now!

RT: It’s going to be more like disbelief.

SW: Do you go back to your jobs after now?

RT: We got back to our respective areas and normally we have about a week or so to close down everything. (To Jolie) I think your area will release you immediately. I’m not too sure.

JH: Guest Talent did, but I do some of the entertainment around here and I think I’m still scheduled to do that. I’m actually excited to do that because I will miss doing the entertainment side of this resort.

SW: Can you tell me about your Disney histories up until now?

JH: For me, I grew up in a very Disney movie family. I drew Disney characters all the time. I actually wrote a letter to Michael Eisner when he was head of The Walt Disney Company and they wrote back and I was just totally stoked and wanted to be a Disney animator. Eventually I got my masters in film directing and it changed to more live action stuff. I became a cast member here at the resort during my early years in graduate school. I actually auditioned, because I wanted to be a part of this magical place, and I auditioned and I got the job and later that same day we had a tragedy in my family, and sometimes for about a year or two after that the only reason I could get out of bed was knowing I was going to be able to come to the Happiest Place on Earth. So this place built me up from a very low place in my life and it really in a lot of ways saved me in my journey to find that happiness again. I found it eventually and I owe a lot of that to the Disneyland Resort. I know it sounds cheesy and cliché but it’s absolutely true. After that I said, “I want to give back and I want to be Ambassador,” because that sounds like a great way to give back.

SW: So what jobs have you had here?

JH: I’m part of entertainment and I’ve done various shows, I’m “good buddies” with the characters and I’m in Guest Talent programs, I’m a stage manager and I’m a teacher, or facilitator for the Youth Education series. I teach the Leadership Pursuit of Excellence program. I do all three at once. My schedule every week is completely different.

SW: What is the Youth Education series?

JH: Youth Education Series is like field trips in the park. Students from outside, about 10-20 will come, and I will literally walk them around the park and teach them to be about how to be a good leader using Walt Disney’s leadership style. Then we’ll ride a few attractions and it’s a great experience for them and I love doing it, so it’s win-win.

SW: What about you, René?

RT: My history is much shorter and much more concise. Mine started when I was looking for a job in the banking industry. I was out of a job and I happened to Google credit unions in the area and I saw one with Disney script on it. I walked in and it was Partners Federal Credit Union. Lo and behold, I said, “I could work for Disney’s bank? This is awesome!” So I went in and I asked if I could apply for a job. Sure enough, I applied, I got the job, three years later here I am and that’s where I am. It was very interesting. I started as a teller and now I’m had the head teller for the branch.

SW: Were the head teller for the branch.

RT: Right! As of about 57 minutes ago!

More photos from the ceremony

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