For many decades, the Disney Ambassador program has been a constant presence around the globe. These magical ambassadors travel the world attending special events, supporting charitable causes, and spreading goodwill. This tradition, which now includes a pair of ambassadors from each Disney Resort, including Aulani Resort in Hawaii, began with a single individual—Julie Reihm Casaletto, the very first Disneyland Ambassador.
Let’s take a peek into the magical experience of Julie Reihm Casaletto and the Disney Ambassador program in this edition of Disney Legends Spotlight.
California Girl
Julie Reihm Casaletto was born in 1944 in Galveston, Texas, but spent her entire childhood in Long Beach, California – moving there when she was just three months old. As a little girl, Julie fondly remembers playing on her backyard swingset, swinging as high as she could, telling her mom she was pretending to be at Disneyland.
After high school, Julie attended California State University, Long Beach to study speech. While engaged in her studies, she took a part-time job as a tour guide at Disneyland. Working weekends and summers in the Happiest Place on Earth, she quickly got to know Walt Disney and experienced his cheeky sense of humor.
Meeting Walt Disney
Like many introductions to Walt, Julie’s story comes with a unique twist. As she explained in an interview with Disney D23, “I had first met [Walt] in the park when I was a tour guide. He followed me up Main Street.” One of the members of Julie’s tour group was upset that there was a man (not realizing it was Walt) tagging along who hadn’t paid for the tour. The guest told Julie that the man shouldn’t get the same information as a paying guest. Julie had hoped that Walt overheard and would move along, because, as she says, “It would have been highly unusual to go up to the man who owned the place and tell him to run along.” Sure enough, Walt gave Julie a wink and a grin, and quietly walked away. Julie added “I think he enjoyed taking you a little bit by surprise, and seeing your reaction to things. He delighted in seeing other people delighted.”
From Tour Guide to Worldwide
As Walt Disney entered the 1960s, the draw on his time was stronger than ever. Disneyland matters took up much of his time, not to mention his continued role in studio projects for both animated and live-action films. Being a worldwide name, Walt was wanted in many places, and he simply did not have time to attend everything to which he was invited. Disney as a company needed a representative who could travel the world, speaking for Walt when he could not be there in person. In an effort to lighten Walt’s load, Disneyland developed the Disneyland Ambassador program.
Stepping in for Walt on the public stage was no simple task, and careful consideration was given to who might represent Walt to the world. After two years of faithful service as a Disneyland tour guide, Julie was encouraged to apply for this new role, to be Disneyland’s “Ambassador to the World.”
The Ambassador program employed a five-member panel in selecting the very first Disneyland Ambassador. As Julie amusingly remembers, one of the tests among finalists was to be secretly served a food they admittedly didn’t like, with the applicants being graded based on their reactions to the food. The purpose of the test was to see how well the applicants would keep their pleasant composure in the presence of something unappealing. Julie was served oysters “with all that stuff on them.” Being a dignified and polished cast member, Julie passed the test with grace and flying colors, and in 1965 she was chosen as Disneyland’s first Ambassador.
Over the course of her whirlwind year as Disneyland’s first ambassador, Julie logged over 50,000 miles of travel, visiting many of the United States and several foreign nations in Europe and Asia. She often accepted awards and honors on behalf of Walt. With Walt’s 1964 masterpiece film Mary Poppins burning white-hot through 1965, Julie also attended several events related to the film.
Through all of the excitement and accolades that came with representing Walt to the world, one of Julie’s most profound memories is a touching moment shared with Walt’s daughter Diane, who gushed to Julie “We’re so happy you’re doing what you’re doing for our dad…he now comes home in time for dinner.” This simple thank you moment reveals how the Disney Ambassador program had an effect beyond the scope of the role, into Walt’s personal life.
After a year serving as Disneyland Ambassador, Julie returned to her college studies – despite attempts to convince her to stay with Disneyland. She returned occasionally to give tours to VIPs or attend special events, but eventually she left California to raise a family in Virginia.
Long after her time with Disneyland, Julie still holds fond memories of her time as an Ambassador, and of her time spent with Walt.
Training With Walt Disney
In an interview from a 2022 D23 Expo program “Disney Parks Through the Years: a Disney Ambassador Perspective,” Julie recounted a fond memory with Walt while training for the newly created position.
“At this point I want you to consider this is yours,” Julie recalls Walt sharing one day in his office after a tour of the Disney Studios.
“I don’t think you really mean that” Julie countered.
“No, I said what I meant,” Walt emphasized. “This is yours. Go through any door you want to; talk to any person you want to about what they’re doing and what they’re making. For all of us. You can do that.”
This complete access gave Julie the ability to fully educate herself on the offerings and operations at Disneyland.
Disneyland’s Tencennial Celebration
So where have you seen Julie Reihm Casaletto? Undoubtedly, you’d seen her in many photos with Walt and some of his Imagineers. Most of these images come from a 1965 episode of Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color titled “The Disneyland Tenth Anniversary Show.” In this broadcast, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the park’s opening, Julie was a key part of the festivities.
Walt introduced his first Disneyland Ambassador to future Disney Legends John Hench, Marc Davis, Harriet Burns, Claude Coates, Rolly Crump, and others, while giving a her (and all of America) a preview of upcoming attractions such as the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and other projects in development. As Julie later recalled, “The highlight of my year was to see Walt smiling ear to ear about a new idea – a new project – and feeling his boyish excitement.”
Disney Ambassador Program
The Global Disney Ambassador Program is a time-honored tradition going back sixty years, to Julie Reihm Casaletto’s early days as Disneyland’s “Tencennial Ambassador.” Since then, cast members from around the world have taken up the mantle as Disney Ambassadors, representing Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Aulani Resort in Hawaii, and Shanghai Disney Resort.
In 1995 the program was changed at Disneyland and Walt Disney World to allow for a team of ambassadors, and males were included in the program for the first time.
Following the events of terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the Disney Ambassador program found another calling. With travel grounded and uncertainty in the world, the Disney Ambassadors around the world were asked to extend their term by a year, marking the first time a Disney Ambassador team was extended beyond the typical one-year length. This made more time for newly coined “thank you visits” to help boost cast morale through a difficult time in American history.
Since 2001, Disney Ambassadors serve two-year terms, sharing the magic of Disney with guests and inspiring hope in local communities.
Once the Disney Ambassadors complete their two-years term,they receive a special golden Disney name tag – inspired by Walt’s very first nametag – signifying their dedication and achievement.
Julie Reihm Casaletto – A Disneyland Original
Julie Reihm Casaletto was honored as a Disney Legend in 2015. She spent just a few years working for Disneyland, but her impact on Walt’s park – and all future Disney parks and resorts – is immeasurable. As the first official Disney Ambassador, Julie paved the way for generations of Ambassadors to come, ensuring that all Disney resorts are proudly represented to the communities they serve, and the world as a whole.
Thank you so much for reading! Now you know who that lady is in all those photos with Walt!
Check out more Disney Legends in our spotlight collection.
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Sources:
D23 – Disney Legend Julie Reihm Casaletto
A Historic Disney Ambassador Family Reunion at D23 Expo – Disney Experiences, September 20, 2022
