Episode 266- Mackenzie (Starcruiser, Merchandise, Park Greeter, PAC)

·30 min·3 clips

A cast member describes working 72-hour weeks and guests fighting over limited-edition merch during Magic Kingdom's 50th anniversary.

The episode begins with hosts Phil and Jeremy introducing guest Kens, a former Disney College Program participant. Kens explains she was inspired to join the program after annual family trips to Disney and a cast member's recommendation. Her first role was in merchandise at Animal Kingdom's Discovery Island gift shops, where she enjoyed interacting with guests and sold out a Nightmare Before Christmas Loungefly bag as part of a manager challenge. She was then deployed to Magic Kingdom's Emporium for the 50th anniversary celebration, describing intense 72-hour work weeks, inventory shortages, and verbal abuse from guests, including a mother blaming her for ruining a vacation. Kens transitioned to the opening team for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, where she applied through a competitive process and was selected as a roamer, a role that merged housekeeping, food service, merchandise, and other duties. She recounts exhausting shifts, such as closing at midnight and opening at 6 AM, with guests mistakenly thinking cast members lived on the ship. Kens notes the Starcruiser's high cost contributed to its closure, though guests loved the immersive experience. She shares an anecdote about celebrity Frankie Grande's honeymoon there, where he was obnoxious but a frequent visitor. Kens also worked park entry at Magic Kingdom and was cross-trained for PAC (Park Arrival and Crowd Control) shifts during fireworks, recalling a stressful incident where a mother screamed at her for not allowing her daughter to sit on a trash can. The episode wraps with Disney favorites, including Tangled as a top movie and Carousel of Progress as a favorite queue for its short wait. Hosts highlight Kens' diverse experiences for listeners curious about the College Program.

As heard by us

Mackenzie recalls the fun of Starcruiser work and the exhaustion of its opening shifts.

Mackenzie remembers the fun of playing in a Star Wars world, but the opening shifts at Starcruiser left little time for sleep. The experience ran around the clock, and she says the team needed more staff than expected.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want to know what working on the Starcruiser opening team felt like from a cast member's side.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Cast Conversations