Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California is a popular tourist destination known for its magic and enchantment. Recently, while shopping for souvenirs at the Disneyland Hotel, I had a conversation with a cast member who was curious if it was my first visit to the park. Surprised by my response that it had taken me so long to visit, she handed me an unexpected gift – a button that declared me an honorary citizen of the Disneyland Resort, where dreams come true.
The button was unlike any I had seen before, and I was deeply touched by the gesture. Known among Disneyland fans as “pixie dusting,” it’s when cast members go the extra mile to make a guest’s experience special. Although I have been to Disneyland countless times, this pin was a rare find, and I had never noticed anyone wearing it in the park.
Unlike the other buttons available at Disneyland, the honorary citizen pin cannot simply be requested. It must be earned. Intrigued by this exclusive button, I reached out to Nataly Guzman-Garcia, a Disney Ambassador for the Disneyland Resort who explained the significance of the pin. She revealed that all cast members throughout the resort have access to various buttons, including the elusive honorary citizen pin. In addition to this special pin, there are also buttons for first-time visits, birthdays, anniversaries, and general celebrations.
According to Guzman-Garcia, the honorary citizen pin holds a special distinction due to its name alone. As a cast member in guest relations, she would personally look for opportunities to present this pin to deserving individuals. For example, if there were multiple guests visiting for the first time, but one of them had been to Disneyland before, she would choose them as the honorary citizen and give them the pin. This person would then become the official tour guide for the first-time visitors.
Guzman-Garcia also awarded the honorary citizen pin to children who turned in lost items to the park’s lost and found. By making the moment more ceremonial, she aimed to reward kids for their kind behavior. Additionally, if a guest stopped by Disneyland’s City Hall to pay a compliment to a cast member, she would also present them with the honorary citizen pin. This act was meant to honor these guests for taking the time out of their Disneyland experience to recognize someone who had made their visit extra special.
The concept of honorary citizenship at Disneyland dates back to Julie Riehm Casaletto, the first Disneyland Ambassador appointed by Walt Disney himself in 1965. Since then, honorary citizen recognition has been given to dignitaries, special visiting guests, and even regular park visitors who went out of their way to make Disneyland a better place.
While the honorary citizen pin remains elusive, some guests have managed to obtain one by simply asking for it at City Hall. However, even in these instances, Guzman-Garcia would still make them earn it through a trivia game or by learning something new about Disneyland. Regardless of how guests acquire the honorary citizen pin, the goal remains the same – to create a special moment and enhance their visit to the Happiest Place on Earth.
The honorary citizen pin is a small gesture that can make a huge difference in a guest’s experience at Disneyland. It’s a symbol of the magic and joy that Disneyland brings to people from all walks of life.