From opening day team to life in a leadership role: 20 years at Hong Kong Disneyland
20 years ago, Kitty walked through the front gates of Hong Kong Disneyland on opening day, bright-eyed and ready to start a new adventure as a performer. What she didn’t foresee was the exciting career that lay before her — full of connection, joy and purpose. She is one of the few to hold the title of opening team cast member. Today, she is a proud cast member celebrating her 20th year at the resort, now serving as a Cast Services Manager on the Security, Safety, Fire and Health Services team.
It all started in the early 2000s. Kitty was studying dance professionally, hoping for her “big break." As she put it, “I decided to audition, just give it a go and see what happens. When I got the call from Hong Kong Disneyland, I was so happy!” She recounted the nerves she felt on her very first day of training, saying, “I felt very nervous, because no matter if you were a dancer, an engineer, or custodial, we all went through orientation together, learning the common Disney language. ” Though nerve-wracking, she couldn’t help but be excited for what the future held.
From there, a magical career pursuit started. “My journey began on the opening team as a dancer in Festival of the Lion King. I had the chance to be part of many special events during that time — like the grand opening, movie premieres, Christmas events and countdowns.” She’ll never forget her first show, as she reminisced, “I remember we gave 100% energy, but the audience gave us 150% back. The connection with the audience was so close. That bonding with the audience was unforgettable.”
As the years flew by, her passion for the work only grew. After welcoming two babies, Kitty transitioned into a backstage role as a Team Assistant and, not long after, joined the Talent Casting team. As she explained, “I spent 14 years in Talent Casting, doing everything from auditions, promotions, audition events, job offers, contracts and relocations. I felt honored to be part of that team.”
In her role today, Kitty is a Cast Services Manager with the Security, Safety, Fire and Health Services team and instills the values gained from her leadership and fellow cast members in everything she does. “After working in entertainment for 19 years, I decided to take a new challenge — stepping out of my comfort zone — to join the Security, Safety, Fire and Health Services team and lead this newly established role,” she said. In this role, she is responsible for handling onboarding procedures and helping non-local cast members adapt to the culture at Hong Kong Disneyland.
She hasn’t made it this far alone, citing her amazing leadership as pivotal pieces to the puzzle. “I’ve had many good leaders, and everyone gave me advice and opportunities.” She elaborated, “I learned from them that leadership means being with your team, not just managing them. That really influenced me.” From this experience, she learned that true leadership is about hard work, collaboration and kindness. Now a manager herself, she brings the joy and excitement from her time as a performer with her wherever she goes. “Though my current role is more operational, I try to bring my performer’s perspective. I share how performers see things, how they feel, and why the backstory of Hong Kong Disneyland is important,” she said.
Her advice for anyone looking to follow in her footsteps is simple: keep an open mind. “Build good relationships with people. Don’t limit yourself only to your current role. I’m glad I made the choice to move from entertainment into a new team, because it broadened my horizons,” she said.
Kitty is hopeful and excited for what the future of Hong Kong Disneyland holds, saying, “I think we’ll continue becoming stronger.” She continued, “even after 20 years, I still discover new things. That’s why I encourage people to try different roles, meet people from other teams, make friends and build meaningful connections. That’s how you grow at Hong Kong Disneyland.” Wise words from a cherished member of the opening team at Hong Kong Disneyland.
Inspired by Kitty’s story and want to learn more about careers at Hong Kong Disneyland? To explore open roles, visit: https://www.disneycareers.com/en/hk-disneyland
