Dylan Rogers on Making Magic and Music at Disney’s Aulani Resort
It’s no surprise that there’s more to a Disney cast member than meets the eye. Much like the native yellow Hawaiian hibiscus in springtime, multi-faceted magic makers bloom in abundance at The Walt Disney Company.
Take, for example, Dylan Rogers, a Front Office Guest Service Manager whose accomplishments span from being part of the team that represents “the beating heart of hospitality” at Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas, Ko Olina, Hawai‘i, to serving as the resort’s 2024-2025 Disney Ambassador to lending her lyrics (and larynx) as the singer-songwriter behind the new “Aulani Time” anthem.
We’ve all heard the phrase “practice what you preach.” Easier said than done, right? Dylan revealed that, in leadership roles, she often found herself encouraging others to “bet on themselves,” “be brave” and “do the things that scare them.” And yet, over time, the words started to feel hollow.
“When I started at Aulani in 2017, I was welcomed by the then Aulani Ambassador Manako Tanaka and was completely in awe that an everyday resort cast member like myself could be elevated to such a platform,” she said of her onboarding experience. “At the time, I remember writing myself off as someone who didn’t enjoy public speaking, which made me think that being an ambassador wasn’t for me. Fast-forward seven years and those motivating conversations I’d have with my team eventually inspired me to ‘walk the walk’ and grow as a leader.”
Sights set on leading by example, Dylan settled into her ambassadorship, eager to scratch the contagious itch that comes with making meaningful magic. Unlike most Disney Ambassadors who fully transition into the program for the entirety of their two-year term, Dylan uniquely balanced dual responsibilities, maintaining both her routine desk job while also participating in special events, media appearances, resort and cast member celebrations and community outreach.
“Before being selected as the new ambassador, I’d been in my front office role for 5 years. I knew it like the back of my hand, so this opportunity added a little spice to my day-to-day,” she said, ready to navigate new terrain. “To serve as an Aulani Ambassador is to represent the resort, and the only way to do that is by wearing the costumes of our cast members.”
From rainbow reef fish feeding in the saltwater lagoon to brewing coffee for guests inside Off the Hook, and from cleaning balconies to fluffing pillows in preparation for Members’ return to their refreshed villas, Dylan experienced firsthand, with renewed appreciation, the daily triumphs and challenges of cast members, and the opportunities to elevate the special kind of magic found only while at Disney’s Aulani Resort.
In the spirit of embracing new experiences, Dylan stepped further into the spotlight when she was presented a handcrafted Kamaka ukulele, adorned with Mickey Mouse inlays, by the 2022-2023 Aulani Ambassador, Kanoa Kawai on behalf of the resort. Wanting to make the most of the gift, she fused magic and music, drawing inspiration from “Discover Magic in Hawai’i,” a video that began circulating across Aulani’s social media platforms shortly after she assumed the ambassador role.
Awe-struck by the video’s authentic embrace of Hawaiian culture, she took notice of its purely instrumental background music. That moment sparked a two-year passion project, during which she wrote and recorded an original song to further bring “Aulani Time” to life and complement its heartfelt message.
“Sitting in my closet one day, I wrote a first draft of the chords and lyrics,” she recalled. “From there, I played it for our Hawaiian Culture Advisor Kama Hopkins, who is an actual recording artist, as well as for Manako Tanaka, who, like Kama, is fluent in Olelo,” she added. “It was important to each of us that the song authentically portrayed and perpetuated the Hawaiian language.”
In the first verse, Dylan writes, “There’s magic and music in the air… be Maka‘ala taking it all,” a nod to the visceral ambiance you feel upon setting foot inside Disney’s Aulani Resort, designed to spark a magical feeling as powerful on your 50th visit as it was on your first.
“Maka‘ala, the name of our lobby, is the centerpiece of the resort,” she explained. “In Hawaiian, it means to be awake with your eyes wide open. This special verse sets the stage for everything a guest is about to experience. When you’re welcomed into the resort for the first time, you really must have your eyes wide open to take in the stories, history, culture and beauty of this magical place.” Dylan hopes that when Disney Vacation Club Members watch the music video, it’ll get them excited to nestle their toes in the sand, delight in Mickey shave ice, and, of course, enjoy some well-deserved Aulani Time during their next visit “home.”
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