Credit: DisneyA man was reportedly fired from his job at Disneyland after writing an unauthorized book about his time working at the parks.
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Disneyland guests and fans alike have come together to form a petition asking Disneyland to reinstate former cast member Phil Bailey, a man who was allegedly fired for writing an authorized book about his time working at the parks.
Bailey is a U.S. Veteran who worked at Disneyland Park for several years. Bailey spent his time at Disneyland working in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, specifically at Millenium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, an ultra-immersive motion simulator ride.
Now, a small group has formed around Bailey, with a new petition being shared online.
What He Did
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Bailey wrote an autobiography titled Magical Moments: Memories and Reflections of a Disneyland Cast Member, detailing his time working at Disneyland. The book was published in 2020 and dives into specific details about what it’s like to work at a Disney theme park. The official description of the book is as follows:
Experience the wonder and joy of working as a Disney cast member outside the entrance plaza of the Disneyland Resort. Relive three years of magical moments of interacting with Disneyland guests and fellow cast members at the happiest place on earth.
However, Bailey was reportedly fired from his job at Disneyland for not receiving proper permission to write the book before it was published.
A Change.org campaign was started to try and get Disneyland to reinstate Bailey, with the creator of the petition saying the movement comes from a “deeply personal place, driven by an unsinkable fondness for a Cast Member that embodies the vision and spirit that Walt Disney originally intended for Disneyland.”
The petition calls Bailey a “rare gem” and says that the resort isn’t the same without his “constant smile.” The petition currently has over 500 signatures.
Bailey states in his book that working at the Disneyland Resort was “the most amazing, the most enjoyable, and the most rewarding job experience of [his] entire life.”
Disneyland employees, more commonly known as cast members, are a big reason the parks feel so magical in the first place. Both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts may be known for their incredible selection of rides and attractions, but each one also features world-class service thanks to its cast members.
Cast members aren’t just there to greet guests at the gate. They also serve in dozens of ways. From cleaning up spills to resolving customer issues, cast members play a major role in the overall Disney theme park and resort experience.
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