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On October 1, 2026, Walt Disney World Resort celebrates its 55th anniversary — and ahead of the milestone, Disney is showing off the official 55th anniversary merchandise collection. Who better to model it than the people who were there on opening day? Via the Disney Parks Blog, two opening-day cast members — Frank and Earliene — are showcasing the new collection, 55 years after they first stepped through the gates of the Magic Kingdom.
Meet Frank
Frank is an Entertainment Readiness Manager with Disney Live Entertainment, and he has called Walt Disney World home since opening day. Here, he’s sporting the 55th collection hoodie — and blue is certainly his color!
“Walt Disney World is a place where someone can find a first job, fall in love with the company, and work there for most of their life. You can’t find that just anywhere, so it means a lot to a lot of people,” Frank said.
Wearing his colorful 55th anniversary backpack, Frank reflected on his unique experience of being one of the cast members to step through the gates on opening day and welcome the very first guests to The Most Magical Place On Earth. “It is very hard to believe I’ve been here since opening day – it’s true that time does fly. I’ve held a lot of different roles here at Disney, and it’s been wonderful.”
Seen here stepping out in style with his 55th anniversary tumbler, blue tee, and matching hat, Frank is excited for the celebration: “To celebrate, I am going to go to work every day and have a good time. I have an amazing team and couldn’t ask for anything better!” ChEARS to that!
Meet Earliene
Next up is Earliene! She makes magic at Disney’s Contemporary Resort as a merchandise hostess, and has been at Walt Disney World since opening day — still coming to work with the same radiant personality and shining smile she started with. The red 55th tee she’s modeling emulates her aura: bright, warm, and full of energy.
“Ah, opening day, I was so thrilled! At the time, I had no idea that I would remain at Disney this long, but when you come on board it’s like falling in love with a whole different world… it’s just something you never want to leave or give up. I just love it. I love my Disney World,” Earliene said.
While showing off her beautiful blue 55th anniversary ears, Earliene reminisced: “Mickey and I have had a great journey, and it’s hard to pick a favorite moment… I just really enjoy being here, having fun with guests and seeing kids having the time of their lives. It’s a joy that makes you feel so good, doing what we do.” Looking forward, she plans to stick to the status quo and keep rockin’: “To celebrate 55 years, I’m going to continue doing what I do best, making sure my guests are completely satisfied and enjoying their vacation with us!”
The 55th Anniversary Merchandise Collection
If you’re a fan of Frank and Earliene’s fits, there’s more where that came from. The collection includes a tumbler, mug, Mickey Mouse plush, hat, hoodie, zip-up, and more — something for everyone to commemorate 55 years of magic.
The 55th Anniversary Merchandise Collection is available now at the Emporium and Creations Shop at Walt Disney World, while supplies last — with select items also coming soon to DisneyStore.com.
Also Spotted: 55th Anniversary MagicBand+
More anniversary merch keeps arriving — a Walt Disney World 55th Anniversary MagicBand+ was spotted at the Magic Kingdom’s Emporium this week. The band’s central puck features the anniversary logo celebrating “55 Magical Years,” with an allover design of park icons including Cinderella Castle, the Tree of Life, the Hollywood Tower Hotel, World Showcase, plus Figment, a Mickey Bar, and a fifty-five pennant. It’s available now for $44.99.
With the anniversary just days away, expect even more 55th anniversary surprises to pop up around the resort. Stay tuned!
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