Have you ever seen a Cast Member wearing a blue name tag and wondered what that’s about? Well, they have earned the prestigious Walt Disney Legacy Award. This award recognizes employees who have done an exceptional job executing Disney’s mission to dream, create, and inspire. This award is the highest honor a Cast Member can receive and will hold onto that honor for the duration of their employment at Disney.
One thing that adds to the prestige of the award is a Cast Member must be nominated by a fellow Cast Member. The award is extremely selective, with only a few hundred honorees out of a staff of over 200,000. The panel of judges who review and select winners is comprised of a board of executives, managers, and some additional theme park employees. This recognition program spans all Disney theme parks along with Imagineering and the Disney Cruise Lines. These Cast Members have proven that they will go above and beyond to make Disney the most magical experience for all guests, while consistently working long hours with large crowds, often in the blazing heat.
The JAMMitors have been bringing the big beats to EPCOT since 1996. This STOMP like trio, which changes their character, costumes, and drum sets to match the current festival. They might turn pots & pans, shovels, buckets, trashcans and lids into percussion instruments. They can be found in various places in EPCOT depending on the time of the year and other park happenings. Search your My Disney Experience app for JAMMitors to find out when and where you can see them. Each of their shows throughout the day have a different set of music and jokes, so be sure to catch them more than once during your next visit.
Looking for something a little more cultured? Visit the Japanese pavilion at EPCOT and catch Matsuriza. banging on Taiko drums. Feel the rhythm as this group of traditional Japanese drummers performs intricate musical arrangements on giant drums in a dazzling display of pure physical stamina. Japanese Taiko drums have been enthralling audiences for years in religious ceremonies, festivals and even on battlefields as soldiers prayed for victory. If you want to help fight the heat, grab a kakigōri just outside of the Japanese pavilion which is close by where you can watch and listen to these wonderful performers.