Still Loving the Magic

 

Hank Ameen is the longest working Disney employee. He’s a firefighter at Disneyland and has been for more than 62 years. At 92, he still works two days a week and has no plan to retire. Hank is clearly still loving the magic.

Actually, Hank has always loved Disneyland. In 1955, he and his wife honeymooned at the original Disney theme park, just one month after it first opened. In 1958, after serving in the Air Force, he got a summer job as skipper on the Jungle Cruise ride.

After a few summers in the Jungle, he joined the fire department in a nearby community where he worked for 35 years. However, the pull of the Magic Kingdom was strong and soon he started spending his days off working as a Disneyland firefighter. In addition to putting out the occasional fire he kept the beloved nighttime fireworks shows running safely. When interviewed by the Disney Parks Blog, Hank said he had a passion for protecting the magic.

The question is, how has Hank fueled his passion? He stays in shape by swimming, working out at the gym, living an active lifestyle, and walking around Disneyland in the mornings before the park welcomes visitors.

His positive attitude includes making the best of life and living in the moment. His plans for future moments? As long as he can smile and laugh, he’ll be at Disneyland.

If you’re curious about how Hank gets along with his colleagues at the Disneyland firefighters, want to hear about his lunch with Walt Disney, or see for yourself if he’s still loving the magic, keep reading.