There is still over a year until the Disney Treasure arrives to take guests on magical cruises. However, more details continue to be revealed about this incredible trip by the Disney Cruise Line. The newest update to come out about this trip is the announcement of who will be the Cruise Director for the Disney Treasure.
The Disney Cruise Line announced that Darren McBurney will be taking over the role of the Cruise Director. Darren has worked for the Disney Cruise Line for 25 years. His path to working at Disney is a unique one. It came when he won a two-week holiday to Walt Disney World Resort, courtesy of a British gameshow. That trip changed his life. After he came back he knew that he wanted to work for Disney. “I told my friends ‘I don’t know how or when, but I am going to work for that company.’ It just felt right to me,” Darren shared.
Back at home, Darren researched his options for working for the company. The time was 1997 and the Disney Cruise Line was hiring its opening team. “I knew that for the Disney Cruise Line opening team, and a brand-new venture for the company, they would be looking for experts in the field,” he explained. “Although my love was entertainment, my background was in retail, and I was lucky enough to be chosen as part of the opening team as a merchandise host.”
Right from the start, Darren knew his calling would be in entertainment. He volunteered for a position that didn’t exist yet to plan crew events. Moving forward throw shadowing roles, hard work, and dedication, Darren eventually transitioned to entertainment and worked in positions in port adventures, youth activities, and others. Through the year, he had more than 14 different positions before ultimately becoming a Cruise Director.
The Cruise Director is in charge of the morning show, introduce nighttime entertainment, and often their voice cane be heard throughout the ship as they provide daily tips and can’t-miss activities. They also manage the teams in the entertainment department. This includes lifeguards, youth activities, port adventures, technicians, and more. “It’s really about the flow of the ship and everything we can do to help the team along the way,” Darren said. “It’s a strange job, but for me, it’s the perfect job.”
With the Disney Cruise Line celebrating its 25th anniversary this summer, Darren shared that the occasion was quite personal as he started when it all began. “I remember selling the car I had at the time and saying to friends, I hope I last about two years, to pay off the car loan,” Darren said. “I take it day by day, but I would have never suspected 25 years.”
Moving forward, Darren will continue aboard the Disney Wish as the Cruise Director for the next few months. He will also be researching logistics for potential Disney Treasure programming. Next year he will make his way over to Germany and the Meyer Werft shipyard where he will be assisting with site management of operations and entertainment needs, including the onboarding of the new crew, for the Disney Treasure.
“I’m really looking forward to working with the leaders and making sure that our crew members, both seasoned and newbies have a smooth and meaningful onboarding process,” Darren said. “That’s one of the things in the back of my mind, always.”
Darren shared that he can’t wait to see how the stage shows come to life on the Disney Treasure. He is excited about the exclusive debut of Disney The Tale of Moana and also Beauty and the Beast on stage, which happens to be his favorite movie. He shared that he is really looking forward to the creativity behind all the Disney Treasure will have to offer.
Daps Magic will continue to follow the progression of the Disney Treasure as it continues to come together ahead of its inaugural voyage next December. If you’d like to book a Disney Cruise Line adventure, visit Mouseways Travel for free assistance. Mouseways is the official travel partner of Daps Magic.
