A Lovely Story of a Disneyland Cast Member Family Photo

There are magical moments that happen for guests every day when they visit the Disneyland Resort. There are also magical moments that happen for Disneyland Resort’s cast members. The Disney Parks Blog shared one of these stories. This story is about a daughter who helped facilitate a magical moment for her mother with a beautiful family photo being given. Read about Morgan McShea’s family lineage at Disneyland and this magical experience here:

Disneyland Cast Member Suprises Mom with the Ultimate Family Photo

When Morgan McShea meets someone new while working at the Disneyland Resort, she is often met with a familiar – and heartfelt – question from her fellow cast members: “Wait, you’re a McShea?!”

The coincidental inquiry comes as no surprise to Morgan, who is part of a long family lineage of McShea cast members, creating happiness for guests across the resort since 1979.

Once Upon a McShea

Morgan’s maternal grandfather was the first to work for the parks as a carpenter and later as a manager. Her mom, Pam, started as an attractions host in Tomorrowland in 1986. That’s where Pam met Morgan’s dad and Disneyland Resort electrician Scott McShea, and his two brothers, Jeff and Glen, who also work at the resort.

Fast forward to 2017, when Morgan was hired as an attractions host at the Haunted Mansion, with her twin siblings Hannah and Bryce following a few years later in New Orleans Square Food & Beverage and Disneyland Hotel Parking and Valet, respectively. Not to mention that their cousin, Cameron, is an attractions host in Mickey’s Toontown.

Altogether, there are currently seven, yes, seven, members of Morgan’s family that work at Disneyland Resort!

With her parents having met each other in Tomorrowland, Morgan knows first-hand that fairytales do come true. Inspired by her mom’s recollection of how much she loved her years as a cast member and the lifelong friends she made while working at the resort, Morgan too, fell in love with what it means to be a cast member.

Family First

For Morgan, working alongside her family is one of the most gratifying experiences she’s had during her time as a cast member. From growing up to becoming a lead and trainer, to pursuing a master’s degree in occupational therapy, Morgan attributes her success to her familial support system—especially her mom.

“She’s my best friend and my biggest supporter. My mom is always there to help me and push me to reach all my goals,” shares Morgan.

To thank her mom for her unconditional love and support, and to commemorate her family’s legacy, Morgan set out on a small mission: to get the ultimate family photo to add to her mom’s collection of albums… in true Disney fashion.

Morgan’s mom loves pictures and has always dreamt of having a photo of the whole family together right in Disneyland park. So, in line with the tradition of creating happy family memories, Disneyland Resort jumped in to help bring Morgan’s vision to life.

Going Undercover

With the help of multiple teams, many hidden cameras, and nearly all the McShea family members, Disney set up a one-of-a-kind moment to reveal the framed family photo. Perched right above the skyline of Tomorrowland, where Morgan’s mom met her dad nearly 38 years prior, the McShea family had the ultimate family reunion that ended with a surprise.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Disneyland Cast & Community (@disneylandcastandcommunity)

“I’m just so grateful to Morgan, she is the sweetest person on Earth and I’m just so lucky to have her as a daughter,” Morgan’s mom tearfully shared after receiving the photo.

As Disneyland Resort celebrates generations of creating happiness during the 70^th Celebration, we thank cast member families like the McSheas, who remind us every day how fun it is to do the impossible.

What do you think of this story and the magical moment for Morgan’s mother? What is your favorite magical moment at Disneyland Resort? Share your thoughts, opinions, and magical moments below!