UMass Magazine Online

Spring 2005

Departments

Features

There Goes the Neighborhood

Fab Four

The Gravest Danger

The Wonderful World of Disney

Cooking Lessons

Feature

Everyday Heroes
Hal Lane ’60 chases his dream all the way to Disney World

—Jennifer Howe




	Hal Lane ’60 (photo by Jennifer Howe)

SOME DREAMS DO COME TRUE. Just ask Hal Lane ’60, who is living his dream, making $6.70 an hour as a seasonal worker at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. This retired educator and former Massachusetts state legislator is spending his days and evenings selling merchandise in Tomorrowland, the futuristic section of the park, featuring favorite thrill rides including Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. “A big part of my job is being nice to people,” says Hal with a little laugh.

On one of his many trips to the theme park with his family (he has eight children and 23 grandchildren), Hal inquired about seasonal work for his retirement. “I always wanted to see if the Magic Kingdom was as great on the inside as it was on the outside,” he said, noting that Disney is billed as the greatest place on earth. After extensive training sessions and a few days working with guests in the park, Hal agrees that he has landed in a great place. His experience has shown him how Disney has set the bar in customer service and guest relations. Any organization can learn from the theme park’s mission: “It provides children with heroes that are not always found in everyday life,” says Hal.

Although he has had many great moments at Disney, one stands out. Hal
saw a young child coming toward him from one of the rides. He knelt down to eye level. “Have you had a great time here?” Hal asked. The reply was a simple and excited “Yes!”, but for Hal it was an affirmation that his dream really had come true.

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