At 92, Hank Ameen still works two days a week as a Disneyland Fireman after more than 62 years of service at the Anaheim theme park, making him the company’s longest serving Disney employee.

Disneyland was a big part of Ameen’s life. He took his wife to the original Disney theme park on their honeymoon in August 1955 – just a month after it opened to the public.

After serving in the United States Air Force, Ameen got a summer job as a Jungle Cruise captain in 1958 when he was 26 years old.

His previous bartending experience helped him land the Disneyland job. The Disney recruiter figured any bartender worth his salt would know how to talk to customers and crack a joke or two.

“I took it, and then lo and behold, people were cheering and loving my game,” Ameen told the Disney Parks Blog. “I felt pretty good about it.”

Ameen quit his Disneyland job after a few summers and joined the Garden Grove Fire Department, where he went on to serve 35 years as a city firefighter. But soon he missed Disneyland.

On his days off, Ameen began working as a Disneyland firefighter—helping put out the occasional park fire, keeping attractions and entertainment running safely, and monitoring pyrotechnics during nighttime fireworks shows.

“I have a passion for what I do because I feel like we’re protecting the magic,” Ameen told the Disney Parks Blog.

Ameen credits his long career to his active lifestyle. She swims, works out at the gym and walks around Disneyland in the morning before the parks open. He is a medalist in multiple Disneyland 10K races. And he remains endlessly optimistic about life.

“You have to have a good outlook on life,” Ameen told the Disney Parks Blog. “Make the best of it. Live in the moment.”

Ameen helped Disneyland’s firefighters win the park’s annual competition hired canoe race in August and dethroned long-time champions Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes.

The Firefighters’ Smoke on the Water team adopted Ameen as their mascot and trained with the motto “Win one for Hank”.

Ameen joined Smoke on the Water for a victory lap around Tom Sawyer Island after the resounding victory.

“I’m very proud of the people I work with,” Ameen told the Disney Parks Blog. “I learn from them and hopefully they learn from me.”

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Ameen had lunch with Walt Disney in the Inn Between employee dining area.

“He started walking towards my table, but I never thought he would sit with me,” Ameen told the Disney Parks Blog. “He pulled up a chair and asked me questions like, ‘How do you like working here?’ How do you like food? What can i do?’ It was maybe a 10 minute conversation. It was a wonderful memory.”

In the decades since, Ameen has met with Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock, Disney Parks President Josh D’Amaro, and Disney CEO Bob Iger.

The nonagenarian has no retirement plans.

“As long as I can smile and laugh, I’ll be here,” Ameen told the Disney Parks Blog.

Originally published: October 25, 2024 at 5:00 a.m