This National Siblings Day, the story of sisters Kate, Brittany, and Rachel Hackett serves as a reminder that Disney magic has a special way of bringing families together across generations. What began as childhood visits to Walt Disney World has grown into a shared calling for the trio, rooted in family tradition and a love for creating magical moments for others.
A Legacy Decades in the Making
The sisters’ Disney story stretches back decades, beginning with childhood Christmas trips and traditions built at the Candlelight Processional. Their grandmother, who spent 27 years as a seasonal merchandise cast member, left a lasting impact that defined their earliest memories.
The sisters have even carried on this family legacy by performing together in the Candlelight Processional Cast Choir, a role their grandmother once held.
“We were very fortunate to spend so much time at Disney World as children,” Kate said. “Our grandmother really shaped those memories for us”.
Three Sisters, Three Unique Careers
While their paths trace back to the same beginning, each sister has found her own sense of purpose in a different corner of the resort:
- Brittany: The first to take the leap, she moved from New Jersey to Florida for school and began with a part-time role. She now supports Entertainment as a scheduling specialist, coordinating experiences for performers, technicians, and costuming cast.
- Kate: Working in Food and Beverage at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, her time in the kitchen sparked an interest in the culinary arts, leading her to recently complete culinary school.
- Rachel: She works with the Disney Character Events team, bringing beloved characters to various events across the property and beyond.
Shared Bonds and Shared Projects
Working at Disney has brought the sisters closer together. While their daily jobs look different, their paths occasionally cross in special ways. Recently, for the first time in more than six years with the company, all three sisters were part of the same project at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
“That was the first time we’d ever been able to run into each other altogether,” Rachel noted. “It was such a fun experience to share all that we do with one another”.
A Growing Family Connection
The Hackett family’s Disney roots continue to grow, as two uncles and an aunt also work at Walt Disney World. The sisters represent a larger trend within the resort, where more than 80,000 cast members maintain an average tenure of 12 years—the lowest attrition rate in two decades.
As Brittany explained, being part of the magic feels completely natural to them because they “have pixie dust in [their] veins”. For this family, the sisterly bond and the cast member bond have become one and the same
Clint Gamache is the owner of ThrillGeek. He started ThrillGeek to share his love of theme/amusement parks and pop culture with the world. You can find him at Halloween Horror Nights. Also, be sure to follow him on Twitter/X, Instagram @iamcg83