Meet Hinata. If you ask him how he ended up on the opening team of the Disney Adventure, he’ll likely flash a shy smile and take you all the way back to when he was just a kid stepping onto the Disney Dream for the very first time.
Like so many families, 11-year-old Hinata was excited for their vacation, coming all the way from Japan for a Disney Cruise Line trip. But beyond the unforgettable memories that unlimited ice cream and days on the beach can provide, Hinata’s family was most captivated by the guest service of the crew.
With their dedicated dining team throughout the cruise, Hinata and his brother couldn’t wait to visit the dining room and to see their servers performing little magic tricks and telling jokes. That’s where he met Lucio, a warm, welcoming server taking care of his family during dinner.
That cruise ended, but it lit a spark that stayed with him. Years later, when it was time to start looking for career opportunities, Hinata already had his inspiration. He remembered how he felt on the Disney Dream and he wanted to recreate that feeling for others.
That drive led him straight to Epcot’s Japan Pavilion as part of the Disney Cultural Representative Program. Immersed in the vibrant energy of Walt Disney World Resort, Hinata found his stride. Surrounded by mentors and fellow Disney Programs participants cheering him on, he applied to become a teppanyaki chef, and just like that, a profession turned into a passion.
“This is my dream job,” Hinata said, even though it wasn’t part of his studies at university. “I wanted to try something new. Being a chef seemed like something exciting to try, to make people happy, and I was thankful to have the opportunity, and now, I love it.” Hinata said.
Fast forward to the arrival of the Disney Adventure, Disney Cruise Line’s eighth ship in the fleet and first to homeport in Asia. Hinata landed a spot on the opening team as a teppanyaki chef, excited to be closer to home, family and ready to embark on new experiences.
Picture this: Hinata steps off the new hire bus, taking a breath and soaking in the excitement of his first day. He looks up, and who is standing there to welcome the new crew members?
Lucio. The Lucio. The very same server who had looked after his family all those years ago on the Disney Dream.
“I have a photo album back home from that trip on the Disney Dream, and I looked at it almost every day,” Hinata shared, explaining why it didn’t take long for him to recognize Lucio even 12 years later.
So much time had passed, but fate brought them back together. In a the full-circle moment, the man who once served a wide-eyed kid on vacation was now welcoming that same kid, all grown up and ready to be his coworker.
For Lucio, the photos brought him back. “As soon as I saw that picture, I remembered the brothers had their suit jackets and shorts, with such style, it felt like yesterday. This was proof of how long those Disney Cruise Line memories and the magic can last for a family. To have that kind of impact — that’s what makes this job so special,” Lucio said.
And the magic didn’t stop there. When the Disney Adventure sailed into Japan on its way to Singapore, Lucio was right there to welcome Hinata’s family back aboard, only this time, as a proud colleague greeting old friends.
The kindness a cast member (or crew member) shows today can echo across years and miles, shaping a future we never could have predicted. To Hinata, Lucio, and every dreamer out there looking for their next adventure: your story is just getting started.