Disney’s former ‘Hat Lady’ takes the piano at Casey’s Corner for the first time
Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — After more than 36 years of performing across Walt Disney World, pianist Carol Stein has begun a new chapter at Casey’s Corner in Magic Kingdom.
Carol began her Disney career more than 36 years ago and has performed throughout the resort, from Pleasure Island and Epcot’s Rose & Crown Pub to Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Now retired, she continues to return as a seasonal cast member and is celebrating her first day as a Casey’s Corner pianist.
Her newest role feels special to me. I remember Carol from nights at Pleasure Island in my 20s and later as the Hat Lady at the Rose & Crown Pub in my early 30s. Now, as a former Disney cast member myself, I get to introduce my son — and Attractions Magazine readers — to a performer who has been part of Walt Disney World through so many chapters of her career and my life.
“I’m so excited,” Carol said in a video shared by Disney. “I feel this pixie dust all around.”
Carol’s lifelong connection to music
Carol said she began playing the piano in her family’s home when she was two years old and started formal lessons at four. She learned to read music before she learned to read English.
Her musical career eventually took her around the world, including time living and performing in Switzerland and Hong Kong. Disney later invited the Central Florida native to return home and become a company pianist.
At Pleasure Island, Carol performed alongside the destination’s improv artists. She later became known as the Hat Lady at the Rose & Crown, where her colorful costumes, piano performances and interactions with guests became part of the pub’s atmosphere.
Her Disney career also took her to Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue and the Grand Floridian. In fact, her first day with Disney was spent performing on a Steinway grand piano at the resort.
Photo provided by Walt Disney World
A new chapter at Casey’s Corner
Casey’s Corner pianists perform ragtime music outside the restaurant near the end of Main Street, U.S.A. The live performances have long contributed to the atmosphere surrounding Cinderella Castle and Magic Kingdom’s central hub.
Carol credited Disney guests for allowing her to build such a lengthy career, noting that many have become dear friends over the years.
Photo provided by Walt Disney World
As a former Disney cast member, I love sharing stories about the people who carry the resort’s history forward. I appreciate them even more now that I can share these moments with my own son. Cast members such as Carol become part of our memories during different seasons of our lives — sometimes reappearing years later in another corner of Walt Disney World.
Live performers remain part of Walt Disney World’s legacy
Carol’s move to Casey’s Corner comes shortly after The Magic of Disney Animation opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to some criticism over its new drawing experience. Instead of a live artist leading the class, ‘Olaf Draws‘ uses an Olaf Audio-Animatronic and prerecorded video instruction.
Although the experience is entertaining, the absence of a human animator removes the personal interaction many guests associated with Disney’s former animation classes.
Walt Disney World still features prominent live performers across the resort, including the Dapper Dans at Magic Kingdom, Voices of Liberty and Mariachi Cobre at Epcot, and Yehaa Bob Jackson at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort Riverside.
Performances within Epcot from groups such as Mariachi Cobre bring music, culture and genuine human connection to each performance. Catch a glimpse of their magic in our short video below.
The performers across Walt Disney World bring personalities, improvisation and conversations with guests that make each performance an example of the extra touches that can be found throughout Walt Disney World.
Photo by Dani Meyering
That is part of what makes Carol’s arrival at Casey’s Corner so noteworthy. Technology can recreate a character or guide guests through a song or drawing, but it cannot fully reproduce the connection formed with a performer whose own Disney history becomes part of the experience.
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