It was everything he hoped it would be (despite the fireworks being incredibly loud for his fragile 4-year-old ears). From meeting his favorite cartoon characters in real life to dodging cannons in the Pirates of the Caribbean water ride, it was a dream come true.<\/p>\n In the years to follow, his family would return every two years, alternating between staying at the Disneyland Hotel or the Disney campground.<\/p>\n \u201cMy brother and I would ride Autopia over and over near the end of the evening, while our exhausted parents sipped coffee sitting across from the attraction at the Tomorrowland Terrace,\u201d Maggetti said. \u201cWhen we exited the ride, we would run back to them saying, \u2018Can we go again?\u2019 The answer was, of course, \u2018yes.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Though the Maggetti boys grew older, Gary\u2019s memories of Disneyland would forever hold a special place in his heart.<\/p>\n Come time for college, Maggetti was ready for a change from his California lifestyle. He knew he wanted to work in the hospitality industry and had narrowed down his choices to the top-notch hotel and restaurant management (HRM) programs. But, to get the \u201cDead Poet\u2019s Society\u201d college experience he so desperately longed for, he wanted an out-of-state experience with all four seasons. The school that fit the bill? Northern Arizona University.<\/p>\n \u201cImagine my friends\u2019 reaction when I told them that I had decided on Arizona!\u201d Maggetti said. \u201cI had to actually show them the college brochure\u2014there was no website back then\u2014filled with pictures of snow and happy college students on an incredibly beautiful campus to help them understand why.\u201d<\/p>\n Maggetti began his studies in fall of 1991. The next semester, while walking through the lobby of the HRM building, he noticed a poster on the information board advertising a Walt Disney World College Program. He was flooded with happy memories from his childhood and thrilled at the possibility of being that much closer to completing the 800 hours of hospitality work experience required for his degree. (Students are now required to complete 1,200 hours, so Maggetti has stopped begging for a pity party for what he thought was such a huge obstacle.)<\/p>\n \u201cAfter attending one of the info sessions, I was hooked. It sounded like a great opportunity to learn from Disney\u2014a company revered for its approach to service\u2014and possibly even get a foot in the door for a future management career.\u201d<\/p>\n At the time, Maggetti was working at the McDonald\u2019s restaurant across the street from campus. His general manager, HRM alumnus Dave Lerma<\/strong>, had participated in the Disney internship a couple years prior, working in food and beverage. He had nothing but great things to share with Maggetti about his experience, and encouraged him to apply.<\/p>\n So, he did.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I received the letter from Disney congratulating me for being accepted for the internship, I was over the moon!\u201d<\/p>\n Maggetti was cast as a jungle cruise skipper\u2014something that struck him as odd seeing as his major was HRM. The job, however, allowed him to interact with the guests, gaining valuable people skills. The internship also came with a robust education component.<\/p>\n \u201cThese were a series of classes where the focus was on the Disney approach to leadership and included critical thinking, leading teams, influencing skills and marketing yourself for success.\u00a0At the end of my program, I earned my very own Ducktorate degree\u2026 and it\u2019s just as awesome as it sounds.\u201d<\/p>\n After completing the semester-long program, Maggetti returned to NAU to continue his studies, immediately moving into a management role at the McDonald\u2019s restaurant where he worked. He used the skills he learned at Disney and in his HRM classes to continue working his way up throughout the duration of his college career.<\/p>\n During the summer of his junior year, another opportunity at Disney presented itself. He was selected to participate in the Disneyland College Program, which allowed him to return to his home state. He was cast as a food and beverage host on Main Street, which helped him make connections with Disney leaders on the West Coast. By the time senior year rolled around, in addition to having job offers from several hotel and restaurant chains, Maggetti was offered a full-time position at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. He began working in entry level management in Disneyland\u2019s Tomorrowland restaurants in January 1996\u2014exactly one month after graduating from NAU.<\/p>\n [block-quote align=”center”]To sum it up, NAU taught me how to live, learn and work. The curriculum for my studies was taught by incredibly talented and caring professors, many of whom I still have a great friendship with today.[\/block-quote]<\/p>\n Maggetti has been with Disneyland for 23 years and has worked in 13 different roles, including assistant manager in food and beverage; a project manager tasked with planning the opening of Disney California Adventure Park; running the operations of the outdoor vending business; and manager of training and development in human resources. At one point, he spent a couple years living in Japan, leading the food and beverage team at the Tokyo Disney Resort for Walt Disney Attractions Japan. He returned to the United States to work on the expansion of the park that added Buena Vista Street and Cars Land in 2012. And in 2016, Maggetti became the general manager of Disney California Adventure Park West, overseeing the attractions, guest show operations, retail and food and beverage for lands that include Disney\u2019s newest area, Pixar Pier.<\/p>\n Now, his office sits outside of Radiator Springs\u2014a beautiful vista that allows him to step into the role of photographer for visitors posing in front of the park’s Cadillac Mountain Range. He said that getting to interact with the guests and help them make memories at the park is a “magical experience.”<\/p>\n No two work days are ever the same, but one thing remains constant: his love of this magical place.<\/p>\n “It’s incredibly enjoyable to be there when the first guests go through the turnstiles,” Maggetti said. “There’s this sense of adventure and hope and excitement.\u201d<\/p>\n When he gets the chance, Maggetti visits Flagstaff and gives guest lectures in business and HRM classes, sharing as much as he can about his experience at NAU, his journey through Disney and words of advice that got him where he is today.<\/p>\n \u201cI owe NAU a debt that I will continue to attempt to repay,\u201d he said, noting that he did, in fact, repay all his student loans.<\/p>\n The best part about Maggetti getting to live his childhood dream every day? He gets to do it with his twin brother by his side\u2014Chris Maggetti is the executive\u00a0chef at Disneyland.<\/span><\/p>\n Carly Banks |\u00a0NAU Communications![\"Gary](\"http:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wordpresst\/uploads\/sites\/153\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/IMG_4985-1.jpeg\")
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\n(928) 523-5582 | carly.banks@nau.edu<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"