Faith, Trust, and A Little Bit of Sisterhood
Author: Morgan G. / Editor: Ariana W.
“Together let us seek heights.” The motto of Alpha Chi Omega encourages its sisters to pursue endeavors that go beyond themselves and reach their full potential. Peyton B, a sophomore, also embodies the motto “to infinity and beyond.” Orlando born and raised; Peyton balances her dream job of working for Mickey Mouse along with her life at Florida State.
Peyton cherishes genuine connection with her sister by making an active effort to not only know every member of her chapter, but to try to get to everyone in her chapter on a deeper level. As Chapter Facilitator, Peyton works to educate her chapter on a range of topics including those involving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Recently, she spoke to her chapter about the drastic negative effects implicit biases can have if left unquestioned or unchecked. While in Tallahassee, she can either be found at the Alpha Chi Omega house or her apartment with her best-friend and sorority twin. However, when Wednesday rolls around, Peyton hits the road for Orlando.
As a Disney performer, Peyton works in the unique field of making magic. From pirate adventures with Captain Jack Sparrow to escorting kids to meet the legendary Mouse himself, Peyton thrives in the business of making dreams come true. Peyton’s dream of working at Disney started when she was a kid, visiting the parks frequently and making everlasting memories. Some of her inspiration comes from watching her parents who have both worked at Disney for over thirty years. Before they officially met, Peyton’s mother worked at a merchandise cart while Peyton’s father worked as a boat driver and would wave to her every day.
While working 20 feet from Cinderella Castle sounds like a dream come true, there is a profound degree of patience and commitment required of every Disney employee especially as a Disney performer. On average Peyton meets upwards of 800 people per day, many of which are visiting from another country and don’t know English. In addition to employing an endless social battery, she must go above and beyond to maintain the magic Disney is notorious for. With blazing heats and long lines, Peyton works to combat these frustrations and excite the crowds. Nevertheless, Peyton describes the inexplicable rewarding feeling she gets from watching a kid's face light up when they see their favorite character for the first time. One of her favorite recollections is the first Mickey and Minnie meet and greet after the COVID-19 pandemic. She describes the contagious excitement of the crowd and the utter awe the kids had at simply seeing Mickey and Minnie up close.
As a full-time student and full-time Disney performer, Peyton is constantly working a balancing act between her Tallahassee life and Orlando life. She records her days down to the hour, waking up at 6:00 am nearly every day to remain on track with her school and chapter work. She breaks up her weeks, spending four days at her home in Orlando and three in her shared apartment in Tallahassee.
From the constant driving and the consistently packed schedule, Peyton stays grounded through gratitude. “Some people never get to see the Cinderella Castle, and we get to see it every day.” She tries hard to never take anything for granted including her chapter of Alpha Chi Omega. Through the empowerment of her sisters, she went after her dream of working at Disney and through their continued support and encouragement, she continues to take everything in stride.
Driven, passionate, and caring, Peyton seeks to make a positive impact on the lives of others whether it be sisters, Disney fans, or kids from Make-A-Wish foundation looking for some Disney magic. “If I can make one difference in one person’s life then I’m happy.” Peyton says that while managing her time can be difficult and a bit chaotic, that she wouldn’t change it for the world. She encourages others to follow their dreams and make sure to find the people who will push you too. “Go for your dreams and pick the people to support you, without my parents and friends, I couldn’t do it.”
Peyton plans on continuing her work for Disney and her Statistics degree in the hopes of working with the Efficiency Statistics department, calculating the most effective way to bring magic to the most amount of people. If Peyton could recommend anything for a sister’s future Disney visit, she recommends stopping by to talk to a certain fiery princess, “Every person should visit Merida, she’s my favorite character.”