During the 2024 D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, The Walt Disney Company honored 14 new Disney Legends who have made a lasting impact on the company’s storied legacy. The Disney Legends Awards, a 37-year tradition of The Walt Disney Company, began in 1987 with the honoring of Fred MacMurray (The Shaggy Dog, The Absent-Minded Professor, The Happiest Millionaire). With this year’s additions, the prestigious list now includes 318 Disney Legends.
Martha Blanding, one of the 2024 award recipients, brought the “happy” to The Happiest Place on Earth. As Disneyland’s first full-time Black Tour Guide, she exemplified the spirit of creating joy for others, embodying the hospitality and courtesy that Walt Disney envisioned for all cast members.
A proud native of South Central Los Angeles, Martha was on the path to becoming a teacher when she took a chance and joined Disneyland in 1971. Starting as a Tour Guide, she quickly secured a full-time position and, within a year, advanced to become a VIP Hostess. In this role, she led tours for notable figures such as Diana Ross, Elton John (who later became a Disney Legend), Olivia Newton-John, Cary Grant, and Cher, as well as domestic and international government officials, including a delegation from the USSR.
Martha later broke new ground as the first Black woman in management at Disneyland and one of the first Black management members within The Walt Disney Company. She excelled as an expert in merchandise, candy, and film buying for nine years, eventually becoming the senior manager of Disneyland Resort Merchandise Special Events. She collaborated with world-renowned artisans, celebrities, and Disney Legends in this role. Martha also played a pioneering role in producing the Official Disneyana Convention, a precursor to today’s D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. Martha is the first Black female to retire from Disneyland after 50 years of service and the first Black Disney Parks employee to become a Disney Legend!
During the ceremony, Martha Blanding, was honored with a special on-stage presentation from Derek Hough and a performance of You’ve Got a Friend in Me from Disneyland Resort’s The Dapper Dans and the Disneyland Band. From stage, Hough spoke to Blanding’s profound impact on every Disneyland guest she encounters: “She is a part of the foundation that makes Disneyland The Happiest Place on Earth.”
Congratulations, Martha!
Senior Editor for the DIS and DCL Fan | Disney Vacation Club Member | Thrilled to have been a '13/'14 Disney Parks Moms Panelist (now planDisney) | Lover of all things Disney; the Magic of Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Disney Cruise Line | ºoº
