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View Full Version : Happy Golden Anniversary to Oscar at the Carnation Cafe!



JookyG
01-05-2007, 03:36 PM
This news is a week late, but...

Oscar Martinez, the head chef at Carnation Cafe on Main Street, celebrated his 50th anniversary as a Disneyland cast member last Friday, Decmeber 29th. That's class of 1956! He's currently the longest-lasting CM at the resort.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/344470783_a5e0b9b625_m.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/gp/81623888@N00/404358) image #2 (http://www.flickr.com/gp/81623888@N00/404358)

I was with my family and we'd made a reservation for breakfast, having no inkling of the event. I knew of Oscar and always enjoy being greeted by him, but I had no idea that this day was his golden anniversary.

While we were eating, there was a commotion in the back of the restaurant and a huge cake came out. Then offical-looking photographers and a videographer appeared. Next the entire kitchen staff came out to salute the guest of honor. There were speeches and cheering and everyone in the restaurant got a piece of cake and an opportunity to see a little bit of Disney history. After 50 years of loyal service, I certainly hope Oscar got more than a cake as his reward!!!

Here's a link to my photos of the event:
http://www.flickr.com/gp/81623888@N00/404358

I saw a post in a past thread that this is Oscar's last year. Can anyone confirm or deny that? I'm going to miss seeing him at breakfast.

Congratulations, Oscar! We love you!

MammaSilva
01-05-2007, 03:46 PM
Aww Congratulations Oscar! We were lucky enough to enjoy meeting him on our visit in December and he was gracious enough to pose for photos with my kids!

Disney Vault
01-05-2007, 03:55 PM
Congrats Oscar! That is so cool they still have some CMs not just from class of 06 or 05. Just imagine all the things he has seen at DL over the years.

JookyG
01-05-2007, 04:00 PM
He said he never met Walt, though. Was too nervous. But how cool to be working there during Walt's days and see him walking the park!

I wish there were enough old-school CMs still around to warrant keeping class years on name badges :( A woman who drives the Horseless Carriage (10-year CM) said there's a guy who's been working in Fantasyland since the 60s.

julw
01-05-2007, 04:12 PM
Awww! Yeah! We love Oscar! We've seen and talked to him many times when we've eaten at the Carnation.

raediance
01-05-2007, 06:32 PM
I have to eat at the Carnation Cafe now! Still haven't, but I've heard so many good things about it! And now I have to see Oscar! x)

disney jones
01-05-2007, 07:05 PM
what a great guy he is - we stumbled upon his birthday celebration at CC a year or two ago and we have made a point to say Hi ever since - a gracious, wonderful man - he said he started as a bus boy in TL i n Dec '56. he told us this summer his 50th was coming in late December

- thanks for starting this thread.

Opus1guy
01-07-2007, 06:04 PM
He said he never met Walt, though.

But Oscar's wife certainly did!

In fact...she was Walt's famous go-to girl at Carnation, and made Walt's ice cream sundaes just the way he liked 'em. :)

Happy Anniversary, my friend! :)

Disney Vault
01-07-2007, 09:00 PM
But Oscar's wife certainly did!

In fact...she was Walt's famous go-to girl at Carnation, and made Walt's ice cream sundaes just the way he liked 'em. :)

Happy Anniversary, my friend! :)
Does his wife still work at DL too? That is such a cute story.

Opus1guy
01-08-2007, 12:11 AM
Does his wife still work at DL too? That is such a cute story.

I don't think so. I think she left the Park long ago. But I was reminded tonight when reminiscing with another long-time Disneylander friend...that Shirley's real specialty in making it just the way Walt liked it...was milkshakes. Not too runny...not too thick. And he liked both vanilla and chocolate shakes. Although she did make him many sundaes too. This was at the Carnation Plaza Gardens ice cream windows, BTW.

I was once told by a Disneylander that used to occasionally accompany Walt in the Park, that he would often say, "I gotta go see if Shirley's scooping today." And if she wasn't...he'd usually just skip the ice cream or shake that day.

vicbella2
01-08-2007, 08:24 AM
Congrats to Oscar. We met him on our last trip in Aug when we had breakfast at Carnation Cafe. It was our 1st time to eat there and he was just so nice and pleasant to talk with. Will definitely eat there again on our next trip and hope to see hime once more.