Colton, CA—From making hype videos in high school to becoming a Merchandise Trainer and a Coordinator for Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, Colton High alumni Adrian Estrada is working his way up the Disney ladder as he shares a glimpse of his work ethic and determination to climb higher in the entertainment industry.
It began with filming hype videos around the CHS campus. “I had a passion for it. We didn’t have a film production program, and I was the one who actually kind of started it and got people going with it,” Estrada said. “I started with my friend Pablo. He did magic and I filmed around campus and it just spiraled.”
Estrada’s videos ended up being so widespread that the Colton Joint Unified School District caught wind and hired Estrada for them. They were so popular that former principal Joda Murphy made sure they were featured at special pep rallies.
“He was just such a kind person. He gave off a lot of joy to other people, and his work was great.” Joda Murphy said about Estrada.
Estrada grew up in Colton, graduating from CHS as a member of the class of 2017. After graduation, he planned on pursuing his passion in film by earning an associate’s degree in Film Television at RCC.
Life took him in a different direction.
Estrada joined the Disney College program, which is a program that gives students the opportunity to gain once in a lifetime experiences which for Estrada included: living in Disney housing, taking college credit classes, and working as an intern in the program until after COVID when he wanted to move to Orlando.
“I ended up moving to Florida where I’m at today in the University of Central Florida (UCF),” Estrada said. “I decided to go into entertainment management because I found that I love film and production, but for more job security and more opportunities, Entertainment Management was more of the route to go for my career benefit as well as to fulfill my passion in entertainment.” By 2022, Estrada was a Disney cast member, and only six months later in 2023 he became a Merchandise trainer and in 2024 became a Coordinator.
Currently, Estrada has a few different roles to fill with his jobs as a Merchandise Trainer and Coordinator. One of Estrada’s roles involves training new cast members at the Magic Kingdom to learn “the Disney way.” He also runs one of the Merchandise locations where he oversees the cast and Guest experience at the Merchandise location.
With a promising future ahead, Estrada’s eyes are on finishing his degree in Entertainment/Theme Park Attraction Management. “I do plan on continuing to work for Disney, and I plan on moving up in some sort of entertainment company or entity to better the guest experience of entertainment portfolios of entertainment companies.”
Adrian Estrada does not speak for the Walt Disney Company or on behalf of the Walt Disney Company.
