Disneyland has, for the longest time, been regarded as one of the most magical places on Earth. Everyone from infants and children, to teens, adults, and even the elderly can spend the day walking around, taking the sights, and get to know the adorable characters from our favorite characters, some of which are still in transmission even today.

But, the happiest place on Earth came with a serious caveat: there was no specialized medical personnel on standby in case any visitors fell ill or were in need of emergency care. This means that, those who needed aid would need to be transported outside the premises and to the nearest hospital, which would put an unfortunate end to any family outing.

Every day, thousands of tourists and visitors pour into the facilities at Disneyland, looking forward to a day of fun-filled gatherings, going on rides, walking through the streets of the park, and having tons of fun. However, due to the sheer amount of people, it’s not uncommon for some visitors to suffer some injuries, such as when they fall and hurt themselves, when they get motion sickness from a ride, or, during hot summer days, when some may have a heatstroke. Luckily, the parks always have first responders that could rush to the aid of anyone who needed. However, back in the day,medical personnel was not prepared to make professional assessments of the patient’s status, and much less to administer medical treatment on site. Instead, they were trained to stabilize patients in cases of emergencies and transport them to the nearest medical facility.

However, this all changed when a pilot program that involved hiring a nurse as a temporary staff member took place. The pilot program, which was set to begin on January 22, involved a 90-day trial where the administration would evaluate the importance of the nurse as a valuable addition to the staff. Luckily, the new nursing personnel proved invaluable in the area of emergency medical care as the team was now qualified to assess the patient’s condition, and even administer treatment on-site or, when necessary, to transport them to another facility.

However, as a nurse, you’re probably asking yourself one fundamental question: What’s it like to work at Disneyland? How does it feel to work in the happiest place on Earth?

In an article on nurse.org, we have found the answers to all your questions from Cheryl Talamantes, a nurse who, for the past 17 years, has worked in Disneyland as a part of the medical personnel.

Before joining the ranks of the park staff, she had spent most of her prestigious career as a nurse working in many departments and specialties, including medical surgery, telemetry, oncology, pediatrics, orthopedics, home health, and case management for a large insurance company. It was this varied background and ample experience that granted her the knowledge necessary to fit right in Disneyland and provided the foundation required to serve the employees and visitors of the park.

Now, instead of providing care to regular patients who went to the hospital for treatment, Cheryl treats princesses, beloved cartoon characters, and tourists from all over the world. Furthermore, this care is not limited to first-aid treatment, as the nursing personnel is highly qualified to provide various types of treatments at their cutting-edge in-park medical facilities. Said care is available 24 hours a day (on some days), all 365 days of the year, and regardless of weather and physical locations. “You could find yourself climbing down into a submarine or up the stairs to a treehouse. We work around entertainment like parades and support four, half marathons a year,” says Cheryl.

However, despite the inherent joy of working as a nurse in such a magical place, Cheryl says that the biggest highlight of working in Disneyland is the cast members. Her coworkers and other staff members go out of their way to ensure the visitor’s happiness and satisfaction whenever an accident happens which, in turn, is a reflection of how fulfilling working in Disneyland feels. “In our own department, we truly are a second family. In my entire career, it’s something I have never experienced to the level we have here. We are fortunate that we work alongside so many other departments who truly respect our team and are willing to assist us as needed,” she says.

The best part of this is that, if you’re an RN, and want to try your hand as a Disneyland nurse; applying is as simple as visiting their careers website for your local park, and keep an eye out for when a position opens up. Melissa Britt, the manager for media/external communications public affairs at Disneyland resort says: “We have Disney Nurses at each site: Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disney Resort. We hire year-round for various roles at the Disneyland Resort.”

Applying for a job is as simple as waiting for the right moment, and throwing your line into the water. Who knows, maybe YOU will be the next Disneyland nurse!