While plenty of us wish we could magically wake up as Cinderella (or Meghan Markle, for that matter), we'd bet few actually envision going to the castle every single day. For Debbi Sacleux, it's just another part of her 9 to 5.
As the proprietor of Cinderella's Royal Table at Disney World, Sacleux knows the turreted wonder as well as anyone. She spends her days greeting visitors, interacting with guests and cast members —like the Princes and Princesses themselves — and making sure food service goes smoothly. More than anything, though, she's in the business of "creating magical moments." And in her 35 years with Disney, she's seen plenty.
Sacleux started her Disney career at Disneyland Paris, back when it was still called Euro Disney. She first worked as a restaurant guest services manager, then transitioned over to It's A Small World, eventually landing in her current role at Cinderella's house.
When asked to describe her typical day, Sacleux has two words for you: "absolutely magical." While it would be easy to write that off as a cliché, when you hear her speak, you start to understand why Disney is called the happiest place on Earth. Each day, she gets to walk into a castle, surrounded by renaissance decor and coat of arms. "It's a beautiful place to be," she says. She presents kids with wands and swords, leads a chorus of bippity boppity boos, and watches people freak out when they meet Cinderella and the Prince.
Every day, people of all ages have fairytale moments in the castle. It's a given. Some days, that includes a proposal. The restaurant offers a special glass slipper presentation package, and without fail, diners always go nuts when someone gets down on one knee, Sacleux says. "I always go over to congratulate the couple. It's so funny to see their expression, they have no idea," she says. "It's like their breath is taken away."
One particularly blind-sided woman let out a "happy-joy scream" that ricocheted through the restaurant. While that may be frowned upon in some places, at the Royal Table, it's all part of the fun. Sacleux counts it as one of her favorite memories.
Since she's been at the castle for so long, Sacleux has developed relationships with families who make visiting Disney a tradition. She's seen the same parents and kids turn into grandparents with children with kids, and those families always make sure to stop in and say hello.
"That's the rewarding part of my job, to get to know them, to share those moments with families and have them come back year after year."
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