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Aunt Elaine Reflects on 50 Years of Service at Walt Disney World
For many guests visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios, a meal at the 50’s Prime Time Café isn’t complete without a visit from a very special family member. Elaine West Grimes, known to thousands as “Aunt Elaine,” recently celebrated a monumental 50 years with Walt Disney World, proving that for some, the magic never fades.
In an exclusive interview with People, Grimes shared her journey from her start in 1975 as a cashier at Disney’s Contemporary Resort to becoming one of the most beloved figures in the theme park community.
Related – Magic Kingdom Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Disney Cast Member Service Celebration 2026
Grimes worked in various roles over the decades, including training new Cast Members in food safety and cash handling. However, it was a shift in technology that eventually led her back to her true calling. “They brought in computers, and I’m not a computer person,” she told People.
That transition paved the way for her to join the 50’s Prime Time Café 25 years ago. The restaurant, themed like a 1950s family kitchen, features a “cast” of siblings, cousins, and parents. But for Grimes, there was only one role she wanted.
“I am everybody’s favorite Aunt Elaine,” she said. “Everybody needs a favorite aunt.”
Known for her charmingly strict lessons in table manners—reminding guests to “do your chores” and “eat all your vegetables”—Aunt Elaine has built a massive following. Fans even have a dedicated Facebook group, “Aunt Elaine’s 50’s Prime Time Family Album,” where visitors share selfies and memories of their time at her table.
Some guests have been visiting her for decades. Grimes recalled a couple who recently sat at her table and pulled out a photo they had taken with her back in 2006. “It’s like you’ve been friends for a long time,” she noted.
To mark her half-century of service, Disney presented Grimes with a commemorative statue of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. She was also honored at the annual Service Celebration, where she and her fellow long-tenured Cast Members were given exclusive after-hours access to Magic Kingdom.
For Grimes, the reward remains simple: the joy of the guests. “Just to hear a guest tell me ‘thank you’—that they’ve had a good time—is enough,” she said.
To read the full, exclusive story of Aunt Elaine’s 50-year journey, check out the original article over at People.com.
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