"You can take the person out of Disneyland^®, But you can't take Disneyland out of the person."

- Van A. France

Above is the first sentence from the first newsletter of the Disneyland Alumni Club written by Van A. France, founder of Disneyland University and the Disneyland Alumni Club. “I created the DAC because Dick Nunis and I wanted to make Disneyland a life-long experience; something that adds to a cast member's life after their work experience here at the Happiest Place on Earth comes to an end,” Van said.

“All Disneyland cast members are special. Walt knew that. In fact, he said they had to be in order to bring to life an outdoor entertainment experience found nowhere else in the world. The Disneyland Alumni Club brings together those special people and keeps them all stay in touch with each other while it preserves, honors, and perpetuates the values, traditions and outlook upon which Disneyland was created,” explains Dick Nunis.
With the election of new leadership and additions to our Board of Directors, we're off to a great new beginning.  Like so much in Disneyland's history we've discovered the best place to be is right in line with Van and Dick’s original vision as one of the most important benefits of being a former cast member.

To Preserve, Honor and Perpetuate the Values, Traditions and Outlook upon which Disneyland was created.

The Disneyland Alumni Club was created to give Cast Members a transitional avenue from working at the "Happiest Place on Earth" to working and living in the "real" world. The DAC was also to be a resource for present and past Cast Members to reach one another, share history, experiences, and share or enrich life skills, talents, and knowledge.

When it was christened, the DAC was a Disneyland corporate responsibility and membership was free. Back then, the DAC was little more than a wish, much like Disneyland itself once was, and existed as a mailing list in Van's desk.

As time went on, a Board of Directors was formed to keep the Club going and eventually, in order to cover Club expenses, it became necessary to charge a nominal fee for membership and renewal. In the past, members were invoiced for dues on a date-of-joining basis and if a member failed to renew their Alumni Club membership they were "dropped."
Today, the Disneyland Resort Alumni Club is a self-supporting Disney-sanctioned organization with its own Board of Directors, by-laws, direction, and purpose that provides its membership a growing package of unique and special benefits and resources.