Cast Member since 2019 · MBA, Class of 2026

From Blizzard Beach to the business of magic.

I'm Jon Milner II — a Disney cast member since 2019, software engineer for the past four years, and May 2026 MBA. My next chapter: bringing technical rigor, operational empathy, and a lifelong love of this company to strategy at Disney Cruise Line.

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Strategy · Technology · Guest Experience Portfolio · 2026
About

A Disney story that started in 2019. Three degrees. One company I've always wanted to grow with.

Jon Milner II — headshot Drop headshot.jpg into this folder

My Disney story started in 2019 as a lifeguard at Blizzard Beach — a Disney College Program kid from Virginia who'd grown up dreaming about working here. After finishing my computer science degree at LSU (Geaux Tigers), I came back in 2022 as a software engineering intern, and I've been building my career with the company full-time ever since — through cybersecurity, security engineering, and now software test engineering.

Along the way I added an MS in Cybersecurity and — in a few weeks — an MBA. The through-line between all of it is a belief that the best operators combine technical depth with hospitality instincts. Code you can trust. Systems that scale. Guests who feel seen.

I'm drawn to Disney Cruise Line because it sits at a rare crossroads: a hospitality business built on operational excellence, a brand built on emotion, and a growth story entering a bold new chapter with Wish, Treasure, Destiny, Adventure, and Lighthouse Point. Long term, I want to sit at the strategy table where decisions shape the next generation of guests, ships, and destinations. Short term, I want to earn that seat by doing excellent work wherever I start.

What I bring

A rare combination for a strategy seat.

Most strategy candidates bring one of these. I bring all three — and that's the case I want to make for a role at Disney Cruise Line.

◆

Technical Fluency

BS Computer Science, MS Cybersecurity, four years as a Disney engineer across cybersecurity, security engineering, and test. I can speak the language of the systems that actually run the business.

✦

Operational Empathy

I've worn the lifeguard rescue tube at Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, worked F&B at Epcot, and deckhanded at a Virginia marina. I know what it takes to deliver the experience on the ground — and at sea.

★

Strategic Judgment

My MBA sharpened the muscle of turning ambiguous questions into structured answers — frameworks, financial models, and recommendations that leadership can actually act on.

Writing

I think out loud in public.

My Substack, Nostalgic Horizons, is where I work through ideas about legacy entertainment, cruise and hospitality strategy, and the business of building experiences people remember. If you want to see how I think about this industry — not just that I think about it — start here.

NH

Nostalgic Horizons

Essays on where legacy entertainment has been — and where it's headed next.
Read on Substack
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A point of view

Three ideas I'd bring to Disney Cruise Line.

I believe the best way to show up as a strategy candidate is to actually have a strategy. Here's how I'd frame the next chapter.

01

The fleet as a portfolio

With a doubling fleet through 2031, the question shifts from "how do we fill ships?" to "how do we curate distinct on-board experiences across classes and itineraries?" Portfolio thinking matters more than ever.

02

Private destinations as IP

Lighthouse Point and Castaway Cay aren't just islands — they're rides, characters, and stories waiting to be told. Treating destinations like IP unlocks marketing, merchandising, and repeat demand.

03

The sail-to-stay funnel

DCL sits inside a once-in-a-generation Disney ecosystem. The strategic prize is a guest who cruises, then visits a park, streams a show, and comes back — measured, modeled, and designed on purpose.

“
It's kind of fun to do the impossible.
— Walt Disney
What I'm studying

The homework I'm doing on my own time.

I don't want to walk into a strategy conversation unprepared. These are the questions and sources I've been actively working through to get ready for the role I want next.

Industry

The cruise category's post-pandemic reset

How Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian are competing on yield, newbuilds, and private destinations — and where Disney's differentiated, family-first position fits in.

In progress
Company

Disney Experiences segment strategy

Working through earnings calls, analyst days, and the $60B Experiences investment commitment — with a focus on how cruise fits the parks-to-streaming flywheel.

In progress
Frameworks

Guest experience design & service operations

Reading across hospitality strategy (Heskett, Pine & Gilmore) and Disney's own operating philosophies to build a point of view on experience as a strategic asset.

In progress
Technology

The guest-tech stack at sea

How the DCL Navigator app, on-board networks, and wearable tech shape the modern cruise experience — and what a software-minded strategist can see there that others might miss.

In progress
Experience

The path so far.

A Disney journey that began in 2019 and has been full-time since 2022 — from the ground floor to the engineering floor — plus the education to connect the dots.

Feb 2025 — Present

Software Engineer, Test

The Walt Disney Company · Orlando, FL

Building and maintaining automated testing practices that keep Disney's digital experiences reliable for millions of guests.

Feb 2024 — Feb 2025

Associate Security Engineer

The Walt Disney Company · Orlando, FL

Protecting the systems, guests, and brand reputation that underpin every magical moment Disney delivers.

Oct 2022 — Feb 2024

Associate Cybersecurity Specialist

The Walt Disney Company · Orlando, FL

Transitioned from intern to full-time within four months. Took on growing scope across security operations while completing a master's degree in parallel.

May 2022 — Oct 2022

Software Engineer Intern

The Walt Disney Company · Orlando, FL

First full-time engineering role at Disney, straight out of LSU. Converted to full time in record timing.

2019 & 2022

Disney College Program

Walt Disney World · Lifeguard & F&B

Two DCP rotations across Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, Yacht & Beach Club, All-Star Music, Saratoga Springs, and Epcot F&B (Liberty Inn). The cast member roots that still inform how I think about guests, teams, and showmanship.

Earlier

Ground-floor hospitality & maritime work

Chick-fil-A · Harris Teeter · Occoquan Harbour Marina

Customer service at Chick-fil-A and Harris Teeter. A summer deckhanding boats on the Occoquan River — where my comfort with the water and the cruise mindset began long before the MBA.

Education & Credentials

Three degrees. Three certifications. One curious mind.

I've stacked formal education across technology, security, and business — with the MBA finishing this May.

Degrees

Master of Business Administration (MBA)
University of West Florida
AUG 2024 — MAY 2026
MS, Cybersecurity — Software & System Security
University of West Florida
DEC 2022 — AUG 2024
BS, Computer Science — Software Engineering
Louisiana State University · Geaux Tigers
DEC 2019 — MAY 2022
Cybersecurity Red & Blue Team Bootcamp
Fullstack Academy
MAY 2021 — AUG 2021

Certifications & Top Skills

  • CompTIA Security+
  • Linux Pro
  • Certified in Cybersecurity
  • Agile Project Management
  • Automated Software Testing
  • Agile Methodologies
Contact

Let's talk about what's next.

Recruiting conversations, coffee chats with Disney Cruise Line leaders, or a thought experiment about the cruise industry — I'm in. The best way to reach me is by email or LinkedIn.

jmilnerii@outlook.com LinkedIn Download résumé