Disney Entertainer BIkes Across Country to Deliver Good Cheer
Billy Flanigan, an entertainer at Walt Disney World for almost 40 years, has done something pretty incredible during the Disney shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. He has cycled thousands of miles over the past few months to spread some cheer to friends and colleagues. Flanigan told the Orlando Sentinel that this was his way to be social and be safe at the same time.
I ding-dong the doorbell, back up and do my song and dance. - Billy Flanigan
He has a simple tune that he personalizes for each recipient. He throws in some choreography with his big smile and his surprise visits deliver so much cheer. These surprise visits have been named “Flanigrams” by a friend of his. Social media accounts are blowing up with posts from people sharing their “Flanigrams”.
Flanigan has cycled more than 3,000 miles and has seen about 265 friends and colleagues. And to think, this started out as a casual idea for Flanigan. It all started while Flanigan was riding his bicycle shortly after Walt Disney World shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic, and he realized he was close to his friend’s house. He told the Orlando Sentinel that he remembered thinking, “I’m going to say hello.” He did just that. Hannah Laird, the friend he surprised, said she was so moved by the visit especially with the stress and loneliness of social isolation everyone was experiencing due to COVID-19.
Billy Flanigan is an entertainer. He loves to make people smile. You’ve probably seen him if you’ve been to Walt Disney World as he has entertained Disney visitors in shows like ‘Finding Nemo – The Musical’, ‘Tarzan Rocks!’, and the ‘Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue’. This allowed him a way to continue to entertain and spread some cheer to his friends with a big surprise. A short visit and a little song have brightened so many days through the pandemic, while Flanigan rides across the country on his bike.
A friend of Flanigan, Becky Roper, was asked to describe Flanigan and she said, “He’s just the perfect example of how a little act of kindness can go a long way.”