ANAHEIM : A Disney Farewell to 91-Year-Old Greeter

It was a Mickey Mouse job, but 91-year-old Wayne Coulter loved it.

Still, after working full-time at Disneyland since 1985 and greeting more than a million guests at the front gate, Coulter decided it was time to retire. On Friday, the theme park honored its oldest cast member with a farewell party and presented him with a gold Mickey Mouse watch.

“He’s such a sweetie,” announced co-worker Audrey Ashmore, before giving him a hug and a kiss. “It’s not going to be the same without you.”

Coulter said he took the job six years ago almost as a dare after seeing an ad that said Disneyland was looking to hire senior citizens.

“I didn’t think they’d hire me. I thought I was too old,” he said. “I said, ‘I think I’ll go over and make a liar out of them.’ ”

He applied and was hired the next day.

For hours after his farewell party, complete with a Mickey Mouse cake, employees stopped by to wish the white-haired Coulter a happy retirement. As people approached, Coulter invariably sprang to his feet and cut a huge piece of cake for them.

Nick Van Wyck, 71, said that he will best remember Coulter for his enthusiasm. For years, Coulter participated in the park’s annual canoe races and when younger employees suggested that the races might be too much for him, Van Wyck would always reply, “Oh, you just don’t know Wayne.”

“I’m 70 years old and he’s been an inspiration to me,” said co-worker Billy Barber. “He keeps me young.”

Coulter said working at Disneyland has kept him young, although he said he has “slowed down a little bit” and decided to retire to spend more time with his wife of 54 years.

Coulter, who retired at age 65 from a job as a mechanic and again at 85 from a job with Travelodge, said that he has no plans to come out of retirement again.

However, Coulter said he is sure to keep busy and plans to go with his wife on cruises to Panama and Hawaii.