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Michael Bowen was 44 when he decided to leave his job working with churches and move to Florida to start a new chapter as a bus driver at Walt Disney World. The move came in 2020 and marked a turn in his professional path.
Six years later, Bowen was back working at the resort. In an interview with Business Insider, he talked about his experience and why he decided to return to a job he had left for personal reasons.
Why did Michael Bowen leave his job to become a Disney driver?
For much of his adult life, Bowen worked in churches.
He studied at a university and a Bible school to become a minister, although over time he began to question whether that profession was really what he wanted for his future.
While working at a small church that could not pay him a full-time salary, he got an additional job as a school bus driver.
In 2017, during a vacation in Florida, he visited Disney World and realized he could combine his driving experience with his interest in the resort.
In January 2020, he moved to Florida. After getting the proper driver’s license and waiting for an opening, he started working at Disney.
What benefits did he find in working as a Disney driver?
Bowen said one of the biggest changes was having job stability and benefits he had not always had in previous jobs.
Among the advantages he highlighted were paid vacation, retirement benefits and health insurance, coverage he said he had not had for a long time.
However, in May 2022 he left the job after going through a separation and divorce. He moved to Oregon, where he continued working as a city bus driver, although he said he was not happy.
In 2025 he returned to Florida with his current wife. While waiting for another opportunity at Disney, he worked for a company that provided transportation services to Universal Studios. Finally, in April 2026 he returned to driving buses at Walt Disney World, at age 50.
In the interview, Bowen acknowledged that his job is not usually considered especially prestigious, but he highlighted the small interactions with visitors and the chance to enjoy the parks.