Legendary Disneyland cast member Maynard Smith has announced his retirement, after 28 years working attractions including the Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise and more.

He has become well known over the years for his comic impressions and antics, to the point that sometimes visitors seek him out at whichever post he happens to be working. In fact, he has not one but two fan sites on Facebook, where people post sighting and photos of him in the park.

However, Smith posted online Wednesday that he’s planning to retire April 1 and devote more of his time to his art, both he and his “twin brothers,” which is what he calls his alter egos in the park.

“Our hope is that we will be able to fulfill a longtime dream of combining visual arts and humorous storytelling (illustrated children’s books, greeting cards and short videos),” he wrote in an announcement to his fans. “We will also be considering other creative opportunities, like voice-over for family-friendly productions, commercials, etc.”

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Smith, who grew up in Garden Grove and now lives in the San Bernardino Mountains, has been commuting to Disneyland regularly for years. When he’s not in Anaheim, he paints, sculpts and does voice-overs.

“Every once in awhile, a cast member becomes a star in their own right,” said MiceChat.com blogger Todd Regan, who uses the name Dusty Sage professionally. “Maynard is one of those shining stars. When you hear guests excitedly telling each other that a certain cast member is working an attraction, it is almost certainly Maynard. Having Maynard as your Tiki Room host, Jungle Cruise skipper or just as your friendly, but quirky greeter anywhere in the park is like finding a 4-leaf clover.”

Smith, who started at the park in 1993, said his retirement is not an April Fool’s Day joke.

“I’ll be in the park on and off through April 1st, so feel free to stop by and say, ‘Howdy’ ” he wrote in his goodbye message.

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