CRP | Traditions

After the exciting-and exhausting-few days of arrival, check in, and theme park fun we had a few days to just relax, go shopping and find our feet a little before the first day of our training. If you’re reading this because you’re a giant Disney geek, you’re probably aware that the first day for new cast members is called Disney Traditions. If you’re not a giant Disney geek, then now you have a bit of information to impress other people with, win pub quizzes and suchlike.

Disney Traditions is a big deal; or at least it’s built up to be with rumours being floated around, threats of being sent back home if you don’t have the Disney Look and those kinds of things. Ultimately, it’s way more relaxed than anyone makes it out to be so if you’re lucky enough to get to here, don’t panic! Every single person we have come across have been so helpful and lovely that nothing will ever be a huge problem.

First of all, it’s an early start! A getting up before the sun does early start because you have to be there by 7:30. Which brings me on to my second point: it’s held at Disney University. Yes it’s a thing and yes it’s as awesome as it sounds. The walls are full of original posters, mini odes to Imagineer legends, Walt and old movies. Best of all are the future plans for the company which the public aren’t privy to yet!

When we arrived, we were herded into a classroom and had little stickers with our names on; the first couple of hours were full of learning about the history of Disney: how it all began, the vision and the aim of the company and the new attitudes we would now adopt being cast members. As cheesy as it sounds, it really was inspiring to hear about Walt setting up the company and his quotes about what he wanted to create give you a determination to be an asset to the company and complete his mission. Before this class, I think we still had the surface view of Disney; but after the first couple of hours on this Saturday morning, my opinion of the Walt Disney Company changed to respect and admiration .It’s not just a face they put on for the public-Disney genuinely aim to create magic and happiness for every single guest. A perfect example is how they are called guests and not customers; we were encouraged from this moment to do everything within our power as cast members (not employees!) to do what we can to make everyone’s holiday a magical one and we have free reign to make those decisions and create our own magical moments with guests from all over the world.

Geeking out a little; so moving on. After all the interesting history and mission statement etc, we were finally given our ID badges which was very exciting. The afternoon was a little different to the normal traditions class because usually there is a surprise (which I won’t ruin for those of you who get here!) so we just had an hour or so of asking questions and hearing some more stories from the trainers. To be honest, we could tell it was biding time but some things were useful all the same. Just before we were due to finish we were presented with our name badges!! What we had been waiting for all day long to be honest and they threw in the best surprise of the day for this!

All in all, it was a lot of fun! Yes it was long and at times many of us just wanted more coffee, but I think it was the circumstances of ours being a little different. The things we learned about Disney as a company and our role in the upcoming year were so exciting and the major thing we took away from it?

We create happiness for every single guest who comes into contact with us. And I can’t wait to start!