All 80,000 Disney World employees start day one in the same room — and there's a mysterious red box on every table

Disney University isn’t your typical corporate onboarding program, though. This is where the magic of the parks begins — and where workers (whom the company calls cast members) begin to learn how to offer the customer service that turns so many first-time visitors to Disney parks and resorts into repeat customers.

Day one is spent at a program called Traditions. It’s a five-part experience meant to unify new employees, giving an overview of the Disney heritage and culture. And it’s where those cast members learn that generating the excitement that comes with visiting Disney World is now their responsibility.

“[When] people put on a Disney name tag for the first time, they realize ‘oh my gosh, I am someone that has the power to create happiness for other people’,” says Kylee Withers, a nine-year veteran of Walt Disney World, who currently serves as an Ambassador, a goodwill emissary who represents the resort’s cast members. “You learn, depending on what your role is, where you have those opportunities to make someone’s day better.”

A cast member’s first day

Moneywise was given a chance to go backstage at Disney to learn more about the Traditions program and the onboarding process for cast members as well as how it sets the tone for their tenure at the company.

The day starts with a group picture of the new recruits. The idea, officials say, is to illustrate that the new recruits are joining something bigger than themselves. From there, they walk to a conference room and sit at tables, each with a mysterious red box sitting in the center.

Disney calls Chapter One of their journey, ‘We Create Happiness.’

The cast members learn that their behavior around and toward guests is the most important factor influencing how those guests experience the parks. They’re shown a video showcasing moments, seemingly taken from social media, of children expressing pure joy upon learning they’re going to Disney World or going to meet their favorite Disney character. And they discuss their own connections to the parks.

“Everyone deserves a great Disney experience” is the underlying idea — and to create that, they’re told, you need three things: a great story, an immersive experience and superior customer service.

That’s when the focus turns to that red box. The group sitting at the table open it together to reveal their own set of Mickey ears. For many of the people in the room, it’s their first set ever.

Creating happiness

Chapter Two looks at the company’s roots and underscores Walt Disney’s values when it came to his parks. Cast members are told it’s their responsibility to carry those forward from this point. That leads into Chapter Three: “You Personally Create Happiness.”

The new workers learn a bit about making the right decision without always having to consult a manager. It’s a period that focuses on decision-making and empowering workers to make their own magic with guests.

It was valuable for Chrissy Daniels when she started with Disney five years ago. A driver on the ferryboats at the Magic Kingdom, she has an especially public facing job that often requires a deft touch.

“Everybody has stressors and you’re coming here to escape from that,” she said. “If I meet someone who’s stressed or having a situation, I like to pride myself on [being able to] resolve that and make it peaceful or happy for them. Disney allows us the ability to do that. I don’t have to constantly find someone for every single problem. … You want to help the guest. We have the answer. We don’t tell them no. We don’t boss them around. We’re here to help their experience be the very best it can.”

That customer service education is continued in the days to come as cast members move on to specialized training for whatever department they will be working in. (Training times for those are task specific—and remain, at first, behind the scenes. They’re followed by additional training on-site at the resort or its properties.)