5. Backstage secrets

For Disney buffs, the most exciting part of Traditions doesn’t take place in the classroom at all. Disney wants you to see how the magic happens, so you will leave Disney University with your trainers for a guided tour through the Magic Kingdom. Wearing a headset, you will hear about park operations from the perspective of a Cast Member while weaving your way through groups of guests. You might even get to go on a ride or two. But at some point during your tour, you will follow your trainer through a mysterious Cast Members Only door, and find yourself inside the Utilidors.

This elaborate tunnel system, located beneath the Magic Kingdom, is arguably the most mythical place on Walt Disney World property. Each trainer does things slightly differently, but you might have the opportunity to see the Entertainment Costuming department, where the face and fur characters get ready each day, visit the cast member cafeteria, or even see the Parade Control room, where one person manages the computer systems that guide the afternoon and evening parades.

6. Making the magic

The heart and soul of Traditions is learning how to make the magic for park guests. At its essence, Walt Disney World is a sort of bubble where the real world doesn’t exist. The characters are real, the princes and princesses live happily ever after, and each themed land is carefully crafted to tell an elaborate story. Disney takes a top-down approach to training, so after Traditions, you will spend a day exploring your assigned park in more depth, and then move on to learning exactly how your specific location and role fit into the bigger picture. But it all starts with Traditions. You will discover the overall story of Walt Disney World, the reason that employees are known as cast members, and some general ways that you are empowered to create individual magical moments for guests. Just as importantly, you will learn what not to say or do, to avoid breaking the illusion for guests.

At the end of Traditions, the company will make magic for you by presenting you with your Cast Member ID card. That is your golden ticket into the world of the Disney Cast Member, with numerous benefits that include free admission to the theme parks. And perhaps the most magical of all is the fact that Disney encourages you to visit the parks as much as possible. After all, how can you talk about the parks with guests if you haven’t been to them yourself?

Like anything else, Traditions is what you make of it. New Cast Members who get involved, ask and answer questions, and soak up as much as possible tend to have the best time and get the most out of their experience. Disney expects you to be outgoing and social with guests, so if you are a bit shy, this is an excellent chance to get used to talking to new people.