Traditions is essentially Disney’s orientation. Every cast member, DCP or not, has to go through it. It’s a four hour long, paid, processes in which we learn about the essentials of being a Disney employee, and how our role as a cast member sets the bar for customer service around the world.

My class had two super fun and energetic leaders, so it flew by. We got Mickey ears, learned about safety, courtesy, show, and efficiency, and then toured the Magic Kingdom. And when I say toured, I mean, we went underneath the magic.

Everyone on the tour had an ear piece, like something out of a spy movie. This allowed our leader to talk to us without making a scene in the park. We drove to the cast member only entrance behind the circus location of the park, and then we entered the tunnel system. Fun fact, they aren’t actually tunnels because the park was built on top of them, so technically, Magic Kingdom is the second floor.

For those of you who don’t know, Walt Disney was a genius. After making Disneyland, he understood the importance of “show” and protecting the magic. When he built Magic Kingdom, he first created a system of tunnels to allow workers get around quickly and secretly. They also are equipped with pipes in which the trash is put into. This allows custodial works to remove trash from the parks without carrying around the bins everywhere.

We walked around the “upside down” of Fantasyland, and entered the park through a secret gap near the castle. It was an amazing sight to see. I will never not be impressed by Cinderella’s castle.

Once we returned from the tour, we met Mickey, then we were given our name tags and blue IDs. I could not wait to go back to Magic Kingdom now that I could get in for free!

I had the weekend off and so I spent every hour I could in the parks. But that is a story for another day.