It’s going to be a busy summer. Or, at least, that’s what Disney World is forecasting, and they’re staffing up at what appears to be an unprecedented rate. The math is simple – more Cast Members working means that Disney is able to bring back currently closed offerings.

From dining locations to resorts, shows to attractions, Disney is in desperate need of help as they try to balance getting more guests into their theme parks while still providing enough experiences for those guests to enjoy.

Now, we have a look into what has been described as the largest ever “Traditions” class. As you may know, Cast Members go through an onboarding class called “Traditions” that covers a whole host of topics. This orientation class is typically held at a location called Disney University, which is located a little more than 1/2 mile northeast of Cinderella Castle in a backstage location.

As Disney World prepares for a busy summer ahead, they are hiring at a record pace. The rushed return of the Disney College Program should be an indicator of how starved for employees they are, but a recent post by a Traditions facilitator shows a massive 200+ person class being hosted at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex on Walt Disney World property.
Jennifer Manni, a Traditions facilitator, posted the following photo on LinkedIn showing just how massive of a class size the most recent Traditions class was. Like other Traditions classes, the class was physically distanced from one another, but the sheer number of new Cast Members required a much larger space than the classrooms found at Disney University.

And this is just the beginning. The first of thousands of Disney College Program participants are expected to arrive in mid-June as Disney ramps up the program.
Between relaxed physical distancing requirements and optional face masks when in outdoor spaces at Walt Disney World, it’s clear that the theme park operator is staffing up for capacity increases that will very likely see the theme parks return to “normal” levels this summer.

As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!
Wow… can’t imagine being in a class that size. Mine (at DL) had 37 people.
That’s my traditions class!!! I was in the section Dory!! Loved Jenn and Anthony!!
You might want to clarify the option mask policy for outdoors. A lot of people are not aware the you still have to wear the masks when you are in any line, even if you are outdoors. i.e. waiting for one of the buses at a bus stop, waiting to ride one of the attractions.
[…] ever, with over 200 participants in an athletic facility at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex (h/t blogmickey.com). To put that into perspective, these “normally” have around 20-30 participants and are […]