The Disneyland Resort is known as The Happiest Place on Earth! Under the leadership of Disneyland Resort President Thomas Mazloum, it is also looking to become the most hospitable place on Earth. This week, Daps Magic was invited to sit down with Mazloum and some of his leaders to learn about what is driving the resort under Mazloum’s leadership (my initial thoughts can be found here). A lot of this focused on behind-the-scenes initiatives that aren’t necessarily actively seen. They are felt, however, by guests who visit the parks and hotels. Several initiatives were discussed throughout the candid conversations that happened throughout the morning together, followed by lunch.

Hospitality is at the Heart

Brenai de Haro, the Director of Operations & Integration, shared that “Hospitality is at the heart of everything we do. We know that when guests plan a trip to Disneyland Resort, they are looking for a truly magical experience—and it’s our privilege to make them feel welcomed, cared for and valued so these special moments with our cast members become cherished memories that last long after their visit ends.”

Disneyland Resort has three main business priorities currently:

• The happiness of current guests
• A relentless pursuit of future guests
• Cast Members, the glue that holds everything together

These priorities inform how Disney approaches both guests and its Cast Members as they seek to be more hospitable.

Guest Feedback

These business priorities and the focus on hospitality make it no surprise that in this era of the Disneyland Resort, guest feedback is obsessed over. This is a very conscious effort to make each guest’s visit the very best it can be. This means that the feedback is used to make decisions that will make experiences even more magical for future guests.

Disney is actively trying to improve how they gather guest feedback, including continuing to update the Guest Compliment feature in the Disneyland App. Since the Guest Compliment feature was added to the Disneyland App, over 500,000 compliments have been collected and celebrated. For those Cast Members who get lots of compliments, celebrations are held. Disney continues to come up with new ways to celebrate these wins.

The comments that are received for guests are also utilized to discover where the Disneyland Resort has strengths and weaknesses. They help inform decisions on where investments should be made or not made. Feedback helps inform what is important to guests. They also help reveal areas where work can be done. Their dedication to these comments shows a commitment by Disney to getting things right over a commitment to being right.

Investments in Cast Members

A major part of the equation for success at the Disneyland Resort is the investment in Cast Members. Disney shared that Cast Members are the glue that holds everything together. Magical moments often come out of the personal connections and moments that guests have with Cast Members. Knowing this, great efforts are being made to empower and equip Cast Members to truly be magic makers.

New Cast Members

There are several ways this is being done. One is through the expansion of the onboarding training for Cast Members. Traditionally, this training program played out over two days. After the pandemic, it was streamlined as Disney went on a hiring spree to staff up quickly for reopening. This led to some unintended consequences that the Disneyland Resort team acknowledged and is addressing. As of now, onboard training for new Cast Members has been expanded to a three-day experience. The goal is to really help set up new Cast Members for success and not just give them the by-the-book basics, but also help them catch the culture.

Current Cast Members

Along with expanded training for new Cast Members, there are also efforts being made to cultivate the culture with current Cast Members. Around 60% of current Cast Members at the Disneyland Resort were hired since the pandemic. Efforts are also being made to go back and reinforce the basics of the Disney magic and experience with these Cast Members as well. This process starts with management and then works its way through the ranks.

A Focus on the Good

The philosophy of this training is a positive one (which we loved). The importance of connection is also stressed. This is reinforced with a return to a service model that acts as a tool for creating hospitable/magical moments. There are also standards that are highlighted that define what it is to be hospitable. It was refreshing to learn that one of these hospitality standards is to have fun.

The approach to training and hospitality is a positive one with lots of positive reinforcement. It is a refreshing approach to leadership, guest interactions, and ultimately, culture building for the resort. This art of hospitality is exactly what it implies, an artform. As with all artforms, it is something that takes lots of effort, honing of skills, commitment, and consistency. Judging by what was shared this morning with leaders of the Disneyland Resort, there is a commitment to this art of hospitality. It will be fun to see it continue to blossom in the coming days, months, and years! As these efforts blossom, guests will see even more magical moments and take home more core memories. This may not be as flashy as a new cutting-edge attraction or land, but in some ways, it is even more exciting!

What do you think about this intentional focus on hospitality at the Disneyland Resort? What do you think of these initiatives? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!