2022 Global Disney Ambassador Training

Originally published at Disney Parks News

Earlier this year we shared updates from around our world on the selection of new Disney Ambassadors. After two weeks of hybrid interactions, global Disney Ambassador training came to a close. The teams took part in media training, content creation workshops, company overviews, presentation exercises and more.

The new teams’ dedication was evident from the first day of training, with all Ambassadors meeting each other across time zones in a Zoom format. To start, Ambassadors received overviews of The Walt Disney Company, a peek behind the scenes of upcoming Walt Disney Imagineering projects and time with resort leaders to ensure they’re able to represent their resorts and cast effectively. Each Ambassador presented to the group, sharing what made their sites and teams unique.

“One of the most memorable moments was when Kanoa shared the story of Hawaiian culture and the ‘Aulani values.’  It brought us all to tears,” Shanghai Disney Resort Ambassador Phoebe Jiang shared. While there was plenty of work to be done, there was also time for laughs, happy tears and even a virtual escape room.

The next week, teams were on their way to Walt Disney World Resort to put their training into practice with a series of in-person workshops and activities. The team even had the chance to join Walt Disney Ambassador Alumni for breakfast, representing terms from the 1990s to the present, hearing from experiences in the coveted role. For Disneyland Paris Ambassador Carmen Lleo Badal, just being with all the cast members of Walt Disney World was inspiring. “Each and every cast member that we spoke to, waved at, or shared moments with, made a difference in our week and made us feel the magic. I’m very grateful for them all.”

And there were plenty of cast members to meet. Those who helped lead workshops, company and resort leaders who took time to share our cast-first vision, and every individual in between. “I learned that grace allows us to make mistakes and learn from them,” Disneyland Resort Ambassador Mark King, shared. “Being authentically ourselves is how we can create a connection with our cast on a larger scale by working together.”

We capped off the ultimate week of training by greeting cast and fans at Destination D23. Throughout the weekend the global team hosted trivia and introduced speakers. For Walt Disney World Ambassador Raevon Redding, it was the highlight of training, “we were all backstage at Destination D23 singing ‘You Are the Magic.’ together. It was at that moment I knew these were going to be my people for the rest of my life!”

The weeks of training ended, but the passion and drive to share cast stories did not. As all our Disney Ambassadors return home, they’re excited for what’s next. “My biggest takeaway from this week was optimism,” Disneyland Ambassador Nataly Guzman shared. “With the hardships endured by everyone worldwide recently, it was incredible to see a strong desire to keep wonder and magic alive.”

“What I look most forward to is collaborating globally,” shared Disneyland Paris Ambassador Quentin Rodirigues. “We have the opportunity to highlight the passion of our cast members all over the world. Together we can inspire people with their diverse stories.”

Walt Disney World Ambassador Ali Manion shared Quentin’s sentiment, “Each site brings something special, but we bonded over how we work together across the globe to recognize our cast and share their stories. I’ve gained five Ambassa-brothers and six Ambassa-sisters over the past two weeks, and I know I can always count on my Ambassador family to be there for me, no matter what!”

For more on the Disney Ambassadors and other #DisneyCastLife stories, follow the Disney Ambassador teams on Instagram:

@DisneylandAmbassador
@WDW.Ambassador
@DLPAmbassador