Hong Kong Disneyland sees HR programmes as key to success
Hong Kong Disneyland (HKDL) welcomed a record 7.4 million visitors last year. A total of 46 million guests have visited the park since it opened in 2005. One of the key success factors aside from the theme park itself is the teamwork of its staff. The par
How many new jobs will be created by the new hotel and upcoming Iron Man Experience?
HKDL has announced plans to open a new themed area at the park based on Marvel’s “Iron Man” franchise in late 2016. This will be Disney’s first Marvel-themed area, offering a 3-D-motion-based simulator attraction called Iron Man Experience, an Iron Man Meet-and-Greet area, and a Marvel-themed merchandise shop. Likewise, a new 750-room Disney-branded hotel will be opening in the resort by early 2017.
These park and hotel additions [will] not only contribute to the significant appeal of HKDL as a tourist destination, but also add to the economic benefits HKDL brings to Hong Kong. They [will] create additional resort-based employment roles, construction-related jobs and other positions related to the park’s expanding operations.
During the new hotel’s construction phase, we expect it to provide many new employment opportunities. Likewise, once opened the hotel will employ around 600-700 additional full-time-equivalent cast members [Disney’s term for employees].
How does the resort recruit and train Cast Members in order to improve services?
To recruit new cast members, we offer a distinctive corporate culture and diverse career opportunities, with an attractive work-life balance thanks to our five-day-work-week programme. We also strive to keep Disneyland the happiest place on Earth, not just for guests, but for our cast members too. To do this, we engage our cast with exclusive events and volunteering activities, recognise them through special awards, and empower them to use their own creativity in the workplace so that they can create “Magical Moments” for guests. To train the cast, we provide a wide range of professional and technical training. HKDL is the recipient of the 2014 Randstad Award for Best Workplace Culture.
Is any special training required for the new attractions?
Disney is a leader in the theme-park and service industries. For people who want to develop a career in the tourism or service industry, Hong Kong Disneyland provides top-notch service quality and training. We strongly believe in the philosophy of “happy me, happy guests”. We value our cast members and are dedicated to keeping workplaces in the resort fun, safe, efficient and friendly. To meet the high expectation of our guests, Disney University provides a wide range of learning opportunities to all cast members. Our full-time or part-time employees experience the same training process, which is not only about learning, but how to have fun, too.
We have a wide-ranging curriculum so that our cast members can learn at their own pace, preferred methodologies and time. Online learning and mobile learning are most appealing to young talents. An annual “leadership event” also helps facilitate the new generation of leaders from within the resort.
HKDL is committed to developing a highly skilled and quality workforce, providing over 380,000 hours of professional and technical training to the entire workforce during the year. We also have a lot of cast members engagement activities to keep the workplace fun. These include “Cast Fun Night” for cast members and their friends and families to preview new attractions and offerings, “Cast Fun Run” and “Summer Blast” for cast members to buy a wide range of merchandise at great discounts.
How many Cast Members work in the park, and from how many countries? And how many Thais?
Since the grand opening in September 2005, Hong Kong Disneyland has received more than 46 million guests from around the globe. Park attendance rose 10 per cent to a record 7.4 million in fiscal year 2013. Thanks to unique product offerings and the world-class service provided by the around-7,500-strong cast at the theme park and the two hotels, the resort has received outstanding guest-satisfaction ratings and a range of awards from the hospitality and entertainment sectors.
Hong Kong Disneyland also employs a diverse range of cast members, representing about 30 different nationalities. These include a few cast members from Thailand working with attractions and guest relations, entertainment and merchandise.
What are the general requirements for those who would like to work in a theme park?
Disney is one of the most powerful brands in the world. It represents happiness, positivity, magic and dreams come true. Cast members at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort continue our tradition of bringing magic to life and delighting guests of all ages. The resort looks for talents who are friendly, innovative [and] responsible and are passionate about Disney stories to become our cast members.
Are there any new products and services planned to serve the Thailand market, such as a Thai-speaking team, materials and information in Thai, and so on?
At the “Thai International Travel Fair”, the upcoming large-scale travel fair in Bangkok in February next year, we will introduce new special packages tailor-made for our guests from Thailand to attract them to come to the resort during their peak holiday season. We currently have guide maps and a website written in Thai to facilitate guests from Thailand and to help them plan their trip prior to arriving at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.
