News Jill Estorino Named President of Disneyland Resort

[Disney Irish]

When I toiled there back in the days of stereotyped casting, women's costumes went up to a size 14 or 16 max depending on the role. If you didn't fit you couldn't work.

ETA Not taking a side but he's not wrong about how it used to be. I've mentioned before that my blonde blue eyed friend went to Tomorrowland Attractions, my mousier blue eyed friend went to Main Street Merchandising, and brown me went to Casa de Fritos.

Yes, but this is 2026 not 1955, 1965, or even 1977. Times change, as do societal standards of what is acceptable or not acceptable behaviors by a corporation such as Disney. Your example of you and your friends placement within DL wouldn't be acceptable by today's standards even if they were accepted back in the 70s or 80s when you worked there.

Some call it "HR speak" or "policing speech", others call it a societal change in standards. And as hard as it is for some to acknowledge, accept, and incorporate into their speech, times have changed no matter how much one laments it.

 

[TP2000]

When I toiled there back in the days of stereotyped casting, women's costumes went up to a size 14 or 16 max depending on the role. If you didn't fit you couldn't work.

The term used by Disneyland management for anything above a size 16 was that the Cast Member was "Un-Costumable", and the CM had to go on an unpaid Medical Leave of Absence and lose the weight before they could return to work as a size 16. Better yet, a size 14.

ETA Not taking a side

You are smarter than me!

but he's not wrong about how it used to be. I've mentioned before that my blonde blue eyed friend went to Tomorrowland Attractions, my mousier blue eyed friend went to Main Street Merchandising, and brown me went to Casa de Fritos.

It was definitely a thing, until the latter 1990's. A lot of those changes needed to happen, but it seems to have gone way too far the other way to the point that the concept of the "Show" is now tenuous at best, disastrous at worst. Too many CM's now roll in to work looking like crap and make it about themselves as the star of the show, instead of being in the supporting role like they were designed to be, allowing Disneyland and its Show to be the star.

Somehow that recent WDI artwork of the Storybook Land upgrade got included into the discussion. It's telling that the WDI artists are using circa 1985 Cast Members in their current artwork. They seem to know.

 

[Parteecia]

The term used by Disneyland management for anything above a size 16 was that the Cast Member was "Un-Costumable", and the CM had to go on an unpaid Medical Leave of Absence and lose the weight before they could return to work as a size 16. Better yet, a size 14.



You are smarter than me!



It was definitely a thing, until the latter 1990's. A lot of those changes needed to happen, but it seems to have gone way too far the other way to the point that the concept of the "Show" is now tenuous at best, disastrous at worst. Too many CM's now roll in to work looking like crap and make it about themselves as the star of the show, instead of being in the supporting role like they were designed to be, allowing Disneyland and its Show to be the star.

Somehow that recent WDI artwork of the Storybook Land upgrade got included into the discussion. It's telling that the WDI artists are using circa 1985 Cast Members in their current artwork. They seem to know.

Lol, I should have stayed out of it but when you said, and then got a reaction to << when they used to fit in their costumes>> this came to mind. Fit was a real thing then.

I do miss the days of crisp, detailed, well fitted costumes.

 

[TP2000]

I'm amazed in this century we have a white person showboating and boasting about how they are the savior of another race.

It is very tone deaf and insensitive and only serves as a pat on the back. A white person is the "executive champion" of the black consumer experience? Does TWDC not promote African Americans to executive roles so they have to have the white people there "champion" them?

They just changed the wording. Suddenly, Burbank realized it's no longer 2018 and their language didn't age well.

The new way they've phrased Ms. Estorino's "advocacy" on her new Disneyland President corporate bio page is this...

"Estorino is also a passionate advocate for inclusion and leadership development, serving as an executive champion for initiatives that strengthen Disneyʼs connection with new audiences."

It's better phrasing, but still a bit stilted and weird. I would at least like to think Burbank found a senior executive who is actually Black to take lead on their Black Consumer initiatives, but I wouldn't want to get my hopes up.

Jill Estorino - Disney Experiences

Jill Estorino is the President of Disneyland Resort in California, where she leads 36,000 cast members and all facets of the iconic destination, including two theme parks, three resort hotels and the Downtown Disney District. She guides the resort during an exciting time of growth with several...

disneyexperiences.com

 

[TP2000]

This is Ms. Estorino's first full week on her new job; Disneyland Resort President!

While we await the first real interview and walk-in-the-park puff piece with sunshiny photos of Jill laughing big huge laughs with uniformed CM's in the park just like a normal human would do, we at least have this written statement from her;

“Disneyland is where Walt’s dream began and it has always represented the very best of what Disney can be. I am honored to lead this incredibly special resort, deepen our longstanding commitment to the community and support our cast members as we care for its rich legacy and continue to create new, innovative experiences that resonate with today’s guests and generations to come.”

And we're off! Someone must have keyed in "Cover All Bases With Authenticity" into the ChatGPT program for her.

Pro Tip: She didn't actually type or say that herself. A member of Disney's Comms team typed it for her and emailed it out.

Disneyland gets a new president amid Disney executive shuffle

Disney Parks International President Jill Estorino will oversee Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney and the three Disney hotels.

www.ocregister.com

 

[CaptinEO]

They just changed the wording. Suddenly, Burbank realized it's no longer 2018 and their language didn't age well.

The new way they've phrased Ms. Estorino's "advocacy" on her new Disneyland President corporate bio page is this...

"Estorino is also a passionate advocate for inclusion and leadership development, serving as an executive champion for initiatives that strengthen Disneyʼs connection with new audiences."

It's better phrasing, but still a bit stilted and weird. I would at least like to think Burbank found a senior executive who is actually Black to take lead on their Black Consumer initiatives, but I wouldn't want to get my hopes up.

Jill Estorino - Disney Experiences

Jill Estorino is the President of Disneyland Resort in California, where she leads 36,000 cast members and all facets of the iconic destination, including two theme parks, three resort hotels and the Downtown Disney District. She guides the resort during an exciting time of growth with several...

disneyexperiences.com

No way! How funny! Someone actually noticed how out of touch this was.

Yes it really is still quite shameful the black employees aren't in leadership roles and have to rely on white advocates but at least the wording is somewhat better.

 

[Disney Irish]

They just changed the wording. Suddenly, Burbank realized it's no longer 2018 and their language didn't age well.

The new way they've phrased Ms. Estorino's "advocacy" on her new Disneyland President corporate bio page is this...

"Estorino is also a passionate advocate for inclusion and leadership development, serving as an executive champion for initiatives that strengthen Disneyʼs connection with new audiences."

It's better phrasing, but still a bit stilted and weird. I would at least like to think Burbank found a senior executive who is actually Black to take lead on their Black Consumer initiatives, but I wouldn't want to get my hopes up.

Jill Estorino - Disney Experiences

Jill Estorino is the President of Disneyland Resort in California, where she leads 36,000 cast members and all facets of the iconic destination, including two theme parks, three resort hotels and the Downtown Disney District. She guides the resort during an exciting time of growth with several...

disneyexperiences.com

No way! How funny! Someone actually noticed how out of touch this was.

Yes it really is still quite shameful the black employees aren't in leadership roles and have to rely on white advocates but at least the wording is somewhat better.

Disney's Brands, Businesses, and Leadership

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise.

thewaltdisneycompany.com

 

[TP2000]

View attachment 913050

Disney's Brands, Businesses, and Leadership

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise.

thewaltdisneycompany.com

So I wonder why they had to get Ms. Estorino to be the "champion" of the "Black Consumer Experience" for Disney?

"She serves as the executive champion for several internal and external initiatives, including the Black consumer experience, which aims to deepen The Walt Disney Company’s relationship with new and existing consumers."

 

[Disney Irish]

So I wonder why they had to get Ms. Estorino to be the "champion" of the "Black Consumer Experience" for Disney?

You read too much into things sometimes my friend. Diversity at all levels should be championed by all executives not just a single person. If they want to highlight that she has also championed initiatives that doesn't mean they had to "get her" to do anything.