New Generic Option - Costume Shortage

FeelsSoGoodToBeBad

FeelsSoGoodToBeBad

Well-Known Member
We completed a spiritwear sale as a fundraiser for the music program at the hs my older two attend. The company we ordered from is having horrible issues getting in the garments they need for the printing of the shirts/sweatshirts/shorts/everything else because those companies higher up the supply chain are having issues getting and/or shipping what they need to make items. It is a huge mess and an issue in MANY different sectors. It's isn't a stretch to think Disney would be having similar issues.

I usually use a restaurant's app when ordering lunch out on a workday. Almost all of them warn of supply-chain issues resulting in itmes out of stock (Sonic, Chic-Fil-A, and Panera all immediately come to mind). Starbucks hasn't had any of my three favorite syrups for MONTHS now at stores I've been to in IN, IL & MO, and a friend mentioned two others she hasn't been able to get when ordering around the StL area either. It is very frustrating to be at the point of placing my drink order only to see a message that the drink can't be made because an item "is no longer available at your selected location." Every. Time. (First world problems, for sure.)
 
peter11435

peter11435

Well-Known Member
TYOTimer said:
At least MK’s is. There’s a building that says Costuming on it, that is basically in the cast parking lot
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That’s MK costuming. Where MK cast members check out and return their costumes. Each park has one. There’s also many other locations servicing Disney Springs and resorts.

The facility being discussed is where operational and entertainment costumes are designed, created and repaired
 
TYOTimer

TYOTimer

Well-Known Member
peter11435 said:
That’s MK costuming. Where MK cast members check out and return their costumes. Each park has one. There’s also many other locations servicing Disney Springs and resorts.

The facility being discussed is where operational and entertainment costumes are designed, created and repaired
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Ahhh, okay. I misunderstood. My apologies!
 
Disstevefan1

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
peter11435 said:
This is supply/shortage driven. Not financial.
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Yes I was thinking about this. WDW let go many thousands of castmembers due to COVID. You would think there would be thousands of EXTRA costumes available.

But then I thought, I remember they tweaked a policy, many cast members were allowed to keep their costumes at home instead of going to costuming every day ON THEIR OWN TIME to retrieve and drop off the costume every day.

And then I remembered many WDW castmembers were laid off VIA EMAIL and I was thinking many of those castmembers who were laid off via email did not bother to go back and drop off their costumes.

Or the real “shortage” is a worker shortage; all those folks that was part of the infrastructure that handle costumes; inventory,storing, washing, repairing, distribution etc.

Maybe there are thousands of extra costumes back stage and the infrastructure that handled the day to day operations were all laid off along with all that institutional knowledge….
 
peter11435

peter11435

Well-Known Member
Disstevefan1 said:
Yes I was thinking about this. WDW let go many thousands of castmembers due to COVID. You would think there would be thousands of EXTRA costumes available.

But then I thought, I remember they tweaked a policy, many cast members were allowed to keep their costumes at home instead of going to costuming every day ON THEIR OWN TIME to retrieve and drop off the costume every day.

And then I remembered many WDW castmembers were laid off VIA EMAIL and I was thinking many of those castmembers who were laid off via email did not bother to go back and drop off their costumes.

Or the real “shortage” is a worker shortage; all those folks that was part of the infrastructure that handle costumes; inventory,storing, washing, repairing, distribution etc.

Maybe there are thousands of extra costumes back stage and the infrastructure that handled the day to day operations were all laid off along with all that institutional knowledge….
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No. It truly is supply chain related. They have the man power and and the know how. They just don’t have the products themselves. Just like you are seeing shortages of products on grocery store shelves, they are seeing shortages of materials needed.

They did lose some costumes but they always do. Most laid off cast returned their costumes because that’s the only way to ever be rehired. Cast were also sent shipping labels to return their costumes if they lived out of state.

Staffing levels of costumed front line cast are mostly back to pre Covid levels. So there is no surplus of costumes due to less staffing.
 
Disstevefan1

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
peter11435 said:
No. It truly is supply chain related. They have the man power and and the know how. They just don’t have the products themselves. Just like you are seeing shortages of products on grocery store shelves, they are seeing shortages of materials needed.

They did lose some costumes but they always do. Most laid off cast returned their costumes because that’s the only way to ever be rehired. Cast were also sent shipping labels to return their costumes if they lived out of state.

Staffing levels of costumed front line cast are mostly back to pre Covid levels. So there is no surplus of costumes due to less staffing.
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You learn something new everyday..
I had no idea the went through costumes so fast for whatever reason!!
I am SUPER surprised they are mostly back to pre covid levels of staff!!

Who knows, maybe WDW will go to generic costuming resort wide and blame that on COVID too.

In any event, WDW has a lot more wrong with it than CMs wearing the wrong costume for the area they work..
 
L

Lilofan

Well-Known Member
Disstevefan1 said:
You learn something new everyday..
I had no idea the went through costumes so fast for whatever reason!!
I am SUPER surprised they are mostly back to pre covid levels of staff!!

Who knows, maybe WDW will go to generic costuming resort wide and blame that on COVID too.

In any event, WDW has a lot more wrong with it than CMs wearing the wrong costume for the area they work..
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Companies have depts similar to Industrial Engineering to find ways to save the company money in the long run. All areas could be looked into.
 
EeyoreFan#24

EeyoreFan#24

Well-Known Member
Trying to get equipment and company items back from thousands of workers is a process when employees are on furlough. While many probably did return things, some probably didn’t return everything and some probably never returned anything. This can be solved with deductions and future attempts to collect, but it dosnt solve the problem if you physically counted on that property to reissue to other employees. ( give laptops to desktop users for example)

that is one issue, which under most standards would be an inconvenience, and you just order more and chuck it up to layoff costs. However, replacing a lot of things today is not quick with a long lead time and some items are on suppliers “do not sell” list because back orders are so far out.

that’s a long way of saying it’s probably more a supply chain issue, but the former doesn’t add to the solution.

also, this is all just what could happen in a large corporation like Disney - all hypothetical of course.
 
L

Lilofan

Well-Known Member
Disstevefan1 said:
Agreed! TWDC is expert in finding ways to save the company money, that’s for sure!!!!!
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Not a biggie to us but when the hotel room bedsheets and used towels were changed daily back in the day during our stay and is now no longer. That surely was a huge cost savings to wash, dry , purchase product in the long run.
 
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