The cost of courtesy

[Lhriangel]

Originally posted by Dwarful
I am curious...at USPS we have a 30 minute rule...all postal workers have 30 minutes from the time they clock off to be out of uniform. This keeps the public from thinking that the mailman is doing her grocery shopping on the clock, or banking, or going to the gambling casinos etc. Does Disney have any rule similar to this? I mean that would cut down on people getting confused in the parks...I can see where they wouldn't want CM"s walking the parks in uniform after they are finished working their day~ just curious

There is no time rule but Castmembers are not supposed to be doing anything while in uniform. IE going to dinner, stores or such. If you get caught you can get in big trouble. If you are in costume and have your name tag on and are on stage just walking around the park (ie not going home, ect...) you run the risk of getting fired. There is also the rule that when you are on stage in costume you can't purchase anything.

 

[WDWFanatic]

I'm not a castmember but even as a guest i will take time to help anyone out. I'm there so much I feel like part of the cast.
Disney is like my second home, I even do the trash swoop as I walk around. I don't want my parks dirty. I appreciate all the castmembers that go out of their way to help us on or off the clock. You do a hard job. Thanks very much!

 

[Invero]

Originally posted by Dwarful
I am curious...at USPS we have a 30 minute rule...all postal workers have 30 minutes from the time they clock off to be out of uniform. This keeps the public from thinking that the mailman is doing her grocery shopping on the clock, or banking, or going to the gambling casinos etc. Does Disney have any rule similar to this? I mean that would cut down on people getting confused in the parks...I can see where they wouldn't want CM"s walking the parks in uniform after they are finished working their day~ just curious

Actually... as long as we take off our nametag... we're allowed to wear our costume, to say, the grocery store or whatnot... Personally... I wouldn't be caught dead wearing some of these Disney costumes outside of work... but *shrug* I've seen it done... and I dunno... I don't totally agree with it... but I don't totally disagree with it either...

 

[Maria]

I agree with Angelique... if you are in costume and do not want to interact with guests, then, please go through backstage! It´s not allowed to be on stage without a nametag... and I don´t think it is proper to ignore a guest who has no idea if you are on or off the clock.

Someone else said it, that memo is not going to change anything... it´s the people who if they are polite, they will still be polite, and those who work "as in a factory", will still do it... *shrug*... and there are many of those there... thank God they are not the majority...

It´s a matter of good education, like wdwfanatic said...

...oh.. and yeah, you can recognize a castmember without the costume, among other things, because he/she will pick up someone else´s trash...

 

[Lhriangel]

Originally posted by Maria
I agree with Angelique... if you are in costume and do not want to interact with guests, then, please go through backstage! It´s not allowed to be on stage without a nametag... and I don´t think it is proper to ignore a guest who has no idea if you are on or off the clock.

Someone else said it, that memo is not going to change anything... it´s the people who if they are polite, they will still be polite, and those who work "as in a factory", will still do it... *shrug*... and there are many of those there... thank God they are not the majority...

It´s a matter of good education, like wdwfanatic said...

...oh.. and yeah, you can recognize a castmember without the costume, among other things, because he/she will pick up someone else´s trash...

And they will stop and talk to little kids, and they will try t help you find someone with the right answer if they don't have it.... I swear I drive Ray crazy when we are at Disneyland cause I get so fustrated when I cant' remember where things are cause I'm thinking of the Magic Kingdom though... cause I want to help people if they are lost. I know.. I'm crazy...

 

[niteobsrvr]

First a note: There are many jobs at Disney where it is impossible to remain backstage when travelling to or from your work location simply cause there is no backstage to be found in that particular area.


As for wearing Disney Costumes to the grocery store, we all have our work clothes and we put them on in the morning to go to work and take them off at night when we arrive home.

Work clothes can be anything from a pair of painter's coveralls to the executives suit and tie. Not very many employers pay their workers to change into and out of their work clothes on company property. Therefore, they cannot expect an employee to go home and change first before picking up the gallon of milk from the grocery store on their way home. One possible interpretation of this would be that the company is requiring the employee to do something on its behalf while not being payed. This goes back to the very heart of this thread.

Further, I am not embarrassed by my employer or the clothes they require me to wear. I don't make major shopping trips in uniform but I also do not hesitate to make a quick errand run while dressed for work. I feel truly sorry for Tyler if he is embarrased to let people know in non-cyberlife that he works for one of the best companies in America.

 

[Lovecraft]

I kinda got the impression that he was not embarassed by his employer but that the costume (ok uniform - whatever) that cast members wear would look terribly cheesy at worst and terribly out of place at best OUTSIDE the confines of Walt disney World.

I mean heck, I used to hate when I was stage acting (theatre, not Disney) and wound up having to go somewhere in costume -- and frequently makeup -- because of time restraints or whatever.

This wasn't because I was embarassed about the play I was in (well, ok, I was kind of embarassed about one because it sucked so bad) but it was because of how out of place I looked in ordinary society.

I wear black suits that look ultra cool when I am working. I don't wear these when I go to the beach.

 

[Invero]

Originally posted by niteobsrvr
I feel truly sorry for Tyler if he is embarrased to let people know in non-cyberlife that he works for one of the best companies in America.

I don't know where you got that from... but that is not what I said. I am not embarrassed by my job or my employer by ANY means. I love Disney, I love my job, and it shows in my life, and my actions. Yes, there are times I may not agree with some things, and might get frustrated by them. But you will find that at any job. It doesn't detract from my personal love of Disney or my desire to work there. The fact remains that I have been offered other jobs at other companies for 2-3x what I currently make at Disney. I often get guests asking how much Disney pays... my response, "One works for Disney for the love of the job... and not the money."

What I said, was... "Personally... I wouldn't be caught dead wearing some of these Disney costumes outside of work... "

While the current Bus costume isn't as professional in design as I might desire, but it's really not as bad as say, some of the DAK costumes. It is costumes like some of those that I was referring to. While they might be appropriate attire for the themed land that they are made for... they really stand out and do not fit in with the atmosphere at say, Wal*Mart.

 

[goonsquads57]

In my opinion, and in defense of Mr. Cockrell (I guess), I'm more inclined to believe that this memo was put out in an effort to clarify when a cm is "on the clock" and when a cm is "off the clock". In dealing with labor boards and unions too, I suppose, it has come to a point where everything has to be in black and white. Everyone has to be on the same page in understanding when an employee is "working" and when he's not. Let's say an employee is scheduled to work an eight hour shift (anywhere) and it takes him 30 minutes to get to his workstation from his car. Along the way, he notices a company trash can has fallen over, spreading trash all over. He stops to pick up the trash because he feels it's the right thing to do. He would have a legitamate claim that he started working before is actual start time. He could go to the labor board with the claim, and the company could end up paying him (possibly an over-time wage) for the work he was not assigned by the company to do. He did it on his own accord. But, according to the company, he was not "on the clock" and should not be paid.

I think Disney is merely putting in black and white, that a cm will be paid for the hours they work within the work schedule. No more, no less. It doesn't say "stop being nice". I beleive that most cm's ARE polite whether they are on the clock or not. I think Disney knows that too. It's just that guidelines have to be plain and understood by all. So that there's no confusion when/if a complaint/claim like the one above is brought before a labor board. If the guy cleaned up the trash, he did it on his own, so don't expect to be compensated.

 

[Maria]

First of all... I understand that there are some work locations to which you can access only by walking on stage. For those cm´s, sorry, but bear with it: 10 more minutes on stage! *shrug* *wink*

Oh well... I have another point of view of why I don´t like seeing people wearing costumes or uniforms outside of their workplace.

When I was in school with the nuns, they didn´t allow us to wear our uniform after school hours and you would get in trouble if they saw you wearing it with sandals, another blouse, not well groomed at any store or private classes in the afternoon. As kids, it drove us nuts and we would do it on purpose.

Years passed and I started working for Hyatt which has almost the same policies for grooming that Disney does. They provided us with a laundry department and changing rooms to change clothes before and after the shift. Of course, due to budgetting, this changed later when they allowed you to take your uniform home and wash it yourself, meaning that some people would come and leave home already in costume. Then... another situation came... people were wandering in the stores and malls after shifts wearing the uniform uncomplete (no scarves, no nametags therefore holes in the blouse, sandals instead of shoes, etc, etc.).

I understood then why the nuns asked us not to wear the uniform out of school... it´s IMAGE what we are talking about! It costs a company a lot of money and efforts to build that image and it takes so little to ruin it...
An old costume wouldn´t look so bad among a lot of cm´s in their own workplace, but it would be a lot to comment by a stranger if seen in a grocery store, maybe with a coffee stain that the person wearing it just got on the way to the store. Did I make sense? I hope so!
In regards to Disney, I think that is one of the main reasons why cm´s in costume are given a locker... *wink*

I was never ashamed of saying where I worked at, but if I had to go out after work to any place, still wearing my uniform, I did it properly. I know not everybody does that, and that´s the risk for the company...

 

[Camelot]

This is an interesting thread, and my only comment is that, if a cast member is on WDW grounds, present for his/her work schedule, I believe that they should be paid from the moment they clock in until they clock out at the END of their shift. Getting to and from places is part of the job, for goodness sakes. Why punish an employee, because their workplace is a themepark...they are there and they are on the job...pay them for their time.

 

[Erika]

Originally posted by Maria

...oh.. and yeah, you can recognize a castmember without the costume, among other things, because he/she will pick up someone else´s trash...

LOL-- I don't know-- I've been known to pick up garbage at WDW, and I suspect I am not the only one! :lol:

 

[Dwarful]

Well USPS does NOT pay us to change our clothes after work but if we are caught in uniform off the clock we would receive Diciplinary Action..ie...letter of warning, suspension etc..depending on how bad the infraction is (caught gambling on the boat or drinking in a bar you would fired immediately...so no way Norm on cheers would ever make it!) USPS is very specific when you hire on what you are and are not allowed to do. They figure the 30 minutes allows you to get home and change, who in their right mind would want to be seen in those clothes? I just wondered if Disney had any rules regarding that as well that CM's understood before accepting the job?
I have never personally had a bad CM encounter but then we are on vacation to have fun and that is our attitude...many Disney guests seem to try and cram it all in in 5 days and then by day 3 they are in such fowl moods it makes everyone around them cringe when you see them coming...you can tell what families are having fun and what families are "on a Griswold Mission" as my husband says!

 

[Dwarful]

Yeah Erika you are right about that....but Disney does a great job at keeping the place clean...considering how many people are there! I am always offering handi wipes to other moms...drives my husband nuts...he thinks its meddling when I do that...but hey if my kid had a dripping ice cream cone and I had no napkins I would be grateful to someone handing me a napkin, handiwipe etc....I dont see it as being offensive

 

[wannabeBelle]

OK folks real world check. I work in New York. We usually have a pretty hefty commute and I know my company does NOT pay us until we clock into work. We are expected to show up dressed appropriately and we do not have changing time or space for that!! I realize Disney is certainly a different kettle of fish, but to some degree I think that they arent being unreasonable!! I still think that the Disney CM's are some of the nicest people I have met ever!!! They do deserve all the credit in the world for the amazing job of producing the Magic we all take for granted there!! Good job to Tyler Maria, Angelique and the rest of the CM's

 

[Erika]

Originally posted by Dwarful
Yeah Erika you are right about that....but Disney does a great job at keeping the place clean

Veyr true! That's one of my favorite things about it. Six Flags is disgusting in comparison. Come to think of it, so are most public places. People are jerks-- they throw things on the ground-- nobody cares. My pet peeve is cigarette butts. I see them EVERYWHERE. We have patients that will smoke right up to the door of our office, and throw their butts on the ground right before coming in. So not only do we have to choke back the smell, but we have litter outside our door. Or they dump their ashtrays in the parking lot. I'm sorry, but I really want to smack those people.

 

[prberk]

Union

Originally posted by Maria


Yeah... I do that... I do love pointing out with two fingers or the whole hand!

I agree with you, there might have been something to set the fire and make him write a memo like that. Maybe some cast members were "punished" for being late and they said they were handling guests requests while on their way, and the union complained...who knows! I don´t think this came out of nothing...

Well, I know that this post was made several days ago, I believe it says the magic word: UNION. I have worked with a union shop before (Safeway), when I was younger, and I have never forgotten the petty "off-the-clock" BS that unions REQUIRED of Safeway. This sounds like a union thing, straight up. Probably due to the negotiated contract; Disney is probably being threatened to be sued if they expect in any way that anyone should "lift a finger" while "off the clock."

I know that unions do some good, but I also know that often the shop foremen don't know when to stop.

I don't let Disney completely off the hook (like not paying for "walk time"), but this is clearly union language. ARGGGGHH!

P.S.: Walt had a tough time with unions, too. His first big strike at Disneyland severely discouraged him, according to biographers. He was said to have been hurt by the lengths that union members and former "friends" took... I will post the biography title later, if needed. (I am not at home.)

 

[Invero]

Originally posted by Dwarful
Well USPS does NOT pay us to change our clothes after work but if we are caught in uniform off the clock we would receive Diciplinary Action..ie...letter of warning, suspension etc..depending on how bad the infraction is (caught gambling on the boat or drinking in a bar you would fired immediately...so no way Norm on cheers would ever make it!) USPS is very specific when you hire on what you are and are not allowed to do. They figure the 30 minutes allows you to get home and change, who in their right mind would want to be seen in those clothes? I just wondered if Disney had any rules regarding that as well that CM's understood before accepting the job

From what I am to understand... the only rule Disney has is that you must remove your nametag. Once the nametag has been removed, you are permitted to wear a cast zoomed costume out in public. I could understand if a cast member stops off at the store on thier way home, that's fine... I don't totally agree with it... but I understand it, and accept it. However, what I do not agree with, and do not accept, is that cast members are technically allowed to go to a bar, such as The Ale House, and drink, in costume. I have seen this many times of WDW Transportation cast members, and personally, I take offense to that. I mean, as a guest, I wouldn't want to see Joe Schmoe getting plastered in his Bus Driver costume, and then see him driving my bus the next day...

I would hope that cast members would excersize common sense... and most do... however, there are those select few that unfortunetly just don't care. *sigh*

 

[sigsegv]

Originally posted by DisneyWorldGuru
I mean they pay you to be nice, but a friend of mine told me it just stays with you. He is not the kind of guy who would re-direct a guest while off-duty. He is the kind of guy who would go out of his way to make a guests day.

Heck, I don't think it's something that just CMs do. My DW and I are always willing to help people out at WDW, from walking a first-time visitor from Beaches and Cream to the International Gateway to helping cover a stranger's foot blister (those first-timers never seem to wear sensible shoes and never have a "blister aid" kit :hammer: )... We love helping and I'm sure it's not just us. I'm willing to bet that there are plenty of WDW enthusiasts out there (right here even) that just do it because they love WDW and really do want to make it a friendly place.

-sig

 

[FutureCEO]

even though some..ok, all of Jim Hill's are anti-Disney. A LOT OF THEM ARE TRUE