News The 'Disney Look' to be further relaxed at Walt Disney World

[lazyboy97o]

Totally understood, but working at a theme park is not theatre, film or television. I'm not sure why the comparison keeps getting drawn (not just you)? We're comparing art to general labor. Just because employees are given dolled up names and referred to cast members does not mean they should be treated as if they are in show business.

I'd love for everything to be 100% thematically accurate and buttoned up. But I realize it's not feasible anymore. Gone are the days where people want to work for organizations where suits and ties are the norm as well as a 9-5PM and this sort of expectation has trickled down to all sorts of labor including low paying jobs. Disney doesn't pay enough or provide enough benefits to attract a mass amount of labor with strict requirements across the board, so they've adapted and conformed where necessary. While not in the same capacity, I myself cut an interview in Burbank short a few years ago because Disney at the time had no flexibility on scheduling or WFH which I've had for most of my career.

The comparison is made because that is exactly how it is conceived. Themed entertainment is another storytelling medium.

The norms you argue about all point to just doing away with the costumes. That is the larger trend. Most other places that once had elaborate uniforms have ditched them for something simpler and more contemporary. Ditching the requirements would attract more people than a bracelet.

 

[TrojanUSC]

Totally understood, but working at a theme park is not theatre, film or television. I'm not sure why the comparison keeps getting drawn (not just you)? We're comparing art to general labor. Just because employees are given dolled up names and referred to cast members does not mean they should be treated as if they are in show business.

I'd love for everything to be 100% thematically accurate and buttoned up. But I realize it's not feasible anymore. Gone are the days where people want to work for organizations where suits and ties are the norm as well as a 9-5PM and this sort of expectation has trickled down to all sorts of labor including low paying jobs. Disney doesn't pay enough or provide enough benefits to attract a mass amount of labor with strict requirements across the board, so they've adapted and conformed where necessary. While not in the same capacity, I myself cut an interview in Burbank short a few years ago because Disney at the time had no flexibility on scheduling or WFH which I've had for most of my career.

In the old days, Disneyland would try to "cast" you based on your "look." All American redhead boys might work the Tom Sawyer Island, while burly men might be in Frontierland. Today it's literally luck of the draw.

 

[Mouse Trap]

The comparison is made because that is exactly how it is conceived. Themed entertainment is another storytelling medium.

The norms you argue about all point to just doing away with the costumes. That is the larger trend. Most other places that once had elaborate uniforms have ditched them for something simpler and more contemporary. Ditching the requirements would attract more people than a bracelet.

In the old days, Disneyland would try to "cast" you based on your "look." All American redhead boys might work the Tom Sawyer Island, while burly men might be in Frontierland. Today it's literally luck of the draw.

Right, it's a hollow term and it's been hollow for quite some time. We're discussing it as if it's gone away in the last couple of years.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Right, it's a hollow term and it's been hollow for quite some time. We're discussing it as if it's gone away in the last couple of years.

You just keep arguing for an amusement park with no coordinated design. There is nothing hollow about well designed spaces and experiences.

 

[danlb_2000]

Totally understood, but working at a theme park is not theatre, film or television. I'm not sure why the comparison keeps getting drawn (not just you)?

Working at most theme parks might not be theater, but part of the Disney difference is that they have always considered all employees in the parks to be part of the show, thus why we call them Cast Memebers.

 

[donsullivan]

In the old days, Disneyland would try to "cast" you based on your "look." All American redhead boys might work the Tom Sawyer Island, while burly men might be in Frontierland. Today it's literally luck of the draw.

And in those same old days guests came to the park in jacket and tie and ladies in high heeled shoes and dresses. Today – not so much. The world has changes in the 60+ years since Disneyland originally opened and Disney has to evolve with that reality. Our society is amazingly different than it was 50+ years ago.

 

[ThemedScream]

Working at most theme parks might not be theater, but part of the Disney difference is that they have always considered all employees in the parks to be part of the show, thus why we call them Cast Memebers.

They should just pay all front line CMs the same as their performers then

 

[Rich Brownn]

And in those same old days guests came to the park in jacket and tie and ladies in high heeled shoes and dresses. Today – not so much. The world has changes in the 60+ years since Disneyland originally opened and Disney has to evolve with that reality. Our society is amazingly different than it was 50+ years ago.

In fact, men and women not dressed correct enough (or men with long hair) were actually forbidden to enter the park, never mind be a cast member.

 

[celluloid]

If you lax Victoria and Albert's dress code will it change things? Of course it will. Aesthetics matter. You can care about them and not be shallow. Moderation in all things. Even when things change what is after only to Safety and Courtesy with The Four Keys model that everyone has loved since the early days of Disney before it had the simplified corporate way of labeling it? If it is not Show, than you have to agree that the business model people on here notice in Iger and Chapek have lead have in fact changed.

 

[Mouse Trap]

You just keep arguing for an amusement park with no coordinated design. There is nothing hollow about well designed spaces and experiences.

I'm not arguing anything. I'm just telling it how it is. If I was arguing I'd be talking about why Disney should be ______ way.

How would I want it? 100% as themed as can be. But it's not going to happen and I understand the justification for it. Times change.

 

[Mouse Trap]

Working at most theme parks might not be theater, but part of the Disney difference is that they have always considered all employees in the parks to be part of the show, thus why we call them Cast Memebers.

But it hasn't been that way for how long now? If ever? Cast members that are "part of the show" and in theme are few and far between. Refer to them as you will there are limited people who meet this cast member idea. Disney does nothing to promote such behavior. It's an idea that I don't think has ever been much of a reality as nice as it sounds.

Look I wish these things would be changed. I wish everyone I encountered at the parks were always in theme. The ones I do encounter are always memorable and definitely dwindling, but that has more to do with culture, leadership and wages than appearance guidelines. I value interactions and conversation more than appearance.

A CM could follow an appearance guideline sent down from Walt himself, but if he/she gives crap service and interactions it's worth nothing to me.

 

[celluloid]

But it hasn't been that way for how long now? If ever? Cast members that are "part of the show" and in theme are few and far between. Refer to them as you will there are limited people who meet this cast member idea. Disney does nothing to promote such behavior.

Look I wish these things would be changed. I wish everyone I encountered at the parks were always in theme. The ones I do encounter are always memorable and definitely dwindling, but that has more to do with culture, leadership and wages than appearance guidelines. I value interactions and conversation more than appearance.

A CM could follow an appearance guideline sent down from Walt himself, but if he/she gives crap service and interactions it's worth nothing to me.

I certainly agree that it as an operational standpoint in a living full surrounding dimension it cannot be, but I do dissagree with the bolded with the fact that improvements were made. While it can't be like the percinium of a theater stage's sightlines, the effort of what I would call showmanship is there. It is not just themed apperances but showmanship aesthetic. People think Walt Disney Branded Theme Parks are the cleanest places in teh world and have streets you can eat off of for a reason. They are not that clean, but they do appear clean. The plates and bussing work of the resturants are just as nasty as anywhere else, but you do not see it. That is not theming, that is showmanship. That is where the guidelines fall under and what is falling. I bolded this because we are talking about the showmanship care to the point where an entire infastructure improvement was. I think that is designed with the Utilidoors to not only keep lateral theming from happening, but also to have the showmanship standards above.

I think that is what people are actually often agreeing on here. Theming is one thing, operationally the entertainment and hospitality factor crossover in showmanship efforts. The guidelines as everyone seems to notice is as pointed out by you and others, a shift in the culture that is very evident.

 

[lightningtap347]

Literally no it hasn't.

Have you seen any tech company? Any startup? Hell, even some old behemoths like IBM are changing what "professional" attire is.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

The norms you argue about all point to just doing away with the costumes.

No. They don’t. No no one is suggesting doing away with costumes, either intentionally or via slippery slope.

In fact, men and women not dressed correct enough (or men with long hair) were actually forbidden to enter the park, never mind be a cast member.

A lot of good that did!

I’d rather have a long-haired, bearded man wearing a bracelet working for me if he knew when to use the word “correctly” instead of “correct.” It’s about the quality of work.

Some men have beards, including men in almost any setting represented at the theme parks. That is neither professional nor unprofessional; it’s just the way it is.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Have you seen any tech company? Any startup? Hell, even some old behemoths like IBM are changing what "professional" attire is.

Yes. “Professional” is subjective and somewhat arbitrary. Men wear an odd, thin piece of cloth around their necks and that’s considered “professional” - based on made up rules.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Only the most self-righteous, full-of-themselves CM's believe the whole "every second you are in view of guests, you are a performer playing a part!" shtick. Their roles, first and foremost, are to deliver great guest service. Thematic interactions and playing the part are enhancements and not required. If you truly understand guest service, then you know that more often than not, people just want an employee to be genuinely approachable and friendly. Fiercely sticking to "putting on a performance" actually comes off as off-putting to many guests (with some exceptions like ToT and HM) because it makes the friendliness seem forced and artificial.

In other words, it shouldn't matter that the guy serving you hot dogs at Casey's Corner has a modern facial hairstyle and isn't speaking in appropriate old timey baseball stadium food vendor dialect, it only matters that they do it in a friendly and professional way.

 

[massiv]

I fail to see how a cast member having stubble ruins any theme. None of these changes are unreasonable and I can't imagine how they break any of the theming.

 

[SoFloMagic]

This expands their hiring pool. Unemployment in central florida is crazy low, so they can't afford to artificially limit it. It has no negative effect on guests and will likely make some CMs happy. Why on earth is this a 9 page debate?

 

[Gabe1]

Literally no it hasn't.

Both of my adult children college grads in corporate settings are allowed and encourage to wear jeans or dress for comfort. They know the circumstances to dress up their attire when necessary. The world of tech firms from Google to Yahoo and Facebook along with Apple set the tone a decade ago. But some are still clinging to their good ole days.

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[Scrooged]

As long as employees keep the core values of what Disney is about, who cares what they look like? As they are "cast members" why not cast appropriately? I don't know. This thread just seems like righteous indignation to me. Mountains out of Mole hills.