WDW Costumes outside the park

[coasterridr]

I can remember this from about a year ago, I was at a nearby 7/11 and there was a lady pumping her gas in a Star Tours costume. This gave me a sick feeling and I wondered if this was a new policy. Are Cast Members allowed to wear costumes home? And if they are, then Why? Are there any Cast Members that want to respond to this? To me it harms the magic of WDW being a world away from the norm. No it's not the end of the world, just doesn't seem right.

Any thoughts?

 

[joanna71985]

Yes you are allowed to wear your cosumes home (except for entertainment CMs).

 

[peter11435]

Yup...you get to take 5 home and do the laundry yourself.

This eliminates the need for Disney to employ CM's for laundry and in turn cuts down the labor and cost of laundry supplies.

Well you don't have to wash them yourself. You can return them to costuming and check out five more whenever you wish.

 

[peter11435]

Yeah I know...but the problem is Disney never has enough of the sizes I need so I kept the ones I had to insure I would always have a costume

I know what you mean. I keep a couple costumes myself for that same reason.

 

[joanna71985]

I hate not being able to bring mine home.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

Somehow a Haunted Mansion costume made it all the way back to South Dakota...i dunno how that happened....:lookaroun

 

[DigitalDisney]

I saw someone in their Tomorrowland costume at a gas station on my most recent trip.

It definitely wasn't as out of place as other costumes would be.

 

[djronnieb]

:lol: well at least a head-less mickey wasn't pumping gas

 

[se8472]

yeah I wear mine home but I tend not to stop anywhere on the way home. Unless I am getting gas....

and I must say, there arn't enought pants in my size!

 

[sknydave]

Why would this give anyone a sick feeling? lol

 

[joanna71985]

:lol: well at least a head-less mickey wasn't pumping gas

Yeah, that won't be happening.

 

[TTATraveler]

I did see some WDW bus drivers at Hess the last time not wearing their uniform shirts. While it was wierd to see, I would't go to the extreme of saying that it gave me a sick feeling.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

This policy is actually fairly new and, at least in '02, trainers were supposed to explicitly say Costumes were not to be worn in public places. However, that has changed and become more lax. In fact, the entire costuming across property has been more lax. Epcot CMs were originally not supposed to cross "stage" lines outside of their zone. The buses along the back way were used for travel. However, it has all relaxed. I personally don't like the trend. I do think it looks out of place and destroys a lot of the detail in the presentation. However, as Disney gets bigger, it is simply a loss of control (as with many things in the World). The attention to detail and full presentation gives way to efficient, cheap, and practical production. "Most guests won't care" suffices for "No guest would notice or care." Off my soap box now...

 

[Coastieboy00]

I know as a Cast Member that having my own costumes at home and wearing them to work saves a lot of time and the issue with trying to find costumes that fit. In my role, there are not as many costumes as others and with the ability to get 5, it's e ven harder to find new ones in your size.

If you wear your costume home, you are technically supposed to take your name tag off and are not to buy certain things while in costume (Alcohol, Tobacco, etc). The ability to wear the costume home cuts back on time wasted at work and by the company. Most people don't remember unless you have been around a while but it used to be that you had to get a new costume each day and change at work. We got a walk time at the end of our shifts which was paid but set aside just to change. It was a waste of resources and cast.
jsut my 2¢.

 

[MagliteL13]

MK actually is the most recent park to adopt the policy since the new Costuming building opened late 04. Personally, I try never to wear my costume outside of work. Usually, I keep two extra sets of costumes in my locker just incase Costuming doesn't have my size. Plus, if I wanna go play in the parks after my shift, I already have street clothes there. I still liked it when Costuming was across from the locker rooms, 1 set of clothes at a time.

It's bad enough going from Jungle to work a Liberty Square PAC (Parade Audience Control) shift. Jungle Cruise in Liberty Square? I'll say the Jungle Navigation Company Compasses are pretty bad, but not that bad.

For me it ruins the illusion and what MK trys to uphold. One person can break the fantasy that thousands try to uphold.

 

[coasterridr]

I did see some WDW bus drivers at Hess the last time not wearing their uniform shirts. While it was wierd to see, I would't go to the extreme of saying that it gave me a sick feeling.

I am the sick feeling guy, I started this thread. By sick feeling I am just implying that it didn't seem right, bad choice of words...I didn't puke or anything....

 

[peter11435]

Don't you just hate looking on the rack and not finding any 36 waist shorts.

Well for me its 32 waist shorts. But I know what you mean.

 

[zeroFantasy]

The last thing I want to do after a long day is change just to pump gas into my car or go get dinner

 

[Coastieboy00]

36x30 pants and 42 vests are hard to find too. 36 wait in anything is hard to find no matter what park or costume you wear.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

That is true. I always just kept a different shirt in my car. Luckily we had khakis or khaki shorts with our costume, but I always felt like doing something to hide the costume look was necessary off property. I do agree that the selection could be low, so taking them home works well.