[Question] Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

[lunarsongbird]

Hello Everyone! Happy Monday!?


This is my very first post here at MiceChat! I was reading MousePlanet while listening to Disneyland Resort theme music (I have been SERIOUSLY having a Disneyfanatic episode lately) and came across the article about Imane Boudlal filing a suit against Disney for discrimination.

Disneyland Resort Update (Disneyland Resort Update) by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

This topic was discussed here two years ago when the allegations first came out two years ago. There was a bit of debate on if the "Disney Look" is outdated. What do you think?

If you could create the "Disney Look" what what change?

How do you feel about the discrimination suit?

[sbk1234]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

For me, personally, I love the original DIsney look. In my private world, Disney cast members would be completely clean shaven, women would wear only subtle, tasteful makeup, short fingernails, only one simple earing per ear. Those men in "civies" would wear a shirt and tie, women would wear business attire, including skirt, stockings, and heels.

I know, I'm VERY old fashioned and out of date here, but in my fantasy world.

If by the discrimination suit you're refering to the woman who is suing over the religious head wear issue, as I understand it, Disney has tried to accomodate her needs, and she's not interested in accepting any compromise, so it seems like it's a bit ridiculous.

and by the way, welcome to the boards.

[calsig31]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

First off, welcome to Mice Chat.

There was actually a thread on here that was recently litter boxed regarding the lawsuit, by I feel that if the facts show that Disney has discriminated and not made reasonable accommodation for this woman, they should be appropriately penalized.

As far as the Disney look being outdated, I think in some areas the costumes need to be updated to fit their land a little better.

[4th Gen Disney Fan]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

Great topic to use as your first post. Welcome to the community!

I agree that certain changes should be impemented to allow for the current climate of social norms. While I appreciate the fact that DLR as well as the other resorts present a certain look - times are changing to the point that people that emulate this look are slowly dwindling. There will come a time within this generation that the policy will need to be revised or else they will run out of potential employees.

[mratigan]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

welcome welcome welcome

[Disneytwins]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

Welcome.

The Disney look is quite fine the way it is. They just updated it to allow beards. The other guidelines are extremely appropriate.

In that suit, Disney did offer her a head covering suitable for the theme. They also gave her the choice to work backstage and use her own head covering.

[SparkChaser]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

Welcome.

Actually I think the beards are great addition since in certain areas will really help with the costumes I.E. Main Street, Frontierland and to an extent Adventureland just as long it doesn't get crazy.

See ya wwalkin' right down the middle of o'l Main Street USA

[joy bells]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

coming from someone with pink hair and multiple piercings... i think that it would be distracting for the employees at dland. its kinda nice that they become the "towns people" of whatever land they work at. i think if its appropriate for their lands than whatever. when you sign up to work there you know what is going to be expected of you... i didn't read about the lawsuit so i'm not really commenting about that... just about other stuff.

[DannyLand]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

oh ok, Walt Disney can have facial hair, a stash. therefore, so can the CM.
if Walt had one so can the CM.

[calsig31]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

oh ok, Walt Disney can have facial hair, a stash. therefore, so can the CM.
if Walt had one so can the CM.

It's a different standard when you are in corporate as opposed to dealing with the public on a day to day basis.

Walt could also work a 9-5 m-f week if he wanted to. If all the workers refused to work other shifts because "Walt didn't have to" the park would never be opened be opened past 5 pm.

[CupcakeTerror]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

I think the Disney Look is doing just fine right now! I like the fact that the costumes don't detract from the experience; all the CM's I have encountered have always been clean and well kept, which is more than I can say about some of the guests that attend the parks. I truly believe that Walt Disney set a good standard when it came to employees of the Disney Parks but I do understand that updates must be made to ensure they are keeping with the times. Just as long as I don't see big grizzly hipster beards and crazy half head shaved hair do's I'm happy with the Disney Look.

[DuffyGuardian]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

I think CM are playing some type of character and should look like what ever part they are playing. If the character the CM is playing would have beard, then thats great if the CM wants to have a beard. Even if the CM is just serving pop corn or street sweeping, just fit into what you are doing and which land your in.

When I go to the resort, I want to see what I would have seen if I had gone to that area of the world, or what ever an area is depicting.

[swampymarsh]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

The look is certainly not oudated, it's changed over the decades.

However I don't agree with every change. I wouldn't mind if the CMs grooming was tweaked depending on locations, such as beards in Adventureland, Frontierland, and Grizzly peak and Redwood Creek or thin mustaches on the Pier and Hollywood Land. Even some stylized hair like braids in Fantastyland females or colors in Tomorrowland.

Once thing I realy dislike is the sunglasses. They are pervassive in the resort. Many CMs are standing in the middle of Main Street, but in partial shade or often in shade.

If Disneyland wants to be tops at customer service, it's grooming standards should be raised. You can find how is was a luxury resorts like a 4 Seasons or Ritz Carleton. They can keep these standards but Disney lowered itself abandoning them.

[JerrodDRagon]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

Depends on the area...pretty sure people in the Frontier had facial hair....and even critter county works for that too

[Wally]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

I think it's fine the way it is. Just enforce the rules that are already there. I just wish costuming would go back and have CMs fit for their costumes. Luckily Disney doesn't allow sagging or costumes that are seriously a wrong size, but still many cast members where costumes that don't quite fit right.

[Disneytwins]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

It's kind of hit and miss when it comes to the sunglasses. I know how horrible it is to be outside all day like some do and not wearing it. In some places, the albedo of the pavement is enough to effect the eyes.

[jsmith11618]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

Even when in the shade, the sun can damage the eyes. Unless its dark out, I would not support the banning of sun glasses, if your going to have employees working outside, then you gotta allow them to wear sun glasses to protect their eyes.

[disneyfann121]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

Every time Disney tries to "update" its look, feel, attitude, etc., they seem to botch it. I think people want the parks to have a nostalgic, retro, "old style" look and feel, and trying to be "hip" and modern is really beside the point (Tiki Room Under New Management at WDW is a great example of this wrong headed approach).

[CASurfer65]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

Disneyland is different.
And the idea that Walt had a mustache so everyone should be able to is sort of irrelevant since even the man, himself, who had that mustache didn't want his cast members to have them. And it was his call to make.
Personally I find them a little hard to get used to. I know that historically they fit the frontier, etc., but I'm sure Walt knew that, and still didn't want them on his cast members.
He wanted Disneyland to be different, and I think that was a tradition that should have transcended time. I don't think it should have anything to do with what is going on outside the berm.
People had beards and mustaches through the 70s.....they even had long hair. But Disney didn't go straight to that attitude that they had to "change with the times." They remained different. Structured. And I think that's fine. Again, that's what made it different.
As to sunglasses, I worked various locations in the park such as Autopia, the dock at Small World, Matterhorn, etc. where sunglasses were very beneficial, but even in those locations, the supes didn't want you wearing them unless they were absolutely necessary. It was a barrier between you and the guest in the same way folding your arms was.
And as soon as the sun began to set, they were off.
Nowadays I see cast members wearing them well after the sun has gone down. I'm surprised nothing is said.
Again though, things have changed. And the park has embraced the change rather than remaining the unique entity it once was.
Costumes outside the berm are part of that.
And with regard to the costuming, I have noticed that there tends to be a little sloppiness in the way some costumes fit too. Something else we would have been called out on way back when.
But again, things have changed, and most people don't really care how it used to be.
I'm sort of old school and felt that the berm was an important part of the whole experience.
It just didn't matter what was going on outside in the real world. In fact, reality didn't always play a part inside the park in ways it could have (such as mustaches in the frontier). And we knew that....and were okay with it.
Disneyland was just different. And Walt wanted it that way.

[ducktalesfan5555]

Re: Is the "Disney Look" outdated? What would your Disney Look entail?

The more "outdated" , the better, IMO.