Originally Posted By Walt-Fanatic Wasn't it Michael Eisner who banned facial hair sometime in the late 80's? my friend said that it was Walt who did this back in 1957 so the employees wouldn't look like carnival folk. But I seem to remember alot of people being upset when Eisner took over because of the ban on beards and mustaches. They made jokes that under Eisner, Walt couldn't work at his own park. Anybody now more about this?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip No, facial hair was banned by Walt. Disneyland had very strict (and discriminatory) standards back then.
Originally Posted By pitapan16 What kind of discrimination did Disneyland have back in the day? I know they used to have the cute blondes in Fantasyland, tall and lean in Tommorowland, rough and rugged in Frontierland, and to be honest I think that would have been kinda cool but I know times change and with all the regulations we have in the modern society, I don't see how we could still have in-place that kind of employment.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<What kind of discrimination did Disneyland have back in the day?>> Weight based. You could not be overweight and be a CM working "onstage".
Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs Years ago I applied for the Disney Store and was told about the facial hair (I might have even been told about that before that as well). When I told my mom, she thought that that was strange since "Walt had a mustache."
Originally Posted By Walt-Fanatic I swear I remember a guy who brought a lawsuit against Disney in the late 80's who worked in the Disneyland Hotel. His claim was that he worked there for almost 20 years WITH a trimmed beard but had to shave it or loose his job do to the NEW policy. Am I remembering something incorrectly?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Am I remembering something incorrectly?>> This site claims the opposite. I cannot vouch for its accuracy, but am presenting it for what it is. <<Since its early days, Disneyland has implemented a strict dress code for employees, who are referred to as "Disneyland cast members." In the early days of Disneyland, male cast members were not allowed to have long hair, or any facial hair at all, as this was not seen as the wholesome, all-American image which Disneyland was meant to convey. The philosophy was that park guests actually preferred for all cast members to be clean-cut and wholesome looking. Amusement parks did not always have a good reputation, and Walt Disney wanted to set his park apart from the rest. In fact, until the late 1960s, even male visitors to Disneyland could not enter with long hair. Disneyland cast members would politely explain to the snubbed guests that Disneyland had an unwritten dress code, which they did not meet. Sometimes women in halter tops were turned away as well. At the beginning of the 21st century, Disneyland finally relaxed its facial hair policy enough to allow male cast members to have mustaches, as long as they were neatly trimmed.>> Source: <a href="http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-dress-code-for-disneyland-cast-members.htm" target="_blank">http://www.wisegeek.com/what-i s-the-dress-code-for-disneyland-cast-members.htm</a>
Originally Posted By alexbook Just guessing, but maybe things were stricter in the 50's & 60's, loosened up in the 70's, and got even stricter again in the 80's? >><<What kind of discrimination did Disneyland have back in the day?>> Weight based. You could not be overweight and be a CM working "onstage".<< There were a lot of jobs that were men-only or women-only, too.
Originally Posted By Roger55 I kind of remember some squable about an employee of the hotel being unhappy with the Disney grooming policy being enforced after the hotel was bought by Disney. I haven't checked for exact dates and such, but I know that DL Hotel workers prior to Disney taking over the hotel were under different policies.
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 Yes, the Disneyland hotel was owned and operated by the Wrather Corporation until Disney bought it in 1988, so maybe that was it? Disney enforced it's standards on the "newly aquired" hotel and maybe somebody didn't like the grooming guidelines?
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>There were a lot of jobs that were men-only or women-only, too.<< I understand that they used to only hire women to portray Tinkerbell and Mary Poppins. Imagine that!
Originally Posted By Walt-Fanatic That's probably it. Thanks gurgitoy2, I forgot that the Disneyland Hotel wasn't actually owned by Disney. So you're more that likely correct on that one.
Originally Posted By Walt-Fanatic fkurucz, if you watch Dateline Disneyland you'll notice that Peter Pan was actually played by a woman.
Originally Posted By SifuJustin Facial hair is not the hottest fashion today (not that I am a fashion expert!). Just a mustache? I think the only people that have those are cops, cowboys, construction workers and the village people. A full beard and mustache for people under 40? Only hippies. Goatees are still somewhat fashionable but their heyday was about 10 years ago. Sifu Justin Fashion Victim
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost Now you tell me that I'm not in fashion! I have had a full beard (trimmed of course) for the better part of 30 years. It is just as much a part of my identity as my eye color.
Originally Posted By TP2000 You are all thinking of the man who worked for the Queen Mary when Disney bought it in the late 1980's. Disney made him shave his mustache, and since it was a slow news day, the local media picked up on it and ran with the story. Funny thing is, Disney sold the Queen Mary a few years later. The guy probably grew it back, if he still worked there.
Originally Posted By Mr Snappy I wish they would go back to the "Clean cut" policy for park employees....and I have a new one. YOU MUST SPEAK ENGLISH !!! Last year at the food service windows was complete fiasco with the workers who could not read or speak english trying to fill our orders... Of course, if Disney actually paid realistic wages, they might get better help.
Originally Posted By chickendumpling <<Last year at the food service windows was complete fiasco with the workers who could not read or speak english trying to fill our orders...>> Wow. I have never had that experience. May I ask where?
Originally Posted By Sweeper How about costumes must be fitted correctly. I hate seeing CMs in baggy costumes. I actually saw a busser sagging! Standards people! Of course if I ran Disneyland I would increase wages and demand performance. Crazy I know.
Originally Posted By Chedstro When I worked at Carnation in the '60's it was "girl next door look" Weight was as factor, you had to fit the existing costume. And no skin problems. Cindy (Susie)
