Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Two things... First, during the last few days we were at Disneyland, I really noticed a lot of Cast Members in costume outside the Resort gates. Yes, I know Disney now allows Cast Members to wear their costumes home -- (which, in my opinion, is such a bad which strikes down another one of those original magical notions that make Disney Theme Parks special -- but I digress...)-- but I was struck by how many cast members I saw this visit. A Jungle Cruise Skipper in full costume, including hat, jacket and iPod was walking to work down Harbor Blvd. I saw a tram driver sitting in the passenger seat of a car (driving home I think), and several other cast members waiting for their rides in that one parking lot on Harbor Blvd. And they all stand there, with their nametags on too. As a former Cast Member, that is so weird for me to see. Of those in the Park, on Main Street, I noticed several male cast members wearing a white shirt with a red vest (and I think the standard black pants and black shoes). What is that costume for? Is that the new Main Street merchandise costume? Then I saw an older male cast member in front of the (still closed) Plaza Inn, wearing a turn-of-the-century costume with a shirt and blue striped vest and blue pants, that included a blue baseball cap. It was really neat and detailed looking. What's that costume for? As mentioned before, taking the Disney costume home is such a weird thing for me to see. 20 years ago, it was absolutely unthinkable to take a costume off the property. In this new system -- when the cast member wears his Jungle Cruise costume home -- is he responsible for cleaning it? And how has it worked out? Anyone think it will go back to the old ways? Has Florida gone to this 'take your costume home' routine?
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains Jim we were in Ihop there on harbor about 11pm one night and there was a whole table of CM's in costume eating... It was somewhat surreal -- they were from nemo and buzz rides and one other I don't remember...
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Man, 30 years ago, I worked at Straw Hat Pizza, which, in the hierarchy of 'working at fast food restaurants' was right near the best on the list (McDonalds being close to the worst). We wore a plaid, short sleeved shirt, brown jean-like pants, an apron, and of course, a straw hat. And even wearing what is essentially a 'regular' shirt and pants, none of us working there would have been caught dead in our Straw Hat Pizza 'costumes' outside of the restaurant. Today, these Disney cast members sit and eat a meal at IHOP, dressed in their bright blue and yellow and orange 'Finding Nemo' costume. I assume they were wearing their nametags, right?
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains You know I didn't notice if they were or not.. I just rushed my Daughter past them quickly.. They were quite loud and having a very good time.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Where's Westsider when you need a good Cast Member perspective? Westsider, you always do well in shedding some 'reality' light on these types of questions. Hope you can here too.
Originally Posted By Mr F If Disney would stop being cheap and start paying people to come in early to get dressed and change into full costume then this would not be happening. This is DISNEY'S fault. Disney already doesn't pay enough, and I for one, would not come to work early in street clothes just to change into full costume if I'm not being paid to do it.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA ^^^Interesting Mr. F. When I worked at WDW, we had to allocate enough time to get to the locker rooms and get dressed into our costumes and report to our work location. After our shift, we were paid 'walk time' -- which was I think 15 minutes -- supposedly enough time to get back to the locker room, change into our street clothes, exchange our costume for a new one, put that back in our locker, and head for the Cast Member tram. It seemed to work okay back then.... Why did it change at Disneyland?
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I believe it changed at DL around the time that DCA opened. I don't know the real reason, but I've always assumed it had something to do with the capacity of the costuming department not being able to supply enough costumes for two parks worth of CM's each day due to the size limitations of the building they were in (which was brand new so they weren't going to expand it). I believe that was also around the same time that they started to go for more generic costumes for each land, making it easier to have a ton of each costume (and for CM's to switch between attractions within their area). Now that the different rides are also starting to get different costumes, I would be interested to know how things have changed. While I would like the policy to change back to what it had been for over 40 years, I don't see it ever happening. The current CM's would not like it, and it doesn't seem worth it to me to have them all quit and have to replace all of them. I'm not sure, but I believe WDW uses the same system now, but I don't know how long they've been doing it. The white shirt with a red vest and black pants is the crowd control costume for Main Street (I also saw one wearing a straw hat with a red ribbon around it on Monday). From what I saw over the summer (the first time I saw them), they come out about an hour before the first parade and set up the ropes for that and stay there (rearranging the furniture and directing traffic) through the fireworks. I really like those costumes because they're classy and are easy to find if you have a question, but aren't entirely out of theme either (they look like movie theater ushers, as opposed to the usual batallion of mis-matched CM's from all over the park doing it).
Originally Posted By wonderingalice First, I want to say that I really dislike seeing folks in costume outside the parks. Second, I'm assuming that Disney still handles the laundering of the costumes. Otherwise, they'd look like crud - wrinkled, faded, etc. - especially the women's long, full skirts, blouses and whatnot. Chances are the need for cleaning is determined by the cast members (with input from their lead if need be). Figure they can be worn maybe two or three times between laundering - less in the summertime. What do I base this on...? Mr. Alice's casino dealer's clothing. The hotel provides everything but underwear, socks and shoes, and they handle all of the laundry/maintenance. With the exception of his vest and the tuxedo jacket worn only for baccarat (these items are kept in his locker between shifts), he wears the stuff home every day. Once in awhile in the winter cold, he'll wear the tux jacket home. He finishes dressing before clocking in each morning, but if they move him between the main floor games and the baccarat salon, he changes between his vest and jacket on the casino's time. Just a little meaningless comparison/my $.02.
Originally Posted By wonderingalice Oh... I meant to include that Mr. Alice normally has about three extra tuxedo and dark blue (worn with the vest)shirts, plus extra slacks at home so his stops in the wardrobe department are fewer. Maybe the Disney cast members have a spare at home...?
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub I guess that explains why some cast look like they slept in their outfit/costume. I should add this also to Spirit's quality control thread.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains I don't see why they should be paid to dress there - it's not any longer to dress at home than at the park - I really think it should be a penalty if you are out and about wearing your uniform.
Originally Posted By wonderingalice ^^Really? I guess since we're only there a couple of times each year I never notice anyone looking sloppy. If it's becoming widespread, they definitely should revert back to the old ways. Heck, they're building that gigantic bakery - why not a more advanced costume facility?
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I did notice earlier this week on two different occasions there were CM's wearing area costumes in the M&F parking garage. That struck me as very strange. Both times, there were two of them (a man and woman, but different people on each occasion) walking away from the escallators along the tiled walkway on the far east side of the garage. I'd never seen it before, so it really threw me off.
Originally Posted By JobyCA65 As a former Attractions CM for ten years in Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and Main Street, I just don't like the idea of allowing costumes out of the park. It takes the fantasy and escape that the park provides and moves it outside the berm. I think it can also potentially defeat the image and the purpose of what Disneyland stands for in the eyes of many. I remember what sticklers supervision could be if we were caught out of costume in a different area of the park. If I went onto Main St. to deliver some lost and found items while in my Bank of America Small World costume I was to move in and out of the area as quickly as possible. If you were out of costume for any length of time you would be spoken to about it. If I was in Matterhorn lederhosen and over at the Mark Twain talking to a buddy, it was a real no-no. Now they're pulling the ultimate "out of costume" faux pas (in my opinion) by allowing them in grocery stores, restaurants, and the like....outside the park. Which I too have seen. I think it can risk park image if a CM is in costume outside of the park. Upon my employment at the park, we were told that you'd never see Snow White sitting at a table smoking a cigarette and drinking a cup of coffee. It ruined the image. Likewise being out of costume was frowned upon as well. Things have definitely changed.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains Where do they draw the line.. will be be seeing CM's in full dress at the Movies, Knotts, USH, or in hollywood?
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub The first post in Halloween Hijinks on the DL Marquee dated 10/31 at 10:12 p.m. has cast member Westsider at a Cast Member Halloween party and "if you've ever been to a cast member Hparty you wouldn't believe what some cast members can do with costumes checked out from DL Costuming. I'd take pictures but this is a family site." I guess Walt had many reasons for not wanting Cast to wear their costumes home. So does this mean cast and "character" costumes are allowed to leave Disney proper?
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I would assume that they don't let characters go home. While it would be one thing to see a TOT bellhop in Denny's, I think it would be something else entirely to see Cinderella or a partially dressed Mickey sitting there enjoying a Grand Slam. I've always thought that the characters and folks in the shows and parades all had to leave their costumes at DL, no matter what. It just seems too risky to let them go home.
Originally Posted By DJ7K >> So does this mean cast and "character" costumes are allowed to leave Disney proper? << >> While it would be one thing to see a TOT bellhop in Denny's, I think it would be something else entirely to see Cinderella or a partially dressed Mickey sitting there enjoying a Grand Slam. I've always thought that the characters and folks in the shows and parades all had to leave their costumes at DL, no matter what. It just seems too risky to let them go home << Something was mentioned earlier on this thread regarding CMs going home in uniform and it made me think of that very thought and, it made me laugh at the image of say, Ariel in her mermaid costume, finding a ride home dressed in costume. Which of course I know is way too far fetched, but that image came to mind and I found it hilarious all the different characters making their way home.
