Originally Posted By avromark I recall an article I think it was on Jim Hill or Mouseplanet or Miceage about the "new costume warehouse" and the new costume policy when it first came out. I didn't bookmark it (gosh knows how many Disney bookmarks Safari and Firefox already have). I'm leaning towards Miceage or JH since the article took a very "bashing" approach to the practice. I'll google it someday. But I know some of those sites don't have the best archives, deleting older articles.
Originally Posted By submarine-maniac It seems like almost every CM is taking home their costume today. I do take mine home, but I change before I go home. I just keep it at home incase I am running extremely late one day, I can just get dressed at home. I do get to the park one hour prior to my shift and change. To me, it's no big deal. However, to a lot of CMs, they do not want to get there early. They complain about being there too early in the morning, or having better things to do in that hour. Also, while I was in training, it seemed like they were encouraging us to take our costumes home. Also, it seems ridiculous to me that CMs would go out to eat in their costumes. Is it really that big of a deal to just change your shirt? I think it would look just a little better if they changed their shirts and just kept their work pants. I have noticed that it seems like more and more CMs do not value the show as many as others. I was walking down Main Street with another CM and they wanted to cut through the stores when we were not in our Main Street costumes. When I told them we shouldn't because it's bad show, they said no body cares about that anyway. It's really a sad thing to see...
Originally Posted By avromark OH and in regards into the time for changing, let's just play devils advocate. Say you're not going out that day other then to work. If you didn't change into uniform at home you may be changing into three set of clothes, "comfortable" house clothing, street clothing to uniform, versus sleepware to work uniform. Also devils advocate with more repeat locals versus those who only make one or two trips a CM may becoming more jaded as the guests know *all* the jokes to the jungle cruise, are boarding Big Thunder for the 12th time in a row... Not to ruin in everyone's parade but in the days of tickets when you had to choose what you did and had longer time between visits it may add to the "magic" of Disney as it's less of an ordinary occurrence. For example if I'm a In and Out employee I may end up being sick of burgers. I live fairly close to Niagara Falls, to me it's boring. But everytime I have an out of province guest, guess what I get to do: Niagara Falls. *yay!*
Originally Posted By wonderingalice <<a partially dressed Mickey sitting there enjoying a Grand Slam.>> *LMAO* That "vision" just cracked me up! But NO! I don't want to see it for real! ;-)
Originally Posted By Tiggirl Jim, if I recall, Cast Members can have up to three costumes out at one time. Disneyland will still launder them for you but most people I knew just washed their own stuff. It can be hard finding a costume that fits you correctly so often people are reluctant to take them back to costuming for fear of not finding their correct size again. I'm on the small side and I had a hard time finding skirts that fit me when I worked there. And an extra small coat? Forget it. When I finally found one I didn't swim in I didn't let that thing out of my sight. LOL! I agree though that it is unnerving to see CM's all over the place in their costumes. I saw a lady once in Costco in her Adventureland Merch costume. And if you want to avoid seeing CM's in costume outside of Disneyland... avoid the Denny's on Katella after the park closes. Its rampant with CM's complaining about guests at night. ;o) ~Beth
Originally Posted By wonderingalice Ya know... I can remember the very first time I saw a cast member off the job and in costume. It was the second visit Mr. Alice and I made to the park - December 2003. We were staying at the Candy Cane Inn and when we were headed out to Harbor Blvd., there was a young woman sitting on a bench by that little short-term/pick-up parking area just outside the gate. She was dressed in a Main Street costume. I did a little "Whoa!" to Mr. Alice and told him how weird that was because it was something wasn't allowed in all the years I'd been visiting Disneyland. We hadn't seen an example of it during our first visit in April 2003 because we stayed at the Disneyland Hotel to make Mr. Alice's very first experience extra special. My most recent prior visit had been during the construction of DCA. My friend Cathy and I marveled at the big hole in the ground from our window at the DLH, and got a kick out of the Monorail goofing around they had to do while working with a big section of track missing. Anyway, another poster mentioned that the costume procedure may have changed with the opening of DCA. Makes sense to me!
Originally Posted By cinderella143also >>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.<< >>For example if I'm a In and Out employee I may end up being sick of burgers<< As a former In-N-Out employee with several family members still working for In-N-Out, every single one of the associates there are required to come in early and dress in their uniforms. Uniforms are left an INO and are laundered by INO so that they are always clean, pressed, and white. We never got paid to change--it was just what was expected. And with all the years I worked there, never once did I hear anyone complain that they weren't getting paid to get dressed for work. It was/is an expectation that you knew came with the job. Everytime I see a CM at the bus stop or the store in their costumes, it makes me a little sad. Has to do with the whole "magic" mentioned in one of the earlier posts. Also, what a liability to Disney to have CMs around town dressed Disney (I would think anyway...). AND having worked there for many years, I am STILL not sick of their burgers!!! LOL!
Originally Posted By dl1956 Perhaps it's a matter of personal convenience. Perhaps wanting, consciously or sub-consciously, to show they are Disneyland cast members. Which indicates pride in their work. Or showing off. Depending on one's point of view. Positive or negative.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo The evil adult in me wonders how many of the Pirate's partners are really glad the outfits can come home!!!!
Originally Posted By Dave >>>And if you want to avoid seeing CM's in costume outside of Disneyland... avoid the Denny's on Katella after the park closes. Its rampant with CM's complaining about guests at night. ;o) << You forgot the cursing out loud too which we've heard many times.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA <You forgot the cursing out loud too which we've heard many times.> Nice...
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan I think seeing CMs out and about in costume is the pinnacle of "bad show." I don't often assume what "Walt would do" but I have to think he would have instantly fired the person that presented this as a viable option.
Originally Posted By Tiggirl <<You forgot the cursing out loud too which we've heard many times.>> Too true, Dave. They can get quite loud. (Also... I'll admit to going to Denny's in my costume once. It was at after work 3am and I was starving. No cursing or talking about Guests though. And the name tag was removed. LOL!) ~Beth
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA For me, the pinnacle of looking like a complete nerd in public is to run around and do personal errands in your work uniform. I don't care if it's the simple khakis and blue shirt that you wear at Best Buy. If you have to stop by the grocery store or the bank, or eat at the IHOP on the way home -- bring a change of clothes. Or at the very least, bring a sweater to throw over your shirt or blouse or whatever you're wearing. Do people go to IHOP wearing that orange Disneyland Space Mountain jumpsuit?? It would cause quite a stir -- other patrons perhaps thinking a jailbreak or something. The wearing costumes outside the Disneyland property idea is a bad one.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I am sensing Jim, that your trip was not quite as good as we would all hope?
Originally Posted By NJ AP ITA with Jim and others with the old-time mentality. Our strangest experience with this happened on our first trip to DL (instead of WDW). We saw Jafar (from te Aladdin show) walk into a Rabbit Hole into DCA. He was in full costume. We have never seen a character walking around outside of a theme park.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA <I am sensing Jim, that your trip was not quite as good as we would all hope?> Sadly, it was not.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Oh dear! It would be interesting to see a consolidated post of the issues (wonder if it is similar to what is happening at WDW and DLP?)
Originally Posted By Route66 When California Adventure came along, I must admit some magic was lost. When I was a Cast member in Disneyland (there was no DCA), I couldn't imagine wearing a costume out of the park you would also be fired anyhow, it was unheard of. Everything inside of Disneyland was sacred including the costumes. To me this is like seeing one of the parade floats gliding down Harbor Blvd. It would just look so wrong. Part of the Magic of Disneyland was that the cast members were supposed to look impeccable. Fresh pressed costumes EVERYDAY. Just like service of a fine hotel or restaurant. Now the cast members can even wash their own costumes and it shows. Disney has even redesigned some of the classic costumes and made them so cheap looking. For instance at the Plaza Inn, they used to look very Genuine and Turn of the Century, not anymore. Our went the fine fabrics and tailoring for cheap amusement park uniforms.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA It is a very strange and disappointing trend for Disneyland. But wait -- what's that? -- oh yeah 'It's a business decision -- Disney wants to make money.' *sigh*
