Since the very start of the company, Disney has upheld very strict appearance standards for its staff, known as cast members, regardless of what position they held. This came to be known as the “Disney Look”, which upheld that all cast members should have a “friendly, classic appearance” devoid of any extreme styles. In fact, here’s a blurb from the Disney Careers page:
At Disney Parks and Resorts, we’ve become famous for our friendly, classic appearance. This look is not a coincidence, but a result of our cast members’ support of the Appearance Standards, or as we call it, the Disney Look.
The Disney Look is a classic look that is clean, natural, polished and professional, and avoids “cutting edge” trends or extreme styles. It is designed with our costumed and non-costumed cast members in mind. Our themed costumed cast members are a critical part of enhancing the experience of our Disney show, and our non-costumed cast members also play an important role as representatives of the Disney brand. Regardless of the position you hold with us, when you take pride in your appearance, you become a role model for those around you, and you convey the attitude of excellence that has become synonymous with the Disney name.
Now it appears that these rules may be becoming more lax to accommodate for more modern styles.
Starting October 28th, cast members will now be able to wear a single bracelet and a single necklace. Previously, necklaces and bracelets were not permitted, with cast members only having the option to wear rings, earrings, and a classic business-style wristwatch.
Cast members looking to grow their facial hair can now do so up to an inch, with visible stubble now allowed during the grow-out process. Previous rules stated that facial hair was limited to a quarter inch, and beard growth had to be done while the employee was on vacation. Back in the ’50s, all cast members had to be clean shaven.
How do you feel about these new changes? Is the classic “Disney Look” part of your parks and resorts experience, or should the rules be updated to accommodate more modern styles? Let us know in the comments!
It became time… probably an offspring of the employees’ lawsuit (which they won) against Disney, Paris 1991
It is disturbing the amount of changes Disney is making that are fading away from traditional Walt Disney. Sad really 😔😔
I guess everyone who did not like what you said does not like Walt’s vision & don’t care about Walt’s, Lilian’s (Lilly) & Roy’s legacy. There are a lot more of us who approve of what Walt wanted.
It’s not even that radical of a change. I think it’s silly to get upset over new ideas that come from younger mindsets. Many cast members want to express themselves in a way that does not align with “tradition” and have wanted to for many years. I say let’s evolve with the world, not cry about days gone by.
I like the classic clean look. As Disney continue to change, they are becoming more and more like other theme parks. They are loosing the touches / experience that made Disney “Disney”.
I agree with you. I was a cast member for almost 10 years when I was younger and these changes are startling me. Little by little they are losing the Magic.
oh my god lol, cry me a river. I can assure you no matter the changes, you’ll still come to the park and find something to upset your life ya baby…
Absolutely send appallingly rude you are.
The Disney look is as much a part of the experience as the Castle…
Extremely short hair on guys is not necessary, HOWEVER, it depends on the look.
Once the facial hair was permitted, the Disney “look” went out the window…
I will never accept a Cast Member with a mustash or beard…
A few years ago, i passed through security check, and i stopped dead in my tracks when i saw a Cast Member with long dreadlocks braids down his back…!!
I stepped back to him and asked if this was allowed now, and he said yes; adding that his department was an outside company.
I replied that i was really surprised, and that even an outside company is required to hold Disney Standards.
Being a Cast Member is much like being in the Army; you are in Service.
The LOOK is part of the ridged discipline.
The standards once included height/weight guidelines too…
The typically young, clean cut, thin, good-looking Cast Member has become a thing of the lost experience…
The short fat sloppy troll-like dumpy look has worked its way in, and now things are much the same as you would find at any corperate park.
The first 15 years you were very special to become a Cast Member, and Casting was highly selective to award that HONOR…
This is yikes.
That was some of the least Disney Spirited things I’ve read in a while. In the words of Elsa, let it go. It sounds like you’re holding on so tight to something that it’s wound up strangling something in you.
Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to.
Perhaps you should Let It Go and accept the fact not everyone agrees with this nonsense of having to change every little thing.
I’m a cast member and some of your information is not quite correct. Independant contractors are not and have never been beholden to “the Disney look”. Before I was a cast member I worked for a participating partner that worked on Disney property and I had shoulder length hair and a long beard. I do agree with you about cast member standards, though. As a cast member I have always been clean shaven with moderately short hair.
You sir are a moron, I’m a former CM and so you are equating being a CM to being “in the service” UM WHAT? A CM job is that, it’s a job at the end of the day (a job I absolutely loved, but a job nonetheless), I didn’t sign a contract with Disney for the next 4 years of my life. I adhered to Disney look because it comes across as professional but I can’t shave every day or else my I have constant pain from razor bumps and the like so I have a fully grown-in beard that I kept trimmed and looking good
Also if you “stopped dead in your tracks” because you saw someone with dreadlocks, what about a lot of people walking around in the parks who are total slobs, do you really concern yourself that highly with other people, if so you really need to lay off
It sounds like you’re a former cast member for a reason. If you don’t like the standards, don’t work there. The standards are in place for a reason and these changes are not for the better. This is lazy complacency.
Now Disney pays crappy wages and struggles to get people hired. The pickings are getting slimmer. If you want employees at a higher standard, pay a living wage.
Robin, disney pays really well nowadays. They are hiring people all the time. I see them everyday getting off the bus for orientation as well.
15$ an hr is starting pay for majority of the jobs offered and go up yearly and with more experience.
Starting pay for chef assistant is 18$ an hr. Cooks 16 per hr, and so on and so forth.
A lot of people chiming in and some of yall are full of untrustworthy information.
It’s $10 an hour currently, set to go to $15 in 2021.
Sorry i meant to say *majority of the culinary jobs*
My role paid 15 cents over the minimum amount cast members were paid when I left the company last January and I believe I made $11.50 or more. Soon, the role I had will pay $13, then $15 in 2021
PS. I love your articles, Tom!
It’s $13 currently, set to go up to to 14 next October, then $15 in October 2021
When they cut hours after giving any raises it literally negates the raise. They pay well but you won’t be seeing almost any CM getting 40 a week anymore.
if you’re a cast member you would know that the amount that they get paid is not enough for what they do and the way they are treated by guest. Especially with most who have experience and yet get paid only $16 I think the wage should be better and Disney Can do better for their cast.
I’m a new cast member and I make about $2000 a month working custodial. It seems like the pay is pretty good to me.
How many hours a week is that?
Full time. 40.
They’re paying north of $14 an hour for custodial now?
No, as a previous Custodian at the Magic Kingdom I can tell you they do not pay north of $14 an hour for custodial. That is Coordinator and above pay until they keep adding to the wage. But an above comment is correct that the more the wages have gone up, the lower the hours have gotten. Certain part-timers don’t get scheduled period anymore. And getting full-time is like a war within the company. Very, very difficult and very competitive.
I don’t even make that in security for Disney… are you sure? (Talking about take-home money right?)
“Starting wage is $15”… gtfo dude. I’m a CM and that is not even near accurate.
Concerned CM, its not inaccurate?
Maybe for YOU, BUT if you go and REREAD, i said CULINARY. I started at 18 an hr for chef assistant, cook 1 starts at 16 an hr.
No, you did not say culinary. You said, copy and pasted, “15$ an hr is starting pay for majority of the jobs offered and go up yearly and with more experience” then said everyone else was spreading false info. Well here’s correct info from someone who just left the company 3 weeks ago: $15 is NOT starting pay until 2021 and the wage increase is meaningless as hours get cut more and more significantly. Why do you think locations are now significantly understaffed, the parks and bathrooms are dirtier, and the attractions break down more often than ever? Plus, you using only culinary staff as your example of “good Disney pay” is ridiculous as they make up a much smaller percentage of employees than overall frontline cast who are getting far worse pay.
Your thought that pay increases yearly is also false information from YOU and you alone. Pay does NOT go up yearly for frontline cast every year and I can’t even believe that’s information you’ve tried to spread. It takes years of service at Disney World for your pay to go up even 50 cents for frontline cast. I worked with one man who made over $20 an hour as frontline because he literally helped OPEN THE MAGIC KINGDOM. Other roles such as salaried, culinary, etc. have different contracts and things can vary differently. But frontline cast make up the majority of park employees and are the employees that have to adhere most to Disney Look standards (culinary staff that don’t see guests walk around with tattoos visible, dyed hair, etc. while a frontline cast member would be disciplined or even fired for such). Stop pretending you know everything when you clearly don’t know enough.
Butthurt CM, You really got butthurt over something i never said and assumed a lot. If you go back and reread the thread of comments, i corrected myself and said, culinary.
But way to go assuming i said or meant frontline anyone.
And pay for culinary does go up yearly on a particular day in october because of the Union. You are just mad JUST to be mad.
In Disney Anaheim it is the starting pay.
Dreads are a part of religious beliefs btw, also, corn rows is also considered part of the disney look as long as they are straight back and dont touch the shoulders. If you have never worked for Disney within the last 5 to 10 years, your opinion is invalid. You would know that Disney is constantly changing to fit the ever evolving world around us.
I was in the Army and a cast member (third party and i have hair down to the middle of my back) and the standards compared to being a cast member are not even in the same realm.
You can not discriminate because of dreadlocks, Height, weight, or if you think someone looks short fat and sloppy. Thats not up to you.
I seriously hope you find a way to become a nicer person. Good luck.
You’re gross, Randy. Please stop coming to Disney. We don’t need guests like you.
Completely unnecessary
Sounds like your the troll! Disgusting!
You mean like Walt Disney himself ?
Shut up baby boomer. No one cares about your outdated opinions and narcissistic attitude.
You’re a disgrace to this fan base.
I prefer the classic Disney Look and appreciate their high standards. If you want to dress however you want go work at Six Flags.
Unbeknownst to you, you can’t dress however you want at Six Flags.
okay please dont buy annual passes anymore and stop coming if a freaking beard bothers you lol. I can’t imagine being so sad…
They have to update to allow clean and nicely well done dreadlocks. But , when?
Universal Studios already gave that step ahead.
One of my coworkers had dreadlocks and nobody told her anything
I think Walt Disney is turning in his grave. I personally don’t care for it a lot of the men that have facial hair don’t keep it clean or neatly cut. And for the women well the finger nail polish Walt is also turning in his grave, I’ve seen some colors that would have been used back in the days it had to be neutral. Call me old fashion but I like that.
Nail polish is that upsetting?
Get out of my head. The whole ‘Walts turning over in his grave’ is tired and mundane.
I promise you, Walt doesn’t care. He would have hated you though…
Walt would care more about the terrible treatment of so many Cast members then he would stubble.
I didn’t know Walt Disney personally, but he was an artist. Have you met artists? Have you seen some of the Disney imagineers? As an artist, I can tell you, we enjoy expressing ourselves in many ways, including our personal image. When he was alive times were very different. I’d be curious of what he would think now. I can tell you one thing though, from everything I’ve heard of him, he was a great and kind man. I don’t think allowing facial hair or nail polish would upset him.
I remember a time when guests were denied entry because of long hair, mows, beards and their cloths … Their was even a barber shop near the front of the park to get a haircut and a shave for those denied entry so they could enter.
And for Disney people either fans or CM’s man their is a lot of hate in this threads comments.
Every time someone writes the phrase “Walt is turning in his grave,” Walt, Roy and Lillian all turn in their graves…and quite possibly Ub, Fess and Annette also. Walt was also a fan of good writing and proper punctuation, so he definitely wouldn’t have hired you if you turned in a résumé that looked like your post above.
Walt is dead, therefore, his opinion is no longer of importance
The Disney look hasnt been enforced by leadership in over a year. I’ve never seen so many cast members chewing gum, leaning, hands in pockets and talking to each other while ignoring the guests. Total breakdown by the managers.
It makes me really sad that people are upset by this. A necklace and bracelet is not going away from Disney look. Facial hair still has to be cleaned and groomed. Cast members are people too.
Facial hair has to be cleaned and groomed but will they actually enforce it? I doubt it.
You can keep living in your own negative fantasy world but Disney Look is actually very highly enforced behind the scenes. People received notations on their record card very frequently for small things including socks being too short or white instead of black, etc. I actually witnessed a full-time employee get sent home with no promise for pay for that day upon the start of her shift because her hair color was no longer up to Disney Look standards (for context, full-timers are cut a lot more slack because usually they’ve had to significantly work their way up to being full-time). Clearly you’ve let the individual circumstances affect you waaaay too much. How about you enjoy the world class attractions and entertainment before nitpicking the details about the staff, you creep.
As a former CM, I never found the dress code all that difficult to follow. I did miss wearing nail polish, but it wasn’t like it was a huge sacrifice. If I did want to paint my nails for a special occasion, I would wait until the day of and then remove it the night before my next shift.
I think this is great!! Since I am a cast member I will be delighted that I no longer need to shave every single day and give myself razor burn or heat bumps. Facial hair has been allowed but those that want to grow out a beard could not do so, because who can grow a full beard in a week, and who is able to take more than a week off at disney? What disney cast member has that much vacation? I think this is a great improvement on disney look!
This is completely unrelated to all of the negative comments regarding all the changes WDW is making is causing the decline of the parks. Nope! I can completely understand that people associate the “Disney Look” with WDW 20 years ago, but a company has to change with the times (which includes flexibility on some of these old standards) or else you won’t attract the best employees to want to work in your park. There aren’t many successful companies out there maintaining the exact same set of standards that they did 30 years ago.
Good point, Hilly. If Walt Disney had never changed, we wouldn’t have Mickey Mouse, Disneyland, or Disney World.
Personal opinion here, both male and females can pull off necklaces. So a single necklace for each gender I can understand. A bracelet might be to dangly and become a distraction for the cast member and/or guest. Bracelets are not a good idea. As for facial hair, since only males can grow it, how is that fair to the females? Also, I find any male with facial hair, no matter how well kept, dirty looking and hot. So out of the three, there is only one that has my vote and that is for NECKLACES. Get rid of bracelets and facial hair. Disney I truly hope you read these comments. Thank you for listening.
There are some tight bracelets, although I do agree that people in food service or those operating machinery should not wear them. I always have a hair tie or 2 on my wrist. In Florida humidity, it’s always nice to have the option to put your hair up. But Disney counted a neutral brown ponytail holder as a “bracelet”.
I also find men with facial hair “dirty-looking” and “hot” but probably not for the same reasons you do…
If it’s clean and well-managed, there is absolutely nothing wrong with facial hair on men.
As for how is it fair to females? Who cares! They ain’t got it, they ain’t gotta worry about it.
I mean, Walt himself wore a mustache. Not all men can grow facial hair and many women have to fight it. There are also men who cannot shave every day due to skin sensitivity. Fairness isn’t the issue here. If a cast member is working in a job where a loose bracelet would be a safety issue, I’m sure that will be addressed. But “distracting”?
Trim beards and minimal jewelry are considered appropriate and professional in the modern world. If Disney never adjusted their dress codes, men would still be in ties and women in pantyhose. There’s nothing remotely wrong with these changes.
As a cast member who worked somewhere with machinery (embroidery sewing machines), I can assure you management told us multiple times that we were not allowed to have anything loose fitting/dangly while working in that area/at those stations. They took it super serious during training; if we had long hair it had to be secured/tied back as not to get caught in the machines.
Also, as a CM who worked in a food service adjacent area, we were not allowed to wear rings, watches, nor fingernail polish.
Both of these things were checked by management regularly and enforced strictly. If there’s apparel or appearance modifications that could be considered a safety hazard for the CM or the guest in a certain location, the approved “disney look” for said area/job will reflect that.
Disney doesn’t read fan run unofficial “news” blogs.
I can tell you with certainty that they do lol
So females can’t grow beards Men shouldn’t be allowed to? That’s some hot take there Georgia.
Women can wear skirts…how is that fair to men? Regardless of that, trust me, I have seen plenty of women grow facial hair.
No one is stopping you from wearing a skirt
Girls wear tons of makeup. How is that fair for males?
Poor Luis is just so fragile.
No one is stopping you from wearing makeup, Luis.
Honestly I think you need to look at it another way, if being able to have facial hair is not fair to females, then what about ear piercings? men cant have those. Men also cant have nail polish, while we are talking about it men also can not have the extreme hair styles that women can….sooooo i think a being able to grow a beard is fair.
I speak from my opinion alone. As a cast member we do have a lot of standards to uphold. I read a comment that said it’s a lot like being in the Army, the exact words stated “We are in Service, but they are wrong. It’s nothing even close to that. We want to be there. Most of us want to be a part of the magic and the memories that Disney creates. The behavior standards are still the same and still hold us to the highest regard. An appearance does not define a person. I personally have always had a necklace around my neck during work for the past year but because I “broke a rule” by doing so doesn’t make me a horrible person. The necklace is sentimental and it doesn’t keep me from doing my job. Neither will someone else’s appearance because as long as they still uphold the Disney standards then I know I will receive a great interaction! Having a bracelet on or wearing nail polish on does not distract from a job, at least for me. As long as it is not controversial (minus religious symbols because we all know everyone is of different religions and everyone can wear their symbol if they’d like). Wearing a business attire appropriate bracelet is not the end of the world. Do I feel it would be okay for someone to wear a bracelet that should only be worn while going for a night out with friends no, but the rule is allowing bracelets that are business appropriate.
I’m not a fan of the changes. The necklace is fine. Most CMs wear them anyway, they’re just covered. The beards as it is some of them are scraggly looking now. Now they can have it longer?
How dare you Disney, keeping up with the world. We need to go back when men went to work and women stay in the kitchen. CURSE YOU BOB CHAPEK!!!!
I like it! A little individualism within the “classic look” parameters helps create a more inclusive atmosphere for everyone. When I visit, I expect happy, helpful, knowledgeable cast members – I truly don’t care if they wear jewelry or have facial hair as long as they help create the Disney magic.
Would rather have workers have a clean look… No beards..
Then dont come anymore…
Oh and the workers are much more sassy than in the past… But that is probably accepted now too…
They’re probably sassier because people don’t like to listen to the rules just because people pay for an annual pass or a ticket that doesn’t mean you’re the owner of the park you still have to follow the rules that managers tell the cast members to push onto the guest but not all guest listen and I’m quit sure you have children the. You should understand the frustration of dealing with children who don’t listen.
Eh. If a guest comes at me hot headed and cussing and screaming. I’m holding my ground. Ain’t no one got the right to belittle others like some guests do.
and guest are being ahole’s now but hey i guess thats accepted now too. hey Mikey do us a favor get the heck out
Yeah much more sassy IE: we respond now instead of rewarding bad behavior with an Ice Cream Bar :)
You must be a real treat…
Men should be allow to twist their hair instead of the breading only. Why only those whom beard can reach the mustache are allow to have beard??? Disney have a lot of changes bt they are for a very specific group of ppl. Like the beard thing it’s either you allow everyone to have beard or not at all. Limitations to certain ppl is not roght we all different. Some of us have a lot ofnhair some don’t.
Wow – there’s some material here for this week’s edition of Psychotic Comments, at least. I hope that one guy is just a ridiculous troll.
As for me, I was reminded of the College Program info session I attended where a guy with the sides of his hair shaved walked out when the presenter described the Disney Look. 😄
As long as the beards are nicely groomed and the jewelry isn’t too dangly where it disrupts functionality, it’s fine.
Think the jewelry is a big mistake. Also never thought the guys should have any kind of a beard
I don’t like it..it’s a slippery slope. I’m sorry I just think that some things are left better untouched. Many of the sloppy looks that people are doing nowadays, at least to me, tell me a lot about their personal integrity. I come to Disney because I appreciate many things about it, one being the brand that they sell to create a perfect environment of magic. The truth is, I don’t come to Disney to see the individuality of the employees, the cast members. I come to see Disney. Too many things are starting to get loose in this country, lending to things becoming less respected. If this trend starts leaking into Disney, in the future it might stop my partner and I from coming. We’ve been coming to Disney since 1999, every two to three years.
Well lucky for you and your partner, there are plenty of rides, food, games, and Disney characters to distract yourself from the iCkY bEaRdS…but hey if that keeps you from coming 👋
I hate to break it to you, but the cast members – whom are humans and, therefore, individuals -ARE Disney. Without them, who would bring Walt’s ideas and dreams (and characters!) to life? Who would clean your room? Operate the monorail? Sell you merch? Direct you to the bathroom?
I’m not sure what “sloppy looks” you’re referring to, nor how you can determine personal integrity from said looks. I, for one, saw my fellow CMs — some of the kindest, most efficient, most “disney” people — display hidden undercuts, pull off wigs to reveal bright dye jobs (and once a fully bald head*), pop in facial piercings, and/or reveal disguised tattoos once they were off the clock.
It’s about who the person is, not how the person looks. Being a Disney fan, I’d have thought you’d have learned that by now.
*The girl with the bald head was a cancer survivor who’d just been told she was cancer free ~2 weeks before starting. In order to be able to work there she was required to wear a natural looking wig (despite having a job that was partially outside and it being August in Florida) due to “disney look” guidelines.
I see examples of “things becoming less respected” right here in your comment.
All of you weirdos getting mad over some stubble….grow up. Lol, I mean how sad is your life that a cast member being able to grow a beard or wear a necklace affects you in such ways? If it bothers you that much, don’t go to the park, I can GUARANTEE you’re not the type of patrons the cast members want anyway. Get a life. Seriously. A bunch of kids getting hired for a summer job don’t want to be of service to you. Seriously you guys are so sad lol.
Welcome to 2019!!!
I try my best not to judge by looks, so I don’t mind how the CMs look; if they have rainbow-coloured hair and tattoos all over, I wouldn’t mind. I’ve been going to Disney parks since the 1990s and the change in CM dress code has not bothered me one inch. It’s so sad to read this comment section and see how people are reacting to this. Some of us have religious obligations where we wear necklaces to remind ourselves of our moral duties and our religious covenants (i.e. crosses, the crescent moon and star, Moroni with a trumpet, the Om symbol, etc.), and some of us wear the jewellery of the deceased (i.e. relatives, spouses) in order to feel closer to them. How is wearing one necklace or bracelet distracting, except to the person wearing it if it is grossly oversized and interfering with their work?
Furthermore, some people have facial hair because of religious reasons (Think of Sikhism and the practice of Kesh.) It’s saddening to think that people would think lowly of each other based on jewellery or facial hair; it’s superficial, it’s skin-deep. I urge you all, not out of anger but out of love for my fellow humans, to rethink your opinions on this topic and imagine how it would be if YOU were in the CM’s position, and someone was harassing YOU over your looks or making disparaging comments. Please please please consider the emotions of others!
Tell them please DON’T do it!
My company relaxed grooming standards a few years ago and the quality of applicants fell quickly.
I have nothing against beards and facial hair as I myself wear a short (1/4″) neatly trimmed goatee.
However, it is very hard to enforce the minimum standards with Team Members and even some Management. Good workers have to be let go because they wouldn’t adhere to the minimum standards.
Keep it clean! Beard grow out could be a lazy cast member’s excuse not to shave that day.
And I can just image the necklaces they would wear. Keep the jewelry for date night.
KEEP THE FACE CUT!
How will they police the style of bracelet or necklace, and its “meaning”? Do men get to wear them too?
NO NO NO NO NO NO
Leave it the same.
As a cast member with a beard I had no idea, until reading these comments, how many complete strangers despise me, look down at me, and consider me dirty. Sheesh! Also, Disney themselves haven’t announced any of this information.
Right? It’s awesome to find out that the same people I go out of my way for on the daily dislike me for having facial hair. I’ll have to remember this next time someone asks me to do something I shouldn’t.
Again, more rights to men than to women! Yeah bracelets but what about hair options? Costume options?
Were you expecting them to let girls have facial hair too? I don’t know what more women want to make everything equal
As a CM, I was overjoyed when they announced the beard thing. But they only gave us a week to grow it out. Sadly, for me, my facial hair takes a long time to grow. I had 11 days off and it still looked “Stubbly” and that was with zero shaving. It was annoying to go into work and having to shave EVERY day because most days, I got nothing. There was nothing to shave. But woe befall me if I decided to NOT shave so that I could do so the next day and becalled out towards the END of my shift for not shaving.
I’ve been away from work due to an illness for the last 6 months (and still more to come sadly) and I took this time to grow a beard. For everyone who says they’re “dirty” and that you “can’t trust someone with a beard” please reevaluate yourself. If this is how you react to a company deciding to move forward with society, how do you even handle being IN society?
Times are changing. Those who do not keep up with them will be left behind.
I love blue hair as much as the next person, but I think “the Disney look” plays a bigger part in our experience of the parks than we realize. I understand it is probably frustrating for cast members at times, but I’m not sure we could really “leave the world of today” if cast members were too “hip”. Perhaps Disney could find other ways to make the roles more unique and fun for cast members without changing appearance?
Nothing in the new guidelines is stating that cast members can have blue hair. Plus as a CM, the Disney look is more than frustrating. I for one, get major in grown hairs due to having to shave all the time, which then causes medical issues. This new policy will alleviate that for me. There nothing “hip” about allowing people to have facial hair. Facial hair has been a part of human history far longer than Disney has ever existed.
Everyone complaining about the lack of “magic” whenever they see people with beards need to get over themselves quick. There’s nothing “magical” about clean shaven people. If you prefer men without beards, that’s ok by you. Don’t go hiding behind the overuse of the word “magic”.
Besides, some of the most magical people in fiction have beards. Merlin, Gandalf, Dumbeldore. ;)
I want them to fix hair rules. I want my blonde tips back. Nothing crazy tho.
I’m half and half on this. I like that they’ll be able to wear more jewelry but I really hope that the beards don’t get too out of control. There was a reason why Walt wanted a clean look. It’s business professional after all. Well with this happening, can we PLEASE get some control with guest dress code??? I for one am sick and tired of seeing butts hanging out of too short of shorts and crop tops showing rolls of fat. I mean come people, have some decorum and take pride in how you look. This is supposed to be a “family” theme park after all and I don’t want to sit at a table or on the seat of a ride where someone’s “stuff” has been on. It’s just too out of control and needs to be reigned back in.
It’s the beginning of the END of Disney and how we know and LOVE it!!!
Seems like no big deal, but once you start giving in, you head down a slippery slope that you never get back!!!
It will lead to nose rings, tattoos, rainbow hair colors and before you know it, they will be allowed on their phones and the rudeness will just begin!!!!!
Guaranteed!!!!!!!!!!!
I hope they discussed this with OSHA as wearing a braclet or necklace in a theme park environment can be dangerous..
Disney was the one place out could lose yourself from reality. Seeing nice clean cut cast members was part of that. I feel that just like society things at Disney are becoming too lax. I’d say Disney is following the wrong trend. I’m not too sure about a single bracelet either, it could get caught or deter from a cast members outfit. It’s kind of sad. What happened to influencers being good, clean cut and courteous? Outside of Disney I don’t see a real problem with how people want to dress or look like, but while I’m at the resorts, I like the clean cut cast members. It makes you feel happy. Sad, Walt may be turning in his grave!
For anyone who’s day has been utterly ruined by this news:
Fact: a majority of the male (and some female) animated characters; the ones from your favorite Disney Classic films, the very movies that instilled values into you as a child, wouldn’t even pass “Disney’s Grooming Guidelines”. Tarzan, John Smith, Hercules, Prince Adam, Kristoff, etc etc etc.
If they’re able to inflict positivity inside of you; then a cast member at the Magic Kingdom with a 5 o’clock shadow, wearing a necklace, isn’t going to ruin your day, let alone your entire Disney Vacation.
I PROMISE YOU
BUT If you’re really looking for ammunition to fuel your useless dramatic rage, I suggest you Google “Joe Rohde”. That should put you up in arms for an eternity, pushing you to the limit, expelling Disney from your life, and your kids lives, forever.
In the meantime I’m going to sit here and laugh quietly inside at your inability to function as a normal human being.
so all of you who claim to hate these changes you have a simple alternative. Don’t go. Disney much like anything evolves with the times. And for those of you who spew hateful comments and claim Walt is rolling in his grave he is indeed, he’s rolling in his grave that such hateful people like you attend his parks. The issue with our society as a whole is we are too tied up in aesthetics versus giving people a chance regardless of what their appearance is. Imagine your son, daughter, grand daughter, grand son had a beard or something like that. How would you feel seeing others act so hateful about something as simple as that. In the words of thumper from bambi. If you can’t say nothin nice don’t say nothin at all.
I don’t like the changes in Disney look.
That’s what sets Disney apart.
“Back in the 50s all cast members had to be clean shaven”… more like back in 2009 😂 I remember being on the College Program in Spring 2009 and they would force male cast members to be completely clean shaven and you’d get a stern talking to by your manager or coordinator if you had ANY stubble at all lol. They’d send you backstage and make you shave too, they provided the really crappy 1-blade razors that would make your face bleed if you were unlucky enough to not have a decent razor in your work locker. I dunno, if I were a guest I’d rather see a bit of stubble then bleeding cuts, but that’s just me I guess…
I ended up staying part time during college and I remember the day they allowed *fully grown* beards… it was a huge day for Disney. Sure you had to take a two week vacation to grow it in, but you could have a beard if it met every point on the massive list of “Disney look” guidelines.
Ahh man those were the days. I enjoyed my time at Disney but I was always one of those “don’t drink the Kool-Aid” guys who tried to have a life outside of work, especially when I went part time after my program. A lot of my co-workers would just be “Disney Disney Disney!!” 24/7 and their entire life would revolve around working insane hours and then going to the parks on their days off… and that’s all they did. Wouldn’t hear a bad word against the company. The whole culture at Disney had a weird cult-like feel sometimes. I even knew a few people in the college program who gave up promising careers to clean toilets or run rides and they’re still there 10 years later doing the same job… probably not making much more then minimum wage either! It’s just bizarre to me.
Anyway, that’s my rant. This article certainly brings back some memories! Good and bad.
The beard allowance was much needed.
This should be a happy medium, as far as the “Dlook” goes anywayz.
One thing Walt would not be happy with, is Disney’s participation in the promotion of anti family propaganda…Like pride…rainbow’s and LBGT nonsense. I’m sure he has rolled over in his grave a few times by now.