As Tokyo Disney Resort moves towards achieving their Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, the resort today announced a slight change in Disney Look guidelines for working Cast Members, which dictates how they are allowed to appear while working “on stage.” These changes include unifying some gender-specific language to be unisex, as well as introducing unisex costuming.
Tokyo Disney Resort has updated its Disney Look very little since Tokyo Disneyland opened in 1983, sticking to tradition far more so than the recent liberalization of the Disney Look at the US-based parks announced in 2021.
Starting April 1, all Cast Members regardless of gender will now fall under the same guidelines for hairstyles and makeup restrictions. Additionally, some slight relaxations will be made with regards to acceptable hair color and styles. Additionally, a good number of costumes across the resort which vary between the Cast Member’s gender will now be available to all Cast Members regardless of gender.
Current regulations still require Cast Members to keep a clean and organized hairstyle regardless of gender, with hair unable to obstruct any part of their face below the eyebrows, as well as cover their ears or nametag. Examples from the OLC Disney Look are shown above. Acceptable looks for men and women on the left, unacceptable on the right.
Hair color rules have also been slightly relaxed. Formerly, Cast Members were only allowed to approach a level 8 on the Japan Hair Color Association’s sliding scale, a very dark brown. Now they may have a color up to level 10, which is close to brown hair. Any lighter shades such as blonde are not permitted and must still be dyed to a darker color.
Facial hair of any kind is still strictly prohibited, as are any visible tattoos.
The former Disney Look of course was separated by gender, with men and women having different rules. For example, women could wear minimal makeup, with very specific rules on what exactly was allowed. These specifics have been removed from the website, now replaced with a simple “Wear clean, natural makeup. Glitter, gold, silver, and other sparkling make-up is not permitted. Also, avoid using flashy colors, even if they are natural.”
Rules regarding fingernails are now relaxed for men. Formerly, men could not have any manicuring or extension of their nails beyond their fingertips, but now may follow the same rules as women — “The length should be no more than 3mm from the tip of the finger and should be kept clean at all times. For manicures and gel nails, choose colors that are close to your skin tone. Baubles or paints with a high degree of design are not permitted. You can’t wear false nails.”
Cast Members will now be given a choice of pants or skirts for both genders in many costumes, as well as some designs which were previously unavailable to the opposite gender. For example at Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall, men are in red crown shirts traditionally while women wear yellow heart shirts. Their undershirts would be the opposite color. But now they may mix and match these designs as they please.
Another example provided was the Soaring: Fantastic Flight Cast Member costume, where men wore a light blue vest with a right-hand curve on the vest and darker blue pants. Women would wear a vest with a left-hand curving vest and a dress. Now these may be mixed and matched at their leisure, with pants available to women and dresses available to men.
Perhaps most notably will be at The Haunted Mansion, where women can now wear the purple vest and green pants, while men can wear the green maid dress and bat headband if they so desire.
Some costumes, such as Pirates of the Caribbean, have one design for both genders and will remain as such.
These changes go into effect for Cast Members at Tokyo Disney Resort starting April 1. You can review the full former Disney Look on the Wayback Machine, and the new version on the Tokyo Disney Resort Casting Line website.
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