The Disney Look - PART ONE
Say! Here's something a little bit different. Our friend Sue B. acquired a cast member item from 1987, "The Disney Look". No, it's not about the angry looks I got from Walt when I gave him some of my great ideas ("Walt, baby, popcorn is so yesterday, we need to sell chocolate-covered pork rinds!"). It's about the very specific standards that the park had regarding grooming and dress for men and women. For instance: leather-studded collars? Frowned upon! I don't understand it, but it is so.
This item is 19 pages, and it's a lot of reading, which is hard because of all those long words such as "hair". So I will be splitting this up into three posts. By the end, I expect each and every one of you to conform to these standards. I'M LOOKING AT YOU, K. MARTINEZ!
Here's the cover, featuring folks who look so neat and tidy that their surnames just might be "Osmond". I have had older versions of "Disney Look" guides, but I think they are all gone now - so it's a bit jarring to see the Captain EO poster behind the fellow in the upper left. Is that an Ambassador in the upper right? We definitely have a Tour Guide in the lower right. The woman in the lower left might have worked in the costume department, while the Skipper just looks cool. What is the building behind Donald and that gentleman in the lower photo?
Before humankind invented the Table of Contents, there was chaos, unrest, and ring around the collar. For new hires, this ToC helped them to be their best selves in the shortest time. Get rid of that mullet, shave off that foot-long goatee, and (for the gals), reduce the height of that beehive hairdo by at least six inches.
Dick Nunis has some words of wisdom for us all. The three things that guests comment upon most frequently? "First, the cleanliness. Second, the friendly and helpful employees. And, third, the good, all around Show". Dang, I would have guessed "Are werewolves real?" would be in there, which is why I am not a Disneyland cast member. Dick mentions "French crew cuts", I have no idea how that is different from an American crew cut, but it frightens me just to consider it. I have Dick Nunis's book, I should read it!
"We are going to continue to enforce our defined standards of appearance...". Enforce, with extreme prejudice!
Here is some helpful information about costumes, and how they are designed, created, and used in the real world. I believe that the smiling young lady in the top photo is working at one of the souvenir booths just outside the tunnels into Town Square, what do you think? And HEY, what do you know! There's our good friend Bu, the Platonic ideal of neatness and tidiness. Not a hair out of place! "D" pin and name tag just so. Reading the text, I see that I would not have qualified as a cast member because of the three teardrops tattooed on my face.
I think Bu has told us stories of some costume mishaps that happened to him during his years as a Guide, it's nice to know that they had a system in place just in case. To this day I think it's amusing that they frowned on facial hair so much, considering the famous mustache on the founder, who said mustaches made men look like "city slickers". Hmmmm! Don't wear Hai Karate, but do apply Arrid Extra Dry. Mood rings are "out". I love the mention of "Earth shoes", are those still a thing?
That's it for PART ONE! The next installment will be in less than two weeks. MANY THANKS to Lou and Sue for this fun item!
5 comments:
Major-
The true secret of "The Disney Look" has been revealed by Dick Nunis: "When our guests talk about how clean DISNEYLAND and WALT DISNEY WORLD are, they are not just saying that there is no paper on the streets or that the paint is fresh... they're also talking about our Cast Members". I can't believe it - the secret all along was fresh paint on the cast members. It's pure genius-!
So when did the 'moustache and beard rule' go into effect-?
Thanks to Sue and The Major for sharing this publication.
In the first photo with that guy strangling Donald (it's about time!), I think that's just some latticework of an outdoor eating area. I thought maybe the Plaza Inn, but probably not.
Sounds like the "French crew cut" is what we 'Mericans would call a 'flattop with fenders'; short and flat on top, long and slicked back on the sides.
On the page with Bu (I'm jealous), I think I see some cherry bombs and M-80s for sale at that souvenir booth.
I totally understand why all these rules are necessary, but geez. It sure sounds overly zealous and persnickety. But I guess that's the only way to keep thousands of employees in check.
This publication is quite interesting, and kinda fun to read. Thank you very much, Sue. And thank you, Major for a particularly humorous commentary.
Flashback to many years -- nay, many DECADES ago, maybe the 70s. I was in a Main Street gift shop, towards the back, and overheard the two young ladies at the counter who I didn't really notice on entering. The conversation ran something like this:
First: "These new blouses are too flimsy. You can see my bra through it."
Second: (laughing) "There are no breasts in Disneyland."
First: "Seriously. I told our lead about it, and she said to wear a camisole. Camisoles don't work for me ..."
As the conversation continued I made my way to the front, exiting with eyes forward as if they didn't exist. Well, what DOES one do? Looking and smiling was, in this care, subject to gross misinterpretation.
Women used to wear beehives in "high-fashion" colors of pink, blue, green, and purple? I don't think I've ever seen pictures of that. I remember Tracy Turnblad in "Hairspray" had blond and brunette two-toned hair. And I also see that sometimes on contestants of vintage game shows. But I didn't think having hair dyed the colors of the rainbow was a thing until the punk scene arrived.
The location behind Donald and friend, is the patio for the former Hills Brothers Coffee House. It might have been the American Egg House in 1987.....not sure when they American Egg Board (the restaurant's sponsor) pulled out of DL.
The shop location in the photo above the pic of Bu, was the Small World Souvenir Stand. We can see several IASW souvenirs, such as multiple records and some music boxes (lover right corner). And in the upper left corner, we can see many "dolls from around the world" on the shelves. There is also a Main Street Electrical Parade picture disc/record, next to the IASW records.
Bu, that Tour Guide costume really needed to have a plaid shirt and vest! :-)
I still have my copy of "The Disney Look" from 1981. I don't think too much changed between then and 1987. But now, there have been much "relaxing" of the dress codes. And I'm pretty sure that part about maintaining "weight and size" has been dropped. And if I'm not mistaken, mustaches were allowed before beards were, but I don't remember the specific dates for either.
I wonder if there is a handbook out there titled, "The Carny Look." ;-)
Thank you Sue and Major!
Post a Comment