Info Post #12: Disney Look

vintage Disney Look Book cover

So since I decided to do this info post, a whole host of Disney-Look-related blog entries have been popping up. I'm just going to go over some of the key points with a special focus on non-costumed women, since that seems to be what most everyone's worried about. (Sorry to my 5 male subscribers, haha.) Oh, and another thing - the guidelines are super-dry to read through, and there really isn't a way to make the actual guidelines themselves more exciting. However, I'll be spicing the post up with pictures and examples and fun things!

Guidelines for All Cast Members

• Nametags should be worn in an upright, readable position on your outermost layer of clothing and placed on the left shoulder area.
• Costumed cast must have their Walt Disney Company Photo ID with them at all times, but may not wear it onstage. Non-costumed cast must wear the ID when backstage. 
• The only appropriate method for concealing tattoos is opaque make-up (no band-aids). 
• The use of deodorant or anti-perspraint is required. (This one just kind of cracks me up, not gonna lie.)

Guidelines for All Female Cast Members

• Extreme hairstyles are not permitted. If hair is below shoulder-length, it should be confined while working. 
• Hair color should be well-maintained, natural, and appropriate to your skin-tone. (Basically, if you dye your hair you need to look like you could have been born with that color.)
• If eyeliner and eye shadow are worn, they should be neutral colors that are close in value to your skin tone. Eye shadow and eyeliner should create a natural, blended look and should not extend beyond the natural eye area or the corners of the eye. Mascara may be applied lightly in shades of brown or black.

Guidelines for Costumed Women

• Fingernails should not exceed 1/4 of an inch beyond the fingertip. If polish is used, it should be complementary to your skin tone. (N.B: Polish is not permitted in any food service role. This includes quick service, full service, and some merchandise locations.)
• Hair accessories are for the express purpose of holding the hair away from the face and may not be worn as a decorative addition to the costume.
• Rings, earrings and a classic business-style wristwatch are permitted. Necklaces, bracelets and ankle bracelets are not permitted. (Again, in food service roles rings and wristwatches are not permitted.)
• The entire footwear section is basically, "It depends on your role."

Guidelines for Non-Costumed Women

• Professional options for women include dress pants with a classic style blouse or sweater, skirted or pants suit, dress with or without a jacket, and business-style walking shorts with a blouse and  jacket or vest. Cotton twill pants (i.e., Dockers, khakis) are permitted only if they are neatly pressed, creased and appear to be professionally laundered.
• Clothing not permitted includes polo or golf style shirts (except for Sports & Recreation Cast), cargo-style pants, t-shirts, sundresses, sleeveless tops or dresses (without a jacket), capri pants, leggings, casual shorts, wrap-around shorts, one-piece rompers and garments made of denim fabrics.
• Dress and skirt lengths may range from three inches (7.6 cm) above the top of the kneecap bone to the bottom of the ankle. The length of shorts should be from the top of the kneecap bone to three inches (7.6 cm) above the top of the kneecap bone.
• Fabrics should be those traditionally acceptable for business such as tweed, wool, cotton, polyester, silk, linen, rayon or blends of these fibers. Unacceptable fabrics include spandex, gauze, metallic fabrics, sheer fabrics, clinging knits, denim and chambray.
• Rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, lapel pins and a business-style wristwatch are permitted. A pin, brooch or scarf clip in good business taste is also acceptable. Two necklaces and two bracelets in good business taste that blend with the outfit and each other are permitted. Earrings may not exceed the size of a quarter.
• Dress shoes or boots in good business taste are required. Classic dress shoes are permitted to have an open toe, open heel or a slingback (strap around the heel). An important note about footwear: Someone on the facebook group mentioned that heels could not exceed 2" in height. Nowhere in the Disney look book does it specifically give a heel height limit. As long as the shoes are in good business taste you should be fine. 5" is probably pushing it, though... ;)

All of  these looks are acceptable within the Disney Look guidelines, with the small exception of the bracelets on the two outer looks. They're actually one bracelet set, but it appears as though more than two are worn, which would be a red flag.

I'm at school, so I don't have a lot of my business-casual attire with me, but I definitely want to post what I've purchased as far as Disney-Look-wear goes at some point!

I guess I should say some things about the guys, too, huh?

Guidelines for Costumed Men

• Rings, a small tie tack and a classic, business-style wristwatch are permitted.  Necklaces, bracelets and ankle bracelets are not permitted.

Guidelines for Non-Costumed Men

• Dress trousers and a short or long-sleeved professional style shirt are required. Shirts must be tucked in, with the exception of sweaters specifically tailored otherwise.
• Cotton twill trousers (i.e., Dockers, khakis) are permitted only if they are neatly pressed, creased and appear to be professionally laundered.
• Clothing not permitted includes polo or golf style shirts (except for Sports & Recreation Cast), cargo-style trousers, t-shirts and garments made of denim fabrics.
• Lapel pins, tie bars or clips, collar bars, cufflinks, rings, a bracelet and a business-style watch are permitted.
• One bracelet, in good business taste, in gold, silver or a color that blends with your clothing is permitted.
• Dress shoes and socks in good business taste are required.

So that's the Disney Look in a nutshell! For the complete guidelines (which you will need to be familiar with by the time your program starts), please check out the College Program website's section on the Disney Look or go ahead and download the Disney Look .pdf.

Info Teaser: Disney Look

super-vintage "Disney Look" illustration

I found a .pdf of "The Disney Look Book" (clicking will download the .pdf) while browsing the Professional Interns website, so I'm posting it here for those of you who are curious and want to read through the whole thing before we get down there. I think it's basically what's on the college program site, but it's worth checking out.


I'm going to read through it myself and do an info post of the important points soon, so be on the look out for that! :)

List: Disney Smells

I thought I'd start doing Top Five/Top Ten lists here, but I wanted to do some that were a little bit out of the ordinary. So what better way to kick it off than with The Top Five Smells of Walt Disney World?

five. fresh-baked cookies on main street, usa.

a hallmark of disney's almost fanatical attention to detail - they actually pump the smell of freshly baked cookies into the air as you walk down main street! mmm.

four. the orange groves on soarin'.

soarin' is easily epcot's most popular attraction. personally, i'd be fine if i could just bottle up the smells as you fly over california's orange groves...

three. the monorail.

yeah, it smells kind of like pee, but i freaking love the monorail. it's so quintessentially wdw to me.

[oookay. someone seems to have taken offense at my trying to pinpoint the monorail smell by comparing it to pee. that was clearly a bad descriptor. i'm sorry. but it's a funky, kind of stale smell that i love nonetheless because it means i'm in disney.]

two. rome burning on spaceship earth.

one. the water on pirates of the caribbean (or splash, or almost any other water ride, really) 

this smell just is disney to me. whenever i watch videos of potc or splash or something on youtube, it's almost as if i can smell the water. who knew water could have a smell - and such a tantilizing one at that? (& thanks to my future roomie jenn for reminding me of the awesomeness of this smell!)

What do you think? Are there any smells you associate with WDW? Or maybe one I left off that you think deserves to be on this list? (Anyone who suggests Stitch's Great Escape is positively crazy.)

images courtesy of the disboards, flickr, and allears.net. edited by me in picnik.

Info Post #11: Alumni Advice!

one. Florida weather is beautiful, but it can also get chilly and rainy, so be prepared for that! Pack some sweatshirts, a light jacket, and an umbrella and rain gear. It will pour, so be ready for that. Rainy days are also a prime time to play in the parks, so take advantage of them. Of course, if you get caught in a sudden burst of rain when you're already at a park you could always rock a Mickey Poncho...


two. Make sure you understand the whole Disney Look thing before you get down there, as it will make things like check-in and Traditions much smoother for you and everyone else.

Now, to be clear about this: you do not have to be dressed in Disney Look at check-in, but they will check you there for things like natural hair color and make sure you don't have any visible tattoos or non-standard piercings, etc etc etc. I think you can wear piercings to check-in as long as they can be taken out when you need to be in Disney look, but I'm not sure.
At Traditions, however, your attire needs to match Disney Look completely or they won't let you do it that day. For the full guidelines, check out this section of the College Program website. Everything you need to review before your program is there!

three. Take advantage of all the CP has to offer! In addition to taking full advantage of the parks (like going for a few hours just because you can), go to the events held for CP participants (pool parties, Grocery Bingo, etc) and special Cast Member tours (like behind the scenes tours of attractions and more) while you're down there. The special tours tend to fill up really quickly so check the Hub often. It's a great way to meet new people and just chill. In fact, check the Hub daily so you don't miss out on any of the great opportunities down there.

four. If, like me, you won't have a car down there, pay attention to the bus schedule because it changes sometimes. And always take an earlier bus! Even if it gets you to work an hour early, you can bring your costume with you and chill in the parks as a guest for a little bit. Better to be an hour early than get half a point for clocking in late!

five. If you are also like me in that you freaking love shopping and will be there for the fall program, try to hold off on buying souvenirs until the holiday discounts kick in - they go up to 50% off! There's also a merchandise liquidation sale called SALSA (Spend a Little, Save a Lot) that happens in the Epcot parking lot - get to it as soon as possible because there's always a line to get into the tent but it's definitely worth it, as it includes merchandise from all around the resorts and parks and it's not all just Disney stuff, either.

six. Network! This could mean going to an event specifically for networking (either a CP one or one at Disney University) or just establishing and maintaining good relationships with your managers. It will make your job easier while you're there and help you out in the long run if you ever want to come back for another program, a PI, or start a career with Disney.

seven. Be open and put yourself out there - don't just hang out in your apartment if you're shy. Developing relationships with your fellow Cast Members not only gives you a social life, it makes working that much more enjoyable. Almost everyone down there is in the same situation as you: new environment, new experiences, new people. Make the most of it!

eight. Go to the special events that happen during your program! For Fall and Fall Advantage, this means Epcot's Food and Wine Festival, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, and all the Christmas events around WDW like Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. It's worth it to splurge on international treats (and wine, if you're over 21) at the Food and Wine Festival and pay for a discounted CM ticket to MNSSHP. In fact, since my birthday is in October I want to celebrate it by going to Food and Wine during the day then hopping to MK for MNSSHP that night!

nine. Be financially wise. A lot of people break even because they'll just spend their money paycheck to paycheck, but it is entirely possible to budget, watch what you spend, and walk away with money saved. Take advantage of CM discounts at Disney restaurants, but try and cook for yourself when you have the chance, or bring your lunch to work instead of buying it at the Mouseketeria. Even cooking your own meals and saving leftovers is cheaper than buying frozen ones all the time. Just be mindful of the fire alarms when you're busting out your inner chef.

ten. If you're under 21, don't even risk it with alcohol. It's the number one reason for CP termination. One guy extended into spring and was terminated a few weeks after extending for this. It's just not worth it.

eleven. Price Management/security in the apartments can be pretty hardcore - don't hang a towel out to dry over your balcony, put a pair of shoes outside to dry, or leave your door cracked open if you're running out for a second if you want to avoid warnings from them.

twelve. You don't have to be absolute besties with your roommates. Sure, it'd be nice and make things a lot easier, but it's possible to get along with/live with someone without being best friends.

thirteen. You're working in the most magical place on earth, but it's still a job. It will have its pros and its cons, so be ready for that. Guests are sometimes grumpy and unreasonable, CPers often get long shifts, and you're on your feet all day. But on the flip side of that.... you're working in the most magical place on earth and you get to give guests the experience of a lifetime! Just be sure you go in with realistic expectations.

fourteen. Going along the lines of tip thirteen, you're working in the most magical place on earth, so have fun with your job! Talk to the guests and ask them how their trips have been going - even a simple "hi, how are you?" can put a smile on people's faces. Especially if you're working a shop at a ride exit, talk to the guests waiting for their family members to come off.

fifteen. If you will be lucky enough to have a car down there, bring a GPS!

sixteen. If you have things you want to accomplish/do on the program, like for example seeing the Hoop Dee Doo or seeing every resort, make a list before you go! You'll get so busy once you're down there that it will be very easy to lose track of these kinds of things.

seventeen. TRY A DOLE WHIP!

eighteen. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy what is sure to become an unforgettable time in your life!!

nineteen. Try a Dole Whip float (only after accomplishing seventeen.)

twenty. Go ahead and get a second pineapple-y treat. You know you want to... classic Dole Whip or Dole Whip float, though? These are the questions that haunt CPers...


Thanks to flickr for the pictures and the lovely people on the DisBoards for advice, specifically everyone who responded to my questions. :)

more formspring questions!

I feel like I should have some kind of witty April Fool's post... ah well. I'll leave that to Google.

Formspring's been wonky lately - sorry it took me awhile to get back to some of these. :P (I'm also editing a questions vlog, so look for that soon!)

Curious-what do you do as a Full Service Food and Beverage Cast Member? Is this the position you wanted. If not, what would be your dream position? 
From the job description in my purple folder: "Your responsibilities may include: greeting and seating Guests in restaurants; managing a seating chart and resolving Guest situations; utilizing a computerized reservation/seating system; cash handling - both manual and using computerized registers; rolling silverware, folding napkins, and keeping area stocked; light cleaning; multi-tasking; standing for extended periods; and working outdoors." I didn't check off anything I didn't want to do, so I'm definitely excited about this role! It wasn't my first choice though - that was attractions or character performer.

What was your phone interview like? What kind of questions did they ask? 
I had a really nice interviewer, so it was super chill, despite my nerves and excitement. I wrote a blog post about the kind of things they'll ask here: http://abbydoesdisney.blogspot.com/2009/09/info-post-3-phone-interview.html 

When does your program start?
June 14, 2010! And it can't come soon enough. :P

I'm also working on a Tips from Alumni post and... other posts. Yeeeah.