Disney Park employees have a new dress code

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In a blog post this week, Disney Parks Division President Josh D’Amaro pledged to update attractions, modernize park values, and perhaps most visibly change the guidelines for how park employees look – better known as members of the Disney Cast – dress.

D’Amaro said the company would offer “more flexibility” to their cast members in terms of “forms of personal expression surrounding hairstyles, jewelry, nail styles and costumes that include sex.” The parks will even allow Cast members to present “appropriate visible tattoos.”

“We are updating them to remain not only relevant in today’s workplace, but also to allow cast members to better express their cultures and individuality in the workplace,” D’Amaro wrote.

Historically, Disney has been specific about the look of Cast members – favoring a clean look to stay in line with the image of the family-friendly company. For example, in the past, cast members did not have facial hair.

In any case, Disney (early) now looking for ways to update its parks for an evolving world, where inclusion is becoming a key value of the corporation.
Disney strives to make theme parks - "The happiest place on earth" - more inclusive.

“We want our guests to see their own environments and traditions reflected in the stories, experiences and products they encounter in their interactions with Disney. And we want our members – and future cast members – to feel a sense of belonging to the workplace, ”wrote D’Amaro. “This means cultivating an environment in which all people feel welcomed and appreciated for their unique life experiences, perspectives and culture. In which we celebrate alliance and mutual support. And in which diverse opinions and ideas are sought as critical contributions to our collective success. .. “

Disney has previously announced that it is also undertaking major upgrades to two of its classic attractions to make them more inclusive: Jungle Cruise and Splash Mountain.

Jungle Cruise, where guests take a trip through the wilds with a comedy skipper, is updated with new scenes and characters. The journey has been criticized for its descriptions of wild “natives.”

Splash Mountain, a ride based on the controversial 1946 film “Song of the South,” will be completely remade to show characters from the 2009 animated film, “The Princess and the Frog,” which features Disney’s first black princess.

"Inclusion is essential to our culture," Josh D'Amaro, president of Disney Parks, wrote this week.

D’Amaro explained that the company requested contributions from distribution members in 2019 on how to update the park’s culture. One suggestion was to add a fifth key to Disney’s “Four Keys,” which are its long-standing principles to the park’s guest service. Cast members suggested adding a fifth key to inclusion to go hand in hand with safety, courtesy, performance and efficiency.

“Inclusion is essential to our culture and drives us further as we continue to realize our rich heritage of captivating stories, exceptional service and Disney magic,” D’Amaro wrote.

The changes come after the park unit experienced one of its worst years due to closures and layoffs caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
This is what the Disney Parks of the future will look like
The announcements also take place as other major companies, such as JPMorgan Chase, invest billions to promote racial equality.
Another Disney unit, ABC News, is breaking down barriers this week. The news organization announced on Wednesday that Kimberly Godwin will become the president of ABC News, thus becoming the first black executive to lead one of the most important newsrooms in America.

D’Amaro ended his blog post by saying that the world is changing and Disney will continue to change with it.

“We will never stop working to make sure Disney is a welcoming place for everyone,” he wrote.

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