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corrinhorn
07-27-2003, 11:04 PM
I know that somewhere on the pad it has been brought up before, but how do y'all feel about seeing cast members in costume outside of the park? (Just to get an Idea of what everyone thinks).

I stopped to get Gas yesterday, and as I got out of my car, I looked around and noticed two other CM's in their costumes, kinda made me chuckle.

I have heard stories of Cast members getting Harassed at places like the gas station and such because they were wearing costumes and the other people there thought it was "bad show".

So what do you think?

Morrigoon
07-27-2003, 11:53 PM
Haven't had that happen yet. But the only place I've gone in costume after work is the gas station or the cast member Denny's (they're used to seeing it there, so no one bats an eye).

Uncle Dick
07-28-2003, 08:44 AM
Originally posted by Morrigoon
Haven't had that happen yet. But the only place I've gone in costume after work is the gas station or the cast member Denny's (they're used to seeing it there, so no one bats an eye).
Same here.

The only time I'd get gas in my costume was early morning (around 2 am or so) so there wasn't really anyone around to notice. Same with Denny's.

The FastTrack program specifically permits CMs to wear their costumes during activities that would normally take place on a drive to or from work, and it seems reasonable to me. If anyone's to blame, it's the geniuses who created FastTrack in the first place.

Bill Catherall
07-28-2003, 10:06 AM
I agree with Uncle Dick. I don't blame the CMs, I blame the "genius" that came up with the idea. In my opinion, CMs shouldn't be seen outside the parks in costume. It really is bad show. But a CM can only work with the system given to them.

I've seen a costumed CM outside of the park buying gas. I got a chuckle out of it though because it was a Tomorrowland CM buying gas at Chevron. I guess the corporate sponsorship even works on the CMs. ;)

Fantasmic Fan
07-28-2003, 10:20 AM
A CM at the gas station or something like that would not bother me but I did do a double-take when I was at the Block with my friend and I saw two CM's who were in their monorail costumes, the maroon jackets too! Some of my cast member friends told me that they would not be caught dead outside of work with their costume on.

Dexter
07-28-2003, 10:28 AM
I actually did a double take when I saw CM shopping in costume at my local wal-mart. It definately threw me. He had his name tag and everything on. I agree that it's bad show to see CM's outside of the park in their costumes.

You wouldn't catch me at Wal-Mart in my cammies, granted I'm not allowed to be in Wal-Mart in my cammies as it is, but if I was allowed to, I wouldn't because I would feel silly.

Blanche
07-28-2003, 01:29 PM
I would rather not see cast members wearing costumes outside of the park. However, if I do, I expect them to behave in a courteous manner.

One night we were headed into IHOP on Harbor Blvd. As I reached for the door (the right-hand side), out barged a girl in a Main Street costume. She barrelled through the door I was reaching for (no one was near her side of the door), pushed past us as if she were mad at the world, and let the door slam in our faces as she ran off. All we could do was stand there in complete shock. She was not wearing a name tag. If she were, I could have reported her to DLR. It was very rude, inconsiderate behavior for anyone, let alone a DL CM. It's actions like this that disspell the "magic" that is so unique to Disneyland.

So, cast members, if you must wear your costume outside of the park, please behave as you are expected to behave while inside the park. While wearing that costume, you still represent Disney.

dshimel
07-28-2003, 02:07 PM
My only experience with this is my days back in the Navy. We worked in dungarees, but couldn't wear them off base as they were "bad show". It kind of sucked having to get dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, drive to work with the uniform in a duffle bag, then change into uniform once on base. For lunch, we were prisoners of the base becasue lunch wasn't long enough to change, get off base, get lunch, get back to base, and change back into uniform.

I understand why a CM would want to just put on the costume at home, then drive to work. Even the military now allows the wearing of work uniforms off base.

On the other hand, I can see the fan's POV. It is bad show to see a pirate or jungle cruise captain dining next to you at Denny's.

My opinion is that Disney should allow it, but the CMs shouldn't abuse it. Stopping for gas is one thing. Going to dinner is another.

Rallymonkey23
07-28-2003, 02:45 PM
Talk about bad show. I went to a liquor store and few months back and this lady was asking the person behind the counter for a bottle of vodka, and she would pay him back when she got the money! :eek: Of course, she was in her costume, and still had her name tag on. I still see the same lady every now and then working at the turnstiles.

Polar33
07-28-2003, 02:46 PM
Except for a few (really) late night group trips to said Dennys, and trips to the gas station (usually not near the resort unless it's an emergancy) I prefer not to wear my costume outside of work. If I plan on stopping and getting groceries or something else I toss on a shirt I keep in the car. Granted some costumes can get away with that better than others but I prefer not to stand out.

IMHO, what I think is worse are the CMs who are out in the 15 min. parking area alongside Harbor in full costume, nametag and all, smoking, talking on their cell phone and what have you. Atleast the gas station and Dennys are far enough off property that you are not completely surrounded by guests.

keschy
07-28-2003, 02:47 PM
This just happenned to me yesterday. We were buying gas yesterday afternoon right across from DL entrance and we saw a CM buying gas. It was a little wierd to see her out of the park, but everyone has to put gas in their car.She was very friendly and smiled at us.

TecTalker2K
07-29-2003, 12:52 PM
Grow up. It is nice so many have this Disney Fantasy but what it seems to me is most have forgotten that they did not give up being human when they went to work for the mouse. Remeber, when you go out the gsates, you aren't in Disneyland anymore and there is no show. Sheesh

cstephens
07-29-2003, 01:10 PM
Originally posted by TecTalker2K
Grow up.

I'm thinking there's a better way to contribute to a discussion than "grow up". We are grown up. We also have opinions. If you disagree, that's fine, but that doesn't make you more "grown up".

I encountered a CM in full parking lot costume in the return line at Fry's about a year ago. It was a bit odd.

Bill Catherall
07-29-2003, 01:15 PM
Originally posted by TecTalker2K
you aren't in Disneyland anymore and there is no show. That's exactly why there should be no costume. It has nothing to do with one's age, so I don't get the "grow up" comment. It has to do with putting on a show. After you see a play you won't see a member of the cast a block down the road filling his car with gas in full costume.

hbquikcomjamesl
07-29-2003, 01:32 PM
It seems to me that a great deal depends on the costume. Consider one small area: guest relations. You've got two recognizably different costumes: the traditional tour guide outfit (complete with helmet and crop) worn by the "Welcome to Disneyland" guides, and you've got the simple black plaid vest with black trousers worn by those who work the City Hall counter, and by Walt's Footsteps guides, and (for the few short weeks it ran) by guides on the backstage tour of many years ago. The latter doesn't look much different from an ordinary three-piece suit, sans coat, and I see no reason why it would be "bad show" to wear it off-property. The former, however, is very obviously a Disney costume, almost as much so as a character suit, and would therefore be much less appropriate for off-property wear.

Of course, we must all acknowledge that the whole "FastTrack" program (the last I heard, the Florida term was "Zoomer") was a cost-cutting measure by management who didn't want to pay CMs for the time it took to pick up their costumes at the beginning of their shifts, change, change again at the end of their shifts, and turn their costumes in at the end of the day. Let us hope that Mickey and Minnie are never forced into the program.

corrinhorn
07-29-2003, 09:57 PM
Sorry Bill, But I don't get paid enough at Disneyland to afford "fancy Chevron Gas." I go to Arco. Yeah, Polar, with the exception of Denny's or Gas, or if I am running into Panda Express for some scrumptious Chinese Food, I don't often wear my full costume. I have been known however to wear the green pants if I have some stuff to do before or after work, but not that shirt.

TruCinderella
07-29-2003, 10:37 PM
same as everyone said- i have a very, whats the word vibrant costume-that catches everyones eye, other then gas, and the occasional night out to dennys with fellow cast members i wouldnt be caught dead anywhere else in my costume. it just isnt cool, and even when im getting gas or at dennys i ALWAYS take my nametag off :D
anyways, ive learned to carry a change of clothes in my car for those just in case moments

but what throws me is, people expect costumed cast members, that arent at work to still act and be courteous as if they were working?

SpacedOutCM
07-29-2003, 11:23 PM
I would have to say that getting gas is somewhat acceptable. But Denny's... i don't like it.

I say if people are to go to Denny's after work, that they take a change of clothes. There is nothing worse than seeing Disney CM's at a restuarant like Denny's. :rolleyes:

I have even seen Disney CM's at Wal*Mart, with name tag and i.d. around their neck :eek: That's even lower than Denny's. Sometimes it looks like people try to parade around that they work at the DLR.

And speaking about seeing CM's smoking , talking on cel phones in the 15 min parking, that reminded me a friend's roommate. I saw him at the bus stop, in his Mansion costume ...smoking! :( Of course, I told my friend what I saw and told him that maybe he should have a talk with him.

I think if they are in a Disney costume outside of work, that they should be courteous and stuff like that because while wearing Disney property, the should represent the company.

Morrigoon
07-29-2003, 11:39 PM
You know what? Some of us just don't have TIME to be changing. We have jobs and we have errands to run. As it is we have to allow at least half an hour from the time we arrive at the cast parking lot before we have to be at our locations because of all the hassle we have to go through to get to work. If I stop off at the Euclid Wal-Mart because I need to get something and I live in a really bad area that doesn't have a Wal-Mart (and even if it did I wouldn't go in it!), well, I need to do it on my way to or from work - and I just can't add another half hour to my commute time to change at work. Not when they've made the whole locker thing such a pain.

And as far as Denny's, we go to a specific one that is near, but not immediately adjacent to the Resort. At the hours we (CMs) go there, the restaurant patrons are 1/2 or more CMs. It's not like we're out drinking!

Anyway, if the company doesn't like it, then they should give us our lockers back and lose fasttrack. (Got my vote)

swtkissez
07-30-2003, 12:14 AM
LOL, today at the DMV, full on costumed cast member, nametag and all. Funnyness!

TecTalker2K
07-30-2003, 09:02 AM
Yes, a lot of you need to realize that you are adults and live in an adult world. The CMs are wearinbg the clothes they work in. How many of you do the same thing? You are not kids so you don't need the constant illusion that CMs only exist at DLR.

Loric
07-30-2003, 09:44 AM
*patpat Morrigoon*

You gotta remember, to "them" you're not a human being anymore. You're some supreme lifeform that is infalliable - or atleast ought to be.

As far as I knew (east coast rules), you're not allowed to wear your nametag anywhere but in the parks - and if you're off duty and crossing through the park you're supposed to take it off or you're expected to still provide service if a guest comes up to you. If your nametag is off, you're allowed to defer them to another CM who is on duty.

For most costumes, you jsut need to change your shirt, or wear jsut your undershirt, and no one will have any clue its a costume.

adriennek
07-30-2003, 10:17 AM
I don't dare remind someone that I take my children to public places... :rolleyes: I'll just sit here at my computer and quietly flame myself for that one and get it overwith...

I don't expect CMs in costume, outside of work, to stop and help me, but I don't expect them to be rude or behave inappropriately, either. If you're wearing a costume (and a nametag representing your employer! Or whatever the affiliation is,) you're representing that entity and the other people affiliated with it. That's just reality. No one has to like it, but it's the responsibility- or burden- you get by wearing that costume in public.

Now, Morrigoon said she doesn't have time to change. I can accept that. However, you have to accept, if you don't have time to change, that you made your choice. For example, no one forced you to go to Denny's in your costume or uniform. It's a personal choice how anyone behaves in their costume at Denny's or at work. Disney can't control how CMs behave at Denny's. I'd like to think that most would behave fine and respectably. Unfortunately, based on my experiences with humans in general, I doubt that every CM does.

I've been affiliated with all sorts of groups over the years and whenever I go out in public wearing that affiliation publically, I am representing that company, group of people, etc.

Disney obviously decided that it was worth it to allow CMs to represent them outside of the park. I don't agree with Disney's choice, personally. I don't know what I would do if I were a CM. I know I would probably take off my nametag. I do know that no matter where I went, I would try to remember that I am representing my company and reflect that in my behavior as best as I could.

Adrienne

Bill Catherall
07-30-2003, 10:37 AM
Originally posted by TecTalker2K
Yes, a lot of you need to realize that you are adults and live in an adult world. The CMs are wearinbg the clothes they work in. How many of you do the same thing? You are not kids so you don't need the constant illusion that CMs only exist at DLR. You seem to be having a hard time grasping the concept of "show." It isn't about any illusion of the CMs and it has nothing to do with age. It's about a character the CM plays when on stage. The costume gets them into the character. If they are wearing the costume outside of work then the costume makes it more difficult to get into character since they are wearing it in other normal circumstances. So the show in the park suffers.

As soon as they leave the stage they leave the character behind and should remove the costume. Unfortunately, as Morrigoon pointed out, the system makes it difficult to do so leaving them inconvenienced and having to do it on their own time. Personally, I think Disney should not only provide adequate areas to change in, but should pay them for the change time and make it part of their scheduled hours. Also, I think it's wrong to require the employees to take care of the costumes themselves. In many other environments if the employee is required to wear a uniform then the employer is required to maintain it. But this is more than a uniform, it's a costume worn by a character (even if they work vending) in a cast that is part of a show.

DonaldDuck14
07-30-2003, 11:55 AM
ok i kind of understand how some think its "bad show" but ionno why its a big deal? as long if they still are courteous while in costume, i don't see any problems. Sure its a bit odd seeing a cast member filling up gas or eating at denny's but as long if they still have that disney courtesy, i don't see any need to complain.