As one of the world's leading entertainment companies, Disney naturally has a reputation to uphold and that means all Cast Members need to help maintain the excellence of the show. One way this is achieved is through personal appearance, and all Cast Members are expected to adhere to a series of guidelines when maintaining their dress and appearance. This is known as The Disney Look. The Disney Look is mandatory and non-negotiable for all Cast-Members and unless there are legitimate medical or religious circumstances (for which you will be required to submit documentation) you will be expected to comply with the guidelines 100%. It is important to know this before you apply for any Disney program.
When you are offered a position with Disney, you will be provided with comprehensive information regarding the Disney Look and will be expected to comply with the Look. Whilst the Disney Look is mandatory for Cast Members, it is not required that you comply with the guidelines when applying and interviewing for a Disney program. However, I strongly encourage that you look at the Disney Look when planning your outfit for your interview. It makes a good impression and shows that you already have an understanding of what Disney expects from its employees.
When you are offered a position with Disney, you will be provided with comprehensive information regarding the Disney Look and will be expected to comply with the Look. Whilst the Disney Look is mandatory for Cast Members, it is not required that you comply with the guidelines when applying and interviewing for a Disney program. However, I strongly encourage that you look at the Disney Look when planning your outfit for your interview. It makes a good impression and shows that you already have an understanding of what Disney expects from its employees.
The Disney Look Guidelines are quite detailed and apply to both 'Costumed' and 'Non-Costumed' Cast Members. Generally ICP's will be wearing their costume at work, however there are certain training days such as 'Traditions' where you will need to wear Disney Look appropriate Business Casual attire. If you follow this link HERE you will find Disney's official explanation of the guidelines but remember that once you are offered a position with Disney, they will provide you with all of the relevant information so there's no need to worry too much.
However, I thought it would be nice to give a brief overview of the general appearance and business attire guidelines to help you when preparing for your interview and even thinking about what to pack for those non-costumed training days. I've also made come collages of Disney Look appropriate clothing for those people (like me!) who love a good visual guide, as well as some examples of what is NOT Disney Look. Follow the links below to the guidelines and reference pictures.
Disney Look Business Attire for Men
"The frames and lenses of both prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses should be a conservative, neutral color and style and free from contrasting logos. Eyeglasses and sunglasses should not detract from the costume or contradict the theme of the show. If colored or tinted contact lenses are worn, the resulting eye color must be natural looking. Decorated lenses are not permitted, nor are any looks that would be considered distracting or not in the best interest of the Disney show."
If you're not sure about your frames, double check with the recruiter at your interview.
Personal Hygiene
"Due to close contact with guests and fellow cast members, regular bathing, frequent hand-washing; clean and neat hair and the use of an antiperspirant or deodorant are required. For the same reasons, the use of strong, heavy scents and fragrances is not permitted.
So to summarise: Shower, brush your teeth and use anti-perspirant daily. It's not rocket science people. Ok, we good? I'm glad we had this talk. Let's move on shall we?
"Intentional body alteration or modification for the purpose of achieving a visible, physical effect that disfigures, deforms or similarly detracts from a professional image is prohibited. Examples include, but are not limited to, visible tattoos, brands, body piercing (other than traditional ear piercing for women), tongue piercing or splitting, tooth filing, earlobe expansion and disfiguring skin implants. Tattoos must be discreetly and completely covered at all times. Jewelry, spacers, retainers, or plugs are not permitted in any body piercing, including non-visible piercings, while working."
At your interview you will be most likely asked about tattoos. Do not lie about any tattoos that you have, even if they are somewhere that you think is well-hidden. If you get caught lying about tattoos, it is pretty much grounds for termination. Telling the recruiter that you have a tattoo will not hurt your chances, they are simply making sure that everyone who has a tattoo understands that it will need to be covered while they are working.
Disney Themed Clothing
Eye-wear
If, like me, you need to wear glasses, you have one extra element to think about. The guidelines say that: "The frames and lenses of both prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses should be a conservative, neutral color and style and free from contrasting logos. Eyeglasses and sunglasses should not detract from the costume or contradict the theme of the show. If colored or tinted contact lenses are worn, the resulting eye color must be natural looking. Decorated lenses are not permitted, nor are any looks that would be considered distracting or not in the best interest of the Disney show."
If you're not sure about your frames, double check with the recruiter at your interview.
Personal Hygiene
Ok, I'm going to be the person who goes there - Nobody likes a Stinky Pete. It's not pleasant for anybody, it won't win you any friends and it just downright sets a bad impression. Plus, seriously who wants to get called in by their manager to be told they need to do something about their body odour? Awkward much? For the record, here is Disney's official word on this topic:
So to summarise: Shower, brush your teeth and use anti-perspirant daily. It's not rocket science people. Ok, we good? I'm glad we had this talk. Let's move on shall we?
Tattoos and Body Alteration or Modification
Disney are pretty strict about tattoos, piercings and other body modifications, it simply doesn't fit in with the general aesthetic that Disney wants to achieve. Now if you have tattoos or piercings, there's no need to panic because you can most likely still work for Disney however your options for roles may be slightly limited. You will find more specific information about jewellery in the guidelines above, but the general rule is: take it out or cover it up. Here is what the official guideline says:"Intentional body alteration or modification for the purpose of achieving a visible, physical effect that disfigures, deforms or similarly detracts from a professional image is prohibited. Examples include, but are not limited to, visible tattoos, brands, body piercing (other than traditional ear piercing for women), tongue piercing or splitting, tooth filing, earlobe expansion and disfiguring skin implants. Tattoos must be discreetly and completely covered at all times. Jewelry, spacers, retainers, or plugs are not permitted in any body piercing, including non-visible piercings, while working."
At your interview you will be most likely asked about tattoos. Do not lie about any tattoos that you have, even if they are somewhere that you think is well-hidden. If you get caught lying about tattoos, it is pretty much grounds for termination. Telling the recruiter that you have a tattoo will not hurt your chances, they are simply making sure that everyone who has a tattoo understands that it will need to be covered while they are working.
Just on a side note, Disney themed clothing is generally deemed inappropriate for Disney Look attire. There are ways to show your love of Disney through your dress, but it's important to keep it subtle and Disney Look compliant. I am planning to write a how-to post on this soon, so keep an eye out for that and I'll link it here once it's up!
The Disney Look is a really important part of being a Disney Cast Member and it can be a lot of information to take in. But try not to get overwhelmed by it all, Disney will make sure you are aware of and meet the guidelines before they send you out to work!
Now that you have a good understanding of what it means to work for Disney, we can start to look at the application process. The next post is about Preparing to Apply or you can return to the Masterlist.
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