According to the San Jose Mercury News, the wallets aren’t the only thing getting fatter over at Disney. The restrictions on CM weight are no longer enforced. Yes, they actually used to be. Now, in order to accommodate a larger workforce (pun intended), Disney is looking the other way.
Costumers are being effected the most, having to create and adjust costuming for park employees that exceed previous weight requirements. In my humble opinion they aren’t adjusting them fast enough. One trip to Fantasyland at Disneyland will show you what lederhosen stretched to its limits looks like. Cast Members that used to look like extras from the Sound of Music now look like Peter Griffin at Octoberfest.
Should Disney give in? They already relaxed facial hair and cornrow issues, and now the weight. Even George Steinbrenner still makes the Yankees shave. Walt Disney wanted his CM’s wholesome and healthy. In our now PC world, Disney can’t afford to base employment on such discriminatory grounds, but where do they draw the line? Size 20 Cinderella? A bearded Aladdin? Cornrows for Alice? By allowing people to be real is the company letting in too much reality?
what’s a CM?
Peter Griffin at Octoberfest…LOL!
I don’t necessarily consider hiring on the basis of health and wholesomeness to be discriminatory–I would call it casting. Especially if you consider that Disney park employess are called Cast Members (CMs), which infers that to some degree they’re all performers in a show (granted, this is arguable). When casting a stage show, it’s not considered discriminatory to hire performers who fit their role, both in ability and appearance.
The problem is they cannot just ‘pick and choose’ or ‘cast’ who they hire anymore. There are hundreds of open positions in attractions… The ‘Disney Look’ and expected levels of courtesy are almost entirely ignored. Why? One reason is because the pay rate is not at all competitive in Southern California. I could go work at the Container Store and start at something around 10 dollars an hour or I can go work at Disneyland with inconsistent hours for something around 7.83.
They feed off of people who love the Disney ideals but there is only so far you can go with that. People need to be able to feed themselves and pay rent.
Tom, I definitely agree with you. I was speaking in a perfect-world scenario, and neglected to counterpoint my post with a mention of the tough time Disney’s having because they don’t pay enough. I beat this drum a lot on discussion boards. I sure wish they’d pay CMs what they’re worth–which in my opinion is more than the average pay rate in So Cal.
Hi there. I normally wouldn’t respond, but this time it’s personal. I am one of the people who was turned down due to my appearance. I was told I ‘was unfit to be seen by guests’. My options included after-hours sanitation or kitchen duty.
Even at my unfit size, I was able to work for the Disney store. I was there able to win several awards and recommendations. (including the coveted Teamwork and guest services pins)
I am not saying that I should play Peter Pan, but I can certainly sell the heck of of high dollar merchandise. Don’t judge my ability to produce and my love for Disney and Disney trivia based upon my waistline.
I love this site, please keep up the good work!!
Ken
Before Disney can worry about enforcing such requirements they need to pay a competitive wage. If they aren’t going to do that, they really don’t have the right to be so picky.
That said, as an overweight person myself? I wouldn’t expect a job at Disney. Disney HAD standards and back when the wage was reasonable they had every right to enforce it and be choosy. Hopefully (at least for the wallets of the employees) they will be so again.
I hear all the time how we overweight people shouldn’t be discriminated against…but ya know…I don’t have to eat that second donut. MY choices and actions have made me heavy and now I’m on an exercise kick to try to shed the pounds.
Not only is obesity not that attractive, it is a health hazard and drives up the cost of some company insurance plans. Why should Disney, in the long run, pay MORE to hire someone when they could instead be paying that extra in wages?
We Americans have become more than a bit complacent about our expanding waistlines and someone needs to draw a line in the sand, even if it is one cartoon mouse.
I read the article, thanks! Seeing cast members “who come in a variety of shapes and sizes” actually seems quite nice to me. Wonderful people come in all shapes and sizes, so why not CMs? I thought the Disney ideal was “it’s a small world after all,” and not, “pretty people only, please!”
The issue is simple and it resonates throughout the Disney Empire: you get what you pay for. If you want a more “disciplined” look from your employees, pay for it. Not being privy to the bottom line, and having sold the last of our stock at the Comcast rumor, I am not sure where the bucks go in the park end of the business equation. It does appear to the naked eye tbat a little more money spent in the parks would markedly improve the perceived quality of the CMs. That having been said, I still feel the CMs I deal with on an annual basis are both aesthetically and interpersonally pleasing.
When I am vacationing at WDW I expect to see good looking parks, I too wish to see good looking CMs.
That is what it boils down to isn’t it? Disney parks are supposed to be an ideal and, overweight as I am I can honestly say…being FAT is not ideal.
Free Bacon Thursdays, The Reddi-Whip hose and the staff lunches being mostly deep fried in boiling Ranch Dressing will all continue, though.
I was shocked at the parade of meat waddling through Disneyland this year. The cast is now as fat as the fat fat fatties rolling through the gates. I haven’t seen many Rascal scooters, though. Yet.
Give it time.
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