Disneyland has a strict dress code for employees, including natural hair color, no visible tattoos, and no long hair for male cast members. The “Disney look” is meant to ensure guests feel comfortable. Cast members playing specific characters may have different requirements. All cast members wear costumes specific to their “land” and cannot visit other lands in their costumes.
From its earliest days, Disneyland has implemented a strict dress code for employees, who are referred to as “Disneyland cast members.” In the park’s early days, male workers were not permitted to have long hair, nor any type of beard, as this was not seen as the wholesome, all-American image the theme park was meant to convey. The philosophy was that park guests actually preferred all workers to be clean and healthy looking. Amusement parks have not always had a good reputation and Walt Disney wanted to distinguish his park from others.
In fact, until the late 1960s, even male visitors to Disneyland couldn’t enter with long hair. Workers politely explained to snubbed guests that the park had an unwritten dress code, which they didn’t abide by. Sometimes even women in halter tops were turned away.
In the early 21st century, Disneyland finally relaxed its facial hair policy enough to allow male workers to have mustaches, as long as they were neatly trimmed. Some observant Disney devotees might notice that Walt Disney had a mustache, but it took 45 years before Disneyland cast members were able to follow in his footsteps. The mustache growth process, however, is not to be seen; it is specified that the mustache must be grown while the man is on vacation.
Currently, Disneyland continues to implement a dress code, though it may appear slightly more relaxed than in previous decades. Female workers may wear small stud earrings or smaller hoop earrings; men cannot wear earrings. Long nails, dirty nails or those painted in an unnatural color are prohibited. All members’ hair must be a natural color; it looks natural even though it’s not actually the person’s natural color. Makeup should be on women only, minimal and natural looking. Visible tattoos are expressly prohibited.
Male cast members are still banned from having long hair, although male guests with long hair are now allowed at Disneyland. Men employed at the park may not have hair touching their ears or collar. Sideburns may not extend beyond the earlobes and mustaches are permitted if they are no longer than the corners of the employee’s mouth.
The philosophy behind the cast members’ dress code hasn’t changed much: The “Disney look” is to ensure that every guest feels comfortable with every member of the Disneyland cast. This consideration goes beyond mere appearance. All cast members are required to point with two fingers or the whole hand, as pointing with one finger can be considered rude to some guests.
The rules are obviously different for cast members playing a specific character. “Face characters” may have different hair or makeup requirements to fully implement the look of the character they are portraying. “Masquerade characters,” people who are completely covered by a costume and whose real face is not seen, may not speak.
All of the Disneyland cast members wear a costume specific to their particular “land.” They are not allowed to visit the public parts of the other lands, or sections of Disneyland, in their costumes. This helps maintain the feeling that guests are in a magical place, where nothing is out of place or unrelated to the theme. No Adventureland safari suit will appear in Tomorrowland to jolt guests out of their happy illusions.
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