The “Disney look” for cast members has been updated to allow them to wear “gender-inclusive hairstyles” and appropriate tattoos.
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro described the changes and how the drive to be more inclusive has driven the changes on Disney Parks Blog:
“To everyone who comes to this happy place: welcome.”
Walt Disney spoke these words during the dedication of the Disneyland Resort in 1955. Today, more than 65 years later, they continue to inspire us – and remind us that the magic we create must encompass everyone.
I think it’s important to share how we create a place where everyone is welcome and take action to create meaningful change.
We want our guests to see their own backgrounds and traditions reflected in the stories, experiences and products they encounter in their interactions with Disney. And we want our cast members – and future cast members – to feel they belong at work.
That means cultivating an environment where all people feel welcome and valued for their unique life experiences, perspectives and culture. Where we celebrate alliance and support for each other. And where different views and ideas are sought as critical contributions to our collective success.
But as with everything we do, this starts with active listening, learning, and working with our cast and guests to suggest the possibilities.
In 2019, we actively sought input from our cast members around the world – to bring a greater focus on inclusivity and connectedness for our cast. They brought up more than 100 ideas, including one that I want to share with all of you today.
Every Disney Parks cast member is familiar with our longstanding tradition of The Four Keys – Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency – guiding our approach to guest service for over 65 years. The Four Keys is one of the first things cast members learn when they join Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, and they are reinforced regularly throughout their tenure. Each cast member is asked to use The Four Keys as the blueprint for the decisions they make during the workday and the approach they take in their interactions with others. Cast members around the world know them by heart and live their roles every day as they create amazing experiences for our guests.
And when we asked our cast how to better cultivate a culture of belonging, they suggested adding a fifth key: the key to inclusion. Like The Four Keys before them, The 5 Keys – with Inclusion at its heart – will continue to lead us as we interact with guests, collaborate, create the next generation of Disney products and experiences, and make critical decisions about the future of our business.
Inclusion is essential to our culture and moves us forward as we continue to realize our rich legacy of compelling storytelling, exceptional service and Disney magic.
We bring the spirit of the inclusion key to life throughout our business. We’re reimagining our attractions to make them more inclusive, such as upcoming Jungle Cruise improvements and new adventures with Princess Tiana. We celebrate the diverse and inspiring stories of our cast and fans with creator collaborations and thrilling experiences, such as The Soul of Jazz exhibit at Walt Disney World Resort.
We are also looking at ways we can support and improve our communities through programs such as our Disney Dreamers Academy mentoring programs, and we include more diverse businesses in our supply chain. In fact, we’re looking for ways to increase our support for various vendors in a big way – we’ll share more details about this commitment in the future.
Our goal is also to have greater representation and accountability across our organization, starting with my own leadership team and expanding our business globally, through tools and mentorship and learning programs that create awareness and promote leadership accountability.
We also take a look at other traditions, including the policies of how our cast members appear at work. Our new approach offers more flexibility with regard to forms of personal expression around gender-inclusive hairstyles, jewelry, nail styles and costume choices; and allowing appropriate visible tattoos. We update them to not only stay relevant in today’s workplace, but also to enable our cast members to better express their cultures and individuality at work.
Looking ahead, we believe that our cast, at the heart of the magic that lives in all of our experiences, can deliver the best of Disney’s legendary guest service when they have more options for personal expression – creating richer, more personal and engaging experiences. with our guests.
This is just the beginning as we continue to build a world where we all belong – including a more diverse and inclusive Disney Parks, experiences and products. There is more to do, but we are committed to listening, learning and making meaningful improvements.
The world is changing, and we will change with it and remain a source of joy and inspiration to the whole world. We will never stop to make sure Disney is a welcoming place for everyone. I’m excited about where we’re going, and we’ll be sharing more soon. Thank you for joining us on this journey.
Disney has also released an accompanying video to go with the announcement.
Keep reading WDWNT for updates on this ongoing story.