Costume Capers

Zazu · Post by **Zazu** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 1:02 am

The Magic Kingdom has now gone to Cast Zooming, where everybody gets to wear their costume home (and the market, gas station, liquor store, bar, whorehouse, where ever). We've also had our costuming moved to a new building in the parking lot. Therein lies some major league stupid.

Today, those of us on Special Wash (custom fit or shortages - I've some of each) discovered that each and every piece that had been put into the Special Wash basket last night had gone missing, as had the CM who collected them and was supposed to have done something useful with them.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked my manager.

"Well, I guess if they don't have the costume pieces, you'll just have to go without," he replied.

"Okay, let me double check what you just told me: You just authorized me to go on stage naked today, is that right?"

"Urr....."

So I missed my first two trains while Costuming rummaged around and finally located pants that fit (except for the pocket sewn shut) and a vest only two sizes too large.

But hey, the way this new system works, I can check out five full costumes and take them home, saving me the trouble of changing at work! But if they *had* five costumes my size, I wouldn't have been on Special Wash for the past two years in the first place.

And I'm sure I'll be taking my Conductor's hat off property. Those suckers are going for about $350 on eBay, no way I'm risking that liability. What's that? Oh, CR and CT will loose their lockers and have only day lockers. Cute!

And finally, because the new Costuming building closes at 6pm (very convenient for us with closing shifts who *never* get off that early), we all get our five costumes, then ride the bus in and stuff four of them into our locker for the shift. Can you say "wrinkle city"?

Oh, and the "priviledge" of being "allowed" to wash our own costumes? They have to be dry cleaned. I'm still checking to see what part of the OG includes mention that Conductors have to launder 250 pieces of dry cleaning per year.

Oh yeah, I'm one happy little clothes horse today.

Stduck · Post by **Stduck** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 1:08 am

DLR has been doing Fast Track. There used to be limits and all but its all changed. (I'm confused I have 3 jackets out (all different) oh well). We can but do not have to launder our own stuff. I usually make disney do it. Poor Zazu, I hope they get it all straightened out for you. At least DL Cast Costuming is open like 2 hours before DL openening and 2 hours after park closing (maybe its 3)

abc · Post by **abc** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 1:58 am

Yeah 3 hours before the park opens-2 hours after it closes. Real convenient, only seen them closed once in all my while working there. I hate their leads though, ughhh, always complaining about special issues. They'd rather you be late by going back to k lot than them special issuing you a shirt. And does anyone else have problems finding properly fitting clothes there. They have no parkas, jackets, or pants in my size.

Stduck · Post by **Stduck** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 2:30 am

Yet when you get pulled there is no problem special issuing you a required piece. But if you leave said piece at home on accident they flip. I fought to get a bat hat special issued they ended up calling the mansion lead and he got them to special issue me one. But when I was pulled from Pooh to Mansion and had to have half my costume special issued getting the bat hat was no problem.

screnwriter · Post by **screnwriter** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 10:27 am

Zazu wrote:The Magic Kingdom has now gone to Cast Zooming, where everybody gets to wear their costume home (and the market, gas station, liquor store, bar, whorehouse, where ever). We've also had our costuming moved to a new building in the parking lot. Therein lies some major league stupid.

Today, those of us on Special Wash (custom fit or shortages - I've some of each) discovered that each and every piece that had been put into the Special Wash basket last night had gone missing, as had the CM who collected them and was supposed to have done something useful with them.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked my manager.

"Well, I guess if they don't have the costume pieces, you'll just have to go without," he replied.

"Okay, let me double check what you just told me: You just authorized me to go on stage naked today, is that right?"

"Urr....."

So I missed my first two trains while Costuming rummaged around and finally located pants that fit (except for the pocket sewn shut) and a vest only two sizes too large.

But hey, the way this new system works, I can check out five full costumes and take them home, saving me the trouble of changing at work! But if they *had* five costumes my size, I wouldn't have been on Special Wash for the past two years in the first place.

And I'm sure I'll be taking my Conductor's hat off property. Those suckers are going for about $350 on eBay, no way I'm risking that liability. What's that? Oh, CR and CT will loose their lockers and have only day lockers. Cute!

And finally, because the new Costuming building closes at 6pm (very convenient for us with closing shifts who *never* get off that early), we all get our five costumes, then ride the bus in and stuff four of them into our locker for the shift. Can you say "wrinkle city"?

Oh, and the "priviledge" of being "allowed" to wash our own costumes? They have to be dry cleaned. I'm still checking to see what part of the OG includes mention that Conductors have to launder 250 pieces of dry cleaning per year.

Oh yeah, I'm one happy little clothes horse today.

You have to love the *geniuses* who take existing, WORKING systems like costume issue - where a small group of dedicated, trained people - manages the hundreds of thousands of costume pieces for the entire park or resort, and manages to keep them all cleaned, pressed, presentable, handy, and issues them with speed and efficiency - and switches it for making every one of tens of thousands of employees responsible for searching the clothing racks and hangers for costume pieces, many of which they've never known the names of, and also giving them the responsibility of wearing them home, taking care of them, washing them properly ("Who says I can't wash a Fantasyland white shirt with embroidery in with my brand new, freshly-dyed t-shirts?"). Not to mention, as stated above - where are these cast members going after work? I'm still waiting to see a DLR CM 'caught on tape' holding up a convenience store or making a drug or prostitution deal. Sure to happen.

coldfire409 · Post by **coldfire409** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 3:20 pm

I have no idea how many costume pieces I've ruined because of cast zooming. I usually wash them with my colors because of all the diffrent colors in the costume pieces. I'd rather mess up their clothes than my own. With that being said Zazu I'd just wash the costume even if it says dry clean only because it's their fault that they don't have non dry clean only clothes. It's not your fault that it got runined. Civil disobediance is sometimes the best thing that you can do.

Zazu · Post by **Zazu** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 12:18 am

MK Cast Zooming, Day Two:

Okay, let's try it again. So far, all of the Special Wash pieces dropped Sunday *and* Monday are still AWOL.

Today, there were still no vests my size, nor in any larger size. My options were vests that didn't button across my middle or vests that were short enough to reveal my navel. (Not a good look on me either.)

So, what does my management decide? Same thing they did yesterday, "If they don't have one, I guess you'll just have to go on stage without!"

A Conductor's costume minus a vest is a long way from naked, but that's sure how I felt. It's also reflective of the level of grief I took from my co-workers.

I simply explained, "It's the new minimalist costuming standard. Today the vest; next week -- pants!" Naturally, this was followed by a long list of all the CMs the others didn't want to see on stage in a thong.

Truth is, I do own a nice pair of Mickey boxers, and they're even dark blue. I am really and truly considering wearing them next shift. Couldn't look much stupider, right?

I think I've done all I can. I met with my homeroom leader today pre-shift to let him see what I looked like. When he stopped laughing, I said that I expected him to arrange for a proper costume to be provided by next Sunday morning (my next shift). He, like so many before, promised that it would be done. I ain't betting on it.

What especially ticked me off today was the telephone situation at the Costuming building. They don't have any. At least none that CMs who don't work there can use. Thus instead of calling my labor base to clock in and report a Costuming issue, I had to board the stupid bus, ride into the MK, clock in at Fantasyland and call from Cash Control.

Yes, that's right. Had the duty manager decided to put me into an engineer's costume instead of going part naked, it would have meant *two more* trips on the stupid bus, and even more missed trains.

Going to be tough if it happens again next Sunday, as I'm opening Frontierland Station. Without me, the Railroad is code 100! Either that or they run trains with nobody at the station, that should be fun.

<sigh> It just gives one wonderfully high levels of hope for the Walt Disney Company, knowing that there is so very much room for improvement!!!

Main Streeter · Post by **Main Streeter** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 6:23 am

Zazu wrote:MK Cast Zooming, Day Two:
A Conductor's costume minus a vest is a long way from naked, but that's sure how I felt. It's also reflective of the level of grief I took from my co-workers.

Truth is, I do own a nice pair of Mickey boxers, and they're even dark blue. I am really and truly considering wearing them next shift. Couldn't look much stupider, right?

Zazu, will PAY you BIG BUCKS if you post "these" pics

hulkcoaster · Post by **hulkcoaster** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 12:52 pm

http://www.ocso.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=341

That isn't recent, but it's a WDW worker in the top left picture.

BTW those hookers are FUGLY! You'd have to pay ME.

Hostess · Post by **Hostess** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 1:00 pm

Just another reason why they shouldn't let CMs take their costuming home. I know, one bad guy doesn't mean everyone gets arrested.

Stupid Guest Tricks

Costume Capers

Costume Capers

Re: Costume Capers