Disney Updates “Disney Look” for Cast Members

The “Disney Look” for Cast Members has been updated, allowing 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, prompted the changes on Disney Parks Blog:

“To all who come 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 make must include everyone.

It’s important to me to share how we’re creating a place where everyone is welcome and taking 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 a sense of belonging at work.

That means cultivating an environment where all people feel welcomed and appreciated for their unique life experiences, perspectives and culture. Where we celebrate allyship and support for each other. And where diverse views and ideas are sought after as critical contributions towards our collective success.

But as with everything we do, this starts with actively listening, learning, and working with our cast and guests to imagine the possibilities. 

In 2019, we actively solicited input from our cast members from all over the world – to bring a greater focus to inclusivity and belonging for our cast. They brought forward more than 100 ideas, including one I’d like 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 – which have guided our approach to guest service for more than 65 years. The Four Keys are one of the first things that cast members learn about when they join Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, and they are regularly reinforced 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 bring to their interactions with others. Cast members around the world know them by heart and live by them in their roles every day as they create amazing experiences for our guests.

And when we asked our cast how we could better cultivate a culture of belonging, they suggested the addition of a fifth key: the key of Inclusion. Like The Four Keys before them, The 5 Keys – with Inclusion at the heart – will continue to guide us as we interact with guests, collaborate together, 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 leads us forward as we continue to realize our rich legacy of engaging storytelling, exceptional service, and Disney magic. 

We’re bringing the spirit of the Inclusion Key to life across our business. We’re reimagining our attractions to be more inclusive, like upcoming enhancements to Jungle Cruise and new adventures with Princess Tiana. We’re celebrating the diverse and inspiring stories of our cast and fans with creator collaborations and exciting experiences, like The Soul of Jazz exhibit at Walt Disney World Resort. 

We’re also looking at ways we can support and uplift our communities through programs like our Disney Dreamers Academy mentorship programs, and we’re including more diverse companies in our supply chain. In fact, we’re looking at ways to increase our support for diverse suppliers in a big way – we’ll share more details on this commitment in the future.

Our goal is also to have more representation and accountability across our organization, starting with my own leadership team and extending throughout our business worldwide, through tools and mentorship and learning programs that create awareness and foster leadership accountability. 

We’re looking at other traditions, too – including the policies that guide how our cast members show up for work. Our new approach provides greater flexibility with respect to forms of personal expression surrounding gender-inclusive hairstyles, jewelry, nail styles, and costume choices; and allowing appropriate visible tattoos. We’re updating them to not only remain relevant in today’s workplace, but also enable our cast members to better express their cultures and individuality at work.

Moving forward, we believe our cast, who are at the center of the magic that lives in all our experiences, can provide the best of Disney’s legendary guest service when they have more options for personal expression – creating richer, more personal and more engaging experiences with our guests.

This is just the beginning as we continue to work toward a world where we all belong – including a more diverse and inclusive Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. There’s more to do, but we’re committed to listening, learning and making meaningful improvements.

The world is changing, and we will change with it, and continue to be a source of joy and inspiration for all the world. We’ll never stop working to make sure that Disney is a welcoming place for all. I’m excited about where we’re headed, and we’ll have more to share soon. Thank you for joining us on this journey.

Disney also released a corresponding video to go along with the announcement.

How Disney Parks’ New “Real” Star Wars Lightsaber Works

A few days ago, Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro stunned viewers of “A Special Look Inside Disney Parks” by wielding a “real” Star Wars lightsaber. Thanks to VR/AR/Web developer Ben Ridout on Twitter, we now have an idea of how this “real” lightsaber works.

As Ridout points out, what makes this lightsaber real is not an ability to slice and dice, but the ability to extend and retract an illuminated blade. His animation in the tweet above showcases how the lightsaber works similar to a tape measure.

Ridout took a look at the lightsaber’s patent, filed back in 2018, to figure out that the technology would work like connecting two tape measures. The lightsaber’s “blade” is made of semi-transparent flexible plastic that is wound flat into two spools when inside the hilt. A circular cap at the end of the blade keeps it curved when it extends.

A third spool inside the hilt holds a strand of flexible LED tape that is also attached to the circular cap and extends inside the hollow blade, making it illuminate from the inside. The hilt holds the three spools, a motor, and a battery.

Disney has not yet announced how these “real” lightsabers will be used in the Disney Parks, but it’s possible they will be part of the immersive Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel experience.

Disney Chairman Shares Condolences for Passing of Travel Industry Leader, Arne Sorenson

Marriott Chief Executive, Arne Sorenson, died on Tuesday, February 16, at 62 years of age from pancreatic cancer. Sorenson was a tourism industry leader to say the least, as he was known for growing the Marriott company into the world’s largest hotel chain. Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, took to Twitter to share his condolences.

As shared via Disney Parks New Twitter: “A message from Josh D’Amaro on the passing of Arne Sorenson::

As shared by CBSNews: “Arne was an exceptional executive – but more than that – he was an exceptional human being,” said Marriott in a prepared statement Tuesday.

Splash Mountain Reimagining Has Been Expedited

On November 16, Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products shared the company’s new approaches to operations and inclusion in the wake of 2020 via a keynote session of IAAPA Expo Virtual Education Conference. One key note included was that the reimagining of Splash Mountain has been expedited.

As shared by IAAPA.org: “We believe that truly inclusive environment is critical to fostering ideas from all people to help us grow, innovate, and create the best stories possible,” D’Amaro said. More information about Disney’s backstage commitment to inclusivity will be rolling out in the next few months. Guest facing changes, like the reimagining of “Splash Mountain,” have been expedited to ensure that all who visit the company’s parks do feel welcome as well. 

Updates on New Disney Parks Attractions, Entertainment

This morning, Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, took the virtual stage at the IAAPA Expo: Virtual Education Conference, where he shared a behind-the-scenes look at the lessons we’ve learned over the past year, and the ways we’re moving forward into 2021 and beyond. Check out all the details as shared below by DisneyParksBlog.

As Josh shared in his talk, the end of the year is always a time for reflection – and to chart a path for the year to come. While we never could have imagined what this year would hold for our company, we’ve learned so much: how to share that special Disney Parks magic with our fans at home during the closures of our businesses worldwide; how to reimagine our park, resort, and store experiences to meet new challenges; and how, even amid uncertainty, to plan for what we know are better days are ahead.

Now, as we look to the future, there are new and exciting milestones on the horizon. While the pandemic meant putting some projects on pause, we never stopped dreaming up new experiences. And we are looking forward to inviting our guests to see what we’ve been working on.

There are groundbreaking new updates coming to Disney destinations around the world. As Josh shared in his update today, progress is currently being made on several projects across the globe that are pushing the boundaries of innovation and storytelling like never before. 

Here’s a special peek at some of the announcements Josh made today:

Video previously recorded

More details were also shared on the next generation of immersive Disney experiences currently in development, including updates on Avengers Campus, the historic transformation of EPCOT and more. 

Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure park

Progress continues to be made toward the completion of Avengers Campus at Disneyland Resort and Disneyland Paris. This new land will invite guests to team up with the Avengers and their allies in a fully immersive land.

The Worldwide Engineering Brigade (better known as WEB) building will soon house our newest attraction, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure where guests will be able to board vehicles and help Spider-Man take control of an army of Spider-Bots that have taken over Avengers Campus.

Guests visiting Disneyland Paris will also soon be able to experience Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel – celebrating 80 years of Marvel storytelling in a typical New York setting.  

The resort will feature contemporary Art Deco style and include one of the largest publicly viewable collections of Marvel artwork in the world.

At Walt Disney World Resort, work is continuing on the historic, multi-year transformation of EPCOT, including “Harmonious,” Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.

“Harmonious” will be one of the largest nighttime spectaculars ever created. It’ll feature the hallmarks of a Disney experience, including music and images, reimagined by diverse cultural musicians and artists from around the world.

Here are more details on “Harmonious.”

Work also continues on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – the family-friendly “storytelling coaster” featuring a groundbreaking ride system with vehicles that rotate 360 degrees and can even do a reverse launch!  

The Omnicoaster is a first- of-its-kind programmable roller coaster ride system, where guests can be rotated along the ride track in any direction while traveling at high speeds. The Omnicoaster name builds upon the tradition of the Omnimover ride system in which Walt Disney Imagineers are able to turn guests in any direction and focus their attention on a specific scene or element.

Exterior sign for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at EPCOT

And plans are on track to open Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in 2021.  Based on Disney and Pixar’s hit film, “Ratatouille,” this family-friendly attraction will invite you to shrink down to the scale of a rat for a culinary adventure with Chef Remy. During each adventure, you’ll race across Gusteau’s kitchen floor aboard special trackless ride vehicles in a thrilling 3D chase. Click here for more.

Rendering of  Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser coming to Walt Disney World Resort
Rendering of  Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser coming to Walt Disney World Resort

In a galaxy far, far away, progress continues at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, where guests will live aboard a starship for a 2-day, 2-night experience. Unlike any typical cruise, though, you can become the heroes of your own Star Wars story in a new type of immersive experience that only Disney could create.

Guests will cruise the galaxy in style aboard the Halcyon, known for its impeccable service and exotic destinations. Onboard, you’ll stay in well-appointed cabins, experience onboard dining, make a planet-side excursion to Black Spire Outpost on Batuu and much more. Learn more in our earlier story.

Zootopia-inspired land coming to Shanghai Disney Resort

At Shanghai Disney Resort, progress continues on “Zootopia” – where guests will be invited to experience the metropolis of “Zootopia.” 

Based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Oscar-winning animated movie, this exciting development will be the park’s eighth themed land and the first-ever “Zootopia”-themed land at any Disney park. It will include a new major attraction that will seamlessly blend Disney storytelling and state-of-the-art technology to bring this fan-favorite movie and its characters to life.

Shanghai Disney Resort

In this aerial photo of the area, you can see just how big the show building will be. Click here for more on “Zootopia.”This is an artist concept and is subject to change.

And at Tokyo Disneyland, new attractions, restaurants, and shops recently opened – marking the largest expansion of the park’s 37-year history.

Also, part of the expansion will be “Fantasy Springs.” This exciting development will be themed to a magical spring inspired by the beloved Disney Animation films “Frozen,” “Tangled” and “Peter Pan.”   It’ll include four new attractions, three restaurants and a new Disney-themed hotel situated inside Tokyo DisneySea that will overlook Fantasy Springs.