All cast members must use two fingers while pointing, or basically, guide guests using an open palm. The reason for this is believed to be that Walt Disney wasn’t a fan of people making hand signals or gestures with one finger. He felt that guests that this could be translated as rude to guests.
However, it is also reported that the real reason arose from Walt’s smoking habits. In most photos of Walt pointing to various attractions, he’s actually has in place a cigarette in between his two fingers. The cigarette was airbrushed out by Disney because it’s no longer socially acceptable to smoke. So now, the pictures make it appear as though Disney pointed people in the right direction using two fingers.
The Cast Would Have to Share Underwear
Have you ever shared underwear with your colleagues? My guess would be no. Well, until 2001, Disney cast members were required to share underwear. The reason for this is that many of the costumes include special undergarments, like tights and bike shorts. According to some employees, the undergarments weren’t always clean when they received them. As a result, some cast members allegedly contracted lice or scabies. Disney kept quiet about the situation, but they did change the rules after being exposed. Cast members are now permitted to take their underwear home and wash it themselves.
Underwear isn’t the only part of the costume that’s regulated. There are even rules for Mickey and crew when it comes to crewnecks. Disney requires costumed cast members to wear a plain white crewneck or v-neck shirt under their costumes. The shirts must have a traditional neckline, which considering the fact that you can barely see them under the costumes is quite absurd. Similarly so, they have a rule for non-costumed cast members which holds that they can wear any solid color shirt that matches their outfit. Although several cast members reported to have contracted lice from the undergarments, there are actually strict cleaning policies when it comes to washing the costumes. Disney requires costumed characters to drop off their costumes for cleaning after every shift. Every day, cast members who wear costumes pick up their costumes from a building which houses 15,000 costumes and drop them off at the end of their shift. For this reason, even though many employees wear the same costume every day, they aren't necessarily in the same costume that they had on the day before.
There's No Such Thing As “I Don’t Know”
How many times throughout the week do you find yourself saying the words "I don't know." Well, probably a lot! If you ever become a Disney World Cast Member, you'll need to train yourself out of the habit of saying those words. Cast Members must either provide guests with an answer or be able to direct them to somebody who can answer the guest's question.
Considering the extensive training that employees have to go through, they most likely know the answers to practically all questions. Coming up next, see how Cast Members must point their fingers.
"Lost Adults"
When a child is lost, Disney cast members refer to them as "lost adults" via the radio system and not "lost children." This is for safety purposes, AKA to prevent any potential kidnapping from happening while security is locating the missing child. This sounds like a pretty solid rule that should be adopted at other establishments.
That’s not all that Disney is doing to help prevent kidnapped children. Recently, Disney parks were awarded a patent for a device that tracks visitors by videoing their shoes. The reason for this device was two-fold. For starters, they wanted to know more about the rides that people gravitate towards. But, the device can also help prevent kidnappings. The reason for this is because many times, when a child is kidnapped, the kidnapper will first change the kid's shirt to avoid them from being recognized. But they often neglect to swap the children’s shoes. Those Disney engineers are pretty smart, huh?
The Hidden Mickeys
Scattered around Walt Disney World are countless concealed Mickey Mouse heads. Some guests love coming to the park to try and search for the Mickey heads dispersed throughout. There are several websites on the internet which are committed to finding and reporting the Mickey symbols. According to a HiddenMickey SquareSpace page, there are 50 symbols hidden in Disneyland’s ToonTown area alone. Here is a list of Hidden Mickeys in Frontierland. Skip this list if you don’t want the surprise to be spoiled!
Golden Horseshoe stage vent; Big Thunder Mountain Railroad; S.S. Mark Twain between the smokestacks; S.S. Mark Twain River Excursions sign; Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island cave entrance; Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island on chimney; Rivers of America; Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante; Big Thunder Ranch Petting Zoo knot hole; Big Thunder Ranch House reigns & bridles; Big Thunder Ranch House horseshoe pile; Shooting Exposition; Pioneer Mercantile; and Critter Country. Another fun fact about Mickey Mouse is that there are always around 7-8 Mickey Mouses roaming the park at the same time. But when people ask a cast member "How many Mickeys are there here?", they must always say "One." This is to keep the Disney illusion alive for the guests and to make the Disney experience as believable as possible. Up next; how to tell if you've pissed off a Cast Member.