Disney’s rules and regulations extend to all aspects of their business, from their merchandise branding to the way they run their theme parks, and their rules seem less magic kingdom and more secret society.
These mysterious Disney employee rules aren't so mysterious anymore thanks to the internet, but once you learn how much Cast Members must conform to the Disney system you start to look at them in a whole new light.
Some are strict for a reason, like the fact that any Cast Member who dons a character costume must learn how to duplicate the character's classic signature exactly, so every guest has the same experience.
Others are a bit strange, like the fact that no Princess can be taller than 5'8", and if a Cast Member is asked a question they can't answer they must immediately call someone and get the answer.
Read the rest of the 16 Secret Rules for Disney Employees here
1.) First of all, when you work for Disney, you're not an employee. You're a cast member. From the characters, to the ride operators, to the janitors... they're all cast members.
2.) A cast member is never allowed to say "I don't know." If a guest asks a question that they don't know the answer to, they have to pick up a telephone and call an operator.
3.) All facial hair on cast members has to be fully grown in and neatly trimmed. They cannot shape their beards, and their mustache cannot extend over the lip or further than the corners of their mouth.
4.) Male and female cast members are not allowed to shave their eyebrows. Men's hair cannot extend over their ears or shirt collars. Women's hair has to be neatly brushed. Braids are allowed, but not beads.
5.) The cast members playing characters have to follow specific guidelines so that each autograph looks identical.. That way, no matter who is in the Mickey costume, the expeience is the same.
6.) There's a height requirement to be one of the characters. To play a princess, you need to be between 5'4" and 5'8".
7.) Women's fingernails cannot exceed a quarter of an inch past the fingertip, and nail polish is not allowed. Meanwhile, men's nails cannot go past their fingertip.
8.) Visisble tattoos, tongue piercings, and ear gauges are simply not allowed.
9.) Cast members who wear glasses can't wear frames that display logos or brands. Also, the color and the frame must be conventional.
10.) There's a reason the theme parks always look so clean. Everyone working there is told to pick up trash if they see it on the ground.
11.) When a cast member does see trash on the ground, they can't bend over. They have to pick it up in a scooping method.
12.) If you ask a cast member for directions, look at how they point. It's usually a gesture with the whole hand, or with two fingers. They never point with one finger, because in some cultrures it's considered offensive.
13.) If you work at Disney, you cannot talk about what you do on any social media platforms.
14.) Walt Disney only liked to be called "Walt", which is why you only see first names on the employee tags. Also, if two cast members who play a Disney character happen to have the same name, one of them gets to go by a new name to avoid confusion.
15.) If a guest throws up, cast members used to have to call it a "Protein Spill", now it's just "Code V".
16.) A cast member always stays in character. Any characters outside the Disney universe simply don't exist in the Disney parks, so don't ask Ursula the sea witch what she thinks about Hermione.