Are cast members responsible for their "CM clothes" as far as laundry goes?

[edk35]

Just another "mom" question.

 

[SydneyJoLynn]

[Most] Costumes that are issued are able to be self laundered. For example, I have two jungle cruise costumes and one haunted mansion. Once you find something in your size, you want to hang onto it because it may be difficult to find a good fit a second time. You are able to just turn in a costume and pick up one hanging on the rack. They are normally very starchy though and need an at-home wash.

However, there are some special-checkout costumes which you must return within a week. Entertainment costumes [I believe] are not taken out of the park. For food and beverage, I see the chefs and food-handling cast members exchanging their costumes and aprons often. I'm under the assumption that they have to turn in their costumes? But I don't work in that area.

 

[taigirl87]

Once you find something in your size, you want to hang onto it because it may be difficult to find a good fit a second time. You are able to just turn in a costume and pick up one hanging on the rack. They are normally very starchy though and need an at-home wash.

I kept my same fantasyland skirts the whole time(well until I turned a one in for pants for when it got cold and I was outside brrrrr lol), they were brand new when I got them, so they were bright blue! I washed them myself and they kept the same coloring. Everyone always asked if my skirt was wet because most of the skirts were very faded! The industrial washing is really hard on the costumes, and also can be very irritating to sensitive skin types, so i recommend washing them yourself, but only check out 4 costume sets, instead of 5(the max amount) so if you for some reason forget your costume, you can grab one on your way in.

 

[lilmissdisney216]

I washed my own costumes at home cause I would usually forget to turn them in anyway or I would wear my costume home and change once I was home.Generally speaking I washed my skirts and shirts (especially shirts cause I was possessive of the dark purple shirts cause they looked the best in my opinion)but usually the vest had to be dry cleaned so I would turn that in if I had some sort of major spill on it (i.e. splatter of hair gel or spray).

 

[taigirl87]

I washed my own costumes at home cause I would usually forget to turn them in anyway or I would wear my costume home and change once I was home. The only time I would really change out costumes was if I had a case of Pumbas in the boutique and then EVERYTHING had to be washed (even the halo I had to wear). Generally speaking I washed my skirts and shirts (especially shirts cause I was possessive of the dark purple shirts cause they looked the best in my opinion)but usually the vest had to be dry cleaned so I would turn that in if I had some sort of major spill on it (i.e. splatter of hair gel or spray).

Im assuming pumbas are lice? I like that codename! I miss using Disney code...no one here at home would understand!

 

[edk35]

I washed my own costumes at home cause I would usually forget to turn them in anyway or I would wear my costume home and change once I was home. The only time I would really change out costumes was if I had a case of Pumbas in the boutique and then EVERYTHING had to be washed (even the halo I had to wear). Generally speaking I washed my skirts and shirts (especially shirts cause I was possessive of the dark purple shirts cause they looked the best in my opinion)but usually the vest had to be dry cleaned so I would turn that in if I had some sort of major spill on it (i.e. splatter of hair gel or spray).

LICE???? Where did you get that from?

 

[Practically.Perfect]

I always kept my costumes and washed them myself. one because I didn't wan tot turn them in and not be able to get my size and I didn't like how the smelled after costuming washed them. But sometimes you just couldn't avoid going to costuming. I had a few different costumes at my location. I hadn't gotten scheduled in one area for a really long time so I returned that costume, so I could have more stock costumes, but then i just got scheduled in that location the next week and had to go back to get that costume. If you get deployed you'll also need to get new costumes.

Also if you work at Animal Kingdom and have to take the bus you have to take an earlier bus if you need to go to costuming, since it's not close to the park. You would get your costumes, which only takes a few minutes, and then you'd have to wait around for about 20 for the next bus just to get to the park. This was really frustrating.

The good thing is you have options so you can really do whatever is best for you.

 

[lilmissdisney216]

LICE???? Where did you get that from?

Apparently I posted something I shouldn't have... wasn't aware.

 

[edk35]

I worked at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique so sometimes we would get little princesses that had the lovely little critters in their hair. Protocol was that we had to check them before we did anything to their hair and if we found them we would say to another Fairy Godmother 'Gee fairy godmother, ya know I love the movie The Lion King. Timon and Pumba are some of my very favorite characters.' Once we mentioned the Lion King they would know to grab a manager and then they would come and check the princesses' hair to make sure that there are indeed lice and then they would tell the parents. In turn, we would just do the makeup and nails (if applicable), give them a bit of pixie dust and send them on their way. It only happend to me twice during my program.

Ahhhh Okay...I understand. I love the CODE WORDS TOO.

 

[theclaw]

I know your daughter is working in QSFB, so sometimes she might just want to return the costume. I would be covered in ice cream (Cone Shop) or chili (Casey's) by the end of the night. It would only come out with the industrial stuff. Also, I'm very lazy so I didn't care much for laundry.

 

[Berlioz70]

I never washed my own costumes. One, they had tons in my size so that was never a problem. Two, the costumes can be thick and take up lots of room in a washer/dryer. Three, Disney launders them for free... I like free.

Every area is different and PP made a great point about F&B.

Other advice: make sure DD always verifies that the costume item is coming off her record card when scanning it in for laundry. If she doesn't, she could end up paying for that garment until it is found. The other big thing is winter coats. Make sure what ever coat she checks out is the one she returns. It gets difficult to tell coats apart when everyone wears the same thing... but by marking a tag or button with a bright ribbon she'll always know she has hers.

 

[edk35]

I never washed my own costumes. One, they had tons in my size so that was never a problem. Two, the costumes can be thick and take up lots of room in a washer/dryer. Three, Disney launders them for free... I like free.

Every area is different and PP made a great point about F&B.

Other advice: make sure DD always verifies that the costume item is coming off her record card when scanning it in for laundry. If she doesn't, she could end up paying for that garment until it is found. The other big thing is winter coats. Make sure what ever coat she checks out is the one she returns. It gets difficult to tell coats apart when everyone wears the same thing... but by marking a tag or button with a bright ribbon she'll always know she has hers.

Oh very good advice. Thanks

 

[edk35]

I know your daughter is working in QSFB, so sometimes she might just want to return the costume. I would be covered in ice cream (Cone Shop) or chili (Casey's) by the end of the night. It would only come out with the industrial stuff. Also, I'm very lazy so I didn't care much for laundry.

Yeah I would probably opt for that too. I would think they know how to get out those types of stains.

 

[Iris]

Depending on her size, she may want to hang on to pants that fit her well. My daughter is extremely short and small and she had a difficult time getting pants that fit her well. When she once was handed a pair that fit her perfectly and were brand new, she kept them until the end. Most of the pants were way too long no matter what and she would always have to hike them up or fold down the hems to make it work. Everything else she would just send back for cleaning.

 

[thatcrazydisneygirl]

I never washed my own costume but I knew many people that did! I would just be sure to stop by costuming every third day or so and trade out my dirty ones for new ones. However, the sizes are not remotely consistent. I could have pants that were the same size fit me in entirely different ways. I knew some people that held onto a pair of pants once they found one that fit as right as Disney pants can fit! Also, one day when I went in to costuming to get more shirts they only had XS and XL and bigger. I wore a small or medium and was terribly out of luck that day.

 

[elenalee]

nice posting

========

 

[Lifeisafairytale]

I currently work in QSFB at the Magic Kingdom. I have never washed my costume. I like to leave work at work. I go to work (sometimes pick up some costumes) and change in the locker room. Sometimes during my 12 something hour shifts my managers will ask me to change my clothing.

A coworker (cp) got a reprimand for having a dirty shirt.

Doing laundry is a pain!!!

 

[disneymegs]

I would remove all talk about pumba. The point of calling it that is so parents don't freak out when we tell a manager we might have found lice (managers aren't even supposed to tell the parents their child has lice cause we are not trained to be diagnosticians, they call it a "scalp condition"). There isn't much point in assigning code words if we decode them on the DISboards where tons of BBB moms look stuff up. They're also not supposed to get pixie dust or anything, because it could irritate the "condition". OSHA things.

 

[onestepcloser]

I always washed my own costume. a) I never wanted to deal with going back to costuming and finding new ones if I could help it and b) there was less of a chance at having something accidentally not come off my record after I scanned it in if I didn't do it very often.

Each costume will have different rules about how many pieces you can check out at once (I was at Haunted Mansion -- we could have two shirts, two skirts, one apron, and one bat hat out at a time). I would take out all that I could and just keep them. As long as you return them at the end of your program, that's all that matters.

 

[disneymegs]

I always washed my own costume. a) I never wanted to deal with going back to costuming and finding new ones if I could help it and b) there was less of a chance at having something accidentally not come off my record after I scanned it in if I didn't do it very often.

Each costume will have different rules about how many pieces you can check out at once (I was at Haunted Mansion -- we could have two shirts, two skirts, one apron, and one bat hat out at a time). I would take out all that I could and just keep them. As long as you return them at the end of your program, that's all that matters.

True! It can be difficult to find new pieces with all the buttons and no stains! So I started washing my own to keep the good ones!