At what point does clothing become a "costume"?

[GreatLakes]

Disney shouldn't NEED to defend their policy at the gate. But they do in fact need to.

I'm sure it's against policy to cut in line but people do it all the time because CMs try to avoid confrontations. I'm sure there's a policy against kids relieving themselves in the bushes but they do. Let's face it. Disney is not very good at having their employees enforce the letter of their policies. I had a hunch all along the new policy was about it easier to tell everyone no costumes at all than it would be to tell individuals that their particular costume didn't pass.

I think they will have to enforce the policy at the gate, not defend it.

Stopping people from cutting in line would be enforcing what I also assume is a policy, not defending it.

 

[larryz]

So are you saying it's okay to discriminate against cowboys who might want to tour the parks wearing their everyday work clothes?

Absolutely not, as long as they apply for an "Authentic Cowboy" identification card and wear it prominently while in the park wearing cowboy -- or cowgirl -- garb.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think they will have to enforce the policy at the gate, not defend it.

Stopping people from cutting in line would be enforcing what I also assume is a policy, not defending it.

My response is the same whether you say they need to defend or enforce it. Same ultimate goal. CMs don't like being the bad guys, so having a policy they actually strictly adhere to would require a shift on Disney's part. I hope they can do that so the policy doesn't punish the rest of us for those who push the limits.

 

[tobikaye]

Costumes?

Or period dress...?

To me, this would be period dress. In fact, the flowered dress is a style I could see wearing in everyday fashion.

 

[bc7ate9]

I tend to think that if you have to ask yourself "am I wearing a costume?" you probably are. I don't think themey outfits or casual dresses are costumes.

 

[larryz]

Clothing or costume?

 

[larryz]

Clothing or costume?

 

[amylevan]

To me, this would be period dress. In fact, the flowered dress is a style I could see wearing in everyday fashion.

And herein lies the problem: to me, those are costumes. So, if I'm working the gates, I would be inclined to deny entry. (And no, I'm not an actual CM, so this is just hypothetical.) And if you were working the gates a few rows down, you'd let them in.

 

[mom2rtk]

And herein lies the problem: to me, those are costumes. So, if I'm working the gates, I would be inclined to deny entry. (And no, I'm not an actual CM, so this is just hypothetical.) And if you were working the gates a few rows down, you'd let them in.

And if one guest is denied entry and changes clothes then sees something similar in the park that someone else let in, they're going to be unhappy.

They need a pretty easy to interpret and follow policy. I'm not sure if that's possible. I'm curious to see how this goes.

I really just hope that they allow the costumes for Halloween (no masks) and have enough metal detectors by then that they can put everyone through as they get their wristbands.

 

[bc7ate9]

Until there's actually a report of somebody being denied entry for wearing a "costume", we don't really have much basis for all this speculation.

 

[ArwenMarie]

And if one guest is denied entry and changes clothes then sees something similar in the park that someone else let in, they're going to be unhappy.

They need a pretty easy to interpret and follow policy. I'm not sure if that's possible. I'm curious to see how this goes.

I really just hope that they allow the costumes for Halloween (no masks) and have enough metal detectors by then that they can put everyone through as they get their wristbands.

I think they will have something in place to allow costumes for the Halloween parties, more security staff or whatever. People are going to show up in costume (or close to it!) anyway.

 

[tobikaye]

And herein lies the problem: to me, those are costumes. So, if I'm working the gates, I would be inclined to deny entry. (And no, I'm not an actual CM, so this is just hypothetical.) And if you were working the gates a few rows down, you'd let them in.

Not necessarily, I consider them period dress, but if I was actually working for WDW, I would have requested further definition of the costume rule. This is why I really hope Disney gives a bit more definition. The dresses in the picture to me should not be a question of costume, but the guys' outfits are the ones I could see issue. That said, if the guy with the vest removed the bow-tie and hat, this is an outfit similar to many I have seen guys wear in real life.

 

[DavidNYC]

It's a ridiculous question because it's clear it's impossible to define. There is no way to write an objective policy that incorporates an artistic element because by definition it will be subjective. Subjective determinations happen all the time in a variety of situations. People will have to deal with it. If you're having doubts as to whether your outfit is a costume - be prepared to have to make some modifications.

I think it's safe to assume that things making you look like a Disney character will likely have more scrutiny than other forms of funky dress. But even if you clarify the policy to say that a costume is something that would make it look like you were a cast member - that will still involve subjectivity. There is no possible way to remove that element.

 

[amylevan]

To be honest, I think the whole disneybounding and cosplay trends are what have caused some of the issue to begin with. The rule has always been no costumes for adults (with the exception of MNSSHP). As the "costume" trends have taken hold, more and more guests pushed the limits on what a costume is and the parks got more lax in enforcing the rule.

 

[tobikaye]

Clothing or costume?

As long as the person wearing the uniform is military, then this is not a costume. In this case, they could request the person's military ID to verify, although I doubt they would request the ID.

 

[GreatLakes]

Clothing or costume?

More clothing then costume but, specifically, those are uniforms and they must be earned to be worn.

 

[tobikaye]

To be honest, I think the whole disneybounding and cosplay trends are what have caused some of the issue to begin with. The rule has always been no costumes for adults (with the exception of MNSSHP). As the "costume" trends have taken hold, more and more guests pushed the limits on what a costume is and the parks got more lax in enforcing the rule.

I do agree with this. I know I have seen some items that people indicate as disneybounding that I think are costumes. I know that there was a dress for Snow White that I had seen and other than being a cotton/jersy material, it looked like almost exactly like Snow White's outfit.

I know my sister wanted to be Snow White for Halloween this year and the outfit we came up with looked more disneybound than the one I mentioned above that many people considered disneybounding. I made a yellow skirt with a red waistband and hem. She wore a blue short sleeved tee shirt. If I had cut the skirt about 3 inches shorter, it would have been a regular skirt and not costume looking.

 

[Accident]

If you look over websters or oxford dictionary, pretty much anything is a costume..... Disney really needs to define what they mean when they say costume... I love dapper day, that's just wearing a certain style of clothing to me, but that clothing happens to overlap what street performers in MK or HS wear daily. So am I in a costume that confuses guests that I'm not a cast member or not.. What about people who wear that on a daily basis, I commonly go out dressed similar to what you'll find at dapperday so it's not a costume on a specific day in the parks to me, but is it to disney???

 

[ArwenMarie]

Not necessarily, I consider them period dress, but if I was actually working for WDW, I would have requested further definition of the costume rule. This is why I really hope Disney gives a bit more definition. The dresses in the picture to me should not be a question of costume, but the guys' outfits are the ones I could see issue. That said, if the guy with the vest removed the bow-tie and hat, this is an outfit similar to many I have seen guys wear in real life.

Actually bow ties are back. Not sure about the hat though

 

[JimmyV]

I think we all know the line where an outfit turns into a costume. I agree about asking oneself, would I wear this in everyday life?

Ahhh. But herein lies the problem. It isn't a matter of you asking yourself what you wear in everyday life. The issue is that Disney has to ask each guest what they wear in everyday life. And this is where mom2rtk has it right. Disney does, in fact, have to defend its policy. GreatLakes concedes that Disney can't cross religious lines (or cultural ones when culture and ethnicity merge) . Even as a private company, it has legal obligations not to discriminate. So good luck with this new policy when people show up at the gate dressed like this: (all of which I have seen at one time or another):