Disneyland costumes getting supersized
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- It's not such a small world after all. As Disneyland celebrates its 50th birthday, the park is grappling with a harsh reality of middle age: Mickey Mouse's entourage has put on a few pounds.
To accommodate the ballooning bodies of American workers, the Magic Kingdom is redesigning some of its costumes for ride operators, shop clerks, waitresses, and other employees.
A couple decades ago, the park's wardrobe department stocked a narrow range of sizes. Today, the uniforms for women extend from size 2 to 30. And men's trousers have stretched to 58-inch waists.
The supersizing of costumes is the latest wrinkle in the park's quest to balance Walt Disney's storybook vision of perfection against real-world practicalities.
The demise of longtime bans on mustaches and cornrow hairstyles drew considerable publicity a few years ago. But the shift on weight escaped attention. Although employee contracts still require medical leaves for workers who are ''unable to maintain their physical proportions," the clause is no longer enforced.
Disney officials downplay the issue, saying they are simply aiming for a more diverse workforce. But outside observers say a tight labor market for low-paying jobs has forced the company to loosen its standards on personal appearance. ''Disneyland can't be as picky as it used to be," said Jamie O'Boyle, a theme-park scholar at the Center for Cultural Studies & Analysis in Philadelphia.
Behind Space Mountain, in a building filled with Goofy heads and seamstresses toiling over Tigger tails, Disney's costume maestros direct the resort's massive clothing operation. It's their job to outfit the 14,000 humans and 700 audio-animatronic figures at Disneyland and California Adventure.
Today's guides include middle-age women and senior citizens who ''aren't as comfortable in a short skirt," so the costume is being overhauled for the first time in four decades, said Robbin Almand, director of entertainment services for Disneyland Resort.
The 2006 version, scheduled to debut this summer, features a longer hemline and looser jacket.
''Very few Americans in service -industry jobs in the early 21st century have the figure to pull off uniforms with short skirts and form-fitted blouses," said Disney watchdog Al Lutz, founder of miceage.com. ''The new costumes . . . feature cuts and styles that hide the figure rather than flatter it."
