The 4 Keys to become 5

[rteetz]

That's what makes for good discussion groups. If we all thought the same way, there wouldn't be much going on in here. Just a bunch of "yay!" and "way to go!" posts. Oddly enough, diversity in thought doesn't seem to be quite as welcome as other differentiating qualities lol.

Personally I think this is something that everyone should be fine with. But it is the internet after all.

 

[jknezek]

I've not gotten involved in this because I've never been a cast member and The Keys don't really mean much to me. By and large, I've always had good cast member interaction and I'd assume a good chunk of that is the training CMs are provided as well as the general high quality of workers Disney gets for what is mostly considered lower pay front line jobs. A huge reason for those workers is the mystique and reputation of the company.

The dozen or so WDW employees I know are all retirees who work the winter away at front-line, low pay, low qualification positions. Generally food service, retail service, and janitorial positions. Most of those employees are college educated lifetime white collar retirees. Why do they work at Disney? Because it's Disney. One of them jokes his grandkid makes way more at Chick-Fil-A, both per hour up front and especially given the time to commute, park, go through costuming, and reach his work station. But he loves Disney, so this year would have been his 8th winter mostly cleaning tables in QS restaurants in MK, despite 35+ years spent as a computer engineer and community college professor. I asked him about the Keys and especially about this one and I waited for his response before entering this thread. With his permission and some paraphrasing (community college professors can be long winded apparently)...

"I think it's great...
I haven't witnessed a problem with racism among Park employees in my time there, but I'm an old white guy so I may not see or hear or interpret what others do. I've heard a few stories from co-workers but I think that's true of every place I've ever worked...
The Keys are so important to most of us. It's really drilled into you during your orientation and training that they are what you are expected to live up to every day. So putting Inclusion at that level should make us all aware of the importance Disney is giving this issue...
All the training is really strong and I wish I was going through it this year to see how this is introduced and what is said. I expect Disney will do a really good job of defining and implementing what this means and how it will apply to everyday interaction between CMs and guests as all the other Keys are..."

Unfortunately he will not return this year due to the pandemic, though he also said he isn't sure Disney is hiring anyway for those typical snowbird positions.

Anyway, my own feelings on this are we live in a multicultural society in a globally connected world. Disney is a global corporation. Disney Parks are global destinations. Disney Park employees are globally sourced. There is a relationship between happy employees, job satisfaction, and job performance. So if an emphasis on Inclusion improves the satisfaction and performance of Disney Park employees, that will improve the reputation of the Parks with global visitors, which improves the reputation of the global company. For a company like Disney, reputation does correlate with profit. Not as much as pandemics correlate with losses, of course, but Disney knows that positive memories lead to more visits. I suspect most of us on this board are evidence of that correlation to one degree or another.

It really is that simple.

 

[Chuck S]

Interesting to add a key of inclusion ..and that could mean a LOT of different things to different people. For instance, it could mean looking for new ways to make attractions and restaurants even more accessible for wheelchair users. Or is could mean seeing more minority cast members, though Disney is already pretty racially inclusive for cast members. It could mean developing/using more cultural folk tales and storytelling, this is a good thing. It could mean less obviously gender specific merchandise and clothing options just as we've seen Disney slowly offering some Rainbow themed Pride items. It could mean more higher level promotions have ethnicity considered...but again, Disney, overall, seems pretty focused on that already. DVC had an African American VP for a while, and more Asians are coming into management positions due to the parks located overseas.

All and all, I doubt we'll see any major changes overnight, but over the next several months and years. I think, overall, it is a positive thing.

 

[OKW Lover]

I hope "inclusion" means moving away from stereotypes. More female Jungle Cruise skippers for example.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I hope "inclusion" means moving away from stereotypes. More female Jungle Cruise skippers for example.

Interesting. I think we’ve had a guy once.

 

[rteetz]

Interesting. I think we’ve had a guy once.

Yeah I was just thinking I’ve had tons of female skippers.

 

[Alicefan]

So then why can’t we look at this as something positive that maybe will make them more wholesome and not shady or however else you want to look at it? This isn’t going to ruin any vacations. This isn’t even going to change anything other than making sure CMs are inclusive.

I never said it wasn't positive at all. My original post only stated that it seemed more like a PR move because diversity and inclusion seemed to already fall under the umbrella of the other 4 keys and common sense and I've never heard of anyone having an incident with Disney not being inclusive before. I've just been sticking up for the other person who got shut down for voicing his opinion. Then the conversation went on from there.

 

[jknezek]

I hope "inclusion" means moving away from stereotypes. More female Jungle Cruise skippers for example.

I can't remember having a male skipper in our last 2 trips either. Probably a half dozen or so rides.

 

[OKW Lover]

I recall a time when Jungle Cruise Skippers were only male. Of course I've been doing WDW for many, many years.

However, my poorly made point was that I hope we see more inclusive roles.

 

[Disney Bobby]

I never said it wasn't positive at all. My original post only stated that it seemed more like a PR move because diversity and inclusion seemed to already fall under the umbrella of the other 4 keys and common sense and I've never heard of anyone having an incident with Disney not being inclusive before. I've just been sticking up for the other person who got shut down for voicing his opinion. Then the conversation went on from there.

Thank you. And your point is absolutely valid. Seems really opportunistic and calculated considering where we are socially today. Disney already seems very inclusive. I wouldn't spend my money there if I felt otherwise. Everything, including the cast members, the guests, the food, the shows, the scenery, the resorts, the entire experience, is an exercise in diversity and inclusion. In a time where there is an obvious money crunch to the point where they are laying off people and cutting back on the guest experience, it seems odd to throw money at something they actually do very well already, unless there is something else in it for them. That's just the way big billion dollar corporations work, and I don't think Disney is exempt. The details and implementation will tell the true story.

 

[jkh36619]

I have always felt Disney went above and beyond. I don't feel they needed to add a 5th key but I'm surely not upset they did. They can add 100 keys as far as I'm concerned.

In fact, If people would just do the right thing and suck less, we wouldn't need any keys

 

[Chuck S]

Seems really opportunistic and calculated considering where we are socially today.

Disney is responding to social conditions and changes, just like all successful businesses should. Sometimes it is as simple as a PR announcement, sometimes other major changes are required.

Society evolves, it has done so throughout human history... Sometimes that change is slow and painful, like abolishing slavery, giving women the vote, overturning prohibition...sometimes it happens quickly, like the 1960s civil rights movements, and the current situations. Society changes are a lot like a freeway. Sometimes you can move right along at 70mph, sometimes you're at a dead stop. Let us all hope, though, that society keeps moving forward for the betterment of all and that we never have to throw it into reverse.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

This is a news story, news stories are based on facts. You can have all the opinions you want but this particular story is news, based on facts about a key being added to the CM core values. There's no hesitation, no opinions, it's fact
I have several family members and friends who work and have worked for the company, I've lived in Orlando for 24 years so I have first hand experience on how all groups are treated. and this company is very open to diversity and inclusion but still you have people at Disney who don't share those values. This key is a way of Disney saying racism, xenophobia, homophobia, etc have no place at Disney and here's why. Lets talk about being inclusive. This is why it is so well received by CM, because it is needed.
Don't know what you're talking about when you say Disney is money driven and shady, this thread hasn't been about that at all, not sure if you are just trying to misdirect the thread to make it something it's not, it's about Disney adding a new key of inclusion to the core values, and I understand that some people might think and have many opinions but if you don't know and haven't been Disney trained, you just don't know and that's fine
And I'm done with this discussion because I know people just won't get it and will keep spinning it to favor their points of views when this is nothing but fact

I keep coming back to one of the first comments you made about CMs feeling like now it will be easier to be their "true selves" .... and that is where I think this can have the biggest impact

There may be lots of data saying that front line CMs are very diverse and that tolerance is very high/low levels of outright issues. But there is a big difference between "tolerance" and "full acceptance"

In a lot of corprations there is a push to higher a more diverse workforce, but a lot of times that is based on ourward apperance, and the people hired still have similar attitduces/experience/work styles/etc tot he existing corporate culture ... or, very often, have to act like they fit into the existing corporate culture. Hopefully this change reduces the amount of "acting" CMs have to do to fit in and their true selves are fully accepted and seen as adding to the overall experience

 

[afan]

I keep coming back to one of the first comments you made about CMs feeling like now it will be easier to be their "true selves" .... and that is where I think this can have the biggest impact

There may be lots of data saying that front line CMs are very diverse and that tolerance is very high/low levels of outright issues. But there is a big difference between "tolerance" and "full acceptance"

In a lot of corprations there is a push to higher a more diverse workforce, but a lot of times that is based on ourward apperance, and the people hired still have similar attitduces/experience/work styles/etc tot he existing corporate culture ... or, very often, have to act like they fit into the existing corporate culture. Hopefully this change reduces the amount of "acting" CMs have to do to fit in and their true selves are fully accepted and seen as adding to the overall experience

I was thinking about this change this morning and my own work place. It really, to me, comes down to the 5 keys are the values Disney has as a company. Most, if not all, places have values, a corporate statement, mission etc. These values aren't just about how the company is to their clients, customers and clients but also internally. The company I'm at is very family focused and it shows in how employees are treated and the things that are done. Stuff that isn't crazy or unrealistic but supportive. Yet a lot of it is stuff other places wouldn't have done even if it had fit into their values because family wasn't part of it.

I agree that by adding this is as much or more for the company culture and how everyone treats their coworkers than it is how they treat guests. Guests shouldn't be the ones seeing a change because of this but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be done or that it's included in the other 4 keys. If the cms think it's great that's what matters since its thr culture they work within that will hopefully improve by this.

 

[DisneyPigFan]

I'm not a Disney employee, so not sure I'd even ever heard of the keys previously. But now that I do know...what will adding "inclusion" actually do? What will change? Was Disney being discriminatory previously? Have people not been included? Never having worked there, I have no idea.

I do know that the company where I work (not Disney) has recently ramped up "diversity and inclusion" things. There's even now a Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, who holds a SVP rank.

Diversity, of course, is extremely important. But I don't think it should be forced, or be like a quota system.
And I don't think anyone should get a job over anyone else BECAUSE of their race or gender.

Ticking a diversity box shouldn't give you an edge, but a job also shouldn't just automatically go to a white male (obviously).

 

[yulilin3]

I'm not a Disney employee, so not sure I'd even ever heard of the keys previously. But now that I do know...what will adding "inclusion" actually do? What will change? Was Disney being discriminatory previously? Have people not been included? Never having worked there, I have no idea.

I do know that the company where I work (not Disney) has recently ramped up "diversity and inclusion" things. There's even now a Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, who holds a SVP rank.

Diversity, of course, is extremely important. But I don't think it should be forced, or be like a quota system.
And I don't think anyone should get a job over anyone else BECAUSE of their race or gender.

Ticking a diversity box shouldn't give you an edge, but a job also shouldn't just automatically go to a white male (obviously).

TWDC has been very diverse for a while now but this key is Inclusion, and not necessarily focused on hiring based on diversity, they've had that quota to meet for many decades now,
The keys are the core of every Disney training, they start with the keys, explain what each one means and how to put it into effect in the workplace, with your fellow CM and guest.
Inclusion will bring more awareness of everyone's individuality, how we are all different, how you chose to be different and still we all are able to be included because we are all human beings
Many people have equated the inclusion key with the courtesy key, which has been in place since the beginning
Think if it this way, you are in your high school cafeteria and you are a member of the cheerleader team/click. You are having lunch with all members of your click, a band student comes by and you politely say Hi, or maybe ask how their day is...that's courtesy
Same situation, when the band student comes by you say Hi and then actually ask him to join you. That's inclusion
I know this is over simplifying it, but that's the core of it

 

[TheMaxRebo]

TWDC has been very diverse for a while now but this key is Inclusion, and not necessarily focused on hiring based on diversity, they've had that quota to meet for many decades now,
The keys are the core of every Disney training, they start with the keys, explain what each one means and how to put it into effect in the workplace, with your fellow CM and guest.
Inclusion will bring more awareness of everyone's individuality, how we are all different, how you chose to be different and still we all are able to be included because we are all human beings
Many people have equated the inclusion key with the courtesy key, which has been in place since the beginning
Think if it this way, you are in your high school cafeteria and you are a member of the cheerleader team/click. You are having lunch with all members of your click, a band student comes by and you politely say Hi, or maybe ask how their day is...that's courtesy
Same situation, when the band student comes by you say Hi and then actually ask him to join you. That's inclusion
I know this is over simplifying it, but that's the core of it

I would also say really living out inclusion is more than just inviting that band member to join you - it is making that person feel welcome and to be genuinely interested in learning more about them and feeling that the entire table is better off because of what this person adds that currently wasn't there

It's not asking that person to join you but then expecting them to ask just like you do

 

[yulilin3]

I would also say really living out inclusion is more than just inviting that band member to join you - it is making that person feel welcome and to be genuinely interested in learning more about them and feeling that the entire table is better off because of what this person adds that currently wasn't there

It's not asking that person to join you but then expecting them to ask just like you do

exactly. Right now Disney is celebrating and sharing traditions for every group out there. For example right now they have a video about celebrating National China day (oct 1st) they show what it means and why the Chinese people celebrate this day. So you, as a CM, can be more aware and maybe approach a CM of Chinese decent and talk to them about it or if you are at Epcot China you can celebrate that day and know what the heck you're talking about

 

[jimim]

I think Disney would argue they do have affordable packages. Whether that is actually the case is another discussion. Like I said though the full details on implementation are not available yet.

ya right. what is considered affordable. after air, room, tickets, food spending money you can't do a trip for less than 5 grand anymore for a family of 4.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

ya right. what is considered affordable. after air, room, tickets, food spending money you can't do a trip for less than 5 grand anymore for a family of 4.

drive, stay off site, get the cheapest base tickets, eat off property/bring your own food