Location History
Disney's Old Key West is the first of the Walt Disney World Resort Vacation Club properties, themed as an idyllic version of the real town at the southern end of Florida. The resort was recently renovated in 2021 with a fresh new interior in the lobby space. However, the costumes from the previous interior design remained. I chose to reimagine this iconic resort with a modern, fresh eye, while still being true to the theming of the resort and keeping in mind continuity between other Disney resort properties.
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Design Inspiration
When designing these Operations costumes I felt it was important for the Cast Members to visually stand out against the background of the lobby. The renovation of the resort saw bright, fresh tones of light blue and teal with pops of vivid orange and natural wood hues. I took inspiration from the color palette of the resort and designed these complimentary costumes.
Textile Design
To complete the look, I designed this "orange blossom" print inspired by the Florida state flower. I incorporated teal green vines and small oranges into the hand-drawn blossom flowers. The design is illustrated as a seamless repeat print and was illustrated using Adobe Photoshop. This print is used for the contrasting collar band and cuffs of the teal dress shirt, and also for use as a neck scarf and pocket square.
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Cast & Production Considerations
As a former Attractions Cast Member, I am intimately familiar with how it feels to wear an issued costume at my work location, and how it feels to work long hours in hard Florida weather conditions. With these factors in mind, I put the comfort, safety, accessibility, and fashion of the Cast Members as my top priority.
For example, I designed the teal dress shirt with a convertible sleeve so that Cast may choose to wear their sleeves rolled up in warmer weather or down in the cooler seasons. The outerwear orange tweed blazer is an optional piece that can be layered for comfort and elevates the professionalism of the look. Cast have the option to choose a pair of trousers/pants, or a skirt, paired with either a classic white dress shirt/blouse or teal shirt/blouse with contrasting collar and cuffs. The looks can be accessorized with a straw Panama hat, neck scarf, pocket square, and black dress belt.
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I also took production time and cost into consideration when designing for this resort. Standard white dress shirts/blouses and khaki bottoms are frequently utilized across other locations at Walt Disney World Resort. By choosing to use "universal" garments in this look, the costume could be manufactured within a reasonable budget and timeframe.
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