I do not know anything about Ms. Duff's personal situation. But in general I would think that any actor on any show sees it as a job. Movies and television both work on a "freelance" basis; there is no obligation or tie except what's specified in a contract. It's true for everyone from stars, producers, directors all the way down to the guy who drives the catering truck to the set. Working at the park as a "cast member" is a regular job. In show business you're lucky just to get a job and its length is usually measured in weeks.
Britney, Justin and many of the current pop stars all got their start on the Mouse Club when it was on The Disney Channel. I've even heard that the members of one of the boy bands go their start in the Ninja Turtle show at Disney/MGM. They were there as a job, Disney doesn't own any piece of their career afterwards, and I'm sure they feel they don't owe Disney anything either.
At
Disneyland there is a club for employees who have been working at the park since it opened in 1955. All of its members are retired now, of course, but back when I was there plenty of people were still in the park. All of them had stories to tell, many of them about Walt. To a person they all respected and admired him. Naturally this was a self-selected group; you're not going to stay working at an amusement park for decades unless you really want to.
It also was very clear that the show was everything. Walt had very specific ideas about what he wanted to present and he made sure those ideas were communicated down to the cast (and enforced). It was always the "old timers" who complained the loudest about any bad show and this was before Eisner took over. Initial Disney orientation in those days was two or three days. The entire first day was spent in a classroom learning the basics of show, standards and history.
The mustache was part of the show. Walt set-up everything at Disneyland as a performance, and set-up had a purpose. Back in 1955 amusement parks had a very horrible reputation; Walt wanted his show to be different. So he cast the park differently. Instead of the carnies found at state fairs of ill repute, he cast
his show with the sparkling, youth, clean-cut All American glean of mid-50's purity. That meant no mustaches, short hair and limited make-up and jewelry. It wasn't because Walt was on some sort of crusade to ban facial hair; he just wanted his show to project a certain image.
Different shows placed different needs on their casts: there was never any "no mustache" rule for corporate or film employees. Someone once told me they thought that Walt himself felt trapped by his own mustache. He didn't really care about them one way or the other. But after the television show he had really become a well know and popular character. Since he was now "Uncle Walt", he had no choice but to continue the image, and the mustache. The Disneyland appearance code was never an issue until the late 1960's when everything "establishment" was being attacked. Walt's mustache and Disneyland's policy was held up as hypocrisy and just another example of how The Man was "keeping us down, man". It wasn't either, but the accusation still gets thrown around today.
Lastly, "business oriented" and "self indulgent" are not two phrase ever associated with Walt Disney. Arguable the two most "business" moves he made was 'Dumbo' and the original Disneyland television show. The first movie was a quick inexpensive film he needed to generate cash at the start of WWII. He was being pressured to make a sequel to 'Snow White' a smarter business move but he insisted that originality and quality would serve the company better in the long run. He was right. The Disneyland TV show can after being pestered for years by the networks. Walt held out for control; neither CBS nor NBC would give him that. He held out until the upstart ABC agreed to his demands; then Walt talked them into footing 1/3 of the bill for Disneyland. And
then spent the next year hyping the park. Not a bad business move, and one that certainly vastly better synergy than hosting 100 hours of cheerleader competition from the 'Indiana Jones Stunt Show' stage (which is all the current management seems capable of).
As for self indulgent he sold his vacation home and cashed in his life insurance policy to fund Disneyland (and, buy the way, he also set up WED Enterprises with his own money as well). Once again, Mr. Pirate, why must you insist on these silly little word games that try to give false impressions? It is perfectly possible to enjoy WDW today without having to tear down past accomplishments.
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