Castmembers Calling Everyone "Friend"

[Dakota731]

I would be surprised that everyone’s Facebook friends are actually friends. I’m not sure people would have time to have relationships with hundred or thousands of “friends”. Acquaintances maybe. But I guess everyone’s definition of a friend is different.

Maybe Disney needs everyone to wear a name tag with what they are comfortable being called to make everyone happy

 

[ars0525]

I have heard it used at Disney before but when I was there on Monday it was so over-used that I think Disney must have just had a refresher course on it for all CMs.

"Friends remember to put on your masks"
"Friends lets fill in all the space"
"Friends watch out for your head/step as you exit"
"Friends lets not climb on the ________"
"Friends remember to silence your phones"

I was enjoying all the ways they worked "friends" into their directions to guests. Plus the tone used for "friends" can vary I noticed

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

Better than a co-worker calling everyone "dude".... LOL

 

[bffer]

I saw a t-shirt recently that said "Life doesn't prepare you from the transition from Mama to Mommy to Mom to Bruh." It drives me crazy when my daughter calls me that. So I call her that right back. She finds it pretty embarrassing.

Is there an issue with the word "folks?" That's the word I tended to use when I worked in retail in a past life. It's non-gendered and friendly without being too intimate.

The only people I ever hear using the term "friends" in this context are those who work with young kids. Not even older kids. I think the kids in my daughter's 7th grade class would be pretty rude to the teacher who called them a friend. LOL

 

[Bullseye]

The servers at Ohana call me "cousin" ...by the end of that great meal I thought we were "cousins" .

We had a Jamaican waiter at Ohana once who referred to my wife as "mama" and my daughters as "lil mama" and quite honestly we thought it was charming, but again we were all enamored by his accent... ya man!

 

[nancipants]

In our PC, cancel-culture world Disney would probably be sued if a cast member would call a guest sir or ma’am.

Or, we could err on the side of politeness and inclusiveness and use gender neutral terms. Non-binary people exist.

 

[lorileahb]

Have to admit - didn't think this thread would last this long. I'm super excited to see all my Disney favorites in a few weeks, no matter what greeting cast members give me. Hurry up October!!!

 

[PaladinButters]

Maybe Disney needs everyone to wear a name tag with what they are comfortable being called to make everyone happy

That only helps an individual and not a group so I'm going to float 'comrade' out there. Pick up on this, Disney!

 

[Marrila]

That only helps an individual and not a group so I'm going to float 'comrade' out there. Pick up on this, Disney!

Comrade???

 

[empedocles]

I vote "meatbag".

 

[Bullseye]

Or, we could err on the side of politeness and inclusiveness and use gender neutral terms. Non-binary people exist.

Yes approx 1.2 million out of a population of 328.2 million or less than .4% of the total US population. Should 99.6% of the population have to change age-old accepted norms to accommodate such a small segment of society?

 

[WEDWDW]

I have heard it used at Disney before but when I was there on Monday it was so over-used that I think Disney must have just had a refresher course on it for all CMs.

"Friends remember to put on your masks"
"Friends lets fill in all the space"
"Friends watch out for your head/step as you exit"
"Friends lets not climb on the ________"
"Friends remember to silence your phones"

I was enjoying all the ways they worked "friends" into their directions to guests. Plus the tone used for "friends" can vary I noticed

DEFINITELY a new policy IMHO-I have NEVER heard "Friends" being used at WDW since I started going in 2003.

In all of your examples I have always had them use "Guys".

Didn't they recently also have to change the famous "Disney Point" because even using 2 fingers was now considered too "harsh"?

Or did I dream that Friends?

 

[nancipants]

Yes approx 1.2 million out of a population of 328.2 million or less than .4% of the total US population. Should 99.6% of the population have to change age-old accepted norms to accommodate such a small segment of society?

Yes. Why wouldn’t you want to? Language evolves all the time.

 

[SCDisneyfanatic]

In our PC, cancel-culture world Disney would probably be sued if a cast member would call a guest sir or ma’am. I’m not sure when everyone became so easily offended in this country, but I would have to think that we are so blessed as a nation that we have time and excess energy to sit around and think up things that bother us. It is funny how no one seemed bothered when Facebook has used the same term for over fifteen years.

I think "everyone" is a stretch. I'd venture to say the PC/Cancel Culture is supported by 5% of the loud and obnoxious...most people are quite understanding and not so easily offended by the use of common words that aren't neutral gender...like mail man...that's so offensive! But I digress. I need to go check on my Facebook Friends and see what's happening in the big, old world. Can I say big or old? That may be offensive.

 

[Coconut8473]

I'm a straight, 40-something, cis-gender female, and I don't like being called "princess" or (worse) "ma'am." My 7 year old daughter also hates being called "princess." We definitely noticed and welcomed the numerous "friend" greetings on our trip last week. Love that it is inclusive of all folks, easily translates across all cultures and languages, and the whole friendship theme is extremely and traditionally Disney.

 

[Mle8308]

We were there 2 weeks ago and I experienced the same thing and it annoyed me. We were called "friends" constantly. More often than not, it sounded very disingenuous. I've been a few times in the past 18 months and never noticed that salutation on prior trips. I don't like the term "guys" or "princess" either. When I worked there we encouraged CM's to say "hello everyone" if addressing a group or simply just "hello".

 

[MrBellatrixLestrange]

If you didn't turn around and say, "I'm not your friend, buddy!" this was a missed opportunity.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Yes approx 1.2 million out of a population of 328.2 million or less than .4% of the total US population. Should 99.6% of the population have to change age-old accepted norms to accommodate such a small segment of society?

Why not? I don't see how it would hurt any of the 99.6% of people to use gender-neutral terms, but if it keeps that .4% feeling included, then absolutely.

 

[MDIME]

Yes approx 1.2 million out of a population of 328.2 million or less than .4% of the total US population. Should 99.6% of the population have to change age-old accepted norms to accommodate such a small segment of society?

This is why I made my celiac disease (1% of the US population) and type 1 diabetes (0.5% of the US population) analogy! I would never expect over 99% of the country to bend to my will. If someone called me “sir” when clearly I’m a “ma’am” I’d be like, “um ok“ but wouldn’t dwell on it

 

[nancipants]

I think "everyone" is a stretch. I'd venture to say the PC/Cancel Culture is supported by 5% of the loud and obnoxious...most people are quite understanding and not so easily offended by the use of common words that aren't neutral gender...like mail man...that's so offensive! But I digress. I need to go check on my Facebook Friends and see what's happening in the big, old world. Can I say big or old? That may be offensive.

If it's not a big deal to use mailman, why is it a big deal to use mail carrier?