Do cast members still use the constant "princess" label?

[Welsh_Dragon]

I asked an innocent question,

May I ask...how would your child wish to be addressed on any given day?

 

[kuhltiffany]

That's the odd part. Such a simple question has morphed into so many assumptions.

Honestly, it doesn't matter to me or to them. They choose how to react to whatever happens in a positive manner, it doesn't change who they are. My child is a strong and independent part of society, busy with volunteering and helping others. They are becoming an advocate, an ally, a safe ear for those who do not come from a supportive culture.

May I ask...how would your child wish to be addressed on any given day?

 

[DreamsElaine]

I find that they are consistently referring to children as prince/princess/pirate.

 

[Kimpossible1]

As a CM, I sometimes don't see buttons or can't read what's on them quick enough, so I think the button idea is not that great. I only use the term princess if a girl is dressed up in a princess dress but other than that, do not use any gender labels. We had a child come to pin trade with hair down to the middle of their back and dressed in more feminine clothes. The other CM said "there you go princess" and he replied, "I'm a boy" That's why I don't use any gender specific terms...better to be safe than sorry! Goes along with asking a women when they are due? LOL! Never ask that!! I think CM's are just trying to be friendly and mean no harm if they incorrectly identify a person.

 

[Sara Conkle]

Lisa, I promise you that anyone who is gender fluid or trans has learned that "life lesson" already, like every second of every day. Trying to minimize the discomfort during a vacation is not having a bad attitude or mindset. Your comments come off as dismissive and even a lil rude.

 

[Disnerd23]

For trans, maybe you should custom make a button that says, something like "I'm a Princess" or "I'm a Prince." Non-conforming/neutral could be trickier, maybe make one that says something like . "You may address me as "Your Highness" Which actually wouldn't be a bad idea for DIsney to start using for everyone.

That's a good idea!! Lol- recently one of my friends was trying to think of a gender neutral version of king or queen, and ended up calling me "monarch," which was very funny because my first thought was the butterfly!!!

 

[DrunkJam]

That's a good idea!! Lol- recently one of my friends was trying to think of a gender neutral version of king or queen, and ended up calling me "monarch," which was very funny because my first thought was the butterfly!!!

I guess "your majesty" would work for that and not be a butterfly, you know, unless you want to be a butterfly...

 

[Buttcracker]

I find that they are consistently referring to children as prince/princess/pirate.

I ask CMs to refer to me as El Conquistador...they don't like that very much.

 

[bopper]

Cast members are trying to be more personal but without knowing your name when they say Prince or Princess.

Make a button:

I am a Princeoid
Princess with a red line through it
or perhaps their name (that is up to you for safety)

 

[Buttcracker]

In all seriousness I don't think they would ever intentionally offend...unless you or your kiddo is the 20th person that day that left something on Soarin......

 

[Llexica]

I guess "your majesty" would work for that and not be a butterfly, you know, unless you want to be a butterfly...

In all honesty as much as i really love the neutrality of your highness and your majesty and think that would be awesome, if someone called me that i'd look at them like wait...wha- what did i do? lol it just feels like something you'd call someone sarcastically before rolling your eyes.

 

[Buttcracker]

People just want to be pissed off and offended these days-

 

[Tiberella626]

You know how some people have those buttons that say "First Visit!" and things like that? I know people sometimes make those with their own personalized design, but I'm not sure where/how they go about that. Maybe a design/slogan that expresses your child's gender identity could work. Though that would mean you're literally wearing it and I know not everyone prefers to do that.

I have a child that is sensory sensitive, at Halloween some people put out teal pumpkins to alert you that an alternative treat is available. I wonder if the gender neutral community could come up with something like this that alerts people to your preference. As a professional that meets with clients, I run into all kinds of situations and I welcome clues. I hate it when I start off on the wrong foot with someone.

 

[ChanaC]

I just saw this post. I was a CM from 2012-2014, so I'm a little out of date with what's current. However, I never really liked calling people "princess" unless they were a child actually wearing a princess costume. I always thought it was kind of weird, even how some CMs applied to every female guest. Like, when I was in the parks on my own time I would get called it occasionally, and come on, I'm a grown adult. I usually just used the term "buddy" when talking to kids, which I believe is pretty gender neutral. For example, I would say "Hey, buddy, can you look over here for a picture?" or "Happy birthday, buddy!" or "Buddy, can you please get down from standing on that chair (because you are about to fall and crack your head open)?". I don't remember if there was any Disney policy about what terms to use (other than of course totally inappropriate words), or if this was just something that CMs would pick up from other CMs.

As a note, I would be especially careful about using any gendered language when I saw a kit with GKTW button or Make-A-Wish shirt. I know a lot of kids loose their hair to chemo and there were girls with short hair who felt very self conscious about it.

 

[Buttcracker]

I just saw this post. I was a CM from 2012-2014, so I'm a little out of date with what's current. However, I never really liked calling people "princess" unless they were a child actually wearing a princess costume. I always thought it was kind of weird, even how some CMs applied to every female guest. Like, when I was in the parks on my own time I would get called it occasionally, and come on, I'm a grown adult. I usually just used the term "buddy" when talking to kids, which I believe is pretty gender neutral. For example, I would say "Hey, buddy, can you look over here for a picture?" or "Happy birthday, buddy!" or "Buddy, can you please get down from standing on that chair (because you are about to fall and crack your head open)?". I don't remember if there was any Disney policy about what terms to use (other than of course totally inappropriate words), or if this was just something that CMs would pick up from other CMs.

As a note, I would be especially careful about using any gendered language when I saw a kit with GKTW button or Make-A-Wish shirt. I know a lot of kids loose their hair to chemo and there were girls with short hair who felt very self conscious about it.

For me it's Kiddo-can't go wrong there with little ones.

 

[OneMoreTry]

I've been to Disney over 50 times through the years and never once heard a cast member refer to my daughters as "princess." However, I have a disabled daughter, and with things like meet and greet I just go up to the CM before she does and explain the situation and what her needs are.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

WDW cannot be politically correct on all fronts.

1. WDW had approx 21-million visitors in 2019.
. . . Let's assume 1/3 were children.
. . . Further, let's assume 1/2 were girls
2. We could presume there were about 3+ million girls.
3. Parents and kids come to WDW for the Fantasy.
4. In the WDW fantasy world, there are lots of princesses.
. . . animated characters in movies
. . . real life characters in movies
. . . costume characters at the parks
. . . guests
5. Thus, addressing girls as "princess" is right in line.
6. If this is a problem, there are MANY other amusement parks.

 

[Karin1984]

WDW cannot be politically correct on all fronts.

1. WDW had approx 21-million visitors in 2019.
. . . Let's assume 1/3 were children.
. . . Further, let's assume 1/2 were girls
2. We could presume there were about 3+ million girls.
3. Parents and kids come to WDW for the Fantasy.
4. In the WDW fantasy world, there are lots of princesses.
. . . animated characters in movies
. . . real life characters in movies
. . . costume characters at the parks
. . . guests
5. Thus, addressing girls as "princess" is right in line.
6. If this is a problem, there are MANY other amusement parks.

But assuming that people want to be called princess (little girls in princess dresses excepted), is not the way. Assuming things is the worst thing a company can do. Like asking someone if they are pregnant, just don't do it, unless you are absolutely sure.

 

[bsmcneil]

WDW cannot be politically correct on all fronts.

1. WDW had approx 21-million visitors in 2019.
. . . Let's assume 1/3 were children.
. . . Further, let's assume 1/2 were girls
2. We could presume there were about 3+ million girls.
3. Parents and kids come to WDW for the Fantasy.
4. In the WDW fantasy world, there are lots of princesses.
. . . animated characters in movies
. . . real life characters in movies
. . . costume characters at the parks
. . . guests
5. Thus, addressing girls as "princess" is right in line.
6. If this is a problem, there are MANY other amusement parks.

This line of thinking is insidious and I don't understand it. "Have a thought about how something could feel better while spending 1-10K? GO AWAY! How dare you bring up something that would help you feel seen!" Like ... really, my dude? You can say, "Meh, I don't think it's worth it" and still be far better than the person who says, "If you don't like it, don't let the door hit you."

That said:

1. It's not an issue of being "politically correct" but about not placing YOUR expectations and assumptions on another (further, one could consider kowtowing to a certain demographic that can't be bothered with people living their lives openly "being politically correct".
2. People assigned female at birth and people who are girls/women are and can be different groups.
3. By a vast margin, the people who say they go to WDW simply to live in fantasy/escape seem to be people with the privilege to be able to do that at home, too. People go to Disney World/Parks, in particular, for lots of reasons including Disney's long-standing practice of being (not just seeming) welcoming to lots of people (which is also beyond "tolerating" diversity). Part of the desire to escape can and does come from wanting to escape harmful words and deeds and judgments from others. Why should others not be treated with respect because you want to live in a fantasy world where your way is the only way.

And I just can't quite care enough to deal with 4-6. Some people ...

 

[Figment of Speech]

5. Thus, addressing girls as "princess" is right in line.

It's even more in line with Disney's values for them not to want to cause their guests, especially kids, to feel uncomfortable, unsupported, and perhaps even alienated.

Or to put it differently, I'd say that it's on-brand for "princess" to be in the Disney CM vocabulary, but it's not on-brand for CMs to use it without forethought.

Many commenters in this conversation have already said that calling kids "princess" isn't particularly common these days unless the child is dressed as a princess. Notably, a few have had different experiences. But most of this thread is two years old, and since then, Disney has added an Inclusion Key to their theme park philosophy. I'd imagine that at this point taking simple steps not to misgender people, including kids, is probably part of CM training.

Cast members are human, so it's always possible to slip, but I would suspect that the intention, for most cast members, is to try not to.