Silly question: at WDW girls are "Princess"

[ww52]

Let's not kid ourselves - it's marketing. We just got back. My older granddaughter loves the princesses - we saw I think 10 of them , including a couple I never heard of. She wore a Belle costume - a lot of girls were wearing costumes of their favorites (or maybe had several costumes for different meet-ups?

They are making a FORTUNE off the princess thing and they have been for many years since they started this (maybe as long as 15 years ago?) So calling girls "princess" just reinforces the "brand".

Many girls don't like it. And I certainly can see reasons why - though myself I thought it was nice (but only because my granddaughter loved it).

Still, given the princess brand Disney will keep doing it. There is a very low chance too many people will object so much that they will refuse to vacation at WDW.

 

[ww52]

I don’t think they ever really stop using the term princess, no matter what your age.

Correct - at one character meet there was a girl who was probably in her early teens - the photographer called her "prnicess".

 

[AngiTN]

I don’t think they ever really stop using the term princess, no matter what your age.

As an adult they've never called me Princess
Unless I am wearing my crown (as in my avatar here) where they will say Queen, or your highness, often.
So that's why I figured they stopped at some point

 

[Raya]

I'm over 40, I get called princess all over the resorts. If I wear my t-shirt that says "call me general" cast members switch to that.

 

[BrianL]

They are making a FORTUNE off the princess thing and they have been for many years since they started this (maybe as long as 15 years ago?) So calling girls "princess" just reinforces the "brand".

You are correct. "Disney Princess" as a brand is actually the number one revenue generating IP for toys and children's merchandise, above even Star Wars. It is a behemoth. The movies focus on the princesses, so that's why they are so prominent. I have heard them call boys "prince" or "young prince." I think adding the syllable makes it sound less stilted. They will also call them a pirate, or actually "Captain" if they have had the pirate makeover. There are options that they use and I think they still do a good job of making the boys feel special.

 

[Fern]

I have enough friends along the gender spectrum I refused to stereotype.

I just want to add, THANK YOU. I cannot say this enough. I think you chose wonderful alternatives to still make the kids feel special. I know it's a very small thing, but I am sure it meant a lot to some.

 

[Disneylover99]

As an adult they've never called me Princess
Unless I am wearing my crown (as in my avatar here) where they will say Queen, or your highness, often.
So that's why I figured they stopped at some point

I always get called princess. I don’t mind at all. I’ve never been called queen. That would be okay too.
It’s better than ma’am. That’s my everyday life.

 

[YesterDark]

My 2 year old son was young master last year. My 4 year old at the the time daughter loooved being called princess.

 

[TavieP]

I don’t think they ever really stop using the term princess, no matter what your age.

I visited one year with my parents when I was in my 20s and I distinctly remember having dinner at CRT and when we were seated, the hostess referred to me as "princess" (but not my mom) and gave me a Mickey straw when neither of my parents got one.

I was clearly an adult, but I think they were just treating me like a "little princess" because I was having dinner with my folks.

And to be honest, I LOVED it. It flooded me with nostalgia. (Also, I love those Mickey straws.)

I can see where it might annoy some people, but I was clearly delighted - I think most of the CMs in those roles are pretty good at 'reading the guest' to see if they'd be into it or not.

 

[luvsJack]

Now idea when just out and about in the parks but when we ate one morning at Cinderella Royal Table, Ds was called prince. But I think they had some Royal reference to all of us. He was 19 at the time and turned beet red lol.

Dd was called princess every where which is what her father calls her so I think at first she thought they were calling her that like a nickname!

 

[bumbershoot]

Ariel called my son a guppy. The other princesses called him “little prince” or similar. Other cms called him Buddy, little guy or little dude. He was 1.5 on our last trip.

It kind of rubs me the wrong way that they call all girls princess automatically and don’t have a standard greeting for boys. Why are girls all generalized?

I think you should turn it around. They KNOW what to call females. They have that down pat. They do NOT know what to call boys. They flail around with it.

I don’t think they ever really stop using the term princess, no matter what your age.

Yep. I’m approaching 50 and my cousin and I are regularly called Princess on our cousin trips. Now, it’s ovet Princess Half weekend and we’re geberally wearing our Charming Charlie’s tiaras, but it’s most CMs.

 

[The_Undercover_Guest]

I think that they may call boys your majesty or your highness as they call girls princess.