What about the boys?

[lclark0621]

So I noticed something on our trip last week.

First, I have 1 DS, thats it. So I never paid much attention to what was being said to girls.

But this last trip we were with friends who have a DD. Well EVERY CM who saw her would say "Hello Princess". More often then not they had "special princess stickers" (Cinderella) "just for her".

And my DS? Maybe he would get a "Hey there". No "special stickers", no "Hello Prince" or anything like that.

It is all for the GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS! Every girl is a princess. Why isn't every boy a prince?

I think it is really sad Disney is just leaving out the boys like that. It is hurtful & just mean.

If a CM can say "Hello Princess", surly they can come up with something, even "Hello young Price" or SOMETHING for boys!

 

[Amy&Dan]

I totally know what you mean! Princess meals, princess costumes, on and on. I have a boy and a girl. My girl is more outgoing than my son and just naturally seems to get more attention anyway. Throughout many Disney trips I would wince while she was made over more than my son. Then I got my son one of those Goofy hats. The big, green tall ones. He started getting compliments, from Goofy in particular. I remember once at a Character meal Goofy spent many minutes playing with my son, playfully pulling the hat down over Matt's face and I was so glad. Then I also bought my son one of those crazy Stitch hats. Now he gets a lot of attention from that too. At California Adventure last month, Stitch came running over, sneaking up behind my son, hugging him so excited. The cm with him told me that Stitch had spotted Matthew from afar and tugged her over to see his friend! One time at Fantasmic two very cute young teenage girls asked my son for his autograph and a picture. They had missed Stitch that trip and it was their last night so Matt was a good substitute! Also, getting my son a lanyard with lots of cool pins helps. So there are ways to get the attention for the boys too, you just have to be resourceful! And not have a son adverse to wearing silly hats!

And hopefully they will add that boys/hero character breakfast over at MGM like they say they are.

 

[kimand3kids]

We haven't even been to DW yet and I'm already noticing this - and wondering if my DS will notice - he's not one to want extra attention, but I'm sure DD, wearing her Cinderella dress, will get noticed.

He is 6, DD is 4 1/2, and my other DD will be 22 mos, so I hope HE is noticed too Good idea about the goofy hat! I wonder if he'd wear it?

 

[KJHawley]

Does your son want to dress up like a prince? If so, I'm sure they'd say something.

 

[Amy&Dan]

We haven't even been to DW yet and I'm already noticing this - and wondering if my DS will notice - he's not one to want extra attention, but I'm sure DD, wearing her Cinderella dress, will get noticed.

He is 6, DD is 4 1/2, and my other DD will be 22 mos, so I hope HE is noticed too Good idea about the goofy hat! I wonder if he'd wear it?

My son is VERY shy! I don't think he would wear those hats at home but man he makes sure they are packed when we head to Disneyland and WDW! You see a lot of boys and men wearing funny hats and mouse ears too for that matter. I think everybody loses some of their inhibitions at WDW. You can always have him try one on and see if he likes it. Also, I always have my kids in shirts from the Disney stores. If I know we are going to Chef Mickey's for dinner I have him in a Mickey shirt and so on. The characters will always make over kids "wearing" them in one form or another. I will also prod the characters a bit. I'll point out to Buzz that my son is wearing a pin and usually Buzz (or whoever) will high five my son and give him an extra hug.

 

[lclark0621]

Does your son want to dress up like a prince? If so, I'm sure they'd say something.

Oh sure they would. IF he was dressed up. But my point is NOT all, or even MOST of the girls are dressed up. Yet they are ALL "Princess" by EVERY CM that sees them.

No one notices the boys. And it is just SAD. ESPECIALLY when a boy is OBVIOUSLY traveling with a girl that is being fawned over!

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

"Hello Young Prince" makes me think of Bambi.

But you are so right..I hope when DS is old enough to go they have a Heros breakfast or something at MGM because I would love to go to something like that with him. I have thought for the last few years (way before I ever had DS) that they make too much of the princesses and leave the boys out in the cold.

Besides..what about the girls who don't WANT to be princesses? What do they do with them? Stick them in the dark tower and lock them up till they beg to be princesses?

TOV

 

[lclark0621]

"Hello Young Prince" makes me think of Bambi.
TOV

Me to. And my DS is a major Bambi fan. I say it to him every morning when he wakes up.

I dont know why Disney can't think of this!

Oh & about the locking the anti-princess girls up. Seems like lately if you are not all about the Princesses, you are left out in the cold with Disney!

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

I have always felt a little left out in the cold by Disney because I'm such a HUGE Villains fan.

Why be a princess (who needs help and always relies on the prince/good fairies/the fairy godmother to save her) when you could be a villain/ness who doesn't NEED anybody's help?

TOV

 

[diznygirl]

I have a DS 6 and I have not noticed him being ignored at all. I can't tell you how many Mickey Mouse stickers we have around the house!! Please, stop giving my son Mickey stickers!!! He also has a few badge stickers from security.

My daughter will be three soon - she gets attention too - but no more than my son.

Now, I do agree that they are playing up the princess thing a bit too much. In addition to all the princess meals, there will the Bibbidee Bobbidee Boutique at DTD - and still no character meal for just the boys.

 

[DawnCt1]

DS#1 was "King for a few moments" in Disneyland 20 years ago. He liked that. To digress a bit however, mothers of boys should definately read The War Against Boys by Christina Hoff Somers. It isn't just at Disney that boys are given the short end of the stick.

 

[denisekayt]

I have a DS 6 and I have not noticed him being ignored at all. I can't tell you how many Mickey Mouse stickers we have around the house!! Please, stop giving my son Mickey stickers!!! He also has a few badge stickers from security.

I have to agree with diznygirl, my DS has gotten many, MANY stickers from various CMs and even a "bus drivers license" from Disney Transportation one time. He has also been referred to as "Prince" on a few occasions, although that usually happens when he is interacting with Princess characters during character meals or autograph/photo opps.

I think it's probably a hit or miss thing based on which CMs you come across on a particular visit to the park.

 

[WDWCM]

Honestly? Because princess is VERY generic really.

Boys are very dependent on the area, ie. Frontierland= "Hey there, cowboy!, Tomorrowland = "Space ranger" etc... and then you almost always get it wrong and the boy doesn't like space references, or cowboy or prince or whatever.

I use a standard "Hey big guy". But the idea that they might dress or display their preference/interest is a very good one!

 

[Robinrs]

From the princesses, to tinkerbell, to the Cinderella breakfast, I've ALWAYS thought Disney was biased towards little girls, which is one of the main reasons I never went until I was in my 40s... I've NEVER been a girly girl and never will be.

My son told me after 2 years of going that he thought Disney was too girly... I tried to talk him out of it but he still feels the same at 13. I don't see anything wrong with it, it's a MAN'S world so this is one part they can enjoy.


My best girlfriend once told me that I was a 13yo boy in disguise, I like comic books, roller coasters and getting real dirty and wet! I guess now my son and I are the same age!!

 

[goofyernmost]

Let me let you in on a little secret. Boys don't want to be known by cutsie little names. That's a girl thing. I doubt that any boy has even noticed much less cares. "Big guy" sounds like a good generic handle for a boy.

This comes from 58 years of being a boy at heart. Just let us on the rides and feed us something with sugar in it. We're happy! Remember...cool at all costs.

 

[Beth76]

Not trying to start a debate, but if I kept hearing "Hello Princess" all day long, I think I'd hurl.

Seriously though, this is why we have no plans to go to WDW. It really just seems so girly. I don't think my 5-year-old would like it.

 

[diznygirl]

If you think Disney is too "girly" then you will be missing out on a lot. We went today mainly because my son has been bugging us to go. We did Splash Mountain - his favorite - Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise and the Tiki Room. Then we had ice cream and went home.

Other faves include Pirates, Buzz Lightyear, Astro Orbiter, and Tea Cups.

My DD's favorite rides are Pooh and well, that's it.

 

[Beth76]

If I lived 20 minutes away, I'm sure I'd go too. But, for me to pay for a family of 4 to fly down and stay in an overpriced hotel, not to mention over-priced food, I better be really sure that my boys are going to like it.

 

[JVL1018]

My son gets lots of attention, just like DD, I think because he isn't fond of the attention so is always ducking behind me and he gets CMs to try and coax him into conversation. I have never experienced a CM paying attention to my daughter and ignoring my son, never had anyone givce her stickers and not him, etc.

WDW is more girly-centric in regards to products because it sells way more than boys stuff.
I have one of each and boy clothes are usually not too exciting, girls stuff, I have to rein myself in, it's that way everywhere, not just Disney..

Disney is SO not all girly girl. My son LOVES it there, and he is about the boyest boy I have ever known.
He told me he didn't want eyelashes last year because they were too girly..did you ever notice that in cartoons girls always have eyelashes and boys don't? He thought that only girls were supposed ot have eyelashes.

 

[Tink&SquirtsMom]

While I've noticed that its nearly impossible to find boy friendly character meals and that its much harder to find boy clothes (learned that one the hard way when ds luggage didn't make it to WDW with us) but besides that we've never had an issue. DS seems to get called Captain alot. He wears his pirate gear or pirate tshirts around the park alot though. He's also been called Space Ranger and some others. We've never had the experience of one kid recieving stickers or lots of attention without the other one. Expect in a few cases where a particular character really hit it off with one of our kids and we've had that happen with each of them boy and girl. Both came home from our WDW trip with numerous Magical Moments certificates and Guest of Honor stickers, Mickey Stickers, etc. And believe me they would notice if one kid got a sticker and the other didn't!

I'm surprised to hear that so many people think Disney is so girly. My ds is a boys boy and hes in heaven in a place where he can go through a "creepy" (his favorite word) haunted mansion, watch pirates shoot at each other, and take aim at space aliens. While merchandise is very girl geared there are very few princess rides.