Disney (and others) at the Box Office - Current State of Affairs

[Disney Irish]

Just out of curiosity, why do you think someone would make up something if they are “better than this?”

I've interacted with TP for almost a decade, and I know he has the ability to be better than having to make stuff up to prove a point. But maybe you're right, maybe I'm asking too much.

 

[Chi84]

I've interacted with TP for almost a decade, and I know he has the ability to be better than having to make stuff up to prove a point. But maybe you're right, maybe I'm asking too much.

Just maybe consider why it happens so consistently.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

That Disneyland and Disney World removed "Ladies and gentlemen" from their spiels and CM's can't call me "Sir" any more but instead pretend I'm their "Friend" is very woke, and very annoying to some longtime Disney fans. It's also annoying to people who aren't Disney fans.

This is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me, it sounds so unnatural, it reminds me of a bartending job I had years ago when they instituted a formal “Welcome to (name of bar), how may I help you today? greeting, there’s nothing inherently wrong with the greeting but no one actually talks like that so it sounds forced rather than natural.

I bet the last time I’ve been called anything other than friend by a CM at Disneyland is 2 or 3 years ago.

In the grand scheme of things it wouldn’t make my top 1000 list of grievances but it’s annoying.

 

[TP2000]

Just out of curiosity, why do you think someone would make up something if they are “better than this?”

The best part was that it all proved the point I was making; when it takes the audience out of the story and sends them to Google to see if it even exists, that's not a good thing.

 

[Disney Irish]

There's nothing to "find" because I made up a fake Black Lesbian hockey coach, she doesn't exist in any Disney production. And that upsets you? Why?



What if I had said the hockey coach was a Cambodian Paraplegic? Would that be better for a hockey story? Or worse?

It still proves my point exactly; if it seems weird to the audience, it's probably weird.

The problem is that this example at the very least is tied to an actual Disney movie released just 8 months ago, even if you made up parts of it. So that example is something you used for a specific reason, just like all the others you used. And when caught you changed it to "oh I made up the whole thing".

Also I wouldn't care if Disney or any other studio made a kids movie about a Cambodian Paraplegic coach, or any other example you want to make up in your mind.

 

[Chi84]

This is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me, it sounds so unnatural, it reminds me of a bartending job I had years ago when they instituted a formal “Welcome to (name of bar), how may I help you today? greeting, there’s nothing inherently wrong with the greeting but no one actually talks like that so it sounds forced rather than natural.

I bet the last time I’ve been called anything other than friend by a CM at Disneyland is 2 or 3 years ago.

Maybe you seem particularly friendly.

 

[TP2000]

I bet the last time I’ve been called anything other than friend by a CM at Disneyland is 2 or 3 years ago.

You should go to Disneyland with Sir Irish. He's getting identified by his gender by CM's all over the park!

Yeah that isn't even a thing, at least not at Disneyland. I was called Sir plenty of times by CMs just back in December when I went to Disneyland, and every other trip for the past decade+ that I can remember. So again something you've made up.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Maybe you seem particularly friendly.

It’s possible, I have been in customer service for 3 decades so I go out of my way to be overly nice to guest facing positions.

 

[Disney Irish]

What if I had said the hockey coach was a Cambodian Paraplegic? Would that be better for a hockey story? Or worse?

Oh by the way, it wasn't that long ago we had a movie about a wheelchair bound coach of a sports team.

Also there have been a few coaches who have been wheelchair bound coaching sports teams in real life. So again your example fails here.

 

[Disney Irish]

You should go to Disneyland with Sir Irish. He's getting identified by his gender by CM's all over the park!

If any CM did call me "friend" either I didn't notice it or it seemed natural in conversation that I didn't think twice about it. But yes I still get called Sir as a middle aged white guy by CMs.

So maybe I'm just not seeing an issue even if it does happen to be called "friend". Heck as I work with plenty of Canadians, that is a common greeting by them. So maybe another reason why it doesn't seem weird to me.

But we've gotten WAY off topic here.

 

[brideck]

The problem is that this example at the very least is tied to an actual Disney movie released just 8 months ago, even if you made up parts of it. So that example is something you used for a specific reason, just like all the others you used. And when caught you changed it to "oh I made up the whole thing".

I mean, the obvious reason is that every female associated with the sport of ice hockey is a lesbian (at least in one old man's head). Duh.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

If any CM did call me "friend" either I didn't notice it or it seemed natural in conversation that I didn't think twice about it. But yes I still get called Sir as a middle aged white guy by CMs.

So maybe I'm just not seeing an issue even if it does happen to be called "friend". Heck as I work with plenty of Canadians, that is a common greeting by them. So maybe another reason why it doesn't seem weird to me.

But we've gotten WAY off topic here.

Maybe you just need to be friendlier, like me!

(That’s going to have me chuckling for the rest of the week Chi)

 

[Disney Irish]

I mean, the obvious reason is that every female associated with the sport of ice hockey is a lesbian (at least in one old man's head). Duh.

I mean that was the common joke back in the 70s right....

 

[Disney Irish]

Maybe you just need to be friendlier, like me!

(That’s going to have me chuckling for the rest of the week Chi)

I guess so. Maybe that is TPs problem, he needs to be more of a grump at the Parks if he wants to be called Sir by CMs.

 

[Agent H]

When you go to Disneyland you are lucky to interact with maybe two or three speaking characters per visit, but you interact with dozens and dozens of CM's as they load boats, sell churros, ask how many, tell you to stay to your right, sell you a t-shirt, take your picture at the turnstile, etc.



I don't live on Main Street USA. I am a visitor at Disneyland. I don't know anyone who lives on Main Street USA, and when they sell me a Starbucks or a sweatshirt, they are not my "friend", they are sales staff serving me as a customer.

You actually believed Bob Chapek when he told us every CM in Star Wars Land was going to have their own backstory to pull us into their immersive world, didn't you?

I don’t know that sounded cool to me sometimes I talk in story at the parks

 

[Tony the Tigger]

This kind of reinforces my point though, when they finally do make a movie centered around a gay character I hope it’s not a simple character swap and is something similar to Turning Red that explores the confusion, struggles, supportive friends, and is a coming of age story that will speak to gay kids rather than just a retelling of Aladdin where Aladdin happens to be gay.

Would a gay Aladdin have made you less confused as a kid or would you rather see a new, purpose written, story like Turning Red that actually addresses the struggles and inner questions of gay kids and shows how the character comes to accept it?

I’d argue the same with the Latina Princess, do you think little Latina girls will relate more with Elena and Maribel, purpose written Latina characters, or Zeglers Snow White?

ETA… these are genuine questions, maybe as a straight white man I simply don’t get the power of simple representation and maybe all it does take is a gay Aladdin, that seems lazy to me but I’m not the intended audience so maybe I just can’t comprehend it.

Why not both?

The goal is to get to the point where it’s no bigger deal than if it were a straight or white person.

I appreciate the respectful discussion.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I mostly agree but there are a few good ones, I’m a huge hockey fan and sites like the Hockey Guy have good discussions in the comments, same is true of most “car” sites like Vice Grip Garage, you get a few Ford vs Dodge comments but for the most part it’s just people talking about cars.

I don’t even bother with the comment sections on sites involving politics or social issues though because they are bound to be troll central.

Go, Panthers!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

If any CM did call me "friend" either I didn't notice it or it seemed natural in conversation that I didn't think twice about it. But yes I still get called Sir as a middle aged white guy by CMs.

So maybe I'm just not seeing an issue even if it does happen to be called "friend". Heck as I work with plenty of Canadians, that is a common greeting by them. So maybe another reason why it doesn't seem weird to me.

But we've gotten WAY off topic here.

Actually, I’m glad to read this is a thing. We just thought one of our servers was weird recently because every time she came to the table, she called us friend. I think it was at Kona Café.

 

[Disney Irish]

Why not both?

The goal is to get to the point where it’s no bigger deal than if it were a straight or white person.

I appreciate the respectful discussion.

I think the problem is that some are now feeling what many others have felt for generations and are fighting to try to keep the status quo, unfortunately progress marches on. No longer should certain groups be kept to jokes and side characters within movies, all should get their time in the light.

See @Casper Gutman we ended up talking about this topic anyways, even if it should be a separate conversation.

 

[Disney Irish]

Actually, I’m glad to read this is a thing. We just thought one of our servers was weird recently because every time she came to the table, she called us friend. I think it was at Kona Café.

I don't see anything wrong with being called "friend" as I mentioned, to me its even more neutral and inclusive to do so. Which is probably why Canadians have been doing it for a long time.

So even if it happens I didn't think much of it as I certainly don't remember it enough for it to stand out. I'm sure every CM is different so maybe it comes down to their comfortability in gauging a guests own comfort in what pleasantry they would like.