Disney CMs calling guests " Friends"?

Smiley/OCD

Smiley/OCD

Well-Known Member
LittleBuford said:
I find it strange that anyone who considers “friend” too intimate/presumptuous is OK with all the other ways—terminological and otherwise—in which Disney already treats us with artificial familiarity. It’s an unavoidable part of the experience as it already stands.

Those mourning the loss of gendered forms of address should recall that Disney’s aim—from a brand and marketing perspective—has always been to sound as welcoming as possible. What sounded welcoming several decades ago may not resonate in quite the same way today. Why should Disney stick with tradition if they can easily shift to something that better achieves their goal? Had “friends” been the original form of address when the parks first opened, I suspect none of us would find it in the least bit strange or inappropriate.
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That’s because Walt would’ve thought it was creepy…sorry, you have to EARN my respect AND my friendship too…
 
Vegas Disney Fan

Vegas Disney Fan

Well-Known Member
jloucks said:
So after reading the entire thread, I can say the take away is no matter how you address somebody, you're gonna irk somebody.

Faith in humanity -1

I call an obvious woman Ma'am = Offense
I call a group of folks y'all = offense
I call a group of folks guys = offense
I call a group of folks friends = offense
I call a group of folks ladies & gentlemen = offense

*sigh*

So, here is a fun fact, I am very male looking, and in fact male. My voice tho, well, not so much. People call me ma'am on the phone all the time. You know how much it bothers me?

ZERO

If people could just learn positive intent the world would be a better place. In other words, don't make offense exist where it was never intended. And if you do, that is all on you.

Lol, hypocrite alert.... All that said, I am not a huge fan of "sweety" "sugar" "honey" etc. I should be used to it, I live in the South. I would NEVER complain tho, as the intent is coming from a good place. Chastising a good person for being sweet horrifies me.
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I have a high voice for a man also and have been called ma’am dozens of times on the phone or when ordering at drive throughs. I’ve never been bothered by it either, if someone is being polite I’m not going to get mad because I have a high voice.

I do deepen my voice when I respond though.

Intent is everything.
 
Afterthought

Afterthought

Member
Weather_Lady said:
Being called "friend" by someone I don't know personally doesn't bother me a bit -- any more than being told "welcome home" when I pull up to a hotel a few thousand miles away from my actual home, or being told to have a "magical" day when I don't personally practice witchcraft, or informed that Jenna the waitress is going to "take care of me this evening," when we all know she's not really going to be giving me my medicines or tucking me into bed. The last thing I want on a fantasy vacation is to be addressed realistically or accurately: if that was the case, CMs would be greeting me with, "Hey, welcome back, you irreverent, sarcastic b$*ch! Note that I addressed you by your apparent gender, because I totally looked at your bazooms." 🤣

Others can fret about the nomenclature. I'll be over in the corner enjoying the Dole Whip I just bought from my friend.
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You make far too much sense to belong in this point in history we're living in now.
 
LittleBuford

LittleBuford

Well-Known Member
For those interested, here are the OED's entries for this use of "friend", which goes back to the Middle Ages:

5. An acquaintance, an associate; a stranger whom one comes across or has occasion to mention again. Frequently used as a polite or (sometimes) ironic form of address. Cf. sense A. 2.
OE West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) xx. 13 Ða cwæð he andswarigende hyra anum, Eala þu freond [L. amice], ne do ic þe nænne teonan.
OE On Epacts (Calig. A.xv) in P. S. Baker & M. Lapidge Byrhtferth's Enchiridion (1995) 430 Nim, leofa freond, nigonteoða geares þæt þu do twelf to þam ehtatynum epacten.
c1275 Doomsday (Calig.) in C. Brown Eng. Lyrics 13th Cent. (1932) 45 (MED) Comeþ her, mine freond [c1250 Trin. Cambr. mine frents], oure sunnes forto lete.
c1300 St. Dunstan (Laud) l. 83 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 21 ‘Mine leue frend,’ seide þis holie Man.
▸ c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Matt. xxvi. 50 Frend, wherto art thou comen?
a1400 (▸a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 3229 ‘Frend,’ he said, ‘þou wend in hij vntil mesopotani.’
1488 (▸c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) ii. l. 89 Gud freynd, pray I the, The schirreffis serwand thow wald lat him be.
1508 J. Fisher Treat. Penyt. Psalmes sig. aa.ii Frendes this day I shall not declare to you ony parte of the epystle.
1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. f. cclxiii Frende appease yourselfe, thou shalte be well payed or this day be ended; kepe the nere me.
a1625 F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Coxcombe ii. iii, in Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Nn4v/1 Stand further friend, I doe not like your roperunners.
1677 P. A. in R. Cary Palæologia Chronica sig. hv Even so our studious Friend..is intent On Books and Reading.
1757 Bp. W. Warburton Lett. (1809) xcvi. 229 Pray ask our friend of St John's whether my..philosophy be right.
1767 J. O'Keeffe She Gallant ii. i. 23 So, friend, you're pimping for your master; well, I'll reward you a little for your trouble.
1830 Fraser's Mag. 1 209 Our friend the Intoxicator is an Irishman.
1884 Sheffield & Rotherham Chron. 20 May 8/2 I should like to exchange a word with my friend ‘Spectator in Hallamshire’ who, I regret to say, is not as reliable in fact and argument as he is pleasant in wit or humour.
1901 R. Kipling Kim xii. You mustn't bang about as though Delhi station belonged to you, my friend.
1916 R. Kay Go ahead Boys & Mysterious Old House 79 The third is our mysterious friend, the tramp, that I saw in the old Meeker House.
1956 M. Dickens Angel in Corner x. 181 Jin, this is Ed Morris, a business friend of mine.
1965 N. Mailer Amer. Dream i. 15 ‘Ain't you got any consideration?’ he asked. ‘Up your , friend.’
2000 Light Feb. 11/1 If our friend the QS [sc. quantity surveyor] were more knowledgeable about lighting, then he or she would..study in more depth the alternatives being put forward.
 
Smiley/OCD

Smiley/OCD

Well-Known Member
LittleBuford said:
I'm not sure if you're being serious or joking. If the former, how do you know what Walt would have wanted? How exactly is it creepy?
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Everyone here knows how Walt would’ve acted or behaved or thought…it’s the worst kept secret on this site…that said, just like you find terms insensitive, or problematic, ABSOLUTELY NO stranger has the right to call me friend…(well maybe Kenny Loggins or Stevie Nicks) lol…I just find it very strange, creepy and insensitive.
 
LittleBuford

LittleBuford

Well-Known Member
Smiley/OCD said:
just like you find terms insensitive, or problematic, ABSOLUTELY NO stranger has the right to call me friend…(well maybe Kenny Loggins or Stevie Nicks) lol…I just find it very strange, creepy and insensitive.
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Except for the example involving "princess", I don't find any of the terms under discussion here insensitive or problematic. I just think "friends" is preferable to the alternatives, all things considered. I'm surprised that so many people in this thread find it creepy or inappropriate.
 
LittleBuford

LittleBuford

Well-Known Member
TrainsOfDisney said:
And Marty wrote the script so he was woke too!
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In all seriousness, I do wonder whether the recording might help recalibrate the thinking of those who were convinced that such a usage was beyond the classic Disney pale. It sounds entirely natural and, well, Disney as part of Walt's script. I'm sure we've all heard "friends" used in this way many times before and thought nothing of it, even if it's now being spun as somehow newfangled and controversial.
 
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Shiriki_Utundu

Shiriki_Utundu

Member
"friend" is forced, out of place and awkward

Advent Health, which has a relationship with Disney in Orlando, called me "friend".

and I said back to the nurse "are you for real with that???? Where did you get that. Did you get it from Disney? I ask because I know this place has some connection to Disney and they are using 'friend' now to address guests" Nurse did not know that but she told me their staff started using it recently.
 

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