Disney CMs calling guests " Friends"?

[CaptainAmerica]

I'll answer to it, too.

 

[donaldtoo]

I can’t believe this even warranted a thread…!!!!!

 

[CntrlFlPete]

I mean, if your objection to "friend" is that it's inauthentic, surely the same applies to your wife and daughter being called princesses.

That is fair, but prior I was excluded -- I never desired to be included -- The thing is though, the Princess thing was more occasional and used much differently than the ways they are using 'friend'. I just find it overused -- for whatever reason it tires on me after around the first hour -- it is cute here and there, but the non stop being revered to as 'friends' stops being cute (to me), it makes it too obvious that it is a rule that folks are following because it is their job to do so.

I do my best to use 'they', I have many friends in the LBGTQ community and I am fine w/ Disney trying to be more sensitive to a much wider audience than they have in the past -- hey whatever they are doing is working for I find the cliental at the parks are far more diverse than I ever recall them being in the past -- I just think they are overdoing it trying to push 'friends' as a term for 'guest'.

 

[LittleBuford]

That is fair, but prior I was excluded -- I never desired to be included -- The thing is though, the Princess thing was more occasional and used much differently than the ways they are using 'friend'. I just find it overused -- for whatever reason it tires on me after around the first hour -- it is cute here and there, but the non stop being revered to as 'friends' stops being cute (to me), it makes it too obvious that it is a rule that folks are following because it is their job to do so.

I do my best to use 'they', I have many friends in the LBGTQ community and I am fine w/ Disney trying to be more sensitive to a much wider audience than they have in the past -- hey whatever they are doing is working for I find the cliental at the parks are far more diverse than I ever recall them being in the past -- I just think they are overdoing it trying to push 'friends' as a term for 'guest'.

This is fair too, and different from the usual criticism this kind of move gets. There are certain words that irritate me also when they’re overused.

 

[Minthorne]

Listen my friends and you will hear the thrilling tales of - people who dislike change and fear it

 

[SteveAZee]

Call me Chandler.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Right this way to the carbon based life form mover. One of Walt Disney Worlds rides favored by the majority of carbon based life forms.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Friends is personal. It loses its meaning if applied too often.
If one is trying to win someone over who may be skittish, like a leaper or hostage taker for example, yes, use it as an attempt to gather favor in a critical situation.
Otherwise, it's not genuine. It's not much more of a leap to Family. Bad idea, IMO.

It's a huge leap. I have many friends and specific family and that cannot be altered by calling someone friend.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I got it the appropriate and highly accurate greeting at WDW... Hello sucker!

 

[John park hopper]

Disney pays CM's so poorly maybe the CM's greeting should be "hey Buddy can you spare a dime--- with inflation it should be can you spare a buck"

 

[Lilofan]

Disney pays CM's so poorly maybe the CM's greeting should be "hey Buddy can you spare a dime--- with inflation it should be can you spare a buck"

Last time I checked no one is forcing them to work there and they agreed to their pay rate.

 

[John park hopper]

Last time I checked no one is forcing them to work there and they agreed to their pay rate.

do you know sarcasm?

 

[Lilofan]

do you know sarcasm?

I worked with some in my younger days that tried to pan handle for money to eat in the cafeteria and or needing $20-50 dollars to help them out according to them. Some willingly gave to help out their fellow employees but I did not. When one guy asked me several times on different occasions I shut him up when I said " David, I see that you are hurting for money, why don't you sign up and work OT and you will have more money in your paycheck weekly?". The shock and horror on his face of that lazy bum David and he never asked me again for money.

 

[graphite1326]

Sounds creepy to me to be honest if a stranger that I never had interaction with called me a friend. Like a mass murderer was trying to lure you away into a dark park.

When someone calls me "friend" immediately put my guard up. Like the hustlers in NY city trying to sell you something.

 

[danyoung56]

I noticed this too, on my trip a couple weeks ago. Glad to find it wasn't my imagination. For the record, I don't like it.

 

[LittleBuford]

When someone calls me "friend" immediately put my guard up.

Even if that person is a Disney CM?

 

[Goofyernmost]

In my lifetime, hell even just on this board, I have been called a lot worse. I try to concern myself on things that matter, not things that I have to turn into a conspiracy to get offended about.

 

[LittleBuford]

It’s curious to me that so many of the complaints here centre on the perceived insincerity of being called “friend”. For those averse to displays of (artificial) chumminess, I can’t think of a less suitable holiday destination than WDW. How are those who dislike “friend” able to tolerate the relentless geniality that one more generally experiences during a Disney holiday?

 

[danyoung56]

You'd have to hear it in usage to understand. It just seems forced.

 

[LittleBuford]

You'd have to hear it in usage to understand. It just seems forced.

Any more forced than all the other friendly affectations they’re trained to perform?