The Secret Behind Disney Cast Members Calling You ‘Friends’ Instead of ‘Folks

There’s no place like Disney for a dose of magic, but some parkgoers say one common cast member phrase is breaking the spell.

Disney parks have evolved significantly since Disneyland’s 1955 debut, shifting from simple themed lands to massive, technology-driven destinations. Attractions have grown more immersive, incorporating cutting-edge animatronics, augmented reality, and interactive storytelling. Meanwhile, the guest experience has shifted with digital tools like Lightning Lanes and virtual queues, reshaping how visitors navigate the parks.

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Changes to Disney Cast Member Policies

Cast members have long set the gold standard for customer service. Their signature moves, from the two-fingered “Disney point” to the polished “Disney Look,” have helped define the park experience for decades. Cast members are more than just employees; they’re part of the magic, trained to create an atmosphere that feels immersive, welcoming, and meticulously on-brand.

However, several policies related to cast members have changed at Disney over the years. In 2021, Disney revamped the “Disney Look,” allowing visible tattoos, nail polish, and more gender-inclusive styling choices.

“Moving forward, we believe our cast, who are at the center of the magic that lives in all our experiences, can provide the best of Disney’s legendary guest service when they have more options for personal expression – creating richer, more personal and more engaging experiences with our guests,” Josh D’Amaro, Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said in a blog post.

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A shift in language soon followed. In the years since adding the Inclusion Key, Disney has shifted to more gender-neutral greetings to ensure inclusivity for all guests.

In 2021, for example, it was reported that the greeting before Happily Ever After was changed from “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls” to “Good evening, dreamers of all ages!” The following year, Disney confirmed that it had moved away from the phrase “ladies and gentlemen.” The company’s Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Vivian Ware, was shown in a video leaked from an “all-hands” meeting in which Disney discussed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

“So we no longer say ‘ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,'” Ware said. “We’ve provided trainings for all of our cast members and in relationship to that so now they know it’s ‘hello everyone’ or ‘hello friends.'”

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She went on to explain that removing gendered language from the parks gives cast members more opportunities to be creative with guests, encouraging employees to interact “in a meaningful and inclusive way that makes it magical and memorable for everyone.”

“We want to create that magical moment with our cast members, with our guests,” she said. “And we don’t want to just assume because who someone might be in our interpretation, maybe presenting as female that they may not want to be ‘princess.'”

Not Everyone Wants to Be “Friends”

This has extended to cast members opting for broader terms like “folks” or “friends” when interacting with guests. However, this well-intentioned shift doesn’t sit well with everyone.

A thread on X, formerly known as Twitter, put the practice under the spotlight, with one frustrated guest questioning Disney CEO Bob Iger directly: “When will Disney cast members stop having to call everyone ‘friends?'” The response was swift, with many others chiming in to express their frustration.

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One user didn’t hold back, calling the greeting “generic and frankly disrespectful.” They went on to argue that the traditional “ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls” was a much more fitting way to address parkgoers. Another took it a step further, blaming the phrase for driving guests away entirely. “Minding your own business when suddenly ‘UM EXCUSE ME FRIEND CAN YOU BLAH BLAH BLAH’ (I’ve never met this person in my life),” they wrote. “Just another small thing that adds up to people never coming back.”

While plenty of users agreed that “friends” felt awkward and artificial, others pointed out the reasoning behind cast members using the phrase over other popular alternatives in customer service.

One former cast member weighed in, explaining why “folks” might not be the safer alternative some think it is. “When you talk too fast and you say ‘folks’ very quickly, it can be heard as a very different word,” they noted. “[That’s] why I personally avoid ‘folks’ at WDW.”

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Will Disney Change Its Approach?

Politically, the environment has shifted dramatically since Disney first introduced these changes. Since President Trump was sworn into office for a second term in January 2025, a round of executive orders has tackled diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The Walt Disney Company has gone on to update its own diversity policies. It reportedly shortened the “diversity, equity, and inclusion” section of its most recent annual report, filed in November (the same month Trump beat out Joe Biden in the presidential election). It also removed 2023’s references to a website used “for amplifying underrepresented voices” and highlighting “some of Disney’s DE&I commitments and actions.”

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Disney later decided to replace its “Diversity & Inclusion” performance factor, which had previously been used to determine executive bonuses, with a new “Talent Strategy” evaluation. While still incorporating elements of DEI, the focus is now on how talent and inclusive values intersect with overall business success.