We AREN'T a Family, Antiquated Disney Nomenclature

Last time we were at Typhoon Lagoon for rope drop my 8 year old and I were the first in line. Like, very clearly the first in line. When the staff came to pick the family of the day (whatever it's called) they looked right past us and picked a family of 2 parents, a boy, and a girl behind us. Those kids got to do all the fun stuff and have special seating and my daughter and I had been there for 20 minutes longer than them. My daughter was really crushed. It was cruel, honestly. My daughter actually said she wished we had been a family so we could have seen all the behind-the-scenes stuff. But I'm divorced sooooo, sucks to be us?

Oh I HATE that. Whenever I go on the cruise they always pick a family of 4 with 1 boy and 1 girl to be the family of the day. My girls and I go without daddy because he gets too sick so stays at home. We are just as much a family. Next time I might ask them about it.
 
Oh I HATE that. Whenever I go on the cruise they always pick a family of 4 with 1 boy and 1 girl to be the family of the day. My girls and I go without daddy because he gets too sick so stays at home. We are just as much a family. Next time I might ask them about it.

From what I understand, they take alot of promo photos that they use later on and they like to show mom, dad, and a boy and a girl - since their market is families - it makes sense that they want to show a normal family
 


The only time the word "family" in connection with Disney bothers me is when people say that I shouldn't cruise DCL because it's a family oriented cruiseline if I don't want to be around children 24/7 and want to be in adult-only areas. Implying that a family must, by necessity, include young children. As though DH and I aren't a family. Or that any other grouping of people who are related by marriage, friendship, or kinship aren't families. I think Disney gets what a family is even if others do not. I suppose they could use the word "party" instead of "family" but that just seems so cold.
 
My poor second daughter is not normal enough. LOL

In the eyes of marketing people at Disney, no.

It's sad I know, but it is what it is.

I wonder if they'd pick my sister, her wife, their 6 month old boy (insemination), and their adopted 3 year old who is Asian and looks nothing like them? I have my doubts....
 
I'm vaguely reminded of how they used to label the promo videotapes when they sent them out, back when videotapes were still a thing.

There were up to three versions: pre-family, family, and post-family. (Not blatantly labeled, but there were small markings to tell them apart. PREFAM, FAM, POSTFAM as I recall.) You got one based on age and whether you were traveling with kids. Anyone with kids got 'family', and then pre vs. post was an age cut-off...I don't recall how old, I'd guess in the 40-50 range.

No concept of "non-family" at all. Either you just hadn't had them yet, or you were a grandparent.
“Post-family” cut off at 40? Oh dear. We both just had our first, and hopefully only, child and we are about to turn 40.
 


Universal is so much more impersonal. "Party" is the word used in legal documents.
As a solo traveler I'm not really the "Smith Party" anymore than I'm the "Smith Family". Wonder what smokeyblue thinks about that option.

I agree with you, vacationer1954, much more impersonal.
 
But every time we talked to someone from the resort he was referred to as "Mister (MY last name)"
It's a small thing to be irritated about, I know

I feel like it's not super uncommon for non-married couples to visit? I don't know

It is impossible for Disney or anyone else to address people exactly how they want as there are so many variables and likes and dislikes. I suppose they could do what some do. When filling out forms they have selections for everything, check boxes for Mr, Ms, Miss, Mrs, Dr, etc etc etc. Just so nobody could possibly be offended. I'd rather they keep it simple. I could care less if a piece of paper refers to me incorrectly for my trip to Disney. I understand why and it causes me no trouble. People are offended by the simplest of things these days. Be happy!!
 
It is impossible for Disney or anyone else to address people exactly how they want as there are so many variables and likes and dislikes. I suppose they could do what some do. When filling out forms they have selections for everything, check boxes for Mr, Ms, Miss, Mrs, Dr, etc etc etc. Just so nobody could possibly be offended. I'd rather they keep it simple. I could care less if a piece of paper refers to me incorrectly for my trip to Disney. I understand why and it causes me no trouble. People are offended by the simplest of things these days. Be happy!!
I don't really think desiring a higher level of service is being offended, it's an acknowledging your wants and needs. Just because your wants and needs are different than someone else's doesn't invalidate them or brand someone as an unhappy person.
 
I don't really think desiring a higher level of service is being offended, it's an acknowledging your wants and needs. Just because your wants and needs are different than someone else's doesn't invalidate them or brand someone as an unhappy person.

Its true that individuals wants and needs vary considerably. For me I do not find the difference between family, party, or any other method appearing on correspondence to be part of a higher level of service offered. In other words, if I want a higher level of service, then what is being discussed here would be bottom of my list of items I could think of.
 
I don't really think desiring a higher level of service is being offended, it's an acknowledging your wants and needs. Just because your wants and needs are different than someone else's doesn't invalidate them or brand someone as an unhappy person.

I see what you are saying and how it can be annoying to some. I too travel solo. But I do not think it is reasonable for them to have to stop and look up how everyone wants to be addressed. This is not a small 4 seasons hotel with only a couple hundred guests. We are talking about tens of thousands of people on a daily basis. This is Disney's branding, that you are guests and families and not just customers. I don't think that they would change this for a few minority of people that may be bothered by it.
 
I don't really think desiring a higher level of service is being offended, it's an acknowledging your wants and needs. Just because your wants and needs are different than someone else's doesn't invalidate them or brand someone as an unhappy person.
To be fair, this wasn't just a matter of desiring a higher level of service, but also being "irritated" about not receiving it. When I book an economy seat and don't get upgraded to first class, I am disappointed but not irritated.
 
Universal is so much more impersonal. "Party" is the word used in legal documents.

As a solo traveler I'm not really the "Smith Party" anymore than I'm the "Smith Family". Wonder what smokeyblue thinks about that option.

I agree with you, vacationer1954, much more impersonal.

Yes and calling a solo traveler a family is so much more personal - not standardized at all
 
I'm sorry but this is just silly. There are so many bigger fish to fry. I group this in with eliminating Mother's day or Father's day because a young boy or girl might not have either. And while we're at it, we need to stop saying boy and girl and instead we need them to tell us how THEY want to be identified as to not offend someone. And then after that we can eliminate all mentioning of Lilo and Stitch as well change the name of Ohana because as you know, Ohana means...wait for it......family :badpc:


I am coming up on my 10th solo trip and never once has it irked me and that's not to say that because it doesn't bother me doesn't mean it bothers someone else but that logic could be reversed thus making it invalid. As someone else pointed out, they don't have time to look up how each individual guest wants to be addressed when dealing with thousands upon thousands of guests on a daily basis.
 
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THIS bothers me a ton. This happens to us everywhere we go. I wish they would just set it down in the middle between us rather than handing it to him, is that so hard?

Right but we in the service industry are also taught to serve, pour and take menu orders from women first which I assume doesn't bother you, no?!
 

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