We AREN'T a Family, Antiquated Disney Nomenclature

I'm sorry but this is just silly. There are so many bigger fish to fry.
I see no reason to call this "silly". Respect for differing opinions is important. I disagree with smokeyblue but her opinion isn't silly to me.

I just got my first mailing about my solo Feb. vacation:
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I'm still quite happy to be the "______ Family" as a solo traveler.
 
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?!
As someone else in the restaurant industry, that’s probably more stuff that deserves to die, much like giving women menus without prices.
 
As someone else in the restaurant industry, that’s probably more stuff that deserves to die, much like giving women menus without prices.

Yikes. I've been in for over 10 years now and all my guests get the same menus. I've never heard of that.
 


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?!
I haven't noticed that, and to be honest looking back on several experiences that hasn't been the case. The check being given TO the male does happen every single time we go out.
 


I've been going solo for ten years now and I've never even noticed! However, I'd very much rather not have these conversations:

Server: Are you alone?
Me: Yup
Server: Just you?
Me: Looks like it.
Server: Aw, that's too bad.
That sucks.
 
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.
I don't get what your examples have to do with a paying customer wanting to be addressed as they are. I am not offended by the use of the word family, I just think they can do better to serve all their customers. The notion that they can't or don't have enough time is illogical. Restaurants and resort desk staff have the information right in front of them; they know if you're celebrating an event or if your a return guest and acknowledge.

What do I think they could do differently? The could customize the family/group/solo experience by allowing you to name your trip. It's as simple as adding another field in a database. You could be welcomed in printed literature as the Smith Clan, Wilcat Cheer, Mr. and Mrs. Jones, or by your name or whatever else Disney or the customer could come up with.
 
I don't get what your examples have to do with a paying customer wanting to be addressed as they are. I am not offended by the use of the word family, I just think they can do better to serve all their customers. The notion that they can't or don't have enough time is illogical. Restaurants and resort desk staff have the information right in front of them; they know if you're celebrating an event or if your a return guest and acknowledge.

What do I think they could do differently? The could customize the family/group/solo experience by allowing you to name your trip. It's as simple as adding another field in a database. You could be welcomed in printed literature as the Smith Clan, Wilcat Cheer, Mr. and Mrs. Jones, or by your name or whatever else Disney or the customer could come up with.
In addition to the fact that the mailers are probably farted out automatically by a computer, it seems it would be easy to put a “if members of reservation is equal to 1, then don’t use family” command, or the like.
 
I tend to use the word party, as in travel party. Your travel party can be any number of people of any ages and relationships. I don’t assume anyone traveling together is a family, strictly speaking. So instead of “The Smith Family” I would substitute “The Smith Party”. It could be a regional thing.

I don’t mind Disney calling us family though.
 
I haven't noticed that, and to be honest looking back on several experiences that hasn't been the case. The check being given TO the male does happen every single time we go out.

If I were single or even now that Im married (Im 51) Im happy when the check goes to the male. Not sorry.
 
If I were single or even now that Im married (Im 51) Im happy when the check goes to the male. Not sorry.

No offense but we are from different generations. I'm 22. If the man ends up paying that is fine, but I don't agree that it should go TO the man.
 
No offense but we are from different generations. I'm 22. If the man ends up paying that is fine, but I don't agree that it should go TO the man.

No offense taken. I said Im happy when it goes to the male not that it always should. Yes we are different generations. My children are 20 and 24 so you are right in the middle
 
I just booked my first solo trip and got the little welcome booklet in the mail a few days ago that says, "Your Magical Vacation Starts Right Here, xxxx Family!" I thought it was particularly funny because I was like heck no, I'm leaving my family home on this trip! I also thought it was odd that they would refer to a single traveler as a "family." I could definitely see how it would get annoying always being addressed this way as a solo traveler. I guess Disney doesn't check how many other people are on the reservation, they just look at who made the reservations!

I always feel awkward getting that mail, but I never gave it any weight until I saw this thread. Now, I'm not saying I'm part of any statistically significant part of the Disney population, but there's a rift in MY family that makes getting that mail awkward.

DH is a sourpuss. Consequently I plan solo trips and trips with my mom (not living with us), as well as trips with DD. You get the idea. That mail addressed to the xxx family creates an "elephant in the room" situation because one of us in no way wants to be included!

Like I said, it doesn't matter enough for me to expect any changes, but when I read arguments of "how can you expect a company that serves so many people to pay attention to this little thing" I have to laugh. Discussions of the quality of Disney tech in general aside, Disney is the mega company it is exactly because it can make us each feel like we are special. They could certainly come up with a way to find out if I want to be addressed as Susie instead of xxx family!
 
I think that people must live very carefree, wonderful lives that something as inconsequential as this bothers them. I have gone with my spouse and kids, just with my kids, and solo leaving them at home. I have never once given that a thought. Neither has my spouse that stays home. Of all of the things to waste your brain power on, this would probably be the last thing I would think of.
 
Disney is built on and aimed at families. Always has been. Thankfully. Hardly a hill to plant a flag on.

When in Rome.....

Unfortunately where there is a hill, however low, there is someone ready to plant a flag.

I agree with the database thing, if you can do a bit of jiggery pokery to include more people then you should, but there will always be a Ms, Mrs, Miss, Dr, Mr or Master that will be offended.

Dear Customer anyone............?
 
Adding a single field to a database isn't simple when you are dealing with a data set as massive as Disney's. They probably have some type of "guest name" table in their database that they could add something to define a group name (like family or party or whatever). Then they would need to add something to the site and app to collect this. Then they would have to update the templates that they use for printing to use the newly added value.

That is assuming that what Disney sends out is printed on demand and isn't just mostly printed in advance which would mean either throwing the old copies out or letting them run their course.

They also couldn't let the group name be freeform, it would have to be a validated list of some sort. Both to keep them appropriate and so that they could have simple ways to have plural forms if needed.

Then there is translations...

My point is not to disagree with any suggestions, but to point out that often when people think something is a "simple" or "easy" fix it often is not.
 
Adding a single field to a database isn't simple when you are dealing with a data set as massive as Disney's. They probably have some type of "guest name" table in their database that they could add something to define a group name (like family or party or whatever). Then they would need to add something to the site and app to collect this. Then they would have to update the templates that they use for printing to use the newly added value.

That is assuming that what Disney sends out is printed on demand and isn't just mostly printed in advance which would mean either throwing the old copies out or letting them run their course.

They also couldn't let the group name be freeform, it would have to be a validated list of some sort. Both to keep them appropriate and so that they could have simple ways to have plural forms if needed.

Then there is translations...

My point is not to disagree with any suggestions, but to point out that often when people think something is a "simple" or "easy" fix it often is not.[/QUOTE

This doesn't even take in to account the hours required to create a policy for addressing guests, developing approved procedures, or developing training - not to mention the actual training - required to make something like this meet Disney's standards. The costs for something seemingly so simple would likely be significant.
 

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