ORLANDO, Fla. — Walt Disney World Resort appears to have quietly reinstated its signature "Ladies and gentlemen" greeting, reversing the gender-neutral expression it adopted during the pandemic to emphasize inclusivity.
The return of a classic greeting
The Disney fan account "Theme Park Cheetah" recently posted a video on the X platform, showing that the "Ladies and gentlemen" greeting reappeared in the broadcast of the Magic Kingdom Express Monorail. "So happy to hear recently that 'Ladies and Gentlemen' are returning to the Magic Kingdom Express Monorail!" the account wrote in the post, adding: "As background information, this greeting was removed around 2021 when Disney was trying to make the parks more 'inclusive.'"
It’s worth noting that when Disney removed the phrase in 2021, it didn’t replace it with a new greeting—the broadcast script simply skipped the “ladies and gentlemen” spot, leaving a gap. For veteran visitors who are familiar with the broadcast, this "sense of absence" is more obvious than the change in the language itself. Now the return of classic phrases has filled this gap, returning the script to a state closer to its pre-pandemic revision.
The evolution of gender-neutral policies
Disney's shift to gender-neutral language didn't happen overnight. According to reports, this change has been a gradual process for many years:
April 2021: Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro declares “inclusion critical to our culture” and says this is “just the beginning”
July 2021: Magic Kingdom’s fireworks show opening line changed from “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls” to “Good evening, dreamers of all ages”
March 2022: Disney diversity and inclusion manager Vivian Ware said in a video conference that cast members are being trained to avoid using "ladies and gentlemen" and "boys and girls" and instead use expressions such as "hello, everyone" or "hello, friends."
During the same period, Tokyo Disneyland also made similar adjustments. When the Electric Light Parade at Tokyo Disneyland resumes in November 2021, the classic opening words "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls" are replaced with "Good evening, and everyone is welcome...". In addition, veteran Disneyland announcers Bill Rogers (32 years) and Camille Dixon (11 years) also left their positions during this period.
The language changes are part of Disney's broader inclusivity policy changes, which also include allowing cast and crew members to display tattoos, dye colored hair, choose gender-flexible uniforms, and update Jungle Cruise scripts to remove content deemed racially insensitive.
Background and interpretation of transformation
The return of this language is “notable” because the 2021 removal was not a casual change—it was the result of Disney leadership deciding at the time that gender-neutral language was more consistent with the brand image the company wanted to project. Therefore, the return to traditional greetings may indicate that Disney "now values familiarity, tradition, and broad cultural conventions over the 'progressive inclusion signals' that drove the previous shift."
As of now, Disney has not released any official statement on this language adjustment. It's also unclear whether the change is limited to monorail broadcasts or represents a shift in broader policy direction. For first-time visitors, the greeting is simply part of the monorail experience; but for returning visitors who have noticed over the years that “something was missing,” hearing the return of the classic greeting will become a specific and recognizable moment.
The change comes as Disney faces multiple cultural controversies. Previously, the unofficial event "GayDays" announced the suspension of events at Disney World in Orlando in 2026. Organizers cited "changes in host hotel agreements, disruptions in key sponsorship support" and "broader challenges affecting LGBTQIA+ events nationwide." However, Disneyland’s “Pride Nite” event is still planned to be held in June 2026 at Disneyland in California.