Disney Officially Removes Pronouns, Inclusivity Mission Underway

Disney has been moving in a more inclusive direction for quite some time, specifically with their greetings and how they address guests.

Now, The Haunted Mansion at Tokyo Disneyland is following suit, removing the “ladies and gentlemen” remark from their welcome speech.

For those who may have never been to Tokyo Disneyland and are not used to the phrasing “ladies and gentlemen, welcome to The Haunted Mansion,” that is because the Walt Disney World and Disneyland versions of the attraction never addressed guests by their gender but by the inclusive and perfectly themed “Foolish mortals”, creating the iconic saying “welcome, foolish mortals, to The Haunted Mansion.

Now, it appears that Oriental Land Co. has changed the dialogue on the attraction.

YouTuber Minicla 0830 shared a ride through of the attraction just a few days ago, where the new narration can be heard, excluding the “ladies and gentlemen” reference.

This change certainly does not affect the storyline in any way, which is the same story that guests riding Walt Disney World’s Haunted Mansion will encounter as they embark on a spooky journey through a haunted estate inhabited by restless spirits.

The storyline revolves around the mysterious Gracey Manor, where visitors encounter a cast of eerie characters, including ghosts, ghouls, and other supernatural beings, including the killer bride Constance Hatchaway and Madame Leota. As guests traverse the mansion’s haunted halls and eerie corridors, they experience a series of chilling scenes and encounters, each filled with special effects, animatronics, and ghostly illusions.

Now, the ride simply says, “Welcome to The Haunted Mansion”.

While some may be surprised to hear of Disney changing this line, it is certainly not the first time we have seen the theme parks move in a more inclusive direction when it comes to addressing all guests. At both Walt Disney World and Disneyland, guests are no longer addressed as ladies and gentlemen before fireworks as they once were prior to the pandemic. Cast members will actually refrain from using gender terminology when possible, addressing guests as “friends”.

Tokyo Disney Resort (Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea) also removed a lot of their gender terminology from welcome announcements, as well as parade and show announcements. 

Disney’s Moves Towards Inclusivity

Disney has certainly been doing what they can to be more inclusive, both in their theme parks and on screen. We are now seeing a lot more diverse characters not only in movies, but leading the films thanks to their recent diversity initiative.

Additionally, characters of the LGBTQ+ community are starting to be placed into films, adding further representation and acknowledgement for fans watching. Disneyland even introduced the very first Pride Nite after hours event in 2023.

In the parks, Disney removed Splash Mountain, the attraction based on the racially charged Song of the South IP. While the ride seemed to be a fun water attraction with animals singing along the way, the story it was based on was not as innocent.

Closing down the ride in both Walt Disney World and Disneyland did spark some backlash from fans; however, Disney still pushed through and shut it down. Now, by the end of 2024, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open, giving Princess Tiana her very first attraction.

Related: VIDEO: Fantasy Springs Brings ‘Frozen,’ ‘Tangled’ to Life

We also saw the storyline change in the Jungle Cruise, removing Native American stigmatization and racism.

Even cast members are able to be more expressive, as cast member uniforms have changed over the years.

Now, tattoos can be exposed, hair is allowed to be colored, and all uniforms can be worn by any gender. While Disney has been accused by some of moving in what is being called a more “woke” direction, their mission of inclusivity reigns supreme regardless of what those in opposition have to say. 

What do you think about the recent changes to The Haunted Mansion at Tokyo Disneyland?