Guest Infuriated After Cast Members Mistakenly Assume They're a Parent - Inside the Magic

Comments for Guest Infuriated After Cast Members Mistakenly Assume They’re a Parent

A couple of Guests using Disney Genie+ in front of Cinderella Castle at Disney World

Credit: Disney

50 Comments

  1. Turtle

    If you are going to be offended by language then just stay home and don’t talk to anyone. It’s obvious that you are just looking for problems where none exist.

    1. mary

      I would think that is more of a compliment to be called someones’ mother or father, not an insult. With dealing with so many people a day and having to watch everything you say? Quite trying to cause problems.

      1. Sue

        Iiff you’re going to get offended overr what someone says. Stay home

    2. mindy

      Absolutely! This is ridiculous.

    3. MINNIE

      Wow! How petty! Big Deal!! She was mistakenly called “Mom!” What an insult!!

    4. KarateShoes89

      Amen!

    5. Laura

      Agreed! I had my great niece with me in December and tho0ught I was being called Mom, to find out after more listening as the young man spoke to the woman behind me, that he was a CM with slight accent who was actually saying “ma’am”… not that I was offended either way though – I’m 53 so am a little flattered to be called Mom still even if my kids are all adults.

    6. Eyepiece

      These people are the one’s who get up every morning, get on the computer and search for something to be offended by. Then go out in public and do the same thing. Just stay home!!!

  2. wc

    My advice is just get over it and move on with your life. Life is too short to waste worrying about small stuff.

  3. Elisha

    This is just too much. People are going to be afraid to offend by breathing wrong someday. You can also make the argument that the parents of an adopted child of a different race would be offended if it wasn’t assumed they were the parents. Enough. Seriously. Get over yourselves. You aren’t that important, aunt Karen.

    1. Laura

      My great niece is mized race and I’m often mistaken as her grandmother – NOT bothered at all… actually gives me warm fuzzies when someone thinks she’s my child!

  4. Jeremy

    Like the person said, definitely a first-world problem! The only way I can see people being offended by this is if they’ve had problems with fertility/conceiving. People regularly mistake my daughter and her cousin fit siblings and assume either me or my brother is the parent of both. It’s usually cute.

  5. I was mistaken for my sister daughter a few times as a child. We need to stop being so sensitive. It is not an insult to be called a parent. It’s a word. Move on please!

  6. There are so many people that would love to be called parents that can’t… in a place like Disney, this should be the expected random title when caring for a little one.

    1. Dis Fan

      Im not politically correct, i dont care who i offend, bunch of Karens and Kens, is all they are

    2. Laura

      Agreed – and It IS a family park btw… non parent adults with children aren’t the norm, so it should be expected in most cases – overly sensitive, let’s post on social media to see if we can be the next folks to make a sensational drama out of nothing… suck it up!!!

  7. Walt C

    What a loser!
    My wife and I are always called my niece’s parents by a lot of people inside and outside the parks.
    We love it, because we couldn’t have children of our own.
    We don’t stomp our feet, or correct them, or run to the computer to complain like a child looking for a handout from WDW.

  8. Peter B.

    This is completely absurd. When will this nonsense end? People in this country have become far too sensitive. Pretty soon people will not speak with each other at all because they are afraid to “offend” someone. Whatever happened to the majority rules?? If the majority of people have no issue with something, then why does it need to be changed to accommodate the feelings of the few?

  9. Alison

    My husband and I were often mistaken as my son’s grandparents at Disneyland California. We are older parents & our hair is graying. We just laughed it off.

  10. Shirley Evans

    I’ve often been referred to as the mom of my grandchildren when visiting Disney. The grandkids think it’s very amusing and often say I am their mom because their father, my son, is a single parent. Am I upset by being called their mom? No of course not I’m proud to be thought of that way!

  11. Cj

    I’m called my nephews mom when we are together. It happens. Get over it there are worse things your sensitive butts could be called. Stop being so offended by EVERYTHING.

  12. PP

    Okay, I have a story. When trying to get my photopass at Space Mountain a few years ago, the guy cast member said my “wife” already got the photo and didn’t want me to get the photo. I insisted on having it done anyways since my “wife” didn’t go on this ride. I was there myself. You can trust these people.

    1. PP

      You can’t trust these people.

    2. Mike Lloyd

      What?

  13. Wendi

    Oh thank goodness! I was starting to worry I might end up going a day without hearing about somebody’s attention -seeking, manufactures outrage. Good thing this guy came along.

  14. Don

    Oh no someone with a 18 month old is mistaken for a parent at Disney? Oh the horror how will they ever survive?

  15. Bob

    Obviously the OPs are jerks (100% of the commenters agree with me). My question is to ITM. Why would you encourage this type of behavior by posting this? Are you trying to be the National Enquirer of WDW? I realize we all have the right of free speech but there are so many other things you could be sharing. Why this? Are you looking for strong reactions? Does it increase viewership? There will always be people like the OPs who will always find something to complain about. It doesn’t mean you have to give them a platform to shout it from.

  16. Jan K

    IF you have an issue with being called a parent when you’re not then Get a Button and put I’m the niece on it! And buttons for you and your husband that say I’m the Uncle and I’m the Aunt! Problem solved!

    1. Mindy

      Excellent idea!!

  17. Noel

    Just an easy tip to live by; when you go with a kid to Disneyland or Disneyworld, you are automatically their parent. Including all the adults with you. Parents. Everyone. It just makes everything easier. Accept it and move on.

  18. Rb

    Why is this a story? Come on ITM, do better.

  19. Julie

    Good grief…are we at the point that people cannot be happy in life unless they are finding some crap to be offended by. What a sad way to live and yet this is our new reality we are stuck living with. Ugh 😩

  20. I totally agree with Bob!! Giving credence to these types of stories and their attention seeking participants only makes them and you look even more foolish!!!

  21. Carol

    How petty

  22. Mindy

    “Your grown up”?! Give me a freaking break 😂😂😂😂. If you’re that triggered over being associated as the parent, don’t bring your nieces or nephews. I’d be honored, honestly.

  23. Mindy

    Agreed!

  24. Brian H

    Oh get over yourselves.
    I was at the studios with my sister, we were having our picture taken.
    The photo pass person said to me, kiss your wife.
    We laughed and I said that’s my sister.
    So stop getting so worked up and just enjoy the moment.

  25. MidNightAngel34

    One time, a few weeks ago * sniff, sniff, tear. Sorry. This is a traumatic memory* a person thought that, at most, I was in my mid-30s. I’m not , I’m 40. It was an extremely upsetting experience to have someone think I’m younger than what I am. I now must go posy this all over social media for sympathy and attention.
    Good lord, they were upset that someone thought they were the baby’s parents? Good lord…

  26. Michelle

    All this “inclusive” language demand is so freaking ridiculous. Sooner or later cast members are going to be fired for saying hi because they said it wrong. You’re two grown adults with a small child, of course they’re going to think you’re the parents!! Geez stop being offended by everything, grow up, or just stay inside your little bubble where no one can bother you.

  27. Scott

    Go home and take your niece with you.

  28. BG

    How does an 18-month old understand the term “your grown-up”?

  29. Steve

    Oh no. How horrible.

    Wait, I don’t care.

  30. People are not mind readers. It is unreasonable to expect people to second guess everything they say. If it is that important, wear a shirt that says “I’M THE AUNT”.

  31. Mike Lloyd

    Is it April 1st? We read in the UK that this sort of thing is becoming prevalent in the US but we kid ourselves that surely no one could be quite that offended by something like this. As a step parent I have regularly been referred to as “Dad”, I never even thought about it until I read this nonsense!
    If the outside world is so “triggering” maybe the individual should clothe themselves in bubble wrap and not leave the house.
    Please do not travel outside the US, the experience may damage you for life!

  32. Jessica

    Honestly reading this I was confused. So You brought a small child, with you to Disney, and people “ assumed “ you were her parent and you’re mad? LOL wow. When I take my child to well anywhere no one is going to say oh is this your niece or second cousin? No they are going to assume it’s your child and it’s clearly just an honest observation nothing to be butt hurt about. ESPECIALLY at Disney. Most people bring there children here 😂

  33. sscain3

    I would be PROUD to claim my nieces and/or nephews as my children and only sad that they aren’t. However, my husband and I DID have an experience at Disney that became the joke for many days afterward. We had just left a club and a cast member came running after us and told us “you can’t leave your child alone in there. You have to take them with you.” It was news to us as we had NO children – with us or at home. We politely told her that we hadn’t brought any child with us and had no idea who the child was. She kept insisting it was our child and we had to take them with us. We didn’t get mad, stomp our feet, curse, etc. We simply told her firmly that we hadn’t brought any children with us and she needed to go and find the correct parents. Then we walked away. In hindsight, I probably would have gone back with the cast member to try and figure out why she was so insistent that the child was ours and to make sure the child ended up with the correct parents, but it didn’t occur to me then. There wasn’t social media back then, but if there had been, I sure wouldn’t have been posting about it. It was an honest mistake made by a (likely) new employee. I’m sure, had we had a child with us in any similar situation, we would have just made it into a fun joke for the rest of the trip.

  34. Patti

    It’ll be a cold day in Hades if I’m going to be referred to as their “grownup” if I go to Disney with my grandkids. The cast members can call me “Grandma,” “Mom,” “Aunt” or any other familial term they want, but “grownup?” Spare me one more “woke” vocabulary word. These entitled whiners won’t quit!

  35. Wanna hocka lugi

    FFS! The easy solution is to just shut your pie hole and smile. Thank heavens these people are not parents as they are going to screw them up.

  36. MR Ducks

    Another lame story about someone who needs a big dose of “just get over yourself” and should grow up.

  37. EM

    I think this woman who complained about being called her niece’s mom, as well as the woman mentioned who was offended that a cast member called her Mom (as opposed to her name?), should be tracked down by Disney and banned for life. They post these “horror stories” on their instagrams in the hopes that a site like ITM will publicize them and then hopefully Disney will come calling with apologies and free tickets. Terrible.

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