Disney World changes greeting for Magic Kingdom fireworks to be more inclusive

The show will now welcome 'dreamers of all ages'

Disney World has changed its opening greeting for its 'Happy After Ever' fireworks at Magic Kingdom in a bit to be more inclusive. AP Photo

Disney World is getting more inclusive.

Walt Disney World Resort, Florida has modified its famous Magic Kingdom Happily Ever After fireworks show by tweaking its pre-show introduction.

For years, the show kicked off with, “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls”, but now that message has been changed to, “Good evening, dreamers of all ages", in a bid to be more inclusive.

On Wednesday, Disney employees were able to preview the fireworks after they had been cancelled for more than a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We want our guests to see their own backgrounds and traditions reflected in the stories, experiences and products they encounter in their interactions with Disney,” Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney parks, experiences and products, recently wrote in a blog post. “And we want our cast members – and future cast members – to feel a sense of belonging at work.”

In April, Disney announced it was adding “inclusion" as a fifth key component of its customer service.

In June, the attraction in Florida also said it would allow vaccinated guests the option to go maskless.

Face masks will be optional for visitors to the theme park resort who are fully vaccinated, though Disney workers won’t require them to provide proof of vaccination, the company said on its website.

Visitors who aren’t fully vaccinated will still need to wear face masks indoors and on all rides and attractions. Because vaccines aren’t yet available for children under age 12, they, too, will have to mask up.

All visitors, whether vaccinated or not, will still be required to wear face coverings on buses, monorails and the Disney Skyliner, the resort’s aerial gondola, according to the latest guidelines.