For all the enchantment of a day at Walt Disney World or Disneyland, there’s an unspoken code of conduct that seasoned guests and cast members alike are expected to follow. While rules about costumes and banned items like folding chairs and drones are widely known, one lesser-discussed social rule is emerging thanks to a former Disney performer—and it’s one every parkgoer should hear.
Kayla Nicole, a former Disney cast member who spent nearly a decade bringing beloved characters like Ariel, Merida, and Cinderella to life, recently went viral on TikTok after sharing a practice she wishes guests would stop during character meet-and-greets.
The Princess Meet-and-Greet Faux Pas You Didn’t Know You Were Making
The rule seems simple: when meeting characters in a setting like Princess Fairytale Hall, guests should give equal attention to both princesses present—regardless of who they came to see.
“If you’re in a meet-and-greet location like the hall, where you have one princess on this carpet and a different princess on the other carpet, do not skip one to go to the other,” Kayla explained.
Skipping one princess to interact with another may feel harmless to the guest, but to the cast members, it sends a powerful message—and not a magical one.
Timing Isn’t Just Courtesy—It’s Policy
Each character interaction is meticulously timed to maintain the flow of the day and ensure every family gets a fair share of the experience. Cast members are trained to aim for about 70 seconds per group.
“Per our rules, we’re supposed to average around 70 seconds for each interaction to make it fair for every family,” Kayla said. “So if you’re skipping a princess, you are saving one minute of your time and potentially causing a world of hurt to that performer.”
Skipping not only throws off the balance of the rotation—it often results in confusion, congestion, and, sometimes, tears.
When Ignoring a Princess Becomes a Deeper Issue
The emotional impact of being overlooked day after day goes beyond frustration. For some performers, especially those portraying characters of color like Princess Tiana or Elena of Avalor, the behavior taps into deeper wounds of underrepresentation and invisibility.
“Imagine you’re a person of colour playing Elena or Tiana, the two characters that meet in the hall,” she said. “In real life, you feel looked over, given fewer opportunities, etc., and then you come to your job and people are still looking over you.”
Kayla revealed that the emotional toll became so intense that meet-and-greet operations were sometimes halted altogether.
“We’ve had to stop loading the rooms so many times throughout my Disney career because my Elena was crying at how she was being treated.”
Just a Bit of Kindness Goes a Long Way
Despite the heavy emotions, Kayla believes there’s a simple fix for this problem: be present and show kindness to every performer.
“If you’re a guest, just walk up, smile, and say hey,” she said. “The performer should, in theory, take the reins and guide the entire interaction from there on. Just ‘yes and’ everything they say and it’ll be over before you know it.”
This isn’t about extending your time or scripting a perfect interaction—it’s about treating cast members like the humans they are under the wigs and gowns.
Guests Are Taking Notice Too
The response to Kayla’s video revealed that guests are paying attention, and many have stories of their own—especially when it comes to underappreciated characters.
One TikTok commenter shared:
“Elena was my daughter’s favourite princess when we went. People kept skipping her over, and she spent extra time with my little, and we never knew of that princess before.”
Another added:
“I never watched Elena’s show, but we had such a great interaction when I met her! I’m glad she took the reins because honestly, I was so nervous about what to say to her. Total sweetheart!”
Disney Magic Is a Two-Way Street
Disney’s parks are built on the idea of immersion, wonder, and connection. But that magic depends on mutual respect between guests and performers. A skipped character isn’t just a missed photo op—it can be a moment of real hurt for someone who works every day to make guests feel special.
So next time you line up to meet royalty, remember: the characters are real people, and a moment of eye contact or a simple hello can make all the difference.
The Disney experience doesn’t require much from you—just a bit of imagination, kindness, and the ability to make everyone feel like they matter.
