Disney is famous for being very strict about what happens in their parks. Each cast member is taught the very precise rules of engagement they have with guests, with the areas full of Disney’s “Security Plain Clothes Operatives” ensuring that the happiest place on Earth stays that way.
Said rules apply to their new and hugely popular Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge as well, which has just opened in Disneyland to rave reviews. But there’s a new rule in the park that says cast members must not use a specific word from the Star Wars saga under any circumstances.
And no, it’s not some swear word or reference to anything untoward, it’s simply: “younglings.” Most heard in the Prequel Trilogy, younglings are what people in a galaxy far far away apparently call children. It sounds like a pretty harmless word to me, so why has Disney banned it?
Twitter user @JennyENicholson explain:
“A cast member said “kids” and I jokingly said “oh, younglings?” and she blindsided me by telling me they’re already scrubbing “younglings” from the vocab. Parents didn’t like it because one of the only times you hear it in the movies is the phrase “killing younglings.” Fair.”
I guess I can understand why people who’ve paid top dollar to immerse themselves in Star Wars might not want to be reminded of that time Anakin Skywalker slaughtered a classroom of children, but this seems like a tiny bit of a knee-jerk reaction from Disney. Why not try and make it a fun thing for guests to experience?
After all, they have cast members playing iconic Star Wars characters roaming around, so why not have a Sith Lord Anakin Skywalker in the park having photo ops light-sabering young kids. It could be a memory the whole family could cherish and a great way for parents to blow off some steam if junior has been obnoxiously begging to get into the $200 build-a-lightsaber workshop at Star War’s Galaxy’s Edge all day.
