Disney is the market leader of a luxury brand - this means that they do not simply 'give the general public what they want to see'. They drive consumer tastes and preferences. What I object to is the strategy of
how they are doing this...if they are using the current animated Mickey shorts as the basis for this ride, then they are already behind. They should be forward-facing for what their consumers want
next. The issue is brand continuity - they carry forward the legacy of the past whether
they like it or not. This means they have to look beyond the current concept of Mickey and consider what their brand has been in the past, present, and into the future.
Still no. It is a question of 'orders of magnitude' of how the source material is adapted, such that it becomes an original work in its own right. With both Star Wars and Marvel, they have some flexibility, but if they push those boundaries too far, they will alienate their fan base.
@phillip9698 kind of proved my point - that the creation of a composite character (which is normal for a film adaptation) is deemed outside the bounds of authenticity for what is or is not 'Spider-Man'.
Transferring that into the theme parks requires a different approach than with film because it's a different platform.
Re: MMRR, I am counting on the imagineers to create a great ride that is still 'Mickey', presented in a way that is fresh.
When kid (13) and I watched the D23 clip of this announcement, he narrated after the imagineer said, 'who doesn't love Mickey Mouse?' -- "<cautious applause>. Are you going to ruin Mickey Mouse?"