A Spirited 15 Rounds ...

[Mike S]

The lands are about how people connect with animals, not about people themselves. The park is organized by geography, not culture or politics. DinoLand USA is about dinosaurs and not the American people, the land is not the same as The American Adventure. Wakanda would be about the people.

And I’m pretty sure just like other things on this site only the hardcore forum members would care and most people would just be excited about going to Wakanda as an expansion of Africa. They could even include how the Wakandans train Rhinos to work the animal thing in there. The aesthetic is a perfect fit and I’m sure it would be right up Joe Rhode’s alley. It really doesn’t matter though because like I said BP is likely tied up in the contract anyway.

 

[lazyboy97o]

And I’m pretty sure just like other things on this site only the hardcore forum members would care and most people would just be excited about going to Wakanda as an expansion of Africa. They could even include how the Wakandans train Rhinos to work the animal thing in there. The aesthetic is a perfect fit and I’m sure it would be right up Joe Rhode’s alley. It really doesn’t matter though because like I said BP is likely tied up in the contract anyway.

“Black people [belong] in the animal park” would not go unnoticed by plenty of the public.

 

[Mike S]

“Black people [belong] in the animal park” would not go unnoticed by plenty of the public.

“Wakanda, which is in Africa, is being added to a land that is based on Africa.”

Anyone who takes it to mean what you said is as much of an idiot as those that complained about the Redhead. Good thing it definitely won’t happen as I think my eyes would roll right out of my head.

“They live in Africa, why not put them in Africa and give the park another big draw after Pandora?” Is what a logical person would say.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

“Black people [belong] in the animal park” would not go unnoticed by plenty of the public.

They got away with FEA in Norway because it’s a non-oppressed people.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Here, have some Avengers at Dizzy Parks.

 

[Mike S]

They got away with FEA in Norway because it’s a non-oppressed people.

That’s racist now too? I’m guessing Ratatouille as well?

 

[lazyboy97o]

“Wakanda, which is in Africa, is being added to a land that is based on Africa.”

Anyone who takes it to mean what you said is as much of an idiot as those that complained about the Redhead. Good thing it definitely won’t happen as I think my eyes would roll right out of my head.

“They live in Africa, why not put them in Africa and give the park another big draw after Pandora?” Is what a logical person would say.

The land is about African animals in a park about animals. You’re also ignoring an entire history of equating various non-European peoples, particularly African peoples, to animals, including exhibiting them in zoos.

That’s racist now too? I’m guessing Ratatouille as well?

People think the fictional Kingdom of Arendelle belongs in the park about humans. People think the fictional Kingdom of Wakanda belongs in the park about animals.
That is what is horrible about the suggestion.

 

[Mike S]

People think the fictional Kingdom of Arendelle belongs in the park about humans. People think the fictional Kingdom of Wakanda belongs in the park about animals.
That is what is horrible about the suggestion.

Because the land is AFRICA and it would be an amazing area that would compliment the rest of the park. There’s also more space available near Africa for a big Wakanda expansion but you can put it in World Showcase if you’re so uppity about it.

Oh wait, you can’t. Universal.

I’m done here.

 

[MisterPenguin]

So, putting an African village of Harambe in Afrika in DAK is OK, but putting the African city of Wakanda in Africa in DAK is racist?

OK.

 

[TalkingHead]

So, putting an African village of Harambe in Afrika in DAK is OK, but putting the African city of Wakanda in Africa in DAK is racist?

OK.

On the contrary, there's plenty of cultural issues with the depiction of Harambe, too.

But that's another discussion.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Yes, it's time for that no-good self-promoter and Lifestyler wannabe, the one, the only ... me ... to return with some serious chatter involving the company you obsess about and the business Disney is in.

Topics to be discussed will be SDL, TDR, D23 Expo, Mary Sklar and how they all connect with WDW. If you want to talk about how much you love BB-8 or Thor, want to discuss box office of various summer films (money and popularity does not equate with quality as examples like Walmart, McDonald's and Starbucks prove every day) or talk about how both Bob Iger and Donald Trump are better human beings than Walt Disney, this isn't the place for you. So just leave. Now.

I'd simply ask that people stay on topic and report posts that go way off. This forum is a mighty big place and there are plenty of other places to discuss why charging for FP (what IS coming to WDW) is simply good business.

The curator of this thread would surely disapprove of it vearing off the approved topics.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

On the contrary, there's plenty of cultural issues with the depiction of Harambe, too.

What? You think building a faux impoverished African village for the amusement of middle class American tourists is problematic?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I'd accuse Joe Rohde of cultural appropriation, except I have no idea what specific culture his choice of earings and fashion comes from.

 

[jakeman]

I don't know guys...I must not have enough white guilt for this topic.

Harambe strives for a modicum of accuracy and is implied as racist.

Wakanda shows a postive afrocentric future and is implied as racist.

I can somewhat understand stretching for both points, but seems rather like a no win.

 

[Haymarket2008]

Guess what, guys? Black Panther can’t be used in WDW. End of discussion. (Justifying it is why we can’t have nice things like....thematic integrity.)

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Harambe strives for a modicum of accuracy and is implied as racist.

At the end of the day it's still Africa viewied through a white lense, made for a mostly white, American audience. You can apply the same kind of thinking to World Showcase or Adventureland, but they can at least use the excuse of romanticism and/or humour.

I'm not saying Harambe is so politically incorrect that it needs to be removed or altered, if that were the case most of WDW would have to go, but it's still a perspective that exists and can be funny to acknowledge. Most guests stuck in line for two hours at KS will never think of it.

Wakanda shows a postive afrocentric future and is implied as racist.

Wakanda in and of itself is not racist. Sticking it in AK because "that's where African things go" is what was interpreted as racist. At the very least, it's a dumb creative decision that doesn't fit AK's message or purpose. I think DHS is the only place it really "fits".

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Guess what, guys? Black Panther can’t be used in WDW. End of discussion. (Justifying it is why we can’t have nice things like....thematic integrity.)

Sure it can!

They'll just close the Main Street Confectionery and stock the shelves with the same toys you can get at Walmart for 3x the price.

 

[jakeman]

Wakanda in and of itself is not racist. Sticking it in AK because "that's where African things go" is what was interpreted as racist. At the very least, it's a dumb creative decision that doesn't fit AK's message or purpose. I think DHS is the only place it really "fits".

Keeping this tongue in cheek because at the end of the day this is all just a bunch of white guilt hot takes.

Wakanda in MK = racist because afrofurture is a fantasy
Wakanda in Epcot = racist because stereotyping
Wakanda in DHS = racist because it's a white interpretation of afrofuture being built for profit
Wakanda in AK = racist because animals

You can't win if you (plural) are driven by hot takes. Which at the end of the day, is what this conversation really is.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

You can't win if you (plural) are driven by hot takes.

Unless you write for Buzzfeed or HuffPost and get paid to do so...

 

[EricsBiscuit]

In practical terms,
Animal Kingdom’s a theme park about the relationship between animals, nature, and humanity. Each land is constructed around an environment where you are meant to engage with animals in their natural habitats. Wakanda, a man made environment built off the extraction of the Vibranium asteroid, doesn’t fit within this context.

WRT racism,
“Black Panther” was a big event because it was a black led film with black talent behind the camera telling a story about black people who live in a society where slavery/colonialism never happened, tapping into the rich tradition of Afrofuturism last also offering a rich commentary on black life in America.

What does that have to do with the thematic aims of Animal Kingdom? Why is it that you can dump a popular IP featuring PoC goes into an existing space because Africa? (I could write a whole column about cultural appropriation and Epcot’s new IP direction) Very little themed entertainment has been created about the peoples and cultures of the African continent. Given BP’s popularity, isn’t now the time to build more themed environments based on Africa? Inclusion isn’t some one shot deal, it’s continual and permanent with the goal of creating art that better reflects the totality of the human experience.

That’s how it’s racist.

I never suggested putting it in Africa. It's a horrible fit for the park. Epcot is the park for the BP IP.