Splash Mountain re-theme announced

[21stamps]

So... a strange thought that came to me...

The Spaceship Earth redo was announced with a number of piece of art. Now likely thrown to the side. Mary Poppins? Men running in and dancing. Walt's magnum opus. Nobody thinks it's coming anymore.

At the moment it's believed that this will be taking place two years from now. The virus is spiking in Florida and tough times are ahead.

Is there a chance that when things blow over, which is entirely possible, could they push it back claiming there's not enough money and possibly just drop it all together? There are things up on Disney+ that were originally said to not be there. Projects have just... disappeared before. It's a tough financial time.

Could this project just... disappear?

I wish the insiders were still around, but I think they disappeared with the thread shift.

The media wouldn’t let them.

 

[AugieMorosco]

Disney is slowly but surely becoming another theme park in which parents stand aside while their children enjoy the attractions...and that is the polar opposite of Walt's intent.

I'm going to disagree with you there. I'm 41, my wife is 33, we have no kids and I'd estimate we enjoy 90%+ of what the parks offer.

 

[21stamps]

I have never called for removing anything. I like Splash Mountain and will be sad to see it go, but I understand why, and I ultimately have no problem with Disney putting in something else.

What happens if we go after the princesses, and western depictions, and Main Street, etc.. will we still understand then?

I’m just looking for someone to explain why we pick and choose, when we know that all of it is really a fairytale made out of tougher times, and full of stereotypes.

 

[Matt_Black]

I’m just looking for someone to explain why we pick and choose

When you're at the buffet, do you grab EVERYTHING? No, people have the right to skip the Brussels sprouts if they don't want to eat them right now. Same thing with entertainment. A lot of people would just rather not deal with Song Of The South right now, and would rather put a little Princess & The Frog on their plate.

 

[Kate F]

When you're at the buffet, do you grab EVERYTHING? No, people have the right to skip the Brussels sprouts if they don't want to eat them right now. Same thing with entertainment. A lot of people would just rather not deal with Song Of The South right now, and would rather put a little Princess & The Frog on their plate.

I’d say “then give PatF it’s own ride, that way everyone can be happy” but it’s been said enough already

 

[seabreezept813]

Mark Twain and Harper Lee are the two most banned authors in the US. It blows my mind.
Instead of challenging our youth with critical thinking of a different time and place, we remove it.
The most nonsensical part is that both books contain stories that are in defiance of racism.

Which is interesting because I use my TKAM unit to discuss relevant race issues. We juxtapose it with Just Mercy and other speeches and texts by living, breathing black writers. Just Mercy is a really interesting comparison because it shows that in the very setting that Lee describes, society is still not progressive. I always tell my Am Lit students, the best part of the course is seeing the literature literally change in the way it is written but also in ideas. You go from mostly dead white male writers—who are still wonderful writers (Poe, Hawthorne,etc)to such a diverse postmodern group of writers with various multiethnic identities (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Julia Alvarez, Khafka Hosseini)

 

[21stamps]

When you're at the buffet, do you grab EVERYTHING? No, people have the right to skip the Brussels sprouts if they don't want to eat them right now. Same thing with entertainment. A lot of people would just rather not deal with Song Of The South right now, and would rather put a little Princess & The Frog on their plate.

Ah, so offense is like a buffet. Only choose what looks good at the time. The rest doesn’t matter, because we’ve said that one veggie looks more inviting than the other right now.


Native Americans aren’t trending, so Peter Pan (and all associated songs and characters) can stay.



At least we’re honest.

 

[SilentWindODoom]

The media wouldn’t let them.

I don't know. When you're talking about actual news media... They reported this and moved onto more important stuff. Are they going to keep checking up on it? Do they really care? Is it a huge story in the grander scheme of things? When the episodes of shows being banned are brought back, will anyone make a stink of it, or will they just kinda shrug if they notice at all? The Orlando Sentinel and the community will freak, but... I just don't know how hard it will be to not cow to pressure when the pressure isn't as strong.

And how much has been written deriding Disney for other things while the Mouse has continued on without changing course? Right now, it's untenable to be accused of this. It may be easier to skate later.

 

[AugieMorosco]

What happens if we go after the princesses, and western depictions, and Main Street, etc.. will we still understand then?

I’m just looking for someone to explain why we pick and choose, when we know that all of it is really a fairytale made out of tougher times, and full of stereotypes.

I understand this slippery slope idea, but in reality it makes no sense. If that's the case, then no matter how insensitive or offensive something is, it should still stay on proud display. Nothing is perfect, but the truth is some things are more offensive and bothersome than others. I thought jungle cruise would be modified before Splash for that exact reason. I love the ride, but I cringe during "those" parts. That is against everything the parks should be. WDW is an escape, not a history museum to learn about our mistakes and not a place where a family could reasonably feel less than or mocked. I would plead with you to be empathetic to those families who might be in that situation.

 

[Kate F]

I bet those that would protest a cancellation would still go to the parks.

 

[Matt_Black]

Ah, so offense is like a buffet. Only choose what looks good at the time.

That is not remotely what I said. If you want to have a frank, honest discussion, at least do so in good faith.

 

[21stamps]

Which is interesting because I use my TKAM unit to discuss relevant race issues. We juxtapose it with Just Mercy and other speeches and texts by living, breathing black writers. Just Mercy is a really interesting comparison because it shows that in the very setting that Lee describes, society is still not progressive. I always tell my Am Lit students, the best part of the course is seeing the literature literally change in the way it is written but also in ideas. You go from mostly dead white male writers—who are still wonderful writers (Poe, Hawthorne,etc)to such a diverse postmodern group of writers with various multiethnic identities (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Julia Alvarez, Khafka Hosseini)

I hope, for your future students, that your school and state will allow you to continue teaching this way. Kids need it.

 

[21stamps]

That is not remotely what I said. If you want to have a frank, honest discussion, at least do so in good faith.

But it really is... As you said, we know that none of it accurate, a lot of it is offensive if we look deep enough., but we’re willing to leave the rest, because out of the full buffet, we’re choosing which one to take, while viewing all.

 

[Chi84]

I bet those that would protest a cancellation would still go to the parks.

None of this is going to affect park attendance.

 

[Matt_Black]

I understand this slippery slope idea, but in reality it makes no sense. If that's the case, then no matter how insensitive or offensive something is, it should still stay on proud display. Nothing is perfect, but the truth is some things are more offensive and bothersome than others. I thought jungle cruise would be modified before Splash for that exact reason. I love the ride, but I cringe during "those" parts. That is against everything the parks should be. WDW is an escape, not a history museum to learn about our mistakes and not a place where a family could reasonably feel less than or mocked. I would plead with you to be empathetic to those families who might be in that situation.

"Why do you want to pull Splash Mountain? Why can't we discuss it like grown-ups?"
"Okay. While the film doesn't have any overtly negative messages like Birth Of A Nation, it does reinforce-"
"LA-LA-LA! I can't hear you!"
"But didn't you say-"
"Do you hate Uncle Remus and want to murder him?"
"What? No. He's a... fictional character, who-"
"If you pull Splash Mountain, what's next? The Astro Orbiter?"
"What?!? Nobody wants to change or remove the Astro Orbiter."
"Nobody wants to change or remove it YET."
"Do you want it changed, is that why you're bringing it up?"
"You can have the Astro Orbiter when you pull it from my COLD DEAD HANDS."
"..."
"Is that too un-PC for you?"
"... Are you okay?"

 

[HoustonHorn]

"Why do you want to pull Splash Mountain? Why can't we discuss it like grown-ups?"
"Okay. While the film doesn't have any overtly negative messages like Birth Of A Nation, it does reinforce-"
"LA-LA-LA! I can't hear you!"
"But didn't you say-"
"Do you hate Uncle Remus and want to murder him?"
"What? No. He's a... fictional character, who-"
"If you pull Splash Mountain, what's next? The Astro Orbiter?"
"What?!? Nobody wants to change or remove the Astro Orbiter."
"Nobody wants to change or remove it YET."
"Do you want it changed, is that why you're bringing it up?"
"You can have the Astro Orbiter when you pull it from my COLD DEAD HANDS."
"..."
"Is that too un-PC for you?"
"... Are you okay?"

That is disingenuous at best. But, according to you, those who want the ride to stay are the immature ones. This is typical - folks like you appreciate diversity of ideas and opinions as long as those opinions are progressive; otherwise, they are invalid and by holding them you are racist/misogynistic/transphobic/evil.

 

[21stamps]

"Why do you want to pull Splash Mountain? Why can't we discuss it like grown-ups?"
"Okay. While the film doesn't have any overtly negative messages like Birth Of A Nation, it does reinforce-"
"LA-LA-LA! I can't hear you!"
"But didn't you say-"
"Do you hate Uncle Remus and want to murder him?"
"What? No. He's a... fictional character, who-"
"If you pull Splash Mountain, what's next? The Astro Orbiter?"
"What?!? Nobody wants to change or remove the Astro Orbiter."
"Nobody wants to change or remove it YET."
"Do you want it changed, is that why you're bringing it up?"
"You can have the Astro Orbiter when you pull it from my COLD DEAD HANDS."
"..."
"Is that too un-PC for you?"
"... Are you okay?"

One problem with this display, It’s not at all what was being discussed. However, it’s more convenient to pretend that Astro Orbiter was the discussion, and not actually other stories that we all know have problems with their origins.
Much easier to pretend they aren’t there.

 

[AugieMorosco]

Uncomfortable parts of the past? I guess for someone whose relatives weren't even in the US at the time?

My ancestors fought Indians and owned slaves. I don't have any problem with that. One side of the family is French and had to leave France in a hurry so I assumed they had peasants working for them, that wasn't much different from slavery. At the time I'm sure the peasnats were looking to behead my ancestors. I don't hold a grudge.

Al this stuff has nothing to do with me, it is a long time in the past. You can't rewrite history. Slavery was the norm for thousands of years. I guess we'll have to get rid of anything Roman or any other Mediterranean, Africa based society? They all had slaves that's where the idea came from.

Rewriting and proudly displaying are different things.

 

[Matt_Black]

One problem with this display, It’s not at all what was being discussed. However, it’s more convenient to pretend that Astro Orbiter was the discussion, and not actually other stories that we all know have problems with their origins.
Much easier to pretend they aren’t there.

I was throwing a bit of hyperbole in for comedic effect. But somehow it's the people who like progressive things who are "too sensitive" and "can't take a joke"

 

[Bairstow]

...I guess we'll have to get rid of anything Roman or any other Mediterranean, Africa based society? They all had slaves that's where the idea came from.,,,

Are you honestly suggesting this, or are you making an intentionally ridiculous proposition because you don't understand why modern Americans are offended by a glorification of black American slavery?