News Announced: Mary Poppins Attraction in UK Pavilion

disneygeek90

Well-Known Member
I agree. I find Merida to be very unlikeable and still fail to see how anything she did in the movie could be considered brave. Buuuuuut, I still have confidence that they can make this into a great ride.
Because not wanting to be shoved off to marriage isn’t something that’s worth complaining about? I actually found that she put up with a lot of crap being the “Princess” her mom wanted to be. It got a bit too serious too quick for Merida and that’s what caused her to freak out.

The idea that people think she’s unlikeable makes me thing they’re most likely a male that’s never had to deal with moms pushing their daughter to act, dress, and think a certain way.
 

MerlinTheGoat

Well-Known Member
Oh shut up with the "you must be a male if you hate Merida". This reminds me of the accusations of sexism when people didn't like the new Ghostbusters movie. This is not a gendered issue whatsoever, men are pressured or forced into life choices same as women by their parents. There's a great movie called the Dead Poets Society that involves a college kid who commits suicide because his emotionally abusive father won't let him be a stage actor and wants him to be a doctor instead (enrolling him in military academy when he tries to resist). Are you really going to say a negative opinion of Merida is invalid coming from men due to some sort of gender role nonsense?

Additionally. there are plenty of Disney female characters who have the "I don't want to follow the path my parents chose for me" character trait. It's one of the most common motivations in Disney's repertoire. Mulan is an excellent example of how to do this correctly. Judy Hopps from Zootopia is another. It goes even further back to Jasmine as well. All of these still manage to be likable and strong characters. I'll also mention an excellent non-Disney example in Eowyn from Lord of the Rings.

Merida however expresses this desire in a manner a sociopath would. She feeds her mom something a random old woman gives her hoping it would change Elinor's mind, but her mom appears to be dying when she eats it. Even during the even while Elinor appears to be choking and dying, Merida doesn't even care whatsoever and continues to accost her mom about changing her mind DURING THIS FIT WHERE HER MOM IS CLEARLY IN HORRIBLE PAIN. It is her attitude that I find detestable, not her desire to make her own choices. I wanted a tough heroine like Mulan, Judy Hopps or Eowyn. I got a brat.
 
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disneygeek90

Well-Known Member
Oh shut up with the "you must be a male if you hate Merida". Are you going to accuse people of sexism next? This is not a gendered thing, men are pressured in the same way by parents. There's a great movie called the Dead Poets Society that involves a college kid who commits suicide because his emotionally abusive father won't let him be a stage actor and wants him to be a doctor instead (enrolling him in military academy when he tries to resist).

Additionally. there are plenty of Disney female characters who have the "I don't want to follow the path my parents chose for me" character trait. It's one of the most common motivations in Disney's repertoire. Mulan is an excellent example of how to do this correctly. Judy Hopps from Zootopia is another. It goes even further back to Jasmine as well. All of these still manage to be likable and strong characters.

Merida however expresses this desire in a manner a sociopath would. She feeds her mom something a random old woman gives her hoping it would change Elinor's mind, but her mom appears to be dying when she eats it. Even during the even while Elinor appears to be choking and dying, Merida doesn't even care whatsoever and continues to accost her mom about changing her mind DURING THIS FIT WHERE HER MOM IS CLEARLY IN HORRIBLE PAIN.
Unlike Mulan and Judy, Merida’s parents are literally forcing her to marry one of three seemingly random suitors that she has never met before. For no other reason than “that’s what a Princess does.” You’re trying to tell me that’s not a tad more pressure than Judy wanting to be a cop vs a carrot farmer? While her parents didn’t love her cop path, it was more so due to danger than anything, and they were supportive even at the first send off.

Sorry, but I think people are missing the whole point of what Meridas expectation was at an extremely young age. And she does not have the personality to just shut up and go with it.

I personally don’t believe she realized the extent of what the curse did and probably figure it was all part of what was supposed to be happening. While I agree she probably should have dropped the questioning while Elinor was in disarray.
 
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MerlinTheGoat

Well-Known Member
You could make the argument that Judy Hopps doesn't fit that exact position, but how does Mulan not? Her personality is different from Merida (thankfully), as is her reaction to the situation. But her situation as a forced bride is very similar if not identical.

I liked the idea that Merida rebels against her parents, she should do that. That is not my problem with her character whatsoever. My problem is when her mother appears to be poisoned, she ignores her pain and uses the opportunity to take advantage (continuing to be fairly non-empathetic afterwards too). This is not a likable trait.

But beyond her attitude (which could have been salvageable or even actually interesting as a character arc in a better written and paced story), I found Merida to be a boring character involved in a boring story. I hoped that we'd get a Mulan type badass hero (or like Eowyn from LOTR), but with the rebelliousness of Jasmine. It seemed to be setting her up as that in the beginning. Instead I saw an unlikable boastful brat who doesn't do much of anything besides restore her mom at the very end (caused by Merida in the first place).
 
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SpaceMountain77

Well-Known Member
Sadly, I agree. I would love a dark ride but I fear it will be some kind of flat ride/scrambler/spinner.

Take a spin through the magnificent Scottish Highland countryside with Hamish, Hubert, and Harris.

4789165702_8aa4182917_b.jpg
 

britain

Well-Known Member
You could make the argument that Judy Hopps doesn't fit that exact position, but how does Mulan not? Her personality is different from Merida (thankfully), as is her reaction to the situation. But her situation as a forced bride is very similar if not identical.

I liked the idea that Merida rebels against her parents, she should do that. That is not my problem with her character whatsoever. My problem is when her mother appears to be poisoned, she ignores her pain and uses the opportunity to take advantage (continuing to be fairly non-empathetic afterwards too). This is not a likable trait.

But beyond her attitude (which could have been salvageable or even actually interesting as a character arc in a better written and paced story), I found Merida to be a boring character involved in a boring story. I hoped that we'd get a Mulan type badass hero (or like Eowyn from LOTR), but with the rebelliousness of Jasmine. It seemed to be setting her up as that in the beginning. Instead I saw an unlikable boastful brat who doesn't do much of anything besides restore her mom at the very end (caused by Merida in the first place).


Teenagers sometimes are selfish and unlikable. That's why they go on the quest to become mature and unselfish.

I didn't care for Brave simply because it wasn't the movie it sort of advertised it to be. I know that's marketing's fault, not the movie's. And a few of the gags fell flat or something. The editing was... I don't know. It just wasn't the razor sharp AND emotionally triumphant film I came to expect from Pixar. I think by naming it "Brave" I was expecting a thorough meditation on what bravery really means. Like as deep and explorative as 'Belonging' is to Toy Story or 'Family' in Incredibles. I don't quite see why this movie is named 'Brave' other than, sure, the heroine needs to be brave in some of these situations. Would have been better with its original title: The Bear and the Bow

Having said all that, it's still really good. And now that I've shaken all hopes of traditional British literature being represented at the UK pavilion, I'm sure I'll be happy with the addition of a Brave ride. Man, they are finally adding more RIDES to World Showcase! :)
 
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prfctlyximprct

Well-Known Member
I'm still confused how we went from guessing every IP to being sure its Brave? Can someone tell me what I missed please!!! I guess I need to pay better attention! :p
 

Fox&Hound

Well-Known Member
Because not wanting to be shoved off to marriage isn’t something that’s worth complaining about? I actually found that she put up with a lot of crap being the “Princess” her mom wanted to be. It got a bit too serious too quick for Merida and that’s what caused her to freak out.

The idea that people think she’s unlikeable makes me thing they’re most likely a male that’s never had to deal with moms pushing their daughter to act, dress, and think a certain way.

No, I completely agree with MerlintheGoat. I have no problem that she is resisting a marriage that she finds to be unfair, but it has been done before and better. Aurora wanted to date/marry the boy from the forest and not Prince Philip (depsite the fact that he is the same person unbeknownst to her) but she handles it with maturity and grace. And Jasmine faces the same issue but at least sets off on her own adventure to live a life she wants ( same with Ariel and Rapunzel) but rather than set off on an epic quest, Merida poisons her mom so she can get what she wants. Yes, Ariel makes some selfish choices too but at least she was well-developed and multi-faceted.

I guess I just thought the story held so much promise and failed to deliver. I thought the wisps held promise but then not much happened with them.

Anyway, back on tooic, I really hope that this ride can right some of the wrongs from the film such as Splash did....Or just take one element and run with it.
 

Princess Leia

Well-Known Member
I'm still confused how we went from guessing every IP to being sure its Brave? Can someone tell me what I missed please!!! I guess I need to pay better attention! :p
Spirit made a comment in his thread about the insiders posting about the UK attraction being ‘braver’ than others, so everyone (including myself) is kind of jumping on the idea train that we’re getting Brave.
 

Mawg

Well-Known Member
I'm still confused how we went from guessing every IP to being sure its Brave? Can someone tell me what I missed please!!! I guess I need to pay better attention! :p
Pretty much, you just keep guessing until no one steers you away from that IP and they just stay quite
 

wdwgreek

Well-Known Member
Can we stop the arguing above whether Merida is likeable, it's so subjective and try to parse out the ride system we have a ton of clues.
1. We are fairly certain the IP is brave.
2. Marni is happy with the plans
3. We know it Is supposed to be a c or b ticket akin to soon to be coco is to frozen.
4. It is somewhere between a flat ride and a basic or simple c.
5. It would be a new application of an UP to this type of ride system although we've seen the ride system before.
6. It's probably not another boat ride given the setting and hints about the scope and scale of the attraction.
 
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DisneyFan18

Well-Known Member
Personally I would love to see a Mystic Manor style ride like the one that was proposed by someone a few pages ago. However that would be way too optimistic. I wouldn’t mind a well done shooting ride, something like the Captain America patent filled would be great, but we aren’t getting something big. So honestly I’m not sure about what type of ride to expect...
 

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