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Disney characters in IASW = most inconsequential change ever?
- Thread starter George Lucas on a Bench
- Start date
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
I can't tell if you are being sarcastic, but it went beyond Team Disney Anaheim. Disney roped Marty Sklar into lying about what was happening.
Stevek
Well-Known Member
I have no issues with it, at some point it's ok to make minor changes to a ride to give it a bit of new life and other than the US scene, it all fits in well IMO. These small additions definitely appealed to my daughters back then and I'm sure appeal to all the Disney Prince and Princess loving boys and girls that visit the park every day. The Disney fan reaction...the save the rainforest petition, was almost as embarrassing as the folks leaving RIP flowers in front of Pirates when Jack Sparrow was added.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
How is completely changing the purpose of the attraction into a game of hide-and-seek a minor change?
Disney Analyst
Well-Known Member
Honestly, when I was working at MK on my ICP, I was so sad that I couldn't point out hidden Disney Characters on IASW, or find characters. I think it is a fun little touch, which does not take anything away, from the attraction.
dweezil78
Well-Known Member
Pleading ignorance here on the IASW drama. What exactly happened?
I honestly don't mind (most of) the characters really. They don't take anything away form the ride and most of them seem pretty at home in the sections they were placed in. The USA room, however, is just all kinds of wrong and just has a totally different type of energy from the rest of the ride. Hard to explain, but from the lighting to the music to the motion of the scene it's just totally off.
GiveMeTheMusic
Well-Known Member
it's a small world was a ride showing no signs of slowing down. It's consistently popular year round, even more so at Christmas. The ride was in no need of goosing, it's one of the park's three major enduring classics from the 60s. The question isn't whether the characters TAKE AWAY from the existing ride, but what do they ADD? What purpose do they serve?
The answer is none. They add nothing except cameos for people to point out to each other. It's a vapid, meaningless change that while adding nothing, also manages to detract from the actual point of the ride. Instead of observing the cultures represented and taking in each scene for what it is, guests are now scrambling to see where Mushu has been shoved.
It's pandering of the highest order and no one involved was actually able to give anything resembling a compelling creative reason for the characters' presence.
And that doesn't even cover the gawd-awful America room. With its tonedeaf design and eye-searing color scheme, it sticks out like a sore thumb among the rest of the ride's skillfully designed scenes. America doesn't need a room in it's a small world at Disneyland, we're IN America. America rooms should be in Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong, but not Anaheim or Orlando. Like the creepy characters that populate it, it's wholly unnecessary.
The answer is none. They add nothing except cameos for people to point out to each other. It's a vapid, meaningless change that while adding nothing, also manages to detract from the actual point of the ride. Instead of observing the cultures represented and taking in each scene for what it is, guests are now scrambling to see where Mushu has been shoved.
It's pandering of the highest order and no one involved was actually able to give anything resembling a compelling creative reason for the characters' presence.
And that doesn't even cover the gawd-awful America room. With its tonedeaf design and eye-searing color scheme, it sticks out like a sore thumb among the rest of the ride's skillfully designed scenes. America doesn't need a room in it's a small world at Disneyland, we're IN America. America rooms should be in Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong, but not Anaheim or Orlando. Like the creepy characters that populate it, it's wholly unnecessary.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
The added characters definitely take something away from small world's point. The characters diminish and "water down" the point, in my opinion.
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dweezil78
Well-Known Member
Haha... Now c'mon, how do you really feel? I guess to me, as long as the guts of the original are still there it doesn't really bother me too much. America room is awful, I'll give you that. I just feel like the fact that the ride was pulling in strong numbers and therefore shouldn't have been touched isn't really that great of an argument -- if anything, even if the attempt was a little misguided or due to synergy initiatives or whatever, I'd give management credit for putting $$$ into an attraction that didn't even need it. Nothing wrong with breathing new life into something.
On the other hand, the way characters have been crammed into some Epcot attractions is far more criminal IMO. At least Small World is at a Magic Kingdom style park and in a section of the park where Disney characters are prevalent.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
Why wouldn't the United States be in IASW? The United States is part of the world. DLP's version of IASW has a french section. Tokyo's version as a Japanese section. Why can't the United States have a section at Disneyland? Granted it's probably the worst executed section of the ride and needs improving.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
Maybe the reason we think the US section in IASW is bad is because it makes fun of us as a people on our own turf. Are we really just a bunch of cowboys and indians and farmers? I don't think that represents the country very well. I think Super Star Limo failed for the same reason. It makes fun of the locals that ride the ride. You leave kind of insulted.
dweezil78
Well-Known Member
I don't think it's any more insulting than any of the other scenes which all share a similar stereotypical look at the cultures from each country. I just think it's awkwardly done!
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
During my travels in the UK around the mid 90s, most folks i met seemed to indeed have that impression.
Americans really are viewed as 'comboys and Indians' in many European nations...and it's just one of those things.
Much like how many Americans think of folks in the UK all being hoity toity and drinking nothing but tea.
Not trying to justify the 'America' room on IASW, just noting how it's easy for me to see why those stereotypes were chosen.
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PrincessJenn5795
Active Member
IASW is probably my least favorite ride anyways, but for me the Disney characters did add something. To me IASW is a ride full of really creepy dolls and the most annoying song you could possibly get stuck in your head running a loop. The Disney characters don't change that, but they did give me something to look for, which was a nice distraction. I only go that ride when I am with people who really want to go on it for some reason or another.
So there you go. Disney was catering to the people who are creeped out by dolls and are really easily annoyed by repetitive, overly saccharine songs.
So there you go. Disney was catering to the people who are creeped out by dolls and are really easily annoyed by repetitive, overly saccharine songs.
Stevek
Well-Known Member
I didn't know that it was, nor have we ever played that game on it. We just ride it and enjoy it for what it is.
Wendy Pleakley
Well-Known Member
It struck me as a way to add something new to the resort in the cheapest and laziest way possible.
I don't think they belong, but I don't think they ruin the attraction either by any means.
I recall just finding it frustrating that this would be a priority instead of giving us something new or truly special.
I don't think they belong, but I don't think they ruin the attraction either by any means.
I recall just finding it frustrating that this would be a priority instead of giving us something new or truly special.
dweezil78
Well-Known Member
It wasn't priority. There are just different budgets that go towards plussing up existing/legacy attractions (Small World, Lincoln, Sleeping Beauty waklthru to name a few from recent years) that are totally different than significantly larger budgets used for new attractions/lands that obviously are much harder and take much longer to get greenlit.
What you're saying basically equates to "Why would you spend money on some new pillows and rugs when you could be building a new mansion?"
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Mukta
Well-Known Member
I used to think of that last room as the US. All of the countries, languages, people together in one place. Once the America room was added, it ruined my vision of the ride.
I have been on IASW in Paris. Their version of the US is cute to me even though I don't think it represents this country well.