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Disney Plus Pulls Peter Pan and Other Movies from Children's Section/ Implications for Park

M

Mickey2021

Member
Original Poster
We all know about the planned changes to Splash mountain due to the movie Song of the South being unacceptable in today's world. Now, Disney has just removed Peter Pan, Dumbo, the Aristocats, and Swiss Family Robinson from children's profiles on Disney +.

This is a clear acknowledgment from the Disney corporation and CEO's that they see "racist" problems with these movies. Whether or not you agree with Disney on this, it seems like after the recent announcement about the Jungle Cruise, this will only cause more changes going forward.

For Splash Mountain, even though the ride's theme did not evoke any racist elements it will be completely overhauled due to the movie. Can we expect the same for Peter Pan, Dumbo, and the Swiss Family Treehouse? I'm sure Disney would love an excuse to take out Peter Pan and the treehouse and put in more current IP.

On a related note, what do you think Walt Disney's reaction would be to hearing that these movies have been blocked for children by the current administration?
 
matt9112

matt9112

Well-Known Member
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Mickey2021 said:
We all know about the planned changes to Splash mountain due to the movie Song of the South being unacceptable in today's world. Now, Disney has just removed Peter Pan, Dumbo, the Aristocats, and Swiss Family Robinson from children's profiles on Disney +.

This is a clear acknowledgment from the Disney corporation and CEO's that they see "racist" problems with these movies. Whether or not you agree with Disney on this, it seems like after the recent announcement about the Jungle Cruise, this will only cause more changes going forward.

For Splash Mountain, even though the ride's theme did not evoke any racist elements it will be completely overhauled due to the movie. Can we expect the same for Peter Pan, Dumbo, and the Swiss Family Treehouse? I'm sure Disney would love an excuse to take out Peter Pan and the treehouse and put in more current IP.

On a related note, what do you think Walt Disney's reaction would be to hearing that these movies have been blocked for children by the current administration?
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It is what it is...we can argue to were blue in the face....as a society we will remain ever divided.
On a technical note im pretty sure peter pan (the ride space) is awful size wise and couldn't be used for any (real) new ride. So less same ride with new theme. Speaking of maybe they will get rid of the Indians here...rename them native Americans and make them less chanty. The chant is probably amazingly racist as is the term indian if prior discussion is any indication.
 
matt9112

matt9112

Well-Known Member
Animaniac93-98 said:
They won't get rid of Peter Pan. Too popular a ride and Disney still sells toys and things related to the movie. They'll probably just remove the Indians and call it a day. Dumbo isn't leaving either.

Swiss Family Treehouse is just the treehouse. There's nothing problematic about it on its own. Not sure what they'd really replace it with.
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Some benches.....
 
UNCgolf

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
Animaniac93-98 said:
They won't get rid of Peter Pan. Too popular a ride and Disney still sells toys and things related to the movie. They'll probably just remove the Indians and call it a day. Dumbo isn't leaving either.

Swiss Family Treehouse is just the treehouse. There's nothing problematic about it on its own. Not sure what they'd really replace it with.
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I think the only way the treehouse would be easily replaceable is if the Jungle Cruise was ripped up along with it. There's obviously no plans for that now that they're updating it. I could be wrong, but the water for the Jungle Cruise is connected to the water that runs around the treehouse. To tear it down and build something else could have an effect on Jungle Cruise operations.

I'm sure it's doable but I don't know if it would be worth the trouble if they didn't have something major planned.
 
Animaniac93-98

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
UNCgolf said:
I think the only way the treehouse would be easily replaceable is if the Jungle Cruise was ripped up along with it. There's obviously no plans for that now that they're updating it.

I could be wrong, but the water for the Jungle Cruise is connected to the water that runs around the treehouse. To tear it down and build something else could have an effect on Jungle Cruise operations.
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I know it's connected to the hub moat because the Swan Boats used to circle the Treehouse, but I forget if JC connects.

1611715919423.png
 
D

Doberge

Active Member
Animaniac93-98 said:
They won't get rid of Peter Pan. Too popular a ride and Disney still sells toys and things related to the movie. They'll probably just remove the Indians and call it a day. Dumbo isn't leaving either.

Swiss Family Treehouse is just the treehouse. There's nothing problematic about it on its own. Not sure what they'd really replace it with.
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Many had/have similar feelings about Splash Mountain, that it's not elements of the ride itself as much as elements in the movie that inspired the attractraction. But here we are with plans to change Splash so I doubt anything tangentially similar is really safe from at least planned changes when money comes back around.
 
Brer Oswald

Brer Oswald

Well-Known Member
As I’ve said in the other thread on this topic, the decision to acknowledge the offensive aspects of their older films isn’t a bad one. However, little to no benefit can come from it if they don’t provide context and explain why it was bad.

They have this really good intro on Walt Disney Treasures Mickey Mouse in Black and White that provides context of the time period, but also points out the issues.
 
Ldno

Ldno

Well-Known Member
I find it hard to believe they would not redo fantasyland because of this, i mean without the movie how can they tell who Peter Pan is? You know someone will point fingers and say “but the ride has to go”.
 
UNCgolf

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
MansionButler84 said:
They’re making a new Peter Pan movie. I think there’s a good chance we will see ride updates with that. Treehouse has been an option for a retheme for years. Dumbo is safe. I’ll have to rewatch Aristocats to see what’s offensive...
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Seems odd that the original Lady and the Tramp isn't on the list, especially since it has the same issue as Aristocats. Maybe they forgot about it because they're pushing the live action version.

I don't know how they would retheme the treehouse unless they do Tarzan like at Disneyland. I can't think of any other Disney IPs that would fit a giant tree and also fit in Adventureland (am I forgetting something?), and Tarzan is basically irrelevant these days. So is Swiss Family Robinson, obviously, but I don't think they'd commit to spending money for a retheme from one irrelevant IP to another.
 
UNCgolf

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
Ldno said:
I find it hard to believe they would not redo fantasyland because of this, i mean without the movie how can they tell who Peter Pan is? You know someone will point fingers and say “but the ride has to go”.
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They can still watch the movie; they'd just have to watch it with their parents or on a parent's account. I think this change is mainly a cosmetic one without any real significance.
 
Tony the Tigger

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
First of all, you’re assuming it’s all about racism. There may be other reasons. But there was no need to put racism in quotes - it’s real. Even if a degree of it was socially acceptable at the time, it’s still racism/racially insensitive.

I was born in 1971 - not that old, but old enough to have witnessed the change in public thinking (for the better) over time. And I have learned and adjusted my own behavior and language accordingly.

Here’s the thing: I take no offense to that. Why would I? Something I innocently learned on the playground (I keep thinking of a reference to Chinese people and Coca Cola as an example) or in a movie, including a Disney movie - both of which were explicitly societally acceptable at the time - were also racist, but the offended parties didn’t have much of a voice to make that known at the time. Teachers didn’t correct us, nor parents, nor any of our mostly white friends.

I can acknowledge those things were racist, but I am not “a racist;” there is no hate in my heart. I was doing what society taught me, and I was literally ignorant on the subject. Once it was pointed out to me at an older age that these things made people feel bad, I had no issue owning up to my part in it and stopping the behavior. I don’t want to make people feel bad.

That’s not a loss of anything. It’s a gain of understanding and makes me a better neighbor. Who doesn’t want that?

I don’t think the folks who worked on these films were hateful or racist (maybe some individuals were, who knows?) But society sure was. And society has since learned, and is stopping those behaviors. That’s a good thing.

If you let kids watch Asians being stereotyped in a Disney movie, they come away with the idea that’s acceptable - sanctioned by the movie, Disney, and the parents who let them watch it. Then they have to be deprogrammed like I was. Why make them start off with that disadvantage? IMO it is appropriate to save it for older kids, with a message at the beginning.

If any of this bothers someone, it may be time to look in the mirror and ask yourself why.

It would be absolutely stupid and frankly, negligent if Disney were not taking stock from top to bottom right now to get ahead of these things, rather than have a scandalous drip-drip over years of people rightfully calling them out.

Now, Song of the South is one thing. But if a certain movie has issues, all they have to do is remake it, and that wouldn’t even be unusual - they are doing these live action remakes all the time. The attraction need not be affected, but may be updated.

Bottom line - things were different in the 50’s - 70’s when these things were conceived. It doesn’t mean everyone was bad or racist; they were a product of their time, as were these films. Making corrections or adjustments is not a bad thing. It is correcting something that needs correcting.
 

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