We love the cute-ifications!
Our boys (4 and 7) were and are bored by attractions which features no characters, if there also not some element of physical thrill to them. The only thing which redeems such attractions (Carousel of Progress, Impressions de France, etc) is repeated viewing, which we do as weekly visitors. But the majority of visitors around us are not weekly visitors, so I can well understand the need to keep the nation's 4 and 7 year olds happy, not mine.
We hate the cute-ifications!
This is not the vision of EPCOT, or Progress City, or Progressland. For that matter, it's not the vision of the Magic Kingdom. It's the vision of Fantasyland alone. If Adventureland is meant to be a semi-serious glance at "exotic" (as defined by a white male), then Aladdin has no place here. Tomorrowland was meant to be much more Werner von Braun than Stitch and Mike Wazowski.
Put both together, and you have a summary of why the parks are themselves schizophrenic - the audience kind of demands it.
Very true. Good comparison. Some of the audience demands it, or should I say till their kids outgrow it. Fantasyland, as you point out was part of the "mix" of attractions in the park that skewed young with Dumbo, etc and was the thematic home for all of that. It was the aisle in the supermarket for characters. What happens when more and more shows get "cutetified", is that the "mix" is thrown off and there are less and less attractions that provide a more realistic or adult form of "escape". In TDL, the Pooh ride combines "cute" story with high end effects and ride system, so to that audience it has a huge appeal and both kids and adults like it (and they love cute over there). If Woody and Jessie hosted Big Thunder and sang to us during the ride, etc. would you cringe? ( I would and so would our kids). As you say, your kids would love it, but it would limit it's overall appeal. Basically parents want to see their kids love the park and whatever does that, they will go along with. If they are the majority, then doing the character thing ups the average guest ratings the most.
We have 12 yr. old B/G twins and have raised them "inside the berm" so to speak and it is surprising to me how fast they outgrow the characters and begin to view those attractions as too young for them. As with most kids, they evolve from characters into the thrill rides, but this "growing up" happens sooner and sooner. Toy companies call this "age compression". Barbie and Mickey have been abandoned earlier and earlier. The Epic Mickey Wii game is a good way to extend his life and image IMHO. My son sees the park as "too girlie" now as there was such an emphasis on Princesses and characters everywhere. They used to tell him Prince Philip was "off hunting" or on vacation when he'd ask princess Aurora. They still love the parks but not like they used to. The TRON property is a good addition to the mix and my son will likely get into that. He is sick of POTC.
Rant alert- The company also tends to overexpose certain properties and burn us out on them as in the Princess thing. The minute they see a glimmer of success, it's painfully obvious that the steamroller of marketing is heading your way and you will have to prepare to be burned out on it in minutes. They can't seem to wait for anything to organically grow and fill demand. I know that if I see tons of merchandise on something like TRON, I don't want it. If it trickles in, then I'm more apt to feel like I discovered something versus being part of the herd. I guess the numbers are too great for that, so they have to. Over time they may find more success with the slow build, than the forced entry to the market. Vinylmation seemed an exception to this, but they are beginning to overwhelm with that too.
So as you say, the character thing is a love/hate. There was a time when Fantasyland was where we spent all of our time, but that's over. My son asked why they got rid of the Swiss Family Tree House as he loved that movie and wanted to see it again now that he's older. He grew into it. To me, it's like having to listen to the wait staff sing "happy birthday" ten times in a restaurant. It makes it more memorable for those ten, but dilutes the experience for the rest. I guess I have to eat in better restaurants!
