Splash Mountain re-theme announced

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

That's the thing - this has nothing to do with representation. TWDC has had ample time and opportunity to promote the story and characters within TPAF. That story got a dessert party on a river boat, inclusion in the villains stage show, and after 10 years a restaurant on a cruise ship, all while New Orleans Square and POFQ exist.

I wish they would have represented such a fantastic film, with important characters, music, and messages earlier and more often, and in more meaningful ways, but that's not this.

But again... should rides always stay the same? Should the parks never change?

 

[lebeau]

Of course, that’s what most of these huge corporations are doing. They don’t want to lose their Black customers. Representation is still important though.

This is what I don't get. People argue against the change because it's a business decision. And then on the other hand, Disney is virtue signaling. Or they are at the mercy of the woke mob. Which is it?

Yes, it's obviously a business decision. Welcome to capitalism, folks!

 

[orlandogal22]

Lots of families with small children who struggled to get them to enjoy Epcot would disagree

EPCOT never really was geared toward small children to begin with.

I know there's tons of people who love the Frozen franchise, but I never felt it fit in the historical context of Norway since its setting is a fictitious place and every other component of World Showcase is based on real places (and originally pretty much pseudo-travel advertisements for the countries).

 

[Oskar]

Frozen is awful. Maelstrom was far better, they should have just plussed it.

And built a Frozen attraction elsewhere.

Oh well.

 

[lebeau]

Good. I’ll just make a competitor company, while spending money at their competitor and forever recommending their competitor over them. It won’t make much of a difference, but oh well.

We switched to Universal years ago. For us, it's a better experience although that choice has nothing to do with politics.

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

I'm gonna be that girl right now, but to any of you complaining that the people upset about this change are the snowflakes just remember this. You are the ones that made the initial stink, you decided to stick your hand in the dumpster fire that is the Theme park fan community. This is not Marvel comics, this is not Tumblr. We are ratchet and we don't care about social justice crap. Just like when Pirates was changed you are going to see a war of astronomical levels.

That's because this is an absolute war on white people. It's about removing anything white people have ever done.

If you had a child born today, their kids would be taught in school that the founding fathers were black and built the US... Hell they're already trying to push that Africa was a bastion civilization until evil whitey somehow "stole" their knowledge.

Spoiler: #wakandaisntreal

I can promise neither of these comments is helpful.

 

[John park hopper]

We switched to Universal years ago. For us, it's a better experience although that choice has nothing to do with politics.

So why are you here?

 

[lebeau]

Hang on now... I don't agree with Disney.Mike, but who are you to tell him his complaints are invalid? I thought we can never know how complainers feel unless we've walked in their shoes?

Are you really confused about the difference between calling out a racist for a blatantly racist statement and stifling concerns about systematic racism? You equate the two?

 

[General Mayhem]

I can promise neither of these comments is helpful.

There's no helping this issue hun. This is the perfect storm for a fight that will never end.

 

[The_Jobu]

This is what I don't get. People argue against the change because it's a business decision. And then on the other hand, Disney is virtue signaling. Or they are at the mercy of the woke mob. Which is it?

Yes, it's obviously a business decision. Welcome to capitalism, folks!

It's both. Virtue signaling is good for business. If they cared about representation they would build patf a ride, not just half over an old one in a park that needs more capacity attractions.

 

[getdislove]

I'm gonna be that girl right now, but to any of you complaining that the people upset about this change are the snowflakes just remember this. You are the ones that made the initial stink, you decided to stick your hand in the dumpster fire that is the Theme park fan community. This is not Marvel comics, this is not Tumblr. We are ratchet and we don't care about social justice crap. Just like when Pirates was changed you are going to see a war of astronomical levels.

“social justice crap” ma’am, i’m literally venting about how I have been overlooked by disney as a black woman my entire life. seeing posts like this is really the reason as to why i’ve never been adamant to be more vocal in the disney community in the first place. While you had princesses like Belle who’ve looked like you that you could relate to, I had to wait until I was 14 to see Tiana get imagined. You have no room to tell anyone how they should feel when the whole community you share an interest with doesn’t even have your best interest as a human being.

 

[lebeau]

I'm gonna be that girl right now, but to any of you complaining that the people upset about this change are the snowflakes just remember this. You are the ones that made the initial stink, you decided to stick your hand in the dumpster fire that is the Theme park fan community. This is not Marvel comics, this is not Tumblr. We are ratchet and we don't care about social justice crap. Just like when Pirates was changed you are going to see a war of astronomical levels.

Maybe you should care about justice just a little bit. Some of us value it more than a robotic bunny.

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

There's no helping this issue hun. This is the perfect storm for a fight that will never end.

A fight that will never end? Its a ride. It ends the minute Disney throw up those construction walls.

 

[21stamps]

This is what I don't get. People argue against the change because it's a business decision. And then on the other hand, Disney is virtue signaling. Or they are at the mercy of the woke mob. Which is it?

Yes, it's obviously a business decision. Welcome to capitalism, folks!

Do you think the Disney executives woke up one day, and thought “Splash Mountain is an unpopular attraction, how can we re-theme it to attract guests to that area?”

Or,are they replying to current loud social media outrage, proving how woke they are, with a surface level showing by sticking a princess on one of their already most popular attractions?

 

[Bill in Atlanta]

Are you really confused about the difference between calling out a racist for a blatantly racist statement and stifling concerns about systematic racism? You equate the two?

You're making my point for me.

Of course we have the ability to evaluate the merits of others' complaints without walking in their shoes. Judges do it every day.

Earlier, the opposite was said in this thread, in defense of the initial anti-Splash Mountain complainers.

 

[lebeau]

So why are you here?

Why are you?

 

[orlandogal22]

We switched to Universal years ago. For us, it's a better experience although that choice has nothing to do with politics.

We're APs to Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Legoland.

As a former CM and long-time AP at Disney, I honestly feel like I've been having a better time at every park BUT Disney for the last handful of years. I know this will tick people off but a big part of the shift for me actually have, indeed, been the Disney fans. Not only are many Disney guests more entitled-acting ( I know this firsthand from working in Guest Services at the Yacht & Beach years ago), but it's almost like if you do not believe a certain way (as evidenced among this thread and others I've participated in), you are somehow bad, stupid, not a true fan, etc.

I don't get that rabid "my way or the highway" vibe at any other park or among any other fanbase. We can just go there and enjoy it - without feeling like we don't have the "it" next new thing, the "it" next new bandwagon to jump on, etc.

The Disney I knew and love has changed under Iger (and through social media) and I barely recognize it much of the time anymore - and this was before the Splash Mountain news.

And disclaimer - I'm simply voicing my opinion, not looking for a fight.

 

[GeneralZod]

No one in this thread has labeled anyone racist. Try again.

It was implied that I called someone a racist, which is why I stated it.

Oh sorry -- I haven't called anyone an "-ist."

That's it. I don't care who celebrates me leaving this site after 13 years, but I am done.

Get the hell out of here with this crap you racist POS.

That didn't take long.

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

Hang on now... I don't agree with Disney.Mike, but who are you to tell him his complaints are invalid? I thought we can never know how complainers feel unless we've walked in their shoes?

His "complaints" aren't relevant to the topic.

 

[Dan Deesnee]

So because you aren't offended... thats the end all be all?

The problem is that someone, somewhere, can always find a way to be "offended" by just about anything. I have Scottish heritage and sorry but the beloved Princess Merida is a stereotype. If you loved that character how would you feel about me and tens of thousands of others bending Disney and forcing them to remove her and all Brave merchandise from the parks and from the MK Fireworks show? Or maybe I have dwarfism and do the same to 7 Dwarfs Mine train and all references to the dwarfs? What if I'm Nepalese and find the representation in Animal Kingdom offensive and petition for an entire re-theme of that area?

Sometimes you will be offended. Life isn't always fair and equal. There are much, MUCH more important things we could be doing to help poor communities to have a better future than doing a re-theme on Splash Mountain.

How about Disney take the $50 million from this re-theme and put it towards the devastated urban school systems that need it so desperately? Most people calling for this re-theme as a hugely important thing are playing a game and don't really care about helping anyone.

Go find something better to do than destroy mostly harmless entertainment attractions that many MILLIONS more people have enjoyed than have been offended by. That is, if you really care about people so much...