I've always thought micechatters were 3 year olds... and figured it was common knowledge. Micechat bashing aside...
I've been thinking lately about Disney and mass entertainment and society in general... I've had some discussions with my friends and I've seem to come to the conclusion that opinions on Disneyland run deeper than just entertainment aspects... it's part of modern society itself and how people function these days...
(Prepare yourself for cranky jerk nonsensical ranting overload...)
What I want to know is... why 'should' Walt matter these days? Because he founded the company? Because he created the park? Who cares? Micechat screams that Tom Sawyer's Island is WALT'S ISLAND. So what? Why does that matter to 99% of the people who visit the park every day and spend money there? Should it matter? Why would anyone in today's society give a flying monkey about an island personally designed by a guy over 60 years ago? Nostalgia and history aside, does anyone honestly expect the 99% of visitors to the park to give a care about it? People today are visiting for a quick thrill, and a happy time for their kids... in today's me, me, me, now, now, now smartphone immediate no substance gratification society, we're beyond the point of having small quiet spaces anywhere any more at a payed park like this. Kids will glance at it, proclaim it boring, and move on to the loud noises and shiny lights.
Speaking of quiet spaces etc... (this thought pains me to say it because I am a huge fan of the old west and spend a lot of time myself in abandoned mines and ghost towns out in the desert)... but every time I see someone go on about "they should expand the desert area and rebuild Nature's Wonderland instead of SWL" etc. I think that person is delusional. The old west is not popular anymore and kids do not care about it at all (neither do most parents these days either). It's over, it's done with, people don't want it anymore. The divide is complete, people from cities are into commercialized aspects of life and do not care for things like the old west or rural areas for that matter... it's boring, dirty, and stupid to them. The bases of old American exploration are now all claimed to be bad by society... homesteading, expansion, and mining is now considered evil by city goers and the old ways of the west are considered prejudiced,offensive, foolish, and wrong. People are not allowed to have a romantic or positive view of things any more as society has been trained to be constructive in its views and focus on the negative aspects (lets be honest, there are lots to focus on). Fact is, the frontier is dead and children will no longer be running around Frontierland with 6-shooters wearing coonskin hats because it's too offensive to people on many different levels (choose your evil- gun violence, racism, animal cruelty, environmental concerns, hunting etc.).
The park needs to evolve. It needs to stay relevant, it needs to make money, and needs to play its part in the company. It has been doing this rather well over the past couple of decades (indicated by how successful it is ATM) but 'fans' still scream the sky is falling when things get altered in any way. I think they need to accept reality that has surrounded them, realize that Disney rightfully doesn't give a crap about what they think anymore, and move on. Disney is doing what it needs to do as a company and is applying itself to what matters most, the 99% of the visiting people who spend money at the parks.
SO... if I can sum all my idiocy up...... the park needs to evolve, society is simply too far gone into immediate gratification and flashy things to care about 'small quiet places' or the 'history' of the park, and Disney will do as it needs to stay relevant and successful. Online 'fans' and Disney 'armchair warriors' should realize they have already lost the battle and that they and their opinions no longer matter.
Back to micechat with that in mind, perhaps we can provide a malicious label for the people who no longer matter just as MiceChat did back with the whole 'defender of mediocrity' ordeal. Though, perhaps we're not 3 years old as they are...
