-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
The Dumbing down of WDW!
- Thread starter Choodles
- Start date
- Status
captainkidd
Well-Known Member
Most people do.
Yeah, Nemo is definitely one of the best examples. I think the worst, in my opinion, is Gran Fiesta Tour. I was one of the few that enjoyed El Rio as it was. It wasn't educational, but it at least showed some side of Mexico, though it was dated. Now it's just a silly cartoon.
Crush Dude!
Back from WDW!Counting down to DLP in November!
True no doubt, but unfortunately its unpopularity led to character infusion!
captainkidd
Well-Known Member
The thing is, it's still just as unpopular now. Not sure there's much they can do with that ride.
MickeyPeace
Well-Known Member
Jlevis, I'm with you on this one. I'm sure when most people see a typo on here we get it and move on. You didn't point out a typo but a massacre of the English language!
I have learned that certain people here (the same ones) keep defending illiteracy and wear it as a badge of honor.
Yeah it's a Disney forum so who cares, but for Mickey's sake, keep grammar to a point where it's at least high school level. Especially on a thread blaming Disney for dumbing attractions down!
I have learned that certain people here (the same ones) keep defending illiteracy and wear it as a badge of honor.
Yeah it's a Disney forum so who cares, but for Mickey's sake, keep grammar to a point where it's at least high school level. Especially on a thread blaming Disney for dumbing attractions down!
That is a sad sign about the human race if people are afraid to (*gasp*) learn something while on vacation. Disney highly overestimated the intellect of it's public when Epcot was first built.
Then again, that is society for you. If both, Lady GaGa and the doctor with the most successful life-saving surgeries on record walked into a room together...which one would most crowds rush up to meet?
rufio
Well-Known Member
^This. I never saw TLS in it's original glory. After going on Nemo multiple times, I never realized the original ride was intended to be educational.
captainkidd
Well-Known Member
I have learned that some people on here (the same ones) seem to get their rocks off by being mean to others.
Lucky
Well-Known Member
Future World was never very educational, and they seem to have given up on that goal entirely. I don't blame it on Nemo - its addition didn't displace anything of educational value. The Living Seas at least has something going for it, in contrast to Imagination or Energy.
By itself, the presence of cartoon characters doesn't represent a dumbing down. It depends on the execution. For instance, with regards to Nemo in the Living Seas, I think Disney missed a big opportunity to make the Clam-mobile ride more relevant to the theme of Epcot. They could have made Mr. Ray a host of the ride, and guests would be in the role of his students. It could have conveyed the same type of message that guests got from the original Sea Cabs with Commander Fulton, and they still could have included the "In the Big, Blue World" song. To me, that would not be dumbing down. It would be fun and educational. However, settling for a contrived rehash of the movie, which is exactly what Disney did, is a dumbing down.
The most egregious examples of dumbing down are the "interactive queues" filled with obnoxious noisemakers that rob themed spaces of subtlety and atmosphere just so the kiddies don't get bored, a problem which I think is overstated. But, I've written at length about those elsewhere, so I won't repeat myself here.
P.S. I actually like the Gran Fiesta Tour. The loose "Where's Donald?" framing device doesn't overwhelm the cultural elements, the new gags are generally humorous, and the animation of the Caballeros is top-notch. Keep in mind that The Three Caballeros was as much a travelogue for American audiences as it was a goodwill gesture to Latin America during World War II. So, I wouldn't place Gran Fiesta in the "dumbed down" category".
The most egregious examples of dumbing down are the "interactive queues" filled with obnoxious noisemakers that rob themed spaces of subtlety and atmosphere just so the kiddies don't get bored, a problem which I think is overstated. But, I've written at length about those elsewhere, so I won't repeat myself here.
P.S. I actually like the Gran Fiesta Tour. The loose "Where's Donald?" framing device doesn't overwhelm the cultural elements, the new gags are generally humorous, and the animation of the Caballeros is top-notch. Keep in mind that The Three Caballeros was as much a travelogue for American audiences as it was a goodwill gesture to Latin America during World War II. So, I wouldn't place Gran Fiesta in the "dumbed down" category".
Crush Dude!
Back from WDW!Counting down to DLP in November!
Yes i have to agree! This is not the place for it! Some people just like to talk down to people! If they like to get their kicks that way then it shows what a pathetic life they lead!
Rowdy
Member
Exactly. So that's why you shouldn't sweat it. How miserable they must be.
Call me crazy, but I liked what they did with the Nemo tie-in. It's really an attraction inside of an attraction, with the utilization of the aquarium. I feel like you get more "bang for your buck" with this alteration. I remember TLS being a lot shorter and a lot more laid back, maybe a little too laid back.
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
Dumbing down, cartoonification, toddlerisation. :brick:
I seriously consider not bringing children to Disney anymore. I don't want to expose them to modern Disney, no more than I would want to immerse them into soap opera or wrestling. Disney parks are positioning themselves far too low on the cultural ladder nowadays. I feel guilty, feel like a bad influence to immerse kids in that.
I seriously consider not bringing children to Disney anymore. I don't want to expose them to modern Disney, no more than I would want to immerse them into soap opera or wrestling. Disney parks are positioning themselves far too low on the cultural ladder nowadays. I feel guilty, feel like a bad influence to immerse kids in that.
THEMEPARKPIONEER
Well-Known Member
I think the Magic Kingdom is still in tact. Epcot on the other hand has been Eisnerized.
captainkidd
Well-Known Member
He's got nothing to do with any of the recent changes.
It still amazes me how many people don't realize the good he did for WDW.
RedFurredCadet
Active Member
Sure, Wonders of Life is a partial near victim of this trend, but the entertainment/education factor was handled somewhat excellently, if kitschy by today's standards. However, given the above trends, all I can say is that if the previous management went ahead keeping WoL open, with the trend of trading education for just fluff, trust me – it could have been worse. WORSE! :lookaroun
Eisner did a tremendous amount of good for the company in general. Unfortunately, he kind of overstayed his welcome and things started going downhill under his watch. Another point people tend to forget (or maybe even not realize in the first place) is that Eisner was the one in the spotlight, but a lot of the good that happened to the company in those early years was largely due to Frank Wells' influence.
I try to take pride in making sure my written communication is correct, and I do think it's important in many cases. But I wouldn't impose that on others or try to imply they are "dumb" because of a few typos or misspellings (which is what you did to crush dude). There was a great article online the other day about how emotional intelligence, moral intelligence and body intelligence are all far more important in life than IQ. You might want to take a look! :wave:
MickeyPeace
Well-Known Member
Don't be so sensitive. Learning is ok. No one is laughing at you if you are open to learning from your mistakes.
But as others have pointed out, we're here on this forum to discuss Disney, not to attend class and get unsolicited feedback on our grammar...especially presented in a mean way.
- Status