Disney Fans Respond to Theme Park Diversity Review Team Rumor - Inside the Magic

Comments for Disney Fans Respond to Theme Park Diversity Review Team Rumor

Dolls from attractions and text

14 Comments

  1. Amanda

    How is small world racist when it highlights the different cultures of the world? Are we just going to pretend other cultures don’t dress differently than Americans? If anything, small world is a good reminder about how different cultures are and how we should celebrate that. It might just inspire someone to learn more about a culture. Just leave walt’s classic alone.

    As for splash mountain… not sure how a bunch of animals are labeled as racists. There is no mention of uncle Remus in the ride at all. It’s just a bunch of animals singing and a fox and bear trying to catch a rabbit. For the record…. I have seen song of the south and I don’t see how it is at all racist. Dejango unchained is way more racist, but hey, movie won academy awards.

    So… just leave the attractions as is and if you have an issue with it, don’t go on it. Simple as that.

    1. Matt

      It shouldn’t be up to white people to deem what should be considered racist to others. The movie Song of the South is problematic, or else it would not be in the disney vault for all time. In the movie, there are the minstrelsy of the animated characters, the slang in the dialog, and a fable where Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear make a tar baby to fool and trap Br’er Rabbit. Uncle Remus also uses the song Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah song to reminisce about carefree days, assumed to be in the idealized world of the pre-civil war south. So enough with the wondering if the movie is racist or not… I agree that that the ride is not as problematic as the movie, the characters do use the same slang as in the movie when they speak.

      But is it wrong for the African American community to ask for a little better out of the representation that they get in the parks? So far we have: Splash Mountain – slightly problematic, Jungle Cruise – I would say more overtly problematic depictions of Africans, Small World. For Disneyland at least, am I missing any other rides that feature a black character?

      With that in mind, is it a wonder why the African American community at this place in time are asking for a little better?

      1. Stan

        Of we try to cancel out history instead of learning from it, then we bear the danger of not only repeating it, but of abrogating everyone’s First Amendment rights to pacify whatever group feels offended about anything.

        1. Corey Carpenter

          This is the dumbest argument. We obviously HAVENT learned from our history of we’re still allowing incredibly racist movies like song of the south to have a presence in the most popular theme parks in the world.

      2. Lorenzo

        If you are identifying yourself in a fabricated amusement park ride you have bigger problems than we speak of here.

      3. Giselle Cox

        I suggest you look into why the Uncle Remus stories were written. They are to preserve a culture.

        1. Lorenzo

          I can almost guarantee you that most career racists have NO idea who Joel Chandler Harris.

    2. Mark

      Totally agree

  2. Lorenzo

    And if the changes were made…would all of our problems magically disappear? Groceries would be free….insurance rates would be gone!?

    If someones happiness resides in what a theme park attraction looks like…I think they are the most dangerous losers out there.

    1. Corey Carpenter

      Says the dangerous loser who is obviously offended by the fact that Disney wants to change their theme park attractions

      1. Lorenzo

        Hey Carpenter…you missed the point…and didI hit a nerve with you?

        I was speaking of Splash Mountain…which Disney has no intentions of changing.

        Now go back to your mature name calling.

  3. Jennifer Heidel

    1. Small World – shows a the cultures of various countries in short snippets. Is it perfect? No, but it promotes understanding and possibly a kernel of interest to learn more. All good.

    2. Peter Pan’s Flight – Leave it alone please. It’s one of the best rides as is and I cringe at the idea of another Pirates of the Caribbean.

    3. Pirates of the Caribbean – Change it BACK! Currently it makes NO sense from the ship battle on. Honestly why would a town’s mayor know or care about Jack Sparrow? When they asked about the treasure THAT made sence. It was more historically correct, (if not politically correct), and if Disney wants Jack Sparrow they can put him sneaking around scenes.

    4. Adventure Land rides – Once again leave them as is. They are ment to be in the early 1900’s. Bring your willing suspension of disbelief and your awareness of that time period. It’s all imagination anyway.

    5. Splash Mountain – Okay here’s the dozy. ‘Song of the South’ hasn’t been rereleased in YEARS so that means I’m going from some VERY old memories.

    Now if I can recall Brear Rabbit was caught by Brear Fox and Brear Bear due to a tar baby, (not even a real person). The REASON he was caught was Brear Rabbit tried to genially converse with the tar trap and of course it didn’t respond. Brear Rabbit tried this several times if my memory serves. Remember he was only wanting common courtesy of a response of some sort. Something happened, some of the tar landed on Brear Rabbit or Brear Rabbit got angry at being ignored.
    Regardless Brear rabbit then fought the tar baby and was captured by Brear Fox and Brear Bear. This of course leads to him tricking them to throw him back into the briar patch.

    I really don’t remember much of the movie save that part and the music. In my opinion a limited screening of the film should be done with Disney employees and possibly annual pass holders of all races and sexes.

    Perhaps the group will find a way to alter the ride yet keep the theme as is or perhaps they’ll choose to change it completely.

    If nothing else I say, keep the songs. Right now everyone needs a ‘Zippidy Doo Da Day.’

  4. Jeffrey

    I understand that Walt Disney said that the park would never be finished. But Disneyland is supposed to be a place to leave the world behind. I don’t like it when Disney chooses to side with one political view or another. Disneyland is my escape from the real world. Don’t go making changes to keep up with the latest fad of a bias media or political figure. Keep Disney politic free, keep Disney fun and worry free.

  5. Frank Zika

    I am all about the change to the Princess and the Frog…it’ll fit and I love the Jazz music from the film.

    As far as the Jungle Cruise being offensive…the portrayal of native garb is fairly accurate as recorded through both personal accounts and photographs. Headhunting was a tradition practices in many cultures

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