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Disneyland Paris may be a Disney Park, but it’s incredibly different from Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. Though the Disney magic remains the same, stories are told a bit differently in France’s Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park!
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For many fans, it’s a dream to visit every Disney Park worldwide. Brandy Rubin (@brandyrubindisney) was living her dream at the former EuroDisney when she experienced a wave of culture shock! She shared her experience in a TikTok:
@brandyrubindisney @brandyrubindisney #disney #disneylandparis #cultureshock #disneyland #disneyworld #FomotionalFinds #disneyfyp #disneyparks #disneyuk #trending #eurodisney #fyp #disneyfacts #american #travel #paris #disneymagic #nativeamerican #disneytiktok #disneytips #disneytravelagent
Rubin shared the three biggest culture shocks she experienced at the French Disney Parks, including language barriers and interactions with Disney Cast Members.
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However, the first culture shock Rubin experienced involved culturally insensitive material inside the Disney Parks. “There’s tons of Native American stuff literally everywhere. Scenes, rides, they even sell headdresses,” Rubin explained.
Disney fans were shocked as such depictions are often considered offensive in the United States. Rubin further discussed her experience in the comments. “Peter Pan/Frontierland Native American stuff were fully intact there. People were walking around wearing the headdresses too.”
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One commenter suggested that perhaps Rubin saw Guests wearing fur raccoon tail hats, which are still sold at Walt Disney World Resort. But she insisted that Guests were wearing Native American headdresses: “No I saw Native American headdresses being sold & worn. Not fluffy caps.”
Others pointed out that many of the international Disney Parks still feature things long-replaced in the United States. For example, Tokyo Disneyland has not announced plans to remove Splash Mountain, which is being rethemed at Disneyland Park and Magic Kingdom for its association with the widely-banned film Song of the South (1946).
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In the United States, many fans have asked Disney to consider retheming a questionable section of Peter Pan’s Flight, a Fantasyland dark ride, for its depiction of Native Americans. Peter Pan (1953) is preceded by a cultural sensitivity content warning on Disney+ for its harmful stereotypes about Native Americans.
Have you noticed any differences between international and American Disney Parks?
Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on a personal Disney Parks Guest experience. No two Guest experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with Inside the Magic’s personal views on Disney Parks operations.