Walt Disney World Resort attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean and the Jungle Cruise have been updated over the years as society and cultural sensitivities evolve. The Disney Parks aim to be as inclusive as possible and respect all who decide to visit.
But some fans take issue with alterations to popular Disney attractions – like the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Over the years, the Central Florida Disney Park has removed much of the simulated violence and gunfire from the stunt show, particularly after a performer died during a rehearsal in 2009.
Reddit user u/pjtheman summarized the changes in a recent post, arguing that the Indiana Jones show is over “sanitized.”
“Indy doesn’t use guns anymore. In the original marketplace scene, he used to grab a gun from one of the bad guys and shoot at them,” the fan wrote. “Now he points it at them and they run away…In the final scene, Indy opens the plane cockpit by kicking it instead of shooting it.”
“The bad guys don’t use weapons. This one really stood out,” they continued. “In the marketplace scene, instead of chasing Indy and Marion with swords, now all the bad guys just have these big foam sticks. They don’t even look like clubs or anything. They straight up look like pool noodles.”
“I hate to sound like another jaded Disney adult whining about ‘back in my day,’ but it really is kind of a bummer that they took any semblance of edge out of one of the coolest shows they have,” the fan concluded.
Some commenters agreed. “Finally. Someone who agrees with me,” u/CanadaIrishBoys wrote. “A few years ago I was on here saying something similar. I even asked why they took down the Nazi symbol on the plane. The people who said I was a Nazi lover was crazy. No. It’s Indiana Jones.”
But most fans argued that with the rise in mass shootings in the United States and a societal shift in gun ideology, Disney might no longer want to simulate real-life gunfire.
“People have had enough gun violence in crowded public spaces already,” u/DarthSmiff argued. “More people than you realize have been personally affected by gun violence to some degree. School lockdowns are sadly a regular occurrence. The lack of guns doesn’t make the show any less fun, probably more so actually.”
“It’s just different times,” u/baccus83 agreed. “There’s a real problem with gun violence in this country and in light of that I don’t think Disney really wants people pretending to shoot each other with guns in their parks, even if it’s rather innocuous.”
More on the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!
The iconic Indiana Jones show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a must-see peek into the workings of action-adventure filmmaking.
“Cheer as Indy and Marion perform incredible stunts with explosive special effects—and learn the secrets behind the magic,” Disney writes of the show. “Watch live as the daring duo dodges deadly traps, battles bad guys, leaps from tall buildings and makes thrilling escapes straight out of Raiders of the Lost Ark. The edge-of-your-seat suspense ends with a dynamite finale!”
“Along the way, get an inside look at how stunts are done with demonstrations that reveal how to safely throw and take punches, fall from tall buildings, and even wield whips in the midst of complex action sequences.”
Are you a fan of changes to the Indiana Jones show? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments.
Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on personal Disney Parks Guest experiences. No two Guest experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with Inside the Magic’s personal views on Disney Park operations.