At D23 Expo last weekend, The Walt Disney Company revealed that it plans to feature characters from the controversial Peter Pan (1953) in an all-new Walt Disney World Resort experience. The nighttime parade, “Disney Starlight,” will also star fan favorites from Pinocchio (1940), Frozen (2013), Encanto (2021), and more.
Chairman of Disney Experiences Josh D’Amaro revealed the parade concept art shown above at Saturday’s “Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase.” The highly anticipated panel featured announcements about projects coming to Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Disney Cruise Line, and the international Disney parks.
The inclusion of Peter Pan is somewhat of a surprise to fans who are clued in on the historical context of the Walt Disney Studios film. The Walt Disney Company has publicly denounced elements of the movie, particularly its stereotypical and offensive depictions of Native American characters like Tiger Lily.
As part of its “Stories Matter” campaign, The Walt Disney Company hired independent experts to identify culturally insensitive elements of its films. It acknowledged and explained offensive aspects of movies like The Aristocats (1970), Dumbo (1942), and Swiss Family Robinson (1960).
“The film portrays Native people in a stereotypical manner that reflects neither the diversity of Native peoples nor their authentic cultural traditions,” Disney wrote of Peter Pan.
“It shows them speaking in an unintelligible language and repeatedly refers to them as ‘redskins,’ an offensive term. Peter and the Lost Boys engage in dancing, wearing headdresses and other exaggerated tropes, a form of mockery and appropriation of Native peoples’ culture and imagery.”
In 2020, Disney+ added a 12-second disclaimer to Peter Pan and other films that feature offensive imagery or stereotypes. It promised not to remove content and instead reflect on the harm it caused:
“This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe.”
It’s surprising that Walt Disney World Resort would choose to feature Peter Pan and Wendy Darling in its new nighttime parade, but not wholly unexpected.
Disneyland Park premiered its modified version of Fantasmic! this year after the devastating 2023 fire that destroyed the Maleficent dragon animatronic. To fans’ surprise, Fantasmic! replaced a Pirates of the Caribbean scene with a restored version of a retired Peter Pan sequence. The controversial character returns to the spectacular’s iconic pirate ship to fight Captain Hook and save the Lost Boys.
The Disney Starlight parade will debut at Magic Kingdom Park in 2025. Walt Disney World Resort didn’t provide an exact premiere date. Follow Inside the Magic for more updates on this and other new Disney Park experiences.
Should Peter Pan remain at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort? Share your opinion with Inside the Magic in the comments.