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Credit: DisneyDisney has been a force to be reckoned with for the last 100 years. Across all facets of the company, the House of Mouse not only excels in creative engineering at the parks but also has a long legacy of family-friendly animated movies that have been the companions to millions of lives.
Times change, though, and Disney itself must be held accountable for parts of its history that are not culturally sensitive for today’s audiences. As such, over the last few years, Disney has slowly been erasing elements of their past and making them more inclusive for all.
This year will see the name change of Peter Pan’s Lost Boys, an effort that will likely spark another “woke” row.
It’s all systems go at The Walt Disney Company. At the most recent Earnings Call for Q1, Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger laid out plans to get the Mouse back into the position it once was. The CEO revealed the roster of upcoming movies, hoping to reignite the studio’s box office, and commented on the $60 billion Disney experiences investment, which will see money spent across parks and cruises throughout the next 10 years. As for a fifth theme park to combat Universal’s Epic Universe, which opens in 2025, Iger played coy about a future expansion but did not deny it could happen in this coming decade.
2024 will be a turning point for Disney, one way or another. The centennial year left much to be desired as the box office crumbled around the giant; even Disney’s latest animated feature film, Wish (2023), failed to spark any sort of admiration, and the company continued to be faced with the “go woke, go broke” agenda. But with Moana 2 (2024) surprisingly announced for November, Deadpool 3 (2024) from Marvel Studios, and a number of updates in the theme park biz, Disney may just clinch a victory.
This year, the theme parks will gain some exciting new additions. At Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California, Tiana’a Bayou Adventure–another case of a change that sparked a row–will open, officially replacing Splash Mountain. But perhaps most excitingly will be the debut of Tokyo Disney Resort’s brand new land, Fantasy Springs, at Tokyo DisneySea in June 2024.
Fantasy Springs will become the latest port to join Tokyo DisneySea. The land will feature three springs (Peter Pan’s Never Land, Rapunzel’s Forest, and Frozen Kingdom) as well as the park-integrated Tokyo DisneySea Fantasy Springs Hotel. Each of the new areas will feature its own attractions and food locations, with the likes of Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival, Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey, and Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies joining the already wide assortment of rides available at the Disney park.
Also arriving at Fantasy Springs is the flagship attraction for the Peter Pan destination, called Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure. Per the release from Disney Parks Blog, it can be seen that the Lost Boys will be no more. Instead, the famous characters will be known as the Lost Kids.
“Adventures await throughout Peter Pan’s Never Land where guests can explore a pirate ship, dine in a secret hideaway, or encounter pirates,” reads the official blog. “Experience Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure, join the Lost Kids as they explore Never Land with Peter Pan and Tinker Bell as well as help rescue John from Captain Hook.”
The Lost Boys first appeared in J.M. Barrie’s 1904 play “Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up” and later in the many adaptations and retellings of the Peter Pan story. They were also featured in the 1953 animated classic Peter Pan. Portrayed as a squad of young boys, the group is led by Pan in the battle against Captain Hook.
However, last year, when the live-action adaptation Peter Pan & Wendy (2023) debuted, the Lost Boys were no longer all boys, sparking a row over the “wokeness” Disney is allegedly trying to employ across its entertainment. This was also heightened by the inclusion of a person of color to play the role of Tinker Bell. In a situation similar to the contention Halle Bailey received for being cast as Ariel in The Little Mermaid (2023), Yara Shahidi’s casting as Tinker Bell divided fans.
Related: Disney Buries Live-Action ‘Snow White’ With New Princess
The removal of the Lost Boys name and the arrival of the Lost Kids at Fantasy Springs proves that Disney’s mission for diversity and inclusivity is not dying down, even amid the torrent of abuse and backlash from supposed “fans.” It suggests the trend of updating attractions and experiences is paramount for the House of Mouse, who, in recent weeks, also shuttered the historic Country Bears Jamboree at Walt Disney World Resort and seemingly confirmed that certain offensive characters would be altered.
Related: Video Shows “De-Wokeified Magical Kingdom” as Disney Becomes “DeSantis World”
In late 2024, Disney Parks will welcome Princess Tiana as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure debuts in place of Splash Mountain. The log flume ride closed in early 2023 after being deemed culturally insensitive due to its Song of the South (1946) themeing. There is no confirmed date as to when this attraction will open in either the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Park at Disneyland Resort.
Do you think Disney should change the Lost Boys into the Lost Kids? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!