Anyone else gonna boycott parts of WDW due to politics?

[auntie]

We will be visiting in May and have no plans to visit the France Pavilion. We have boycotted all things from France, and I am fairly certain there are French products sold in the Pavillion. If this in some small ways makes us feel that we are expressing our disgust with the way the French have responded to the US/Uk resolution at the UN then we are entitled to our response, however ridiculous some may think it is. I don't begrudge those who feel the opposite, and even those who have protested with their feelings. Why should those of us who boycott French products feel like we have any less right to express ourselves than those who protest the war? That is what America is all about. France is certainly entitled to their view ....what I find as an American as insulting is the way in which they have gone out of their way to undermine our president in what I believe to be a disrespectful and shameful manner. They didn't just disagree..they stuck their fingers in our eyes when they did it.
Sooo excuse me...but I don't have any desire to learn about French culture. And finally...I wouldn't go there, since having been there before it is BORING as hell. Will the anti french sentiments have a effect on Epcot..you betcha...it already has. I know those who have visited in the last two weeks and found the pavillion to be less than crowded while others were quite full of visitors. So in my ridiculous small way I will pass on the French Pavillion and feel good about doing so.

 

[catsrule]

no

 

[charlie,nj]

YES I will boycott...no Turkey legs for me this year!

 

[Betsyt82]

In my book Disney is a world unto its self and I wont boycott parts of Disney. It takes too much money and too many years in between to waste my time on avoiding my favorite place on this planet.

 

[bliss4us]

I think it would do my heart more good to boycott people who:

1. Hang a flag off their car/porch/whatever, and then disrespect it by letting weather deteriorate it to an embarrassing, shredded tatter.

2. Can't find Iraq, North Korea or France on a map.

3. Can name all five Spice Girls, but can't identify a picture of Dick Cheney or Colin Powell.

4. Don't vote. Ever.

Of course, I'm having a hard time keeping track of these folks. I tried having the ones I meet wear little name tags, but they seem to get so offended when I say I want to boycott them...

It's so much easier to just boycott the French, isn't it?

Daisy

 

[Blondie]

Nah...no plans on staying away from any particular themend area of Epcot or Busch Gardens, Williamsburg for that matter.

Want to boycott the French, here's a good place to start:

FRENCH PRODUCT LIST

Air Liquide, Alcatel, Allegra (allergy medication), Aqualung
(including: Spirotechnique, Technisub, US Divers, and SeaQuest),
AXA Advisors Bank of the West (owned by BNP Paribas), Beneteau
(boats), BF Goodrich (owned by Michelin), BIC (razors, pens and
lighters), Biotherm (cosmetics), Black Bush, Bollinger (champagne),
Car & Driver Magazine, Cartier, Chanel, Cheese labeled "Product of France", Chivas Regal (scotch), Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix,
Club Med (vacations), Culligan (owned by Vivendi), Daniel Cremieux, Dannon (yogurt and dairy foods), DKNY, Dom Perignon, Durand Crystal, Elle Magazine, Essilor Optical Products, Evian bottled water, Fina gas stations and Fina Oil (billions invested in Iraqi oil fields), First Hawaiian Bank, George Magazine, Givenchy,
Glenlivet (scotch), Hachette Filipacchi New Media, Hennessy,
Houghton Mifflin (books), Jacobs Creek (owned by Pernod Ricard since 1989), Jameson (whiskey), Jerry Springer (talk show) Krups
(coffee and cappuccino makers), Lancome, Le Creuset (cookware),
L'Oreal (health and beauty products), Louis Vuitton, Magellan
Navigational Equipment, Marie Claire, Martel Cognac, Maybelline,
Méphisto (shoes and clothes), Michelin (tires and auto parts),
Mikasa (crystal and glass), Moet (champagne), Motel 6, Motown
Records, MP3.com, Mumms (champagne), Nissan (cars; majority owned by Renault), Nivea, Normany Butter, Ondeo/Nalco Water Treatement, Parents Magazine, Peugeot (automobiles), Perrier Sparkling Water, Pierre Cardin, Playstation Magazine, ProScan (owned by Thomson Electronics, France), Publicis Group (including Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising), RCA (televisions and electronics; owned by Thomson Electronics), Red Magazine, Red Roof Inns (owned by Accor group in France), Renault (automobiles), Road & Track Magazine, Roquefort cheese (all Roquefort cheese is made in France), Rowenta (toasters, irons, coffee makers, etc,), Royal Canadian, Salomon (skis), Seagram's Gin, Sierra Software and Computer Games, Sitram Cookware, Smart & Final, Sofitel (hotels, owned by Accor), Sparkletts (water, owned by Danone), Spencer Gifts, Sundance Channel, Taylor Made (golf), Technicolor, T-Fal (kitchenware), Total gas stations, UbiSoft (computer games), Uniroyal, Universal Studios (music, movies and amusement parks; owned by Vivendi-Universal), USFilter, Veuve Clicquot Champagne, Vittel, VIVENDI-SEAGRAM, Wild Turkey
(bourbon), Wine and Champagne labeled "Product of France", Woman's Day Magazine, Yoplait (The French company Sodiaal owns a 50 percent stake), Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Rocher, Zodiac Inflatable Boats.

 

[skuttle]

DH and I were in WDW earlier this month and we didn't boycott anything. We enjoyed our pasteries at the French pavillion very much. If I were going back to WDW soon, I'd do the same thing. I wouldn't boycott anything. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

 

[JimB.]

Believe it or not,I don't patronize ANY of those brands/products.

My DW's SarSEP at work is w/AXA, but it's performing so poorly, she's probably going to relocate it.

I didn't realize I had such inherent good taste!!!

 

[auntie]

Originally posted by bliss4us
I think it would do my heart more good to boycott people who:

1. Hang a flag off their car/porch/whatever, and then disrespect it by letting weather deteriorate it to an embarrassing, shredded tatter.

2. Can't find Iraq, North Korea or France on a map.

3. Can name all five Spice Girls, but can't identify a picture of Dick Cheney or Colin Powell.

4. Don't vote. Ever.

Of course, I'm having a hard time keeping track of these folks. I tried having the ones I meet wear little name tags, but they seem to get so offended when I say I want to boycott them...

It's so much easier to just boycott the French, isn't it?

Daisy

I do, in fact, only put my flag out on the appropriate holidays, and take it in at night.

I know full well where Iraq, North korea and France are on a map.

Couldn't care less about Spice Girls. Greatly respect both Colin Powell and Dick Cheney.

Always vote, even in local and school elections.


And I choose to boycott the French.

My choice...I'm entitled to it...just as you are to yours...only I do't presume you are of diminshed intelligence because of your choice.

 

[bliss4us]

Hey, now...

Please don't misunderstand. I respect any informed choice, whether I agree with it or not.

I didn't say, nor did I mean to imply, that someone boycotting France/French products/the French pavilion was of diminished intelligence. Truly sorry if my post was taken to mean as much.

It is undeniable, however, that there will always be some people who take a stand without really knowing where they're standing. Boycotting french fries? Please. There's a difference between that and an informed political statement.

Ignorance, I believe, is a great danger to our country, and if I could boycott it, I would.

Daisy

 

[Saffron]

Motown Records? How can something straight out of Detroit be French? Doesn't matter, right now I wouldn't boycott anything Motown or French, but I was just wondering. Seems weird!

 

[auntie]

Daisy... Perhaps I misunderstood your intent..and

well, I do boycott French Fries...but only because of the
effect the seem to have on my hips!

 

[bliss4us]

Auntie,

Let's be friends. These are terrible times, and I may not have expressed myself as clearly as I had hoped. My apologies.

Me too on the french fries, actually! LOL!

Peace to you, and to all of us,

Daisy

 

[Blondie]

Originally posted by Saffron
Motown Records? How can something straight out of Detroit be French?

Saffron, Motown is owned by Vivendi Universal, and much, much more! Quite an impressive list, if I do say so myself.


Vivendi Univseral
42 avenue de Friedland
75380 Paris Cedex 08, France
Phone: +33-1-71-71-10-00
Fax: +33-1-71-71-10-01
http://www.vivendiuniversal.com

Film and Television

Universal Studios
Universal Pictures
October Films (majority interest)
Universal Studios Home Video
United International Pictures (33% - international distribution)
Cinema International BV (49% - video distribution)
Television Production and Distribution

CANAL+ (51% - European pay-TV provider)
Universal Television Group (production and distribution)
Brillstein-Grey Entertainment (50% ) - production
Multimedia Entertainment
USA Networks Inc. (43%)
Universal Pay Television (international distribution) partial ownership of: HBO Asia Telecine (Brazil) Cinecanal (Latin America) Showtime (Australia) Star Channel (Japan)
Telepiu (Italian pay television)
Publishing

Vivendi Universal Publishing

Education titles include:
Larousse
Nathan
Anaya
Coktel
Atica
Scipione
Bordas
Retz


Literature titles include:

Robert Laffont
Plon-Perrin
Les Presses - Solar - Belfond
La Decouverte & Syros
Les Presses de la Renaissance
Pocket Jeuness
10/18
Fleuve Noir



Games titles include:

Sierra
Blizzard Entertainment


Interactive

Universal Studios New Media Group
Universal Studios Online
Universal.com
Universal Interactive Studios (software and video games)
Universal Digital Arts
Interplay (majority ownership - video game producer)
GetMusic (online music retailer)
Vizzavi (European multi-access portal)
Education.com
Flipside.com
@viso (50% with Softbank)
AllocinŽ
Bonjour.fr
Ad2-One
Atmedica
Scoot
EMusic.com
Duet (with Sony)
MP3.com
Music

Universal Music Group
MCA Records
MCA Records Nashville
Polygram
Motown
Decca Records
Deutsche Grammophon
GRP Recording Company
Geffen/DGC Records
Universal Records
Rising Tide
Interscope Records
Hip-O Records
Universal Music and Video Distribution
Universal Music International
MCA Music Publishing
Interscope Music Publishing
All Nations Catalog
Universal Concerts (concert promotion)
Theme Parks/Recreation/Retail

Universal Studios Hollywood

CityWalk
Universal Orlando Resort

Universal Studios Theme Park
Universal's Islands of Adventure Theme Park
CityWalk
Portofino Bay Hotel
Hard Rock Hotel
Royal Pacific Resort
Wet-n-Wild Orlando

Universal Studios Japan

CityWalk
Universal Mediterranea (Spain)

Universal Mediterranea Theme Park
Hotel Port Aventura
Telecommunications

Vivendi Telecom International
Cegetel
Retail

Spencer Gifts
Other

Vivendi Environnement (the world's #1 water distributor)
Vivendi Universal owns 26.8 million shares in Time - Warner
Cineplex Odeon Corporation (42% - theaters)
Cinema International Corporation (49% - international theaters)
United Cinemas International (49% - international theaters)
Viventures (venture capital fund)
Duet (music-subscription service with Yahoo! and Sony)

Information obtained from this source.

 

[apagano]

How can something straight out of Detroit be French?

Saffron, you have really touched upon a big point. In this "global economy" that we live in, what is purely French? It's really hard to tell. You could boycott a product made by a French company and actually be hurting Americans more than the French. I'm sure a large portion of products produced by French companies are actually made in America by Americans. If a boycott of these companies would actually succeed, you might put more Americans out of work than French people.

If you want to boycott the French because it makes you fell good, that's fine. Just think about who is really being affected by your choices.

 

[Robinrs]

Oh NO, Blondie, don't start a boycott on Universal!! Someone already tried that on the US/IOA board!

I find this thread hysterical!! CarolA, you put it better than I ever could so I'll just use my back button and forget I read most of this! LOL!

 

[Blondie]

Robin, I don't usually visit the Universal Board...I guess that's a good thing, huh?

I agree apagano, boycotting any of those companies on the list would probably hurt the Americans more then the French. You never really know who owns what until you research it a little.

 

[philaround]

it has been several years since my last visit to WDW but I still have memories of the CM's at France being the rudest people I believe I have ever met. For this reason, and only this reason, I will bypass this pavilon when I return this May.

65days till MAGIC

 

[Simba's Mom]

I can't help think of the young people who come from France to work in the pavillion. Say some people snub them-don't shop in their shops, don't eat in their bakery, etc. Don't you think those young people are going back to France with negative feelings about the Americans who ignored them? Yet, suppose these same young people are met warmly by lots of nice tourists who shop, eat, buy, talk pleasantly. Now what types of feelings towards America are those young people going to bring back to France? How would you like to be personally judged by what another person (OK, so it's George Bush) says and does? Maybe I'm way off base in my thinking, but it justifies me going to the French bakery!

 

[Pig Pen]

Great points! I didn't know Universal was owned by a French company. This is hilarious.

Anyway, if Americans want to boycott something, why don't they boycott oil from the Middle East? Stick 'em where it will really hurt!

Iraq is not going to care one whit if you don't buy a bottle of French wine, but see what happens if we don't buy a couple million barrels of their oil?

Let's get with the program folks.