Dis Unplugged 6/9/20 - A question about the black experience at Walt Disney World

[ErinWonderland]

Maybe I'm too eager to feel protective because it'd be great to hear more first hand accounts. I still hear non-POC defend that racism isn't really a thing anymore like POC should just stop 'imagining' it. It gets frustrating.

Being attractive doesn't reduce the potential impact. We don't know her childhood, her experiences, her family's, etc.

I certainly didn't infer that was never her experience. I absolutely believe her. What I am saying and she is really pretty,so if she were to see me looking at her, it would be to admire her beauty.

 

[Artygal90]

I really appreciate the time and emotional labor that has gone into the responses from the POC here, especially knowing that online discussions can become such a minefield so quickly. It helps me learn and I know that shouldn't all be on you to educate but I want y'all to know I'm listening.

I do have a question if anyone would like to answer. I am white and when I first went to WDW as an adult, I was taken aback at the whole bit on Jungle Cruise about the headhunters and the villagers who attack you. All I could think was "what if I was black and had my kids with me and these are the ONLY representations of people who look like us on a ride in all of Magic Kingdom?" It just didn't sit right with me. I was wondering if any of the black members of our DIS community had had a similar reaction, or had other thoughts on Jungle Cruise generally?

Obviously there has been lots of discussion about Song of the South and Splash Mountain which is a whole other thing but I haven't heard all that much about Jungle Cruise. I would appreciate hearing any insight anyone has to offer.

 

[TummyGirl]

I certainly didn't infer that was never her experience. I absolutely believe her. What I am saying and she is really pretty,so if she were to see me looking at her, it would be to admire her beauty.

Just catching and up and just wanted to quickly say that I hope the greater convo doesn't get derailed. I don't feel that my experience here has been invalidated but in life I have had that happen numerous times and I'm sure other black posters have as well so that is a natural reaction.

I'm learning so much about the history of Disney that i hadn't known before beyond the pretty fixtures even though i consider myself a pretty devoted fan!

And i second or third the recommendation of a visit to the African American History Museum when possible. What struck me most was seeing the tangible evidence of slavery in objects I've never seen in person before. It was both difficult and gut-wrenching but every American needs to bear witness I believe.

I don't have much in depth to add as everyone else has done so with so much knowledge. I would love to let the poster kylenne know how much I'm learning from her posts (no idea why I would be on ignore, I've posted maybe 10 times ever on here!

 

[Tonyz]

I certainly didn't infer that was never her experience. I absolutely believe her. What I am saying and she is really pretty,so if she were to see me looking at her, it would be to admire her beauty.

Ok, let’s all relax with the comments about how TummyGirl looks. It’s gotta be annoying for her.

 

[RapunzelIsMyHomeGirl]

From an earlier comment about "Caucasian allies" remember that allies can be White, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, or any other race/ethnicity.

 

[disfan7777]

Pete - I just want to stop in and say Thank you. I have always respected you and your shows opinions and perspectives on everything, which is why I always tune into your show. I am a hispanic male and my wife is black. I don't like to respond online much, but thought I would share a couple really brief comments. Yes, my wife and I have individually and as a family had various experiences of racism and bias. I think one of the reasons we go to Disney so much and are DVC members is the comfort we feel when going to any Disney property. Yes there may be one or two instances here and there, but that is no comparison when I show up to my home Golf Country Club and we are the only minorities sitting in the room. My daughter will be graduating high school soon. While many may feel a sense of fear when your child goes away, that sense of fear is added with her being black. What many do not realize is our search for a college includes a look to see if the college and community has enough diversity for her and us to feel comfortable and safe. All this being said, I feel the future is looking brighter and I know there will be change. Your comments brought tears to my eyes and I know that you have impacted others, which is all we can ask for. Thank you.

 

[DisGuy101]

Pete and the gang are such a talented passionate group of individuals.
Pete - If you are reading this, I encourage you have more POC on the show sometime. A customer, a fan or even a Disney content creator.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Pete and the gang are such a talented passionate group of individuals.
Pete - If you are reading this, I encourage you have more POC on the show sometime. A customer, a fan or even a Disney content creator.

Just an FYI that this week's Dreams Unlimited travel show features Broadway's Nik Walker. (It just came out)

 

[DisGuy101]

Just an FYI that this week's Dreams Unlimited travel show feature a person of color, Broadway's Nik Walker. (It just came out)

Awesome. Just watched.

 

[MikeTaylor]

Anyone remember the exhibit expansion in American Adventure Pavilion? I thought Oprah sponsored it, but I know the Kinsey Collection expansion in 2014 included over 100 slave songs of the U.S. I find the exhibits and paintings more fascinating than VoL, sorry.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

I think many people don't really understand just how embedded in the foundation and daily life of America, racism really is. Being in the skin we, BIPOC, are in is exhausting on a daily basis because its everyhere. Like the fact that I have to even say that my life and others' lives matter and there is pushback, that I can't just run into Target to buy hair care that I need, and if I do I'm given 4 shelves of products versus full aisles. That people would rather argue about changing a ride ( Splash Mountain) or image on a syrup bottle because it's their childhood memory versus listening to people and hearing the pain associated with it, is exhausting. Systemic oppression is everywhere and it's not going to magical go away unless people become anti-racist and start using their voices. I mean really could you imagine going to Germany and finding a bottle of a product with a stereotype picture of a Jewish grandmother? Or a statue of a nazi sergeant or general in the middle of a town?

 

[Tonyz]

Anyone remember the exhibit expansion in American Adventure Pavilion? I thought Oprah sponsored it, but I know the Kinsey Collection expansion in 2014 included over 100 slave songs of the U.S. I find the exhibits and paintings more fascinating than VoL, sorry.

I don’t think I ever saw that but I would much prefer it to Voices of Liberty. It’s not that they’re untalented, I just have no interest in it (or the American Adventure) at all.

 

[DisGuy101]

So it official. Disney’s Splash Mountain is getting a ‘Princes and the Frog‘ makeover. No date set yet.
I don’t know how I feel about this. I have never really considered the ride to be offensive or insulting. The movie is, not the ride. I’m sad and excited at the same time for a change, but understand how change could be upsetting for someone else, esspecially if you grew up on the ride. The ride evokes an emotional response in me, that was part of my first experience at Disney. Every time I go on it, I remember that first time.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/25/media/splash-mountain-disney/index.html

 

[Lindsey17]

So it official. Disney’s Splash Mountain is getting a ‘Princes and the Frog‘ makeover. No date set yet.
I don’t know how I feel about this. I have never really considered the ride to be offensive or insulting to me. The movie is, not the ride.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/25/media/splash-mountain-disney/index.html

I like the ride, but more for it's length and actual ride track than the story line honestly. My only thing is we get after Disney all the time about theming making sense and I don't see how the Bayou fits inside Frontierland. However, I'm not sure Brer Rabbit really fits in there either so I guess it doesn't matter either way. I'm excited regardless because the ride was definitely showing it's age and broke down at least once while we were in MK each trip so hopefully they give some TLC to the actual ride mechanics and not just the theming.

 

[Tonyz]

Yeah I’m pretty miserable about this.

I have no problem with Tiana/PatF in the park (even though I don’t like the movie) - I would love for little black girls to feel represented.

But to get rid of maybe the most beloved attraction on property, to discard Disney history, to disregard theming... I’d be lying it I said I wasn’t mad and sad about it.

Let’s just hope they do a phenomenal job. Let’s hope it’s not just a stunt for good press. Because if this is rushed and done on the cheap, no one will be happy.

 

[DisGuy101]

Like someone else said earlier (I can’t recall who), they should leave Slash Mountain in place and give Princess and the frog a brand new attraction taking great care to make it spectacular and memorable instead of putting it into some hand me down location. It definitely belongs in MK. Probably fantasy land since she is a princess.

 

[The WDW 3]

Like someone else said earlier (I can’t recall who), they should leave Slash Mountain in place and give Princess and the frog a brand new attraction taking great care to make it spectacular and memorable instead of putting it into some hand me down location. It definitely belongs in MK. Probably fantasy land since she is a princess.

I said it. But I do take it back a bit after seeing the initial concept art. I think that art looks fantastic if they can pull it off. But it definitely separates and removes itself from frontier land.

 

[sara_s]

Splash Mountain is a classic & still a really great/fun ride. I've never seen the movie, but know enough about it to understand how problematic it is. I want people (Disney) to not try and erase its history. I want them to fully acknowledge what was wrong with it then and then do something equally anti-racist like put up something informational on the ride. Having said that, I don't have a problem with Disney re-theming the ride, I just know there will be a lot of blow-back.

Wow was this on point. I can't do the Splash Mountain/Princess and the Frog thread anymore. There's a lot of ugly, passive aggressive things coming out of there. I believe one term was "fringe lunatics" - alluding to those who wanted to see a change of the theme.

 

[lovethesun12]

Sorry, posted to the wrong thread.

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

But to get rid of maybe the most beloved attraction on property, to discard Disney history, to disregard theming... I’d be lying it I said I wasn’t mad and sad about it.

Let’s just hope they do a phenomenal job. Let’s hope it’s not just a stunt for good press. Because if this is rushed and done on the cheap, no one will be happy.

Yeah this is one of my main concern and I simply don’t see Disney spending significant amounts of cash. I bet a year ago they pledged to throw buckets and buckets of money at it. Now?
All I can think of is the baby kabobs from the Incredibles Coaster reskin and shiver.

What kind of budget would it take to do it redo both and do it justice? Half billion? In DL’s we have over 100 animatronics. WDW have more drops and slightly longer so the designs have to be customized. They spent $75 million in 1989 for ONE of them though that included the structure.

I wish they would wait for that reason. I see them cutting corners.