Disney stopped selling toy guns

[Magpie]

Your post wasnt in any wait political, but there was a post from a Canadian above stating something that the USA and our gun culture or something in a negative manner. If we want to have a 1st and 2nd ammendment conversation we can, but i believe it is against board rules.

That's me, and I certainly didn't mean to be political!

I was talking about the difference between me - as a child growing up in the US - and my kids - who grew up in Canada. I was trying to say to the other poster that not ALL children bite their toast into guns, and I strongly suspect a lot of it is cultural.

I didn't say Canada was better or that my kids were any less violent. I said they preferred other weapons - swords and bows.

I did make a reference to the "gun culture" of the US, because I think it's largely invisible to most people living IN the US, as it was invisible to me, before I had kids of my own.

Guns are near and dear to many Americans' hearts, being as they represent freedom from British tyranny, heroism in the hands of cowboys and pioneers, independence - all sorts of virtues. Whether Han Solo shot first or not, he's always armed! I remember, as a kid, playing cops and robbers, using sticks as our guns.

My kids, and their friends, and the kids I tutor today... they just don't. Guns really aren't part of their world.

That's all I was trying to say.

That, and there's LOTS of other awesome things for little boys to buy at WDW.

 

[btk2333]

everything is political nowadays- can't avoid it if you have opinions about anything it will eventually be dragged into a political debate

 

[lugnut33]

everything is political nowadays- can't avoid it if you have opinions about anything it will eventually be dragged into a political debate

Correct, and I highly doubt that Disney is trying to make a political point by removing toy guns.

Honestly, you can probably blame a lot of this on that nutbag that entered the park last week with a gun thinking it was his right to conceal carry.

 

[RachaelA]

Any report yet on bubble guns?

 

[larryz]

Maybe it's just the fact that I'm 19 and don't have the same worldview that a lot of other people have, and I'm one of the generation that's grown up in fear of the very present threat of gun violence, but it really startles me that so many people are up in arms over toy guns and possibly gun references (although that hasn't been confirmed, just mention of no toy guns being sold) being taken out of the parks. I just don't get it.

Well, first of all, guns don't commit violence -- people commit violence. Sometimes, they use guns. They also use knives, ice picks, sledgehammers, brass knuckles, automobiles, (if you're a Monty Python fan) 16-tonne weights, and even ball-point pens. Funny how you never hear about "automobile violence." But I digress...

Some people are not afraid that exposing their kids to toy guns will result in violent behavior in their kids. They're active parents, and they've taught their kids the difference between right and wrong, fantasy and reality, good and evil. They think it's an overreaction by Disney.

Some people see it as hypocritical since guns (of all kinds) have been prominently portrayed in many of Disney's movies.

But we all have to agree that Disney didn't put the metal detectors in without some good reason, and that not having replica guns to sort out from real guns will likely make the screening process somewhat quicker.

 

[larryz]

Honestly, you can probably blame a lot of this on that nutbag that entered the park last week with a gun thinking it was his right to conceal carry.

He knew better -- he was a lawyer with an expired CCP.

 

[yitbos96bb]

After getting clobbered hard on the back of my head by a light saber when I was there in early December I wish they'd quit selling those. Or at least make sure they are kept closed.

A Dad was carrying a child on his shoulders and the child was swinging a light saber around. Lucky me happened to be in front of them and got a very hard hit on the head. That child was really strong! At least the Dad apologized and told the child to stop swinging it.

Why should they stop selling to everyone because one irresponsible parent can't control his child? I'm sorry you got hit, but that is an extreme overreaction. I mean should We close space mountain because one person threw up? Or should they remove all The rides one person got hurt on?

 

[yitbos96bb]

Ditto. My son is 18. There has never been a gun purchased or even desired in his copious Disney shopping.

Which translates to no one in the annual 20 million plus MK visitors wanting one. I've never wanted mouse ears so guess no one does?

 

[wilkeliza]

Any report yet on bubble guns?

I heard bubble guns are indeed gone and for now anything with a trigger was removed from sale.

 

[prudence64]

Good decision by Disney

 

[ajwolfe]

I heard bubble guns are indeed gone and for now anything with a trigger was removed from sale.

I'm not typically a tin foil hat type conspiracy theorist but I can't help but shake the feel that all of this means there are some serious credible threats against the happiest place on earth...which makes me so sad!

And for the record we have some of those POTC style guns at home for our 2 boys and they love them....but they've also brought home their fair share of light sabers, t-shirts, stuffies, etc.

 

[yitbos96bb]

Maybe it's just the fact that I'm 19 and don't have the same worldview that a lot of other people have, and I'm one of the generation that's grown up in fear of the very present threat of gun violence, but it really startles me that so many people are up in arms over toy guns and possibly gun references (although that hasn't been confirmed, just mention of no toy guns being sold) being taken out of the parks. I just don't get it.

You're also expressing an opinion based on anecdotal experiences. I can introduce you to numerous people your age who grew up with guns and are responsible users and owners and enjoy both the sports aspects and desire them for protection OR just played with them as kids and don't own them now. Even based on the limited research it doesn't appear that there is some generational belief difference.

 

[Baklava]

Which translates to no one in the annual 20 million plus MK visitors wanting one. I've never wanted mouse ears so guess no one does?

No, but it does mean that the dramatic declaration that boys will buy nothing else is not particularly accurate. MY kid not wanting it means that there are boys in the universe who don't. I never made the claim that there are *no* boys who are different from mine. That would be ridiculous. If you apply some careful comprehension you'll see that none of my posts suggested that boys don't like guns, simply that guns are not the only thing that appeals to boys.

I'm curious about where you got that statistic though- does Disney really sell 20 million toy guns a year?

 

[yitbos96bb]

And guns are just not necessary in a family theme park setting - definitely not worth the risk.

What risk? Where is the actual risk? For all you experts at risk analysis, please enlighten us?

I have no issue with banning them
From Coming into the parks. But selling not a blue and orange painted gun or toy blaster? Ridiculous.

 

[slickpoetry]

As Paul McCartney once sang, "what does it matter to you?"

 

[yitbos96bb]

No, but it does mean that the dramatic declaration that boys will buy nothing else is not particularly accurate. MY kid not wanting it means that there are boys in the universe who don't. I never made the claim that there are *no* boys who are different from mine. That would be ridiculous. If you apply some careful comprehension you'll see that none of my posts suggested that boys don't like guns, simply that guns are not the only thing that appeals to boys.

I'm curious about where you got that statistic though- does Disney really sell 20 million toy guns a year?

That's not what I said... I said 20 million Magic Kingdom visitors. No where did I say they sold 20 million toy guns.

And the OP said that many boy income would be gone... Which I don't necessarily agree with, but he also didn't say all.

 

[Baklava]

That's not what I said... I said 20 million Magic Kingdom visitors. No where did I say they sold 20 million toy guns.

And the OP said that many boy income would be gone... Which I don't necessarily agree with, but he also didn't say all.

Ah, your wording was unclear. Yes, it could definitely be read that way too. The other poster asked what other options there were- as though without guns there was now nothing for boys to purchase. The point other people have made was never that no boys like guns, it was that not all boys like guns, and that even boys (or girls) who like guns have lots of other choices available. That's all.

 

[Magpie]

That's not what I said... I said 20 million Magic Kingdom visitors. No where did I say they sold 20 million toy guns.

And the OP said that many boy income would be gone... Which I don't necessarily agree with, but he also didn't say all.

Actually, what the previous poster said was, "And there goes most of the souvenir dollars from boys!" (My emphasis.)

I'd definitely be curious to know what percentage of Disney's sales were toy guns. If it was indeed "most" of their sales to little boys, then this means Disney has chosen to take a monetary loss on that segment of the market. Personally, though, I suspect little boys actually spend "most" of their souvenir dollars on other things (stuffies, action figures, toys, t-shirts, swords, costumes, books, puzzles, candy, etc) and the toy gun sales were probably fairly insignificant. Especially considering how many people fly into Orlando, none of whom would want to purchase to toy gun that they'd then have to pay to have shipped back separately, in order to avoid having it confiscated by the TSA.

They even confiscated this grabber toy!

http://www.breitbart.com/big-govern...-olds-buzz-lightyear-toy-looks-much-like-gun/

 

[Disneyholic]

TSA doesn't allow realistic replicas of weapons. That's why the Disney weapons had gotten gaudier and gaudier, so they weren't realistic replicas of anything. And of course there's no such thing as a stormtrooper blaster, etc, to make a replica of.

With the ability to make working guns on a 3D printer now, it is also possible to make a gun in any gaudy color you want, too. That means that what looks like a toy gun could very possibly be a working real gun. Does anyone really want to take the chance?

 

[Disneyholic]

I heard bubble guns are indeed gone and for now anything with a trigger was removed from sale.

This makes me happy. Not because it looks like a gun, but because I hated when I was walking along and someone was using one of these. Nothing like getting soap in your eyes.