Mods: Please Close This. Let's Think Happy Thoughts!

[DisneyPhD]

I totally agree w/you! Last year, I had a Kdg. student from Uganda. She would always color her Cinderella's face with a brown crayon. A few of the little girls would tell her "her face isn't brown!" ... but in this little girl's mind, it wasn't Cinderella who was the princess, it was herself she was projecting on the paper! She wanted to be the princess in the picture and could care less what color Cinderella's skin was!

I would love, love, love to see an AA princess. I think one would be a great role model for ALL children!!!!

I agree. It would mean so much to young black girls (and their families) but really to ALL girls. I know my DD would love it.

 

[Va-bear]

I agree. It would mean so much to young black girls (and their families) but really to ALL girls. I know my DD would love it.

You are so right - your little girl would love her as would most little girls..and what a great way to keep working on the tolerence levels in this country. Little ones are so open, loving to ALL, non-judgemental.... its something we all could use as a gentle reminder to be more tolerent in our day to day lives.

 

[maelstrom]

My great-grandparents came here from Ukraine and did not know any English, but they had to learn and adapt, because no one was going to speak Ukrainian to them. We are catering too much to Spanish immigrants. If you want to be American: we speak English here.

I'd LOVE to see a black princess. It's been a long time since I read Aida, but isn't she a princess? Perhaps that would be a great new animated feature. I recall liking the story very much and hasn't it been a successful Broadway play?

 

[KatheeME]

ohmygawd, I can't even finish reading this thread, I don't think I have been more embarrassed by a thread here. It's really sad to see the racism and bigotry come out so easily .. have at it you guys...

 

[declansdad]

I dont expect other countries to accomodate my language if I go there. I am getting a little tired of all the liberals thinking we need to accomodate everyone else's language. And at who's expense in the end???

This thread was not started to say your country is accomodating other languages it is about a tourist attraction trying to accomodate another language. Two of the most widely spoken languages in the world are English and Spanish. As many posters have said, Spanish is widely used throughout Fllorida. Doesn't this seem like a logical starting point for Disney. It must be easier to find a woman to play Belle who speaks Spanish rather than Mandarin.

 

[Grumpy_Disney_Dad]

Ok i waded through 18 pages of posts and flames but i didnt see an important question asked. If Disney is doing this at WDW, then will Belle speak english to my daughter when we visit DisneyParis?

 

[QueenGoblin]

Just want to add myself to the list of people waiting for a Black/African/African-American etc. Princess. How wonderful would that be! I remember how excited I was when Belle was depicted as a brown haired, hazel-eyed bookworm (three guesses as to my looks and favorite hobby). Plus, there is such a wealth of stories and folktales to be shared from these areas. It seems like Disney went through a phase in the 90's where they were trying to set a movie in each of the continents (Mulan, Aladdin, Emperor's New Groove, etc. etc. though they didn't get to Antartica!) The closest thing we got to a Black Princess out of that was Nala...and well...she's lovely but rather furry. I've heard there are two princess movies under development right now. One is Rapunzel (probably another blonde) but hey, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your ebony braids" has a ring to it The other is the Frog Princess which is being described as an American fairy tale...that might have potential!

 

[zuzu310]

Wow, I didn't realize this is such a big deal. I really envision when I first read this that Cinderella and the other princesses will remain the same way they look now but will just be bilingual. I really don't see why this is such the big deal. Anyone ever seen Miracle on 34th Street when Santa magically speaks Swedish to the little girl? If it will add magic to WDW and make some little girls day more magical, then more power to them. I also just wanted to say in response to people asking about what about all the little girls who speak other languages? Well, one of our neighbors is Mexico so it only makes since that Spanish is what they would speak. If we lived next to China, then Chinese would be the logical choice. And for the person who is about to ask me about French (Canada), most of them are bilingual so what would be the point? I say nothing to get our dander up about. I think it would mean so much to those little girls.

 

[Jobie]

The reason why this is such a big issue to some of us is becuase we see the "spanish" culture invading our lives every where. I feel that already too much of the country is beginning to cater towards Spanish speaking people, that they are no longer needing to learn English. In areas of this country, no one needs to speaks English anymore! Sure they are just small areas of our cities or small cities, but still it is still having an impact. Now, of course Disney is doing this for business purposes, and it makes sense becuase there is a large number of Spanish speaking people that visits their parks. Problem is that a vast majority of thoes spanish speaking people live here in the US, legal or otherwise. It would make sense, to me, if Disney would try to cater to other languages as well. At least have the characters know English, some spanish, and some French. With illegals being a big debate right now, someone or some company trying to cater towards spanish spaking peoples can seem as that person or company taking a political side on this debate rather than them just doing it for business.

Just think it could be worse, in Europe, Alton Towers (sp?) was going to have Muslim day. Basically they were going to make the park into a more Muslim friendly enviroment, even some rides were going to be split up by sex. It has now been canceled. I would not want to see WDW try to change their parks for one day just for a particular religious group (I know there is the Christian music fesivile at WDW, but that is different. It is a seperate ticket event, and not all the parks do it.)

 

[mking624]

Speaking for myself, I did not say that English is the only language that should be spoken here but when it comes to people dealing with the public they should be expected to speak in English. English is the language of the United States. I do not go to other countries and expect them to speak English; I still do not see why it should be expected here.

As someone else pointed out, there is no official language of the United States. English just happens to be the most widely spoken.

Quite frankly, I didn't answer your statement because I thought it was ridiculous. Different languages are part of the attraction.

There's nothing ridiculous about my statement. My statement is proving a point...that no one here threw a fit about this until there was an announcement that Disney was going to hire someone who could speak Spanish. No one has ever thrown a fit about Disney using other languages for announcements or songs...but have a princess speak it and there's a few hundred post thread? THAT is what's ridiculous.

What is the problem with teaching the characters a few phrases in several languages - not just Spanish

I never said there was a problem with it...in fact I agree. But I also agree that part of the problem with that is what others have mentioned...people who fluently speak that language will start to respond...and the CMs will not understand what they're saying. Which is why I'm assuming that Disney wants to hire people who can actually speak the language.

It amazes me at the insults being thrown around here. I'll bow out of this discussion now as the insults and name-calling degrades the discussion to a point to where no descent debate can continue.

I never did any name calling or what have you, so you can leave me out of that category. I'm simply pointing out that people cannot have their cake and eat it too.

Buenos noches - Bonne nuit - Buona Sera - Konban Wa - Wan shang hao - Boa noite

Good night

Good night.

 

[Mike.Wazowski]

 

[MyGoofy26]

i just think it's funny when people say American's speak English because.....we really don't. we speak some sort of weird slang/English/Ebonics combination.

what i wouldn't give to live in England and hear proper English! *Sigh* lol

A very common misconception is that there is a proper, or correct, English. No such thing exists. You simply have dialects of a language, and none are more or less "right" than the others, regardless of social stigmas or what is considered by prescriptive grammarians to be the right one. Even people in England have variances in their "version" of English, although to us we may not be able to recognize it. The only time a language starts to stray and become another language is in the case of pidgins and creoles (not to be mistaken with Creole, lowercase creole is a general term)

Sorry - one of my majors was English so this stuff fascinates me. I can ramble so I'll stop now.

 

[chobie]

Ok i waded through 18 pages of posts and flames but i didnt see an important question asked. If Disney is doing this at WDW, then will Belle speak english to my daughter when we visit DisneyParis?

If WDW thought it would increase their profits to do so, then she just might. But if your wanting Disney to have English spoken to your daughter purely out of a fairness issue, then don't hold your breath. It's a business, nothing more.

 

[gbanton]

I dont expect other countries to accomodate my language if I go there. I am getting a little tired of all the liberals thinking we need to accomodate everyone else's language. And at who's expense in the end???

Well put.

 

[gbanton]

I agree w/you and every time I travel abroad, I do my v. best to speak their language and get along in understanding what they're telling me. I use my phrase book and muddle through.

However, even though it's located in the US, Disney isn't just a US thing -- Disney has identified itself internationally. I think that makes a difference.

This is why there are Disney Parks in other countries...

 

[schlepsnort]

It's pretty simple,

Disney should have the princess characters at the Florida park remain as they are portrayed in AMERICA. I.E. speaking english and appearing ONLY as they are drawn in the films.

There does not need to be a 'black' princess, a 'green' princess, blah blah blah blah.

If she's white in the movie, she's white at the park.
If she's a Native American Indian, she NAI in the park.

For people who don't want to be singled out some of you sure are doing a great job doing it yourselves!!!

This is America, our first language is english and THAT is the language that should be FIRST and FOREMOST on any signs. I personally am sick and tired of now seeing spanish FIRST on food packaging, signage in buildings, ETC. It has gotten out of hand.
If you don't speak the language, LEARN IT or at least get a phrase book like we do when we go to your country!
Ok I'm done, this country is going to pot if we keep giving in just to not 'offend' anyone. Not EVERYONE can be your friend!!!

Flame Away

 

[monetnj]

I find it quite ironic that on another thread of Disney park sayings "por favor mantengase alejado de las puertas" from the monorail is pretty high up there as a favorite. Not to mention Florida is a Spanish word along with countless cities, counties etc. in the state and throughout our country. Frankly, the vitriol on this thread has made me quite sad. I guess friction is to be expected between encumbant groups given the sheer number of hispanics in the US today. There is a feeling of threat as if they are "taking over." It happened with the Chinese, Irish, Italians etc. They had enclaves too (Chinatown, Little Italy) We absorbed them, appropriated parts of their culture (who can imagine the US without Pizza, Chinese food or St. Patrick's Day?) and now they are as American as everyone else.

They won't speak Spanish forever. Believe me. As the son of an immigrant from Colombia, I was born and raised here, but I and am fairly bilingual. Proud to say I even managed to graduate from an Ivy League school. Married a Mexican-American who can speak Spanish (she is from Texas and her family has been here so long that when they settled there it was still Mexico), but getting my son to say the simplest stuff in Spanish is like pulling teeth. It fades over the generations. This is a blip in the immigration history of the US. It important to keep historical perspective.

 

[Cool-Beans]

It's pretty simple,

Disney should have the princess characters at the Florida park remain as they are portrayed in AMERICA. I.E. speaking english and appearing ONLY as they are drawn in the films.

There does not need to be a 'black' princess, a 'green' princess, blah blah blah blah.

If she's white in the movie, she's white at the park.
If she's a Native American Indian, she NAI in the park.

For people who don't want to be singled out some of you sure are doing a great job doing it yourselves!!!

This is America, our first language is english and THAT is the language that should be FIRST and FOREMOST on any signs. I personally am sick and tired of now seeing spanish FIRST on food packaging, signage in buildings, ETC. It has gotten out of hand.
If you don't speak the language, LEARN IT or at least get a phrase book like we do when we go to your country!
Ok I'm done, this country is going to pot if we keep giving in just to not 'offend' anyone. Not EVERYONE can be your friend!!!

Flame Away

Nobody suggested changing the appearance of any character. You are the first to bring that up. We were thinking a NEW princess that is black would be nice.

Business are not forced to put up signs in Spanish, they do it because they want to.

I don't know just WHAT it is that bothers you so much about people speaking Spanish, but a lot of people in the country speak it. Can't fight fashion.

I don't see how Princesses speaking to a variety of children in a variety of languages means the country is going to pot.

IMHO, if the Princesses can speak to all kinds of kids in all kinds of languages, that's a good thing. Very Disney-like, too I think...IASW, World Showcase.

A friend just IM'd me and asked what I was doing and I replied, "Debating whether Disney having bilingual princesses is the end of America." I need a real life.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

To a pp who said that foreing speaking people shouldn´t expect to have the characters speaking their own language, you are right. We never expected them to do so, but it is so more magical.

Exactly! It's not expected, but it's a nice, magical touch! I'm glad your daughter and others will benefit from this change.

 

[Lisa0503]

I think it would be a bit strange at first but all change is.... Overall, I think it would be a good thing for little girls who speak spanish. They are still children and deserve to experience the magic. Ontop of that, Royalty should be bi-lingual. I know I wish I was....