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

[JoBird]

When I was fifteen, I learned a lesson that rings in my head to this day.

I went with my cousin, who was an exchange student in Germany for a year, on a "Grand Tour" of Germany, Italy, France and Switzerland. We spoke English, or she spoke fluent German, to everyone in every country. Until we got to France.

There, we hailed a cab one day and tried to explain to the driver where we wanted to go in English. He just stared at us. My cousin asked in German if he could speak German to her. Again, he stared at her. We were blown away, because until this point we had no problems whatsoever. Just as we were getting really upset, he turned to us and in perfect English he stated, "You are in France. When you are here, you speak French. When we come to your country, we speak English."

We sat there with our mouths open and still talk about him to this day.

 

[NewJersey]

Hmm tough subject. I think it's a great business move for Disney. If the princesses speak some Spanish, who cares. People from all over the world come to Disney World to vacation.


OT:
That said, I think English needs to be made the national langauage. Today I was watching MTV, and a cell phone commercial in Spanish came on. Sorry, but that doesn't fly with me. In a mall near me, they have advertisements in Spanish (not spanish words under English words). The whole ad is in Spanish.

Learn English!!

 

[daisy_77]

Wow...who cares if a Princess at Disney speaks Spanish to a Hispanic person! Give me a break! It is a theme park...quit making it such a big issue!
I mean there are bigger things in the world than a Princess being fluent in Spanish...sheesh!

I also cannot believe how many people here are racist.

 

[ChrisFL]

its not being racist...my best friends are Colombians but they all learned english BEFORE they came legally to the U.S.

 

[daisy_77]

its not being racist...my best friends are Colombians but they all learned english BEFORE they came legally to the U.S.

Good for them!
A lot of people are tourist from other countries with children who are there to see characters and to visit Disney World. Why does it bother you so much to see someone happy?

 

[XOoOoVEEoOoOX]

Really, never knew that. Do you know where you got that information from?

Just for clarification: This is not a sarcastic post. You never know what people are think when they read a post.

This was the topic of a long discussion in my Economics class a few years ago and it stuck in my head...the main reasons that Hispanics are noticed
out more are the obvious ones (language and appearence)...

Statistics may have changed since then, though.

 

[Cool-Beans]

People from Mexico or whatever Spanish-speaking country are not a different race. They are Caucasian, just like "white" people.

This might be a different thread.

 

[Daxx]

I just think that this will make meeting the princesses a lot better for spanish speaking little girls.

If the princesses are speaking to YOUR child in English, whats it to you what language they speak to another child?

But what about all the other foreign little girls who come to WDW and don't know Spanish or English? Why should the princesses *only* speak Spanish? Shouldn't they speak French, Italian, Portugese, Arabic, German, Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Hungarian, Russian and every other language for the remaining foreign language speaking little girls out there? Why aren't we catering to only the Spanish speakers needs!?

Sure, it's great that Spanish speaking girls will have a princess who speaks their language but if we're going to cater to the Spanish speakers, why aren't we catering to every other language out there!?!?

 

[Country Flower]

Oh Friends !!! Never in my live I expect to hear so many ugly comments, full of racism and anger about my good spanish people, in a place created to share the Disney Magic!!


wow a big dissapointment here!

People who visit my island and expect us to speak english all the time.

Think, Think here are a lot of spanish speaking boards members and all of us try really hard to comunicated with you in english, we all want to share this beatifull place.

 

[daisy_77]

But what about all the other foreign little girls who come to WDW and don't know Spanish or English? Why should the princesses *only* speak Spanish? Shouldn't they speak French, Italian, Portugese, Arabic, German, Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Hungarian, Russian and every other language for the remaining foreign language speaking little girls out there? Why aren't we catering to their needs!?

Sure, it's great that Spanish speaking girls will have a princess who speaks their language but if we're going to cater to the Spanish speakers, why aren't we catering to every other language out there!?!?

Ask Disney

 

[NewJersey]

But what about all the other foreign little girls who come to WDW and don't know Spanish or English? Why should the princesses *only* speak Spanish? Shouldn't they speak French, Italian, Portugese, Arabic, German, Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Hungarian, Russian and every other language for the remaining foreign language speaking little girls out there? Why aren't we catering to their needs!?

Sure, it's great that Spanish speaking girls will have a princess who speaks their language but if we're going to cater to the Spanish speakers, why aren't we catering to every other language out there!?!?

Excellent point. They're not just catering to the tourists. I think they are also trying to tap into the Hispanic market in the US.

 

[SarahKate]

Wow people - I guess bigotry IS still alive and well in this country.

The original post has been blown WAYYYYYY out of proportion. No one knows all the details of this (unless there's an update somewhere in the TEN frickin pages of posts - I made it to 6 and gave up) and yet people are making all these ASSUMPTIONS. Get a GRIP!!!

Don't you people (the ones who don't think this should happen) have anything better to do that to trouble yourself over something that's probably not going to make a darn bit of difference in your vacation??????

C'mon, give Disney more credit. They are going to do it in a top notch way so that all visitors will be affected positively. They are doing this because they see it as a BUSINESS NEED. They know who is visiting their parks, they know what they need to do to make sure their bottom line is met and surpassed so just LET THEM DO WHAT THEY DO BEST!

 

[Daxx]

Oh Friends !!! Never in my live I expect to hear so many ugly comments, full of racism and anger about my good spanish people, in a place created to share the Disney Magic!!

I don't have a problem w/Spanish people. I don't have a problem w/anyone from a foreign country. I do have a problem w/not being able to meet the needs of ALL the people who visit WDW! If you read my post, my concern lies w/the other children, who come to Disney from ALL over the world and speak languages other than Spanish or English. How is it fair to the rest of the multitudes to have princesses who cannot communicate in a variety of languages!? Why should the princesses *only* speak English and Spanish?

You know what would be freaking spectacular!?!? If each country in WS had a Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Aurora, Snow White, Ariel (and any other princess that I missed) speaking in that country's native language! Just think -- each country could have it's own Princess breakfast/lunch/dinner w/princesses who spoke that country's language! I think THAT would be more magical for children who don't speak English or Spanish!! If a child said "I just saw you in France" to a character, the character could reply "Oh, I walk around the park and visit all the countries!"

 

[grumpydad]

You people are asking for flames? Well, here goes…

A little girl wants to have a magical moment and speak to a princess, and you've got a problem with that? You would begrudge a little girl getting a bit of Disney magic because, well, why exactly? Because you feel that every conversation that ever happens on US soil must be done in English.

That's about the most pathetic and petty attitude I've read on this board in a long time. And that's saying a lot.

Obviously you are not understanding what everyone is saying, we have no problem with princess' speaking a different language, but why only spanish

everything in this country is being changed for the spanish people, what about everyone else..italian,german, french, russian etc

why aren't we making signs in there language , why isn't disney hiring princess' that speak there language..enough already with everything just for the spanish speaking people

 

[Cool-Beans]

I think the reason that we don't have every language is that we use the ones spoken frequently in this country.

English and Spanish are the most frequently spoken languages. In parts of Florida, Spanish may be THE most frequently spoken language.

Like it or not, Spanish is here. And I think Disney is just catering to that.

If these folks were DEMANDING bilingual Princesses, I'd say, "Cut it out." But there's nothing wrong with providing them, for heaven's sake.

 

[cocowum]

You people are asking for flames? Well, here goes…

A little girl wants to have a magical moment and speak to a princess, and you've got a problem with that? You would begrudge a little girl getting a bit of Disney magic because, well, why exactly? Because you feel that every conversation that ever happens on US soil must be done in English.

That's about the most pathetic and petty attitude I've read on this board in a long time. And that's saying a lot.

I totally agree with you and I'm shocked at some of the responses.

 

[Daxx]

OH BTW did you know that the largest group of Illegal Aliens in the US are not Mexicans,...they are Canadians.

Just a little FYI from GBN:

Recent estimates indicate that the largest group, nearly 6 million, are Mexicans, followed by about 2.5 million from other countries in Latin America. About 1 million have come from Asia, 0.6 million from Europe and Canada, and 0.4 million from Africa. The main destination states have been California, Texas, New York, Illinois and Florida, which together account for nearly two-thirds of the total.

Now, as I said, I have no problem w/a Spanish speaking princess ...but there are a lot of other foreigners who to go WDW. How would you feel if you heard a princess speaking Spanish, but not your native language? That has to be disheartening for a kid!

 

[BlindTyldak]

I'm not sure how I feel about this . . . I'd much rather see them hire interpreters that can travel from greeting place to greeting place as needed so that all the kids have an equal chance to understand the princesses.

 

[HayGan]

Wow...who cares if a Princess at Disney speaks Spanish to a Hispanic person! Give me a break! It is a theme park...quit making it such a big issue!
I mean there are bigger things in the world than a Princess being fluent in Spanish...sheesh!

I also cannot believe how many people here are racist.

Please explain to me how anyone in this thread is racist. That is such an inflamatory comment and really needs to be backed up with some hard facts!

If we are being racist by thinking that people coming to America should expect English to be spoken, isn't Disney being racist by only having English (and now Spansih spoken/written on signs) What about the hundreds of other languages spoken?

I don't have a problem with the characters being able to know a few key phrases in different (and more popular languages.) But why is it only Spanish

 

[Figment's friends]

Am I the only one that thinks a TRUE princess would be fluent in many languages? Are they not taught about other cultures? Way to go Disney for becoming politically correct in a way that at least this once will add to the magic.

I only skimmed this thread because I find intolerance intolerable.