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

[Feralpeg]

Sorry for starting this mess, but I'll try to put an end to it.


The local news has reported that they are casting for Spanish speaking princesses. They are also going to increase the number of Spanish signs in the parks and at the resorts.

I know they want to appeal to non-English speaking guests, but the idea of Sleeping Beauty with a Spanish accent just seems odd to me.

Oh, well. Tink is going to speak in the new movie. I guess change is good.

 

[JulielovesDisney]

I know they want to appeal to non-English speaking guests, but the idea of Sleeping Beauty with a Spanish accent just seems odd to me.

That would totally ruin it for me, if you go up to Cinderella, and she says "hola!" I hope they are going to have separate times for the Spanish speaking princesses. It would be even weirder if you saw two Cindy's standing next to eachother, one speaking English and the other speaking Spanish!

 

[mking624]

I know they want to appeal to non-English speaking guests, but the idea of Sleeping Beauty with a Spanish accent just seems odd to me.

You're assuming that she WILL have an accent. I am fluent in Spanish...yet I don't have an accent. In fact, I am Hispanic, but you'd never be able to tell by just looking at me. Most people are shocked when I tell them I'm Hispanic...since i have fair skin and red hair.

Tink is going to speak in the new movie.

Now THAT is odd to me.

 

[Sleeping Becca]

If I had to guess, they are not hiring Spanish accented princesses, just bi-lingual ones who can interact with English speaking guests as well as Spanish speaking guests.

I don't think you will hear a Spanish accented Aurora any time soon. At least I hope not, that would be weird. Although in Paris I'm sure Cinderella speaks French and in Hong Kong Chinese.

To be very honest, I'm not ready for my WDW princesses to speak with foreign accents.

 

[followme2disney]

Little Spanish speaking girls probably think that the princesses should be speaking Spanish because I am sure their Disney movies are played in Spanish. I think it is a great idea. They will be able to influence more children. I am surprised this was not done long before now.

 

[dsnymoners]

Snow White to me saying Bueno Dias Muchacho doens't seem to right to me. That's like me going to a amusment pack in Mexico and expecting everying to speak English to me. Had any of the characters originally spoken spanish then that would be fine. But they didn't. Even in Euro Diseny the princesses don't speak French.

 

[HayGan]

Little Spanish speaking girls probably think that the princesses should be speaking Spanish because I am sure their Disney movies are played in Spanish. I think it is a great idea. They will be able to influence more children. I am surprised this was not done long before now.

Well, what about all the poor little girls who watch Cinderella in French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Mandarin, Hindi, etc.

When I travel to other parts of the world where English is not the native language, I don't expect people to speak English. I make it a point to learn a few important phrases in the native language and carry an English/whatever language dictionary with me. Why should anyone travel to WDW and expect to hear anything other than English I wouldn't expect to hear English in Disneyland Paris or Tokyo (although you probably do.)

For me it isn't a matter of intolerance of other cultures - it is their intolerance of ours

Flame away all you want - it certainly won't change my perspective that a Cinderella in the United States should speak English.

 

[Becky_Boop]

I think it's great that they're adding Spanish speaking princesses. It helps everyone enjoy the park, no matter where they are from. I just hope that there aren't 2 Cinderellas standing next to each other, or anything else that would ruin the magic. But Disney would never do that, now would they?

Well, what about all the poor little girls who watch Cinderella in French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Mandarin, Hindi, etc.

When I travel to other parts of the world where English is not the native language, I don't expect people to speak English. I make it a point to learn a few important phrases in the native language and carry an English/whatever language dictionary with me. Why should anyone travel to WDW and expect to hear anything other than English I wouldn't expect to hear English in Disneyland Paris or Tokyo (although you probably do.)

For me it isn't a matter of intolerance of other cultures - it is their intolerance of ours

Flame away all you want - it certainly won't change my perspective that a Cinderella in the United States should speak English.

That's a very good point, too. Hmmm... as long as it doesn't affect my magical experience, I'm ok with it.

 

[ucfsweetie82]

I think this is America and everyone should speak English. I understand it is not the native language of the world, but I think if you are going to another country that the native language is different from yours you should know enough to survive. I would never go to Italy and expect to hear English or France and hear English. I would expect to hear Italian and French. The princesses should speak English, and signs should have English on them. This country was founded on the English language, and should stay that way. I'm tired of people's intolerance toward the American culture. Up until about 15 years ago people wanted to come to this country so badly, and were willing to do what they had to to get citizenship. Now we are catering to these people more and more. There is no reason for this.

 

[safetymom]

No Disney would not have two of the same character standing there. They go to great lengths to keep the same character separated in the park.

 

[Glendamax]

I think it's a great idea. I've noticed alot of Hispanic kids in the park, and I'm sure that after hearing English all day, a little girl would just light up when one Princess says something she can understand. I don't think it will take anything from the magic, just add to it. Anyone remember in Miracle on 34th Street when Santa started to sign to the Deaf child? That was great. It didn't make him a lesser Santa.

Disney caters to all kinds of kids. I would not be suprised if some of the characters in the other Disney parks around the world could speak some English. Imagine how suprised a child from the States would be if a Parisian Cinderella said something in English to them.

I just hope that by the time I have a little girl, they'll have a Black Princess too.

 

[Debby7]

I think a little girl would think the princesses were even more talented if they are bilingual. Speaking english to english speaking children and spanish to spanish speaking children. It would seem that to be a wise , kind princess you must also be smart enough to be bilingual. That would make for a good role model I think.

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

I didn´t schedule any princesses meals this coming september because last year when we had lunch at Akershus it was quite difficult for dd and she was confused as to why the princesses didn´t understand her and logically there was a lot of interactions in the other tables and not so much as ours (she was a few days shy of her 3rd birhtday), because she couldn´t understand what the princesses were saying.

Though I must say that Cinderella spoke a little spanish and she really made an effort with my dd who has now her as her favorite princess.

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.

And if you are traveling with small children, princesses are princesses to them, and they don´t have to understand why the princess speaks another language when they, as another pp wrote, DO speak spanish in most of the movies that they watch (though my dd has a few princess movies bought in the US that are only in English and she does understand that she can choose the language for some movies and not for others).

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

Does anybody know when and where are these princesses going to be?

TIA

Julie

 

[DJ Disney Kid]

This thread pisses me off and thats all Im gonna say, even though theres so much more on my mind that I would like to.

Think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts....

 

[Minnie824]

I think this is America and everyone should speak English. I understand it is not the native language of the world, but I think if you are going to another country that the native language is different from yours you should know enough to survive. I would never go to Italy and expect to hear English or France and hear English. I would expect to hear Italian and French. The princesses should speak English, and signs should have English on them. This country was founded on the English language, and should stay that way. I'm tired of people's intolerance toward the American culture. Up until about 15 years ago people wanted to come to this country so badly, and were willing to do what they had to to get citizenship. Now we are catering to these people more and more. There is no reason for this.

I completely agree. I think its ridiculous.

 

[dsnymoners]

I think it's a great idea. I've noticed alot of Hispanic kids in the park, and I'm sure that after hearing English all day, a little girl would just light up when one Princess says something she can understand. I don't think it will take anything from the magic, just add to it. Anyone remember in Miracle on 34th Street when Santa started to sign to the Deaf child? That was great. It didn't make him a lesser Santa.

Disney caters to all kinds of kids. I would not be suprised if some of the characters in the other Disney parks around the world could speak some English. Imagine how suprised a child from the States would be if a Parisian Cinderella said something in English to them.

I just hope that by the time I have a little girl, they'll have a Black Princess too.

Signing is one thing that child doesn't have a choice on if she can hear or not. Speaking a differant languauge is another. The closest you will get to a black princess is going to be jasmine who is indian. Unless disney makes a movie with a black princess i dont see that happening..that will confuse everyone. Including your daughter who has seen all the movies where they are white.

 

[mking624]

This thread pisses me off and thats all Im gonna say, even though theres so much more on my mind that I would like to.

Think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts....

I am with you...this thread is now really angering. It's appalling some of the attitudes I'm reading on here. Gee why don't we get rid of World Showcase while we're at it, since we Americans apparently are so high on ourselves that we can't tolerate someone daring to speak a language other than English?! By the way, this country was also founded by people who fully believed in the Bible...yet I know people would be flamed if they came on here and said "it should stay that way!!" regarding our government. Times change...people need to get over it.

I need to bow out now before I continue and get myself into trouble.

 

[Tissa]

No we Americans aren't high on ourselves as you say but let me check a minute... Yes we are in a country where the main language is ENGLISH NOT Spanish!

 

[daisy_77]

You're assuming that she WILL have an accent. I am fluent in Spanish...yet I don't have an accent. In fact, I am Hispanic, but you'd never be able to tell by just looking at me. Most people are shocked when I tell them I'm Hispanic...since i have fair skin and red hair.

Me, too! I have a dark complexion, but people are still shocked that I am Mexican.
I think that it is great that Disney will be hiring Princesses who are fluent is Spanish!
My mom, and 4 of my aunts are fair-skinned and one is even a natural blonde. And all of them are fluent in Spanish and none of them have Spanish-accents. It is not fair to assume because someone can speak spanish that they will have an accent or that they will have dark skin.

 

[*~ellagirlsmama~*]

Ummm, I don't understand why anyone would begrudge a child a magical experience
If the princesses are speaking to YOUR child in English, whats it to you what language they speak to another child?