Pete- please tell me the pool manager from the Royal Pacific finally called you back

[k5jm]

I am very tempted to call the Loews NYC office and talk to my peers there and find who this dude was. FWIW, The hotel business is probably the smallest percentage of the Loews Corporation.

 

[wishspirit]

I was thinking of splashing out and booking a stay at one of the Universal hotels for a couple of nights, but the poolside thing put me off.
I hate music being played at the poolside, if want to listen to music bring an ipod, if you don't? great, you don't have to.
Whilst sunbathing, I would rather not listen to any songs about any 'ho' and I'm 20!

I agree and I'm 21!

Seriously, these songs, however catchy they may be, are damaging. They teach the degradation of women and that all they are good at is to be judged on their appearance and promiscuity. I admit I am a feminist (even that word has been dragged through the mud enough for people to have a complete misrepresentation of it), and I think these songs not only effect how men see women, but also how women see themselves.

Definitely not cool for around a family pool!

 

[eeyorethegreat]

Pete, I think you're getting old. I am familiar with this as I'm right there with you...but am frequently told by kids and young people at work that I'm old or prudish or just silly.

I don't even like the way Disney is encouraging children to shake their asses for them. "C'mon let me see you shake your tail!" and to shake their "groove things."

I like the "Shake your groove thing" song, but was disgusted that they were encouraging kids to do that...and with those words. I also don't think children should be conditioned to shake their *** for anyone who wants to see it...sorry, their "tail," (even worse.)

I like the music and dancing, but was disgusted by the words and the "c'mon, shake it for me" thing. Blech.

But I was told by almost everyone that I'm wrong. And I think I'm getting old.

I would not care for any song about a "ho", I don't think. But, honestly, Disney is one step away from putting this crap in their parades.

That pimp song won best song. The world is changing and it's laughing at anyone with any sense of modesty or what was once thought of as decency.

I have yet to hear this stuff at PBH, but I'm usually at the little quiet pool (which Uni actually keeps for adults, unlike Disney, where people are free to make up whatever definition they like for "quiet", including, "it means 'no slides'"), so I think you'll have better luck there.

I agree and I'm 21!

Seriously, these songs, however catchy they may be, are damaging. They teach the degradation of women and that all they are good at is to be judged on their appearance and promiscuity. I admit I am a feminist (even that word has been dragged through the mud enough for people to have a complete misrepresentation of it), and I think these songs not only effect how men see women, but also how women see themselves.

Definitely not cool for around a family pool!

You're not "old" you just have a higher expectation from the entertainment indistry than many others do. You know, we wonder why "kids are the way they are today" and why socoety is full of ills. Turn on the TV, listen to the radio, go to the movies play a few video games. All these things have an effect on the way people behave. The entertainment industry needs to be more responsible with what and how entertainment including music poolside is presented. Some of the stuff out there really sickens me. As a parent I try to set a good example for my children. That doesn't make me a prude or old just a responsible adult who wants her children to grow up to behave like decent human beings. Unfortunately there seem to be fewer and fewer people who will stand up for that decency like Pete did.

 

[metalis4ever]

You're not "old" you just have a higher expectation from the entertainment indistry than many others do. You know, we wonder why "kids are the way they are today" and why socoety is full of ills. Turn on the TV, listen to the radio, go to the movies play a few video games. All these things have an effect on the way people behave. The entertainment industry needs to be more responsible with what and how entertainment including music poolside is presented. Some of the stuff out there really sickens me. As a parent I try to set a good example for my children. That doesn't make me a prude or old just a responsible adult who wants her children to grow up to behave like decent human beings. Unfortunately there seem to be fewer and fewer people who will stand up for that decency like Pete did.

Although I agree with Pete and others that "adult" music is not appropriate for a public setting such as the RPR pool...I must disagree with you and others who have expounded the notion that music like this has some how lead to the degradation of society...I hate to tell you but contemporary American Society is a much better Society than any other time in American History.... No segregation, women have the right to vote, no "glass ceiling", no burning "witches", no slavery, no Civil War, no Native American genocide, no Japanese American concentration camps and the list goes on and on. Now that's just American Society, World History is a whole other beast of hatred, oppression and dark, very dark times. My point is that we as a Society are way more educated than those past so a few off color, demeaning or patriarchal lyrics in a song aren't going to have an impact on our children if we take the time to educate them with our world view of right and wrong... Trust me I listen to Norwegian Black Metal and I've never had the urge to burn down a Church.....although the thought pops into my mind every time I ride Malestorm Completely kidding of course.... but my point is would I expect to hear "adult" music in that setting no, would I say something yes, but lets not go overboard here people it barely ruins a vacation never mind society as a whole.....

 

[richard_andmel]

Not only was the music ridiculously inappropriate, but how does it fit the theme of the resort??? I guess I'm too used to AKL and other WDW resorts...

 

[wishspirit]

Although I agree with Pete and others that "adult" music is not appropriate for a public setting such as the RPR pool...I must disagree with you and others who have expounded the notion that music like this has some how lead to the degradation of society...I hate to tell you but contemporary American Society is a much better Society than any other time in American History.... No segregation, women have the right to vote, no "glass ceiling", no burning "witches", no slavery, no Civil War, no Native American genocide, no Japanese American concentration camps and the list goes on and on. Now that's just American Society, World History is a whole other beast of hatred, oppression and dark, very dark times. My point is that we as a Society are way more educated than those past so a few off color, demeaning or patriarchal lyrics in a song aren't going to have an impact on our children if we take the time to educate them with our world view of right and wrong... Trust me I listen to Norwegian Black Metal and I've never had the urge to burn down a Church.....although the thought pops into my mind every time I ride Malestorm Completely kidding of course.... but my point is would I expect to hear "adult" music in that setting no, would I say something yes, but lets not go overboard here people it barely ruins a vacation never mind society as a whole.....

As someone who is both a feminist and studies history as a degree, I am going to have to respectfully disagree. To say that there are worse areas of history is to suggest we are currently in a 'golden era', and I can promise you in history there are no 'golden eras'. Just because there has been change, does not mean it is always positive change, or that we shouldn't strive for more communication and understanding within society.

I still believe there is a glass ceiling, and real issues about how women are portrayed within society. These lyrics reinforce behaviour which is glamorised in films and television, and supported by the often unsupervised access of young people on the internet (if you get my drift). This all comes together to create a very narrow projection of what people should be, both male and female, which can be incredibly damaging.

I do agree that good parenting is key to negating these influences, however parents are already on the back foot with many of these issues. Many parents believe it is ok to have 'sexy' written on the behind of a pair of trousers of a 7 year old girl, and that is there decision to make. However it all contributes to a society which is both obsessed and disgusted with itself.

You say that although you listen to metal, you don't have the urge to burn down churches, which is what most people who listen to metal feel. However if this was combined with church-hating adverts on TV, shows based around setting alight to religious objects and a society that says that behaviour is sometimes ok, you might just consider it. (Slightly overdramatic I know, but I am trying to use your example)

However back to the topic at hand, no way should music like that be played in a pool open to the public before say 9pm at night (the UK time of the watershed), and it should be advertised as such, so people know what they are taking their children to.

 

[Hewolf]

I totally agree that music like this should not be played at a place where children are going to be present. When their is so much more music that could be played why bother offending people and play music that is not child friendly.

While this may go off topic I think Disney should keep children from the pool area after 9 P.M. When I went their this past may on my honeymoon it sickened me how many children were swimming at 11.M. There is no reason a child as young as 2 should be up swimming at that time. I often would hear parents tell their children that they had to get up at 7 or 8. How can you expect your child to behave and not be exhausted when they are getting such little sleep at night?

 

[trivial]

What a mystifying situation, to have them playing inappropriate and family-unfriendly music at the resort. But then for the manager to fail to do anything about it, and in fact excuse it... what a stupid, stupid mistake they've made. You'd think once they realize that [presumably] thousands upon thousands of people have heard the review, they'd be on the phone right away. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

[metalis4ever]

As someone who is both a feminist and studies history as a degree, I am going to have to respectfully disagree. To say that there are worse areas of history is to suggest we are currently in a 'golden era', and I can promise you in history there are no 'golden eras'. Just because there has been change, does not mean it is always positive change, or that we shouldn't strive for more communication and understanding within society.

I still believe there is a glass ceiling, and real issues about how women are portrayed within society. These lyrics reinforce behaviour which is glamorised in films and television, and supported by the often unsupervised access of young people on the internet (if you get my drift). This all comes together to create a very narrow projection of what people should be, both male and female, which can be incredibly damaging.

I do agree that good parenting is key to negating these influences, however parents are already on the back foot with many of these issues. Many parents believe it is ok to have 'sexy' written on the behind of a pair of trousers of a 7 year old girl, and that is there decision to make. However it all contributes to a society which is both obsessed and disgusted with itself.

You say that although you listen to metal, you don't have the urge to burn down churches, which is what most people who listen to metal feel. However if this was combined with church-hating adverts on TV, shows based around setting alight to religious objects and a society that says that behaviour is sometimes ok, you might just consider it. (Slightly overdramatic I know, but I am trying to use your example)

However back to the topic at hand, no way should music like that be played in a pool open to the public before say 9pm at night (the UK time of the watershed), and it should be advertised as such, so people know what they are taking their children to.

Before careening completely OT I made some calls today and spoke to a customer service representative of Loews and she assured me that "Loews strives to provide a family friendly environment at all of their properties" ....yeah about that, I politely suggested that maybe they should send someone from Corporate down to RPR....I'm sure they wouldn't mind She just kind of slightly laughed a little and thanked me for my concerns and told me to enjoy my future stay....

I specified Norwegian Black Metal because that is the only sub-genre of Metal that contains a huge number of pro-church burning lyrics as they have their reasons as kind of a pay back to the Church for coming in and murdering their ancestors who refused to convert and destroying their Ancient Religion and culture....That aside my point was that hearing someone sing about that isn't going to influence me into doing it unless I already had the thought in the back of my mind.....That thought isn't in the back of my mind because my Parents did their job....Music often reflects the negative aspects of this world in order to bring it to light which is what 95% of Metal does so maybe I used the wrong example with the whole Norwegian Black Metal reference because they sing within a Historical context, it would be like I don't know a Native American Band singing about taking back their land...so it's different....I should have given the analogy more thought before making it in my prior post...my apologies...

I do agree with you to a point..From an Anthropological persepective we are living in a Patriarchal society virtiually every society that has ever existed in which the majority of it's population believes in a Religion in which the Deity is Male was/is patriarchal because it is justified through that very belief.... So is the "glass cieling" still there sure but even you as a feminist must admit that it is a lot higher up than it was even 20 years ago.... But I do agree with you that women are portrayed as objects in our Society and this song definitley carries on in that tradition, however as previously stated if parents do their job in combination with the educational system doing it's job little johnny or jane wont accept these lyrics as ardent truth.....I;ve said it once and I'll say it a million times Education, good and truthful Education is the key to progress.... Which quite honestly could use some help in this Country just look at the statistics we rank second to last out of all industrialized nations in the acceptance of Scietific Theories ..second only to Turkey , yeah woo hoo we out smart the former Ottoman Empire...Go USA ....btw there's no such thing as gravity only intelligent falling

Do I think that we are living in a "Golden Age" absolutely not, do I think that we a re light years from where we once were as a society absolutely. The change has been astonishing over the past 300 years... But to say that music is in someway preventing growth and change for the better in our Society is a proposterous notion....Progress happens despite many obsticles Religions, Governments, Wars, Violent television prgrams and video games, music etc.....The funny thing is that we are chasing our shadow as we will never be as content as our ancient ancestors who lived before the invention of the plow when they were living in egalitarian societies...no matrriarchy, no patriarchy just us.....But then again we wouldn't have Disney and quite honestly I wouldn't be willing to give up Disney for peace and harmony in the world

 

[dwaters]

"Don't Trust a Ho" is pretty good advice actually.

From this thread and the blog it was made to appear that the song was full of F-Bombs and other vulgar words. "Ho" while certainly not appropriate for 7 years olds, it's not exactly obscene
I'm familiar with the song and find this part more offensive--
"Hush girl, shut your lips,
Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips"

The song is only three minutes long, so by the time you got up out of the pool and walked over the the DJ, it would be close to over, then on to a new song.

I have a six-year-old daughter and can only imagine her giggling, splashing around and doing cannonballs into the water and not much noticing the background music and lyrics, even if it was loud.

It seems like much ado about nothing, but maybe you had to be there.
I could tolerate one bad song if it meant getting to spend time at a resort hotel in sunny and warm Orlando with my family.

 

[dpuck1998]

"Don't Trust a Ho" is pretty good advice actually.

From this thread and the blog it was made to appear that the song was full of F-Bombs and other vulgar words. "Ho" while certainly not appropriate for 7 years olds, it's not exactly obscene
I'm familiar with the song and find this part more offensive--
"Hush girl, shut your lips,
Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips"

The song is only three minutes long, so by the time you got up out of the pool and walked over the the DJ, it would be close to over, then on to a new song.

I have a six-year-old daughter and can only imagine her giggling, splashing around and doing cannonballs into the water and not much noticing the background music and lyrics, even if it was loud.

It seems like much ado about nothing, but maybe you had to be there.
I could tolerate one bad song if it meant getting to spend time at a resort hotel in sunny and warm Orlando with my family.

Why should you have to tolerate one bad song at a family friendly resort?

 

[jeanigor]

"Don't Trust a Ho" is pretty good advice actually.

From this thread and the blog it was made to appear that the song was full of F-Bombs and other vulgar words. "Ho" while certainly not appropriate for 7 years olds, it's not exactly obscene
I'm familiar with the song and find this part more offensive--
"Hush girl, shut your lips,
Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips"

The song is only three minutes long, so by the time you got up out of the pool and walked over the the DJ, it would be close to over, then on to a new song.

I have a six-year-old daughter and can only imagine her giggling, splashing around and doing cannonballs into the water and not much noticing the background music and lyrics, even if it was loud.

It seems like much ado about nothing, but maybe you had to be there.
I could tolerate one bad song if it meant getting to spend time at a resort hotel in sunny and warm Orlando with my family.

Shows how out of it I am. I didn't even realize what the song was. The word 'ho' is tweaked by local stations here to sound like 'her'. Not super fond of the lyrics, but I enjoy the tune.

 

[disneygirl 17]

It seems like much ado about nothing, but maybe you had to be there.
I could tolerate one bad song if it meant getting to spend time at a resort hotel in sunny and warm Orlando with my family.

The point is at a family friendly resort you shouldn't have to tolerate inappropriate music. You should be able to enjoy the pool without putting up with that music.

This whole situation isn't about what I find appropriate or the "Golden Age" - it is that they offended Pete - he spoke with them about his concern and they brushed him. No matter what the complaint they should have at least given better customer service and returned his phone call.

 

[dwaters]

Better stay away from the Snow White Ride in Fantasyland.
It has the "Heigh-Ho" song, which has the word "Ho" in it.

Just bein' a wiseguy.

While we may not agree about the song, I will concede that Pete should have received a better response from both the DJ and the management.


I've never been to Universal, but from the comments I often read, people come away disappointed with a lot of aspects of the park and resorts there.
Disney has set the bar so high with their customer- I mean "guest" -service that it's hard for other places to live up to the expectations people now have for what a park should be.

 

[mommyceratops]

I am a parent of a 6 and 9 year old and I really watch what songs they listen too. Probably to much. But we keep it clean and usually listen to CD's where I can control what songs are on them or Radio Disney in the car.

I am also a substitute teacher and had two 8 yr old girls sing me "Tick Tock" by Keisha (sp) last week. I was floored, listening to them talk about brushing their teeth with Jack Daniels. They knew it word for word. It was not cute but made me feel a little sick.

At a family resort I expect them to edit their lyrics or blank them out like they do on the radio.

 

[Thunder Monkey]

No matter what you do, no matter how much you TRY to censor your child, unless you lock your kids uo in a cellar somewhere, no matter what they will hear these songs somewhere either at a friends house or at the mall. i agree that the dj and the manager should have been more respectfull when this was brought to their attention. but there is really no point in arguing over it. it wont change. so long as there is radio and the "top 40's" list, i believe what the manager called it. all you can do is explain to your kids that talking to or treating anyone like it is said in any of these song is not right and hope they listen.

 

[Mike2023]

As someone who is both a feminist and studies history as a degree, I am going to have to respectfully disagree. To say that there are worse areas of history is to suggest we are currently in a 'golden era', and I can promise you in history there are no 'golden eras'. Just because there has been change, does not mean it is always positive change, or that we shouldn't strive for more communication and understanding within society.

I still believe there is a glass ceiling, and real issues about how women are portrayed within society. These lyrics reinforce behaviour which is glamorised in films and television, and supported by the often unsupervised access of young people on the internet (if you get my drift). This all comes together to create a very narrow projection of what people should be, both male and female, which can be incredibly damaging.

I do agree that good parenting is key to negating these influences, however parents are already on the back foot with many of these issues. Many parents believe it is ok to have 'sexy' written on the behind of a pair of trousers of a 7 year old girl, and that is there decision to make. However it all contributes to a society which is both obsessed and disgusted with itself.

You say that although you listen to metal, you don't have the urge to burn down churches, which is what most people who listen to metal feel. However if this was combined with church-hating adverts on TV, shows based around setting alight to religious objects and a society that says that behaviour is sometimes ok, you might just consider it. (Slightly overdramatic I know, but I am trying to use your example)

However back to the topic at hand, no way should music like that be played in a pool open to the public before say 9pm at night (the UK time of the watershed), and it should be advertised as such, so people know what they are taking their children to.

I am sorry if I miss understood something, but did you just say most people who listen to metal want to burn down churches?

 

[wishspirit]

You say that although you listen to metal, you don't have the urge to burn down churches, which is what most people who listen to metal feel.

I am sorry if I miss understood something, but did you just say most people who listen to metal want to burn down churches?

Sorry if that wasn't clear, I don't believe people who listen to metal want to burn down churches. I live with two guys who listen to nothing but metal, and the church down the road is still there!

 

[dpuck1998]

No matter what you do, no matter how much you TRY to censor your child, unless you lock your kids uo in a cellar somewhere, no matter what they will hear these songs somewhere either at a friends house or at the mall. i agree that the dj and the manager should have been more respectfull when this was brought to their attention. but there is really no point in arguing over it. it wont change. so long as there is radio and the "top 40's" list, i believe what the manager called it. all you can do is explain to your kids that talking to or treating anyone like it is said in any of these song is not right and hope they listen.

I disagree, I know they will hear it, but a family resort isn't the place. If they hear it at a friends so be it. At a so called family resort it isn't appropriate. Saying they are going to hear it somewhere else doesn't make it okay to play everywhere.

 

[WebmasterPete]

"Don't Trust a Ho" is pretty good advice actually.

From this thread and the blog it was made to appear that the song was full of F-Bombs and other vulgar words. "Ho" while certainly not appropriate for 7 years olds, it's not exactly obscene
I'm familiar with the song and find this part more offensive--
"Hush girl, shut your lips,
Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips"

The song is only three minutes long, so by the time you got up out of the pool and walked over the the DJ, it would be close to over, then on to a new song.

I have a six-year-old daughter and can only imagine her giggling, splashing around and doing cannonballs into the water and not much noticing the background music and lyrics, even if it was loud.

It seems like much ado about nothing, but maybe you had to be there.
I could tolerate one bad song if it meant getting to spend time at a resort hotel in sunny and warm Orlando with my family.

If it had been only one song, I probably wouldn't have mentioned it - but this was the fourth one in about an hour that was played. Others included lyrics like "slap that ***", something about ripping off a bikini and other assorted pleasantries. This was not about one song - it was about several - the 'Ho' song was the one that pushed me over the edge.

Pete