The language barrier in WDW

[Alby]

I live in Italy and I am planning a trip to Florida in January 2011 or 2012 .
Even if it’s early days yet, I am enjoying planning and reading about WDW very much, I’ve been lurking on the DIS for a while, and now I am looking for help.

My main concern is about how much understanding English is essential to attraction enjoyment: while I understand English well, this is not the case for my 5 year old.
I’m sure that language won’t be a problem on rides like Dumbo and the Barnstormer, and that furs are better than face characters, while I am afraid that attractions like Turtle Talk with Crush, Monster Laugh Floor Inc. and Storytime with Belle are sadly out of the question.

I have lots of doubts on most other attractions: do you really have to understand English to appreciate
- 3D films like Muppets and Mickey Philharmagic
- rides like Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land or Journey into Imagination
- musical/ theater attractions like Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Country Bear Jamboree or Finding Nemo
- ………………………….

What do you think?

Thanks a lot for your help , this is really a question no guide helps you with!
(I have purchased the Unofficial Guide and I am enjoying it a lot, but it doesn’t help on this!)

 

[dburg30]

Head over to the main WDW site. For example here is the one for the jungle cruise...

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/attractions/jungle-cruise/

On the right side it shows this..

Language Translation

at the bottom in the 'fine print'

you have this..

Guests may rent attraction translation device units at Guest Relations locations in the Theme Parks with a refundable deposit.

Hopefully someone that knows about these things can let you know about cost and what languages they are available in...


Good luck! let us know what you find!

 

[HelenParr]

I have lots of doubts on most other attractions: do you really have to understand English to appreciate
- 3D films like Muppets and Mickey Philharmagic
These should be fine for your 5 yo, even without English.-

rides like Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land or Journey into Imagination
Spaceship Earth not an issue (although might be boring to 5yo anyway). Journey into Imagination - fine. Living with the Land boat - could be boring to 5 yo, but not improved by knowing english. It's slow going for kids.

- musical/ theater attractions like Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Country Bear Jamboree or Finding Nemo
Tougher calls - I think Country Bears might be boring because he won't understand it -- but he could clap along...Voyage of the Little Mermaid is pretty entertaining in any language...Finding Nemo seems tough for 5 yos -- but lots of colors and movement (but lots of talking too.)

 

[Alby]

Unfortunately, guest translations are available in various languages from Portuguese to Japanese, but no Italian!
(source: the ever useful UG)

I guess not many of us get there in Orlando!

 

[dburg30]

Unfortunately, guest translations are available in various languages from Portuguese to Japanese, but no Italian!
(source: the ever useful UG)

I guess not many of us get there in Orlando!

DOH.. bummer!!!

 

[WDSearcher]

Does your son watch Disney movies? Is he familiar with the characters? Does he watch Disney Channel Italy? If so, then he'll be able to grasp pretty much any musical stage show or character-based attraction, even though they are in English. Ariel's song is Ariel's song -- he may not understand the English lyrics, but if he's seen the film dubbed into Italian, he'll know what she's singing about. He may not understand what they're saying in Playhouse Disney live, but he'll know who Handy Manny is and who Pooh is, etc. If he knows Finding Nemo, he'll be fine at the show. No worries with parades or fireworks. You don't need to understand English to be wowed by Lights Motors Action, Pirates of the Caribbean, or small world. Face characters are trained how to handle kids who don't speak English. You'd be surprised how well they can communicate with little kids without saying a word!

Your biggest problem will be in the Future World rides at Epcot and the shows like Jedi Training and Storytime with Belle. They're very "talky", and you may want to skip that. Same with Monsters and Turtle Talk. But I would say that 85% of the parks will be available / accessable / enjoyable to your child, even without a grasp of English. And be SURE to stop by the Italy pavilion at Epcot's World Showcase. Because all the CMs from Italy will surely understand him and he'll probably really enjoy that (as will they)!

 

[dburg30]

And be SURE to stop by the Italy pavilion at Epcot's World Showcase. Because all the CMs from Italy will surely understand him and he'll probably really enjoy that (as will they)!

I agree, that would probably make everyones day Those that speak / are from Italy would love it and your child I'm sure would get a huge grin when someone spoke to him in Italian

Also, when interacting with cast members, look at their tags and they will show if they speak other languages too! Could run into an italian speaker anywhere in the 'world'

 

[princessgirl2238]

philharmagic has almost no talking in it- just music going along with the specific movie (beauty and the beast, the lion king, little mermaid and aladdin)- this tends to be a favorite of many kids that do not speak english. pretty much all of fantasyland will be a go. really the only things that would be hard would be jungle cruise, country bears and story time with belle are the only things that would be hard for him to understand at magic kingdom. at hollywood- the shows would be much harder for him- toy story, rockin rollercoaster and tower of terror are pretty much the only things to do there. you can try star tours- there's a lot of talking, but the projection screen on the ride shows a very detailed movie that i think you'd be able to enjoy it as well. at animal kingdom- the safari ride maybe hard to understand but the animals are amazing on the ride. lion king show is really good and it's all just basically music and dancing. dinosaur will be ok as well as everest. nemo show and tough to be a bug would be a lot harder to do since it's all talking. at epcot, soarin', test track, mission, space journey into imagination, and the living seas with nemo will be good. turtle talk with crush will probably be really hard.

you can always try calling disney and talk to them about translators and seeing if there is a way to get one for italian for while you are down there. disney is usually really accommodating for situations like this if you talk to them ahead of time.

 

[Alby]

Thanks a lot to you all!
My 5 year all is actually a girl , and sure she watches Disney movies, Disney channel etc. so she should be ok
Only thing is, I am not su sure that, for instance, she will enjoy Playhouse Disney just because she recognizes the characters, if she doesn't understand anything they are saying...

By the way, she is a scaredy cat, so no Tower of Terror or Star Wars for her... which is a pity, as such rides really don't need talking to scare you to death!
About Jungle Cruise, of course all the spiel and puns will be lost on her, but would't she enjoy the boat ride all the same?

Anyway, thanks again for all your suggestions! I will call Disney, great idea!

 

[sharadoc]

Hi. When we visited in August 2009, there were a lot of non-English speaking visitors at Disney World. I saw firsthand that they lost enjoyment of many of the attractions where the performers interact with the audience, like Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor and Country Bears. Ride enjoyment was pretty much the same as much of it is visual anyway.

I agree with the PP to investigate translation devices. You're entitled to fully enjoy as much as you can.

Have a great time planning your trip.

 

[floridianer]

Actually we had a similar problem with my MIL...
She really speaks NO english and, to be completely honest, she said that she really likes the parks but some of the attractions are not really cool for anyone if he doesn´t understand a word...

This is a loooong list and this starts even at

-talk to crush
-caroussell of progress
-laughing floor (wouldn´t understand a single joke!)
-jungle cruise
-philharmagic
-spaceship earth

and many many more...

But hey, that is a wonderful reason to learn more and more english
It worked (well, still learning but hey )

I am totally positive that your "little princess" will absolutly enjoy the trip and that she´ll have the time of her life anyway!
Go for it and you´ll see!!

Just keep talking to her and translate a lot and she will have a lot of enthusiasm to learn it herself

HAVE FUN, this is what the "world" is all about!!

 

[floridianer]

sorry...
double post!

 

[Reto]

Another non-native English speaker here (I grew up speaking Swiss-German), but understand and speak English pretty well.

I completely agree with floridianer. Treat WDW as a fun way (if not THE funniest way on earth) for your child to learn some English words. Sooner or later, she'll have to learn it anyway, so why not making a first, simple start here.

I might also help that she knows, that some characters have different names in their original, English version. I think Mickey is called "Topolino" in Italy - is that correct?

Anyway, you and your daughter will have fun there. She doesn't have to understand English to find that first look of Cinderella Castle magical. Be sure to watch the Dream Along with Mickey Show in front of the castle with her. Sure, it's in English, but it's with a lot of dancing and even some little fireworks effects. Seeing how Mickey, Minnie, and all the Princes & Princesses dance will keep her busy enough.

And, meeting the characters is no less fun in that case. Do that!As others have said, just stay right next to your child, help translate a bit if necessary, and you'll be just fine. The characters are used to non-English speaking folks and you'll be amazed how fun that is even without a lot of words. Perhaps you may even get an autograph book for your child.

WDW is the most visited place on earth and therefore, there are many other non-English speakers.

Have a Magical Time there.

 

[Alby]

Another thought: can Kidcot stations and AK Discovery Club be fun for non - English speakers?
Of course the storytelling would not be interesting, but is there enough to do with arts and crafts, or passport stamping, to keep them interested?
Thanks again!

 

[TillyMarigold]

I agree, that would probably make everyones day Those that speak / are from Italy would love it and your child I'm sure would get a huge grin when someone spoke to him in Italian

Also, when interacting with cast members, look at their tags and they will show if they speak other languages too! Could run into an italian speaker anywhere in the 'world'

I don't think Disney tests for Italian. When I was a CM, the languages they tested (and gave language pins) for were Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Japanese, and American Sign Language. Although I was approved for Spanish, French, and Portuguese; and the Italian tourists and I could understand each other well enough.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I can speak to the experience of traveling to France's Disney park speaking minimal French. I was accompanied by an older child who also didn't speak French at all. We had a blast. Mind, we are rather familiar with WDW, so that was perhaps a significant advantage, but it really wans't very hard to get the gist of most attractions. France's Disney has some things in English, but many things are in French. WDW is much bigger than France's two parks. If your daughter knows many DIsney characters, she'll be well on her way.

Antoher hidden benefit of that trip was that it REALLY motivated my nephew to WANT to learn French (and Italian, but his school only offered French to his age group.) Before that trip, he saw little point in learning a second language, but after he was really motivated. He even learned some words, and got a sense of the sound of both languages.

One disappointment on that trip for him was a castle we saw in Italy in/near Aosta. As Americans, we were encouraged to see the tour at a certain time of day, so we all thought the tour would be in English. My nephew was super excited to see a real castle and to ask questions. He was crestfallen when the whole tour was in Italian, and the tour guide spoke no English. That was really the only time he had a near meltdown. So it can happen. Unlike my nephew, your daughter probably has minimal reading skills, so that may be a small disadvantage.

Even though I don't speak Italian, I do have some basic understanding of Spanish. With just that, I was able to understand much of what the guide said, and quietly give him the gist of the tour. He did end up enjoying it after he got over his disappointment. So disappointments CAN happen, but they weren't our typical experience (to be fair, we did encounter a good number of folks who spoke English.)

Both of us found we were able to pick up on some basic Italian words in just a few days. Young children are especially spongy when it comes to picking up new languages. It will probably help to try and teach her a few basic English words before she goes. It may help also if you are able to find a few familiar sights and/or foods while in WDW. In America, I rarely go to McDonalds, but in Europe, there was something very comforting for both of us about being able to get a Big Mac. It was also great fun to see the menu in a different languages. If you will have a car, including a trip to McDonald's (if your daughter knows McD's) would probably be helpful. (there is on on WDW property, and a huge one up towards Universal Studios) Likewise, I'd consider a dinner at the Italian place in Epcot. You may find it not at all like Italy, but perhaps some menu items will be familiar. At the very least, cast members in that pavillion will all speak Italian.

I do feel the need to relate that a French-speaking Canadian guest recently posted here about her daughter having some difficulties in WDW, but she sort of came off as though she expected cast members to be all be French speakers, which is not the case in America. Many, perhaps most Americans, are truly monolingual. Some Americans can be quite resistant to learning a second language. She kind of got an earful from some DISers. (I'm not taking sides, just reporting)


I say this with some slight hesitation, but although Italian is not very present at WDW, Spanish is fairly prevalent. I know this is an area of some sensativity, and that Italian is NOT the same as Spanish - BUT- as somemone who went to Italy with a rudimentary understanding of Spanish - I found I was able to appreciate the similarities. For that matter, I found my experience with Spanish was even of some help in understanding French. (not so much with German or Polish or Dutch...for German and Dutch, English and linguistics were much more useful.) I imagine that although your daughter is not as strong a reader as I am, her understanding of Italian is probably FAR greater than my mastery of Spanish.

Sadly, America is not nearly so multilingual as Europe (even in it's signage). It should be more multilungual in my opinion. Nevertheless, I do think your daughter will have fun. While some things may be a challenge for her; she may well also come away with a motivation to learn English, as our trip motivated my nephew.

I'd also like to say that Living with the Land has actually always been a well-liked attraction among the children in our family. Maybe they are odd kids, but they get a big kick out of seeing banana trees, giant lemons, and the animatronic lanscape scenes. I also think the slow pace will be helpful in giving you a chance to translate. We even took the backstage gardening tour with two small kids once. It was over an hour long and they loved nearly every minute.

Ooh, one thing the kids like to do on the Land ride is search for hidden Mickeys. That may well also be a fun thing for your daughter to do. All over WDW are Mickey patterns (Two small circles intersecting a large one). They are carved on the backs of chairs, hidden in murals, hiddne in the pattern of your resort bedspread, tucked into metal scroll work, carved into rocks, etc. You don't need to understand English to find them. (there is also hidden Mickey guidebook you can buy.)

 

[ougrad86]

I think Jungle Cruise would be fine - I don't think 5 yr olds would get those puns anyway. And you can talk quietly to him and point out all the animals, and it is a fun boat ride that goes behind the waterfall!

I think only the shows might be problematic, but as some posters have said, it's Disney! Singing is beautiful in any language, and the dancing and colors are fun to watch. The characters are familiar.Philharmagic is great, hardly any talking at all. And if you meet with a face character be sure to mention quietly she does not speak English.

She is at a good age to start learning another language. Children pick up so much at this age. Try reading her Disney picture books in English (with lots of pictures). Teach her some words here and there, incorporate it into everyday life. Picking up a few Disney movies or albums and letting her play or listen would also help.

And I agree with the poster that mentioned taking her to Italy. She would love to speak to someone else in her native language. Considering they have Italian at Epcot, odd that they do not have a translation device in Italian. Maybe you could query them as if you do not know, and perhaps if enough people ask for it they would add it to their lineup!

 

[Alby]

Mickeyluv'r, I really thank you for the time you've taken to explain all this to me, it is great food for thought!
Actually, it is absolutely true that Spanish and Italian are similar (grammars are different, though, or so I am told...) so no offence taken , and maybe Spanish translations could be a good idea.

It is also true that the trip could encourage DD to learn English! Actually I was thinking about an English course for her (she is 4 now, and this is the age they can start language courses in my hometown)... not for the trip, just because it seems to me she learns so fast at this age!

About looking for familiar food and surroundings, we'll see: she's a chicken as far as rides go, but very adventurous in trying new food.
She's never been in a McDonalds or eaten fast food, so that wouldn't be familiar, but maybe Italian food could be. As you say, most of it is not so similar to ours, but simple pasta can be the solution if an emergency arises!

Thank you again, it was also very nice to near about your trip in Europe. I hope you have enjoyed all of it!

 

[Alby]

She is at a good age to start learning another language. Children pick up so much at this age. Try reading her Disney picture books in English (with lots of pictures). Teach her some words here and there, incorporate it into everyday life. Picking up a few Disney movies or albums and letting her play or listen would also help.

ougrad86, we have written about our ideas on her starting learning English at the same time!
Thanks a lot for your suggestions as well