Tower of Terror Float in the Rose Parade

[Beth]

Has anyone else ever associated the name of this ride with 9/11 and the WTC?

I guess since it was around so long before 9/11, I just never made the association...

http://www.sacbee.com/state_wire/story/8024714p-8960752c.html

 

[monarchsfan16]

i never associated the tower of terror with that and i had an aunt on one of the planes that hit the wtc...i guess these people have never heard of wdw before...

 

[KNWVIKING]

I never would have associated ToT to the 9/11 attack, but I also didn't lose a loved one in the tragady. I can understand Disney using this float in the parade, but it's still ashame it will bring back terrible memories for some.

 

[hopemax]

For those interested in seeing the float, HGTV is showing the Rose Parade without commercial interruptions starting at 8 AM PST/11 AM EST tomorrow.

 

[40plus]

Watching the parade live on hgtv they changed the name of the float but I did not catch what name they used. went to cbs and they were talking about the float and referring to it as the Tower of Terror. Have a happy New Year to all

 

[Bob O]

It makes no sense at all to associate a ride based on a hotel from the twi-light zone to terrorists flying a plane into a commerical office building. Some people are way to sensitive and are on the prowl looking to be offended!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[patsal]

Couldn't have said it better myself BobO. I think we have become a society that allows far too much sympathy for what "may" offend without being totally realistic. Until that article I never associated the two.

 

[DebbieB]

I never associated Tower of Terror with 9/11. Now if I saw a rerun of the Towering Inferno, I would.

 

[Twigs]

I never associated the two and don't think I ever would have!!! Maybe people who have never been to WDW and heard of the ride would think of that the first time they hear it, I guess that's the difference. But one look at it should show it is not even remotely connected.

 

[Xtine76]

I wouldn't have even thought of something like that, but I guess people who have never been to Disney might not have associated it with a theme park ride. The float was really cool though.

 

[KYMicky]

Sounds like the Sacremento Newspaper needs to get a life! Their article probably casued more people to think about the WTC attacks that the float did! Atleast not Disney will have a scapegoat (and potential lawsuit?) if attendance doesn;t pick up with ToT opens!!

 

[Another Voice]

It's just kinda of funny for a company that removed "Dixie" from a hotel's name and made their pirates chase plates of food to suddenly get on the high horse about not bowing to pressure about "sensitivity".

Disney itself discussed the idea about changing the attraction's name. I don't know about the rest of the country, but New Years was spent watching fighter jets circling overhead, breathless local news reports from LAX about security threats posed by incoming flights, reports of offices moving from tall buildings and the continuing aftershocks from the big quake a bit up north. I guess some people see things other don't.

As for the float (I only saw the parade's highlights) – considering the theme was "music" and the huge number of Disney songs that people know since childhood; considering that the Disney headquarters is just ten minutes down the freeway from the parade route, and considering all the other corporate floats that both followed the theme and were very beautiful… it's rather sad Disney chose to go with a somewhat tacky commercial for a local amusement park that Southern Californians dislike.

Why can't Disney simply be "Disney" and not a marketing machine anymore?

 

[exDS vet]

Originally posted by Another Voice
Why can't Disney simply be "Disney" and not a marketing machine anymore?

Ah! Finally some true words. Of course, you must remember that it's "synergy" not "marketing". You'd almost think Ei$ner made up the word. What's worse than walking through MGM Studios or the Hollywood Pictures backlot and seeing all of those pathetic billboards for the lousy ABC shows. Maybe they should call it the Nielsen Bottom 50 Backlot.

As for changing attraction names or attractions for that matter, I think Disney will be safe as long as they use the full name "Twilight Zone Tower of Terror" and keep the name of the hotel on the building.

Remember the pirate holding the dress of the woman in the barrel, with the woman popping out? Now the pirate is eating something and a cat is positioned on top of the barrel. Different cat for different times I guess.

I was upset when Disneyland became the DLR, and they almost renamed the park the "Magic Kingdom". It is only a nickname and I will lose it if that name sticks. Florida has the Magic Kingdom, and Disneyland is affectionately known as "The Happiest Place On Earth." I will lose it if this ever changes.

 

[jlima]

The float's title was called " A sudden drop in pitch", which I thought was a lame attempt to tie in their publicity for TOT with the "Music Music Music" theme of the parade.

Was in LA this past weekend, and went to Pasadena to see the floats on display. For some reason the mouse cut a deal with the Tournament of Roses, and their float was not on display in Pasadena; rather, it was brought to CA in Anaheim and put on display in the park!! The floats are only in Pasadena for 2 days after the parade and I overheard some grumbling about the float not being on display with the other 48 floats. Made it to CA on Sunday morning. The float was impressive.

 

[jlima]

Hasn't Disney always been a marketing machine . . . just less subtle now than in the past?

 

[Another Voice]

Actually it's even worse than the float not being on display - they actually left the parade route early (I heard they missed the last third) so they could get the float down to California Adventure. That is being taken as a worse snub than the display (the proceeds of which fund the parade and sereval charaties).

The change in the float's name was so last minute that several of the local commentaries mentioned it was called something different the night before (when they toured the floats). The one I listened to even mentioned that the title card on the monitor had to be wrong. Even within the dank confines of marketing there was an understanding of how poorly the float fit the parade.

Disney has always been pretty good at self promotion, but recent efforts smack of utter desperation. There was a time when Disney could sit back and simpy celebrate "Disney" and let the public just see the characters (if my memory serves, past Rose Parade floats centered around the characters). This year was such a bad and blatant attempt at a commerical; it was out of caracter for the nature of the parade. Image if General Motors had a float that was just a display of their new models.