What's for boys in the "new" fantasyland?

[Indiana Rose Lee]

We love Universal! And, Winnie the Pooh went to the girls when they gave Christopher Robin a sex change.

 

[Experiment_626]

I have to wonder for those who don't think of any of the existing lands as for boys, what a boy area would look like?

Maybe like Pleasure Island from Pinocchio, with fighting and pool halls and such?

SSB

 

[crazycatlady]

I don't know who would be more excited about a Star Wars character meal... my DDs or ME!!

You got it right there. Our whole family loves the Star Wars movies. However, I have not made the jump to Star Wars Geek like DH and DS. They know all the minor characters, planets, etc. and can say whole sentences that even a Star Wars lover like myself can't understand.

I guess my thoughts on the boy/girl thing at MK is this: I think that of all the parks the MK is geared towards the young and the young at heart. Adults without kids ride on what in other nonDisney parks would be kids rides (Pooh, etc.) and are thrilled to have their picture taken with costumed characters. I don't consider Pooh, PP, IASW, Philharmagic, Dumbo or teacups girl oriented and they will all still be in Fantasyland.

 

[~Kik-Kik~]

I sense a new topic that should not be brought up...

DIsney does not genderfy their attractions for the most part, and when they do it's obvious (BBB an the Pirate thing). There is not a "boy" ride and a "girl" ride. Rides are geared to families and are unisexed. THis land is the same way. It is a Fairytale expantion, expanding on Cinderella, Dumbo, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, the Little Mermaid, Winnie the Pooh, and some twisted version of Neverland.

The only land that is out right themed FOR girls is Pixie Hallow, which should have been Neverland with a area where you "shrink to the size of a fairy". Other that that it's a fairytale theme, which WDW never has had before. These stories are what Disney is and if it's done with god money, expect something far more than meet and greets and as princessland.

 

[elleherself]

I really do think they missed the mark making the Pixie Hollow area so large. Really the "cleaning up" of Tinkerbell annoys the woman in me. Where's spunky devious Tink who was ready to sell out Miss Priss Wendy to Captain Hook? The sparkly pretty fairy area is really hard to swallow.

I would love a Never Never Land themed area in MK, I think it would fit seamlessly into the new Fantasyland, and it would appeal equally to both genders of kids. It would also work well with an adjacent Tink meet and greet.

I know Peter Pan meet and greets are mostly done in Adventure Land, but Fantasyland is where their ride is.

 

[AJA]

With Disney purchasing Marvel I hope we will see a ton of boy themed attractions in the future.

 

[mmmears]

I really do think they missed the mark making the Pixie Hollow area so large. Really the "cleaning up" of Tinkerbell annoys the woman in me. Where's spunky devious Tink who was ready to sell out Miss Priss Wendy to Captain Hook? The sparkly pretty fairy area is really hard to swallow.

I would love a Never Never Land themed area in MK, I think it would fit seamlessly into the new Fantasyland, and it would appeal equally to both genders of kids. It would also work well with an adjacent Tink meet and greet.

I know Peter Pan meet and greets are mostly done in Adventure Land, but Fantasyland is where their ride is.

I really like your idea!!! I like the original Tink, too, plus the whole Peter Pan theme truly would appeal to many kids!

 

[wdwphile]

My daughters are 25 and 22. Our first trip to Disney was when they were 7 and 4, and last year was our 10th trip. I never realized there were boys and girls rides/attractions at Disney until I read this thread! I don't think my DDs did either. We've enjoyed just about every ride/attraction in each park, and never once did I hear my daughters even hint that they thought a particular ride or attraction was geared towards boys. They love it all!

Boys and girls can dream of becoming astronauts, race car drivers, explorers, cowboys/cowgirls, pirates or pirate wannabes (ie. Keira Knightly!), Presidents, and Princes or Princesses.

But even if they do not dream of being one of the above, I don't think it will keep them from enjoying a particular themed attraction. It's not just about rides or attractions being geared towards your particular gender or interest. It's Disney - there's something for everyone! Just enjoy the overall experience.

 

[jiminyfan]

What's for boys in the Fantasy Land now? Face it Fantasy land has always been for girls and small children.

HHHmmmmm....the last time I checked my son was considered a child, at least to me. Most boys I think are still considered children.


I have to agree with the others and so does my son, Disney is definitely girl focused.

 

[tnd]

Being a mom to boys I do not understand the thinking that villians are a boys interest.

Thank you for saying this! I was saying the same thing to my husband. The villains are not really appealing to my son at 4 (though I do love some of them). And I really don't like the idea that boys naturally like "bad" characters. But then, I have a lot of issues with society's current characterization of boys in general.

I think the issue is there is so much that appeals to both genders in the rest of the park (I don't think of the other lands as for boys, just more neutral), but making Fantasyland really Princess-centric will diminish the appeal for boys. Luckily my son is tall enough to ride the bigger rides now, so we can just avoid FL in the future, unless we have a girl next time, I guess.

 

[PrincessKara22]

As a 24-year-old childless woman I am so excited to hear about the new additions to fantasyland! I think this is a basic outline of what we can expect and, like with everything Disney, there will be a lot of surprises along the way--including attractions that will appeal as much to boys as to girls. I've always thought that even though there is a castle, merchandise, and meals there really weren't any real princess attractions so I'm excited to go to aurora's cottage and ride the ariel ride. But it would be cool if they gave The Emperor's New Groove more attention (after all it has dvd follow ups and a tv show) or at least had the characters in the park!
I had so much fun a few weeks ago in the pixie hollow with the fairies that I'm excited to see a real full size immersive pixie hollow environment but it should be never never land WITH a pixie hollow portion especially because I always felt that Peter Pan & the lost boy's house would be the coolest place to hang out. And I'd like to lay around in the sun being *****y with the never never land mermaids too!

 

[Alice28]

Fantasyland is based on Fairy Tales.

Most Fairy Tales Disney has made movies from, include Princesses.

Makes sense to me! I think the plans look awesome- I'm so excited to see it!

Mom of 2 boys and 1 girl here! My kids never have a problem finding stuff to buy at Disney. I do agree they should do a boy character meal of some sorts. But enough with the genderizing!!!!

 

[PrincessKara22]

I was just thinking though that it is a shame that there won't be Princess & The Frog and Rapunzel attractions as by the time the section opens those will be released

 

[badblackpug]

I don't get the gender thing either. My kids, boys and girls, love all the rides. They don't see anything as a "boys ride" or a "girls ride." That being said, for those of you that think the new Fantasyland is going to be too "girly," remember as a PP said, Disney just bought Marvel, so expect some superhero themed stuff in the future, and for those of you that read the press release they are building a Cars themed area in California. I suspect that will be in the future for WDW if it is a success.

 

[kaligal]

I don't get the gender thing either. My kids, boys and girls, love all the rides. They don't see anything as a "boys ride" or a "girls ride." That being said, for those of you that think the new Fantasyland is going to be too "girly," remember as a PP said, Disney just bought Marvel, so expect some superhero themed stuff in the future, and for those of you that read the press release they are building a Cars themed area in California. I suspect that will be in the future for WDW if it is a success.

The boys have already ridden super-hero stuff at Uni. We've done the Spider-Man ride, the Hulk, etc. Spider-Man is a great ride, no doubt about it. But how many super hero things does Disney think we need?

The fact that Disney is now copying what Uni has already done is also disappointing. It's as if they've said, "Well, we have no idea what to do. We'll just do what they did."

Has Disney just completely run out of ideas and creativity? Must they steal from and copy off Uni???

So, yeah, Disney will have super heros. And I'm sure they won't kill anyone. And the Disney bad guys will only be a little bad, anyway, so the super heros won't have to do anything like hurt or kill them.

But couldn't Disney do something new and different that isn't girl or little kid centered???????

 

[CursedCarolers]

Princesses and Fairies are very girly things. Everything else that everyone keeps quoting as "boy" things are all (in this day and age) very gender neutral. It's weird how it turned out like that.

I will say as a younger boy, I did enjoy Princess based attractions and movies...However, I dreaded meeting princesses. I would blush and my heart would sink and I couldn't wait for the picture to be taken and done with.

I think many shy boys will indeed dread these interaction based attractions. Those who are too outgoing to care will enjoy it either way because it's Disney World.

EVERYONE will love Little Mermaid, that I'm sure of.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

My daughters are 25 and 22. Our first trip to Disney was when they were 7 and 4, and last year was our 10th trip. I never realized there were boys and girls rides/attractions at Disney until I read this thread! I don't think my DDs did either. We've enjoyed just about every ride/attraction in each park, and never once did I hear my daughters even hint that they thought a particular ride or attraction was geared towards boys. They love it all!

I thought we'd moved beyond the gender thing. Boys and girls can be astronauts, race car drivers, explorers, cowboys/cowgirls, pirates, or pirate wannabes (ie. Keira Knightly!), Supreme Court Justices, Presidents (almost Hillary!), and Princes or Princesses.

Even if they do not dream of becominbg one of the above, I don't think it precludes them from enjoying a themed attraction. It's not just about rides or attractions being geared towards your particular gender or interest. It's Disney - there's something for everyone! Just enjoy the overall experience.

You don't have boys. Girl stuff is girl stuff. There are innate differences between boys and girls. Girls are encouraged to cross those lines, but most boys I've known would rather slit their wrists. There isn't anything wrong with boys like boy stuff. And it would be nice if Disney would keep that in mind.

Please keep in mind I said most boys, not all boys. And it is nice that girls can cross into the adventure and pirate stuff. That is a positive. However, it is like boy names, it sucks when they take them over!

 

[DisneyBabies]

I have a boy and a girl and although I do wish there were a few more things that were exciting instead of frilly (a character meal especially), I think what they are doing in Fantasyland fits in perfectly with that area of the park.

A lot of people are complaining about this, but other than the idea of having a Neverland area (which I LOVE by the way ), no one has put forth an idea of anything else to put in fantasyland instead of the princesses, so I have a question for all of you. Keeping in mind that the expansion is for FANTASYLAND and any new attractions, rides, etc. have to fit with the FANTASYLAND theme, what would you expect Disney to put in FANTASYLAND instead of princesses/princes and fairies?

And don't the Marvel hero's already have a park? I was sure they did. Isn't it called . . . uummm . . . what was the name of that place again . . . you know what I'm talking about . . . wasn't it called something like UNIVERSAL? Isn't one universal enough?

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

Do you always scream? How about Pinnochio (DL's is a blast). Robin Hood. The Sword in the Stone. (not the crappy 10 minute program.) Mickey and Minnie aren't exactly real. Goofy and Max? The Lost Boys? All are appealing to boys, all are fantasy.

 

[DisneyBabies]

Do you always scream?

I'm very sorry. I did not mean for it to seem as if I was screaming. I made that part bigger because I have asked specific questions before and the specific part of the question was ignored and the general part of my question was answered. I was simply trying to make sure my specific question wasn't overlooked. It won't happen again.

How about Pinnochio (DL's is a blast). Robin Hood. The Sword in the Stone. (not the crappy 10 minute program.) Mickey and Minnie aren't exactly real. Goofy and Max? The Lost Boys?

But what would you do with these characters? Meet-n-greet areas? Rides? I don't know anything about DL, so I'm not sure what the Pinnochio thing is, but I will look it up. I am trying to find out from those that don't like the princess/prince changes what they would consider to be better plans. Not just the characters that could be used, but what they could be used for that would make fantasyland better for everyone.