Why was Dixie Landings converted to Port Orleans?

[G8r4evr]

I was just reading over a timeline of resort openings and found it odd that Dixie Landings was opended as an independent resort and then merged shortly thereafter....

 

[Trekker]

And that my friends is the $64,000.00 question!

 

[flyinglizard]

The name "Dixie Landings" was considered "offensive" to some minority groups, because of the reference to "Dixie". However, the suggestion of renaming the resort to "Uncle Toms Cabins" was rejected by Disney suits!

 

[JWG]

The hotels were independently operated at that time and with some of the events of the early 2000's and the attendance drop off the merged management of the hotels if I'm remembering correctly. They're now operated under the same management team/group and are names as such.

One of the two was actually closed following 9/11 for a period of time due to lack of tourist activity.

 

[robertsmom]

The name "Dixie Landings" was considered "offensive" to some minority groups, because of the reference to "Dixie". However, the suggestion of renaming the resort to "Uncle Toms Cabins" was rejected by Disney suits!

This was the explanation I got from a CM during my 2001 trip.

 

[flyinglizard]

However, those of us who refuse to bend under the pressures of being "politically correct", still refer to the resorts as "Dixie Landings" and the "Mansions"...

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I heard they changed due to being offensive too. While they did merge during the early 2000's and one was closed for a period just after 9/11 due to a drop in tourism, Disney also used this time to refurb it as well. PO-FQ was completely closed as well as some of the bldgs in DL's.

Buildg stopped over at Pop Century and has never resumed. There is an eyesore that ruins the view over the water at Pop, no one seems to know when they will ever resume that........yet DVC continues to build on. Disney's money is now going to timeshares instead of hotels. I guess that how they want the future vacationing guests to be.... owners not guests That way when a hurricane comes by and damages it, they can pass off the damages in forms of assesments for DVC and higher room fees for the hotels....

 

[MiaSRN62]

Buildg stopped over at Pop Century and has never resumed. There is an eyesore that ruins the view over the water at Pop, no one seems to know when they will ever resume that........yet DVC continues to build on. Disney's money is now going to timeshares instead of hotels. I guess that how they want the future vacationing guests to be.... owners not guests

I do believe the concept of DVC really took off and the demand is great enough so disney builds. But, keep in mind, noone has to be a DVC Member to stay at a DVC resort. Their are a good amount of rooms that disney retains for cash paying guests.

As to the Dixie Landings becoming POR/POFQ. I heard it was a budget thing too, due to a drop-off of reservations. I heard it wasn't cost effective to run them as two seperate resorts. The full service restaurant (the former Bon Familes) at the former Port Orleans resort (now POFQ) closed as well. Now guests staying at POFQ have to go to POR if they want a TS meal (Boatwrights).

 

[Snow_White]

Yet another victim of ridiculous political correctness. I stayed at DIXIE LANDINGS many times over the years and it's a beautiful resort.

 

[mgilmer]

Just another change wrought by the idiot Michael Eisner to appease his Hollywood liberal elite friends.

Yet another victim of ridiculous political correctness.

 

[eliza61]

However, those of us who refuse to bend under the pressures of being "politically correct", still refer to the resorts as "Dixie Landings" and the "Mansions"...

Disney is a business (why do people forget that) if bowing to politically correctness means they get the business of a wide population of people then that is what they will do. I did not stay at Dixie landings because as a minority (and a disney stockholder, who expects the company to maximize my investment) I found the plantation theme offensive.

 

[Sugardimples]

If something is offensive its not ridiculous to acknowledge that it is offensive and take action to correct it. Times change and as we become more aware that different references can hurt some people removing that source of hurt is the right thing to do.

 

[DJ Disney Kid]

Yer all wrong. It was changed because they knew we couldn't have two of the same abbreviations on the DIS.

DL - Disneyland
DL - Dixie Landings

 

[Lewisc]

The resorts were merged as budget issue. Some of the rating services require a TS restaurant in order to earn a particular *rating. Merging the resorts allowed Disney to close a TS restaurant and allowed them to get rid of some of the managers.

Most of us think "political correctness" is the reason the name Dixie Landings was dropped as part of the merger process.

I never gave the name much thought but it doesn't make sense for a business to keep a name that offends a number of potential customers.

 

[ElizabethB]

We still miss Bon Famille Cafe -- a wonderful creole and cajun restaurant at the French Quarter! I guess it was closed when the properties were merged.

As for the name change being Michael Eiser's liberal Hollywood idea -- where do people get this stuff? Give me a break!

Disney is a company. They want to encourage all people to come and enjoy what they have to offer and empty their pockets while they are there!

Disney is finally planning a animated feature with an African American heroine. It's about time! (I'm not African American by the way, but have friends who are. I'm not from Hollywood, but I try to not offend my friends if I can help it. Any reference to "Dixie" is, quite frankly, offensive. 'Nuff said.)

 

[Robert P]

Quote:
Originally Posted by flyinglizard
...The name "Dixie Landings" was considered "offensive" to some minority groups, because of the reference to "Dixie"....


"This was the explanation I got from a CM during my 2001 trip."



This was essentially the same information I received, from a CM as well, during one of my trips.

 

[drogerstn]

The name "Dixie Landings" was considered "offensive" to some minority groups, because of the reference to "Dixie"....

I didn't realize "yankees" made up a minority group

 

[eliza61]

Yer all wrong. It was changed because they knew we couldn't have two of the same abbreviations on the DIS.

DL - Disneyland
DL - Dixie Landings

 

[gk90]

I didn't realize "yankees" made up a minority group

"Yankees"?!? I don't see how you can overlook the issue of offensiveness to African Americans. I just found an interesting newspaper article about African American children refusing to sing "Dixie." Before anyone yells "political correctness," take a look at the original article--it's from 1901, an era hardly known for its politically correct sentiments.
http://dbs.ohiohistory.org/africanam/page1.cfm?ItemID=19536

Also here's another interesting article about responses to the song "Dixie" throughout history
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/mse/songs/model.html

 

[jcc0621]

Yer all wrong. It was changed because they knew we couldn't have two of the same abbreviations on the DIS.

DL - Disneyland
DL - Dixie Landings