S24 Performance of Children's Literature

CASD 1717 – Spring 2024

Disney Re-visited

For many years Disney films were only released in movie theatres, both in their original debut and then in rereleases (For example, Bambi was first released in 1942, and then again, in 1947, 1957, 1966, 1975, 1982, and 1988.) At the tail end of the 1980s, new VCR technology allowed Disney to release home video editions. Through the next decades and technology changes (DVD, etc.) the Disney company followed a marketing strategy of only releasing a film for a short time from their ‘vault’ for viewers to purchase for their homes. This meant that it was sometimes impossible to get a particular film for regular viewing.

Streaming services (and the internet more generally) fundamentally changed people’s expectations of how these movies could be accessed. First on other services and then on Disney Plus, many animated films are regularly and easily available for audiences. One argument that has been made about this is that it has in some ways unmoored these films (and other films and tv programs) from a clear sense of the position that they were in historically. In other words, when a film was being re-released, or let out from the vault, you knew that it was reflective of a different period in which it was created. When everything is available all the time that sense of historicity is distorted.

Adding Warnings

Several streaming companies, including Disney, have chosen to put content warnings on some of these films.

This is what it looks like on Disney Plus for Peter Pan.

On first accessing the film, the details/content warning is not what you first see.

If you click on details you get the following:

This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together.

Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe.

To learn more about how stories have impacted society, please visit
www.disney.com/StoriesMatter

Other companies have followed suit or gone further, for example Warner Brothers added a 4 minute video about the racist depictions to be found in Gone With the Wind when returning it to streaming.

Immersion

Disney has offered commitments to building more inclusion within their theme packs.

Explore Re-working and updating in Disney Parks

Take a look at some of the different changes that Disney has made over the last decades.

Updating the Jungle Cruise

The Jungle Cruise was an original opening day attraction at Disneyland. It features a boat journey through major world rivers.

Post-Covid, Disney made small but crucial alterations to change how the ride depicted native peoples.

Disneyland’s Canoes

Read More:

https://www.yesterland.com/burningcabin.html

Today: The Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes

Splash Mountain

This ride in both Disneyland and Disney World has been around for 30 years and just closed last year for a new rethinking to retheme the story to “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.” It will remain the same in Tokyo Disneyland.

The ride was based on Song of the South, a Disney film considered among its most racist. The film (and ride) feature well-known songs like “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah.”

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is schedule to open sometime this summer. As of April 2024 it is in test runs.

Disneyland and Disney World to remake Splash Mountain with ‘Princess and the Frog’ theme
Read more about the new ride

This video talks about the animatronics that fill this ride as well as other attractions.

Other Changes

What do you think of these efforts? Is it enough? Too much?

Go Back to the doctor
Wrapping it Up

Comments

22 responses to “Disney Re-visited”

  1. Renee Montperous Avatar
    Renee Montperous

    Disney stands out because to its unique and impressive efforts. The attempts demonstrate their never-ending goal of creating the most dynamic rides and lifelike canoeing experience possible.

    Reply
  2. Crisbely Inoa Veras Avatar
    Crisbely Inoa Veras

    I appreciate the efforts that they are making to make Disney more inclusive and even more attractive through their expansive theme parks but I do think it’s too much for me personally.

    Reply
  3. Revette Hinkson Avatar
    Revette Hinkson

    I like the changes that Disney is making. They are moving in a are positive direction, but what I think that is more important would be for these efforts to be uniformed across all of its parks. From the videos I’ve viewed, I believe that the changes that they are making is enough and not necessarily too much. My reason being that there is a vast array of different cultures across the world, and so many different communities that are in need of certain accommodations, so I do commend them for making an effort to make their parks inclusive.

    Reply
  4. Natasha Marques Avatar
    Natasha Marques

    I appreicate the effort that disney is doing to be more inclusive and show people the changes they are willing to make. Disney has been making a effort to include more diverse characters and stories in their park attractions, entertainment, and merchandise. This allows visitors from all backgrounds to see themselves represented in the parks and fosters a sense of inclusion and belonging.

    Disney becoming more inclusive is not only a reflection of the diverse world we live in, but also a way to promote positive social change and create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all.

    I don’t think its too much, what matters is they are recognizing the problem and trying to change it.

    Reply
  5. Cheyenne La Fritz Avatar
    Cheyenne La Fritz

    I think these efforts are the bare minimum when addressing topics of racism and the problematic past of these films. I think Disney Plus should have a warning as soon as you click on the movie or show you wish to watch. Having it only in the description isn’t enough because most people would not click on that. Many people would miss the warning because it is something that you need to seek instead of something that is shown before the start of the program. This feels like Disney is trying to hide its history while trying to minimize their involvement by having a warning in the description. I think what the Warner Brothers did was a good way of addressing the racist depictions in the movie by actually putting it in the movie. This way the audience knows exactly what they are being warned about and know what to expect. I’ve never been to any of the Disney parks so these changes only seem positive to me. I remember when they first made changes there was a lot of outrage from Disney Adults who couldn’t accept the fact that there were changes being made. I think the attempt to make the park more welcoming by removing the controversial themes to the rides is a good effort. They could put on the website why these changes were made to bring awareness to the decisions being made and the history of the park. They could of course do more and actually educate those who are unaware of why these issues are problematic. More can always be done and progress never stops.

    Reply
  6. Basamat Hamdan Avatar
    Basamat Hamdan

    I think Disney can do more by making the content advisory on the front page rather than under “details.” I don’t think many really check the details section, so it kind of feels like they’re putting it there just so people can’t criticize them, but not actually taking accountability. It would feel much more genuine if it was on the front page. Secondly, I do like that issues such as racism are being tackled with. This is long overdue, so it’s definitely a change in the right direction. There is always more to do and fix to promote inclusivity, but I can see that the effort is there. I just hope it is coming from a genuinely caring standpoint rather than one that is just trying not to be cancelled.

    Reply
  7. Martina Arriola Avatar
    Martina Arriola

    I think Disney Plus should give a heads-up to viewers about any racist clips in movies and shows before they watch them. Just putting a warning in the description doesn’t cut it; most people won’t even read it. For instance, Warner Brothers did an excellent job by giving the warning inside the movie itself, so viewers know what they’re getting into. I’ve never been to any Disney parks, but it’s cool that they’re taking out the controversial matters from their rides and attractions to make them more welcoming and making them more diverse for today’s society. However, telling visitors why they made these changes would be even better.

    Reply
  8. Badra Ahmad Avatar
    Badra Ahmad

    I think the efforts by Disney to update attractions like the Jungle Cruise and Splash Mountain are commendable steps towards addressing outdated and potentially offensive portrayals. By reimagining these rides to be more inclusive and culturally sensitive, Disney is acknowledging the need for change and striving to create a more inclusive and respectful experience for all visitors. While some may argue that more could be done, these updates show significant progress towards modernizing these attractions.

    Reply
  9. Hanan Almoflihi Avatar
    Hanan Almoflihi

    i heard about splash mountain being closed but i never knew why they were doing it. i think these efforts are good in nature however i think it’s important for companies to be open about why they are making these changes. we cannot erase the past so they should acknowledge their mistakes and efforts.

    Reply
  10. Aya Ibrahim Avatar
    Aya Ibrahim

    I think that these efforts are necessary, and that considering they have a huge platform and are well-funded FROM these projects and contributors that are problematic it is quite literally the least that they can do. I still think that there is more to be done honestly, and that they should continue to not only add warnings but make more acknowledgements and revisions to how the media and works are put out. Furthermore, I think that they should actually take the initiative to continue to create works that aim to highlight and celebrate diversity and feature POC in a respectful and responsible manner.

    Reply
  11. Hasiena Madramootoo Avatar
    Hasiena Madramootoo

    What do you think of these efforts? Is it enough? Too much?

    The effect that Disney is making it a great step into a acknowledging that there’s changes needs to be made, but also these changes could have been done much earlier than now but it’s still a great effect.

    Reply
  12. Marissa Acosta Avatar
    Marissa Acosta

    It took some time, but I think the efforts are worth it and set the tone for the future of Disney and other companies. Representation is important, and I think it’s great that these changes are being implemented.

    Reply
  13. Ekaterini Fasarakis Avatar
    Ekaterini Fasarakis

    I think Disney has made efforts to alter its past movies containing racist scenes with characters. This change is long overdue as they should’ve made these edits a while ago. I acknowledge Disney for making these changes as they are trying to fix their reputation as inclusive to all.

    Reply
  14. hannah xhani Avatar
    hannah xhani

    What do you think of these efforts? I love Disney as a child, but also i think that the warning should be prominently displayed before the program begins, rather than requiring us to actively seek it out. It feels as though Disney is attempting to conceal its history.
    Is it enough? Disney could enhance transparency by explaining the reasons behind these changes on their website, shedding light on the decisions made and the park’s history. They could take steps to educate those unaware of why these issues are problematic.

    Reply
  15. Juliana Moreno Duran Avatar
    Juliana Moreno Duran

    All I have to say is “better late than never”. They seem to be taking responsibility for the harm they caused, and that’s something that i personally appreciate. I have never been and hopefully this is the year!

    Reply
  16. Milen Bekis Avatar
    Milen Bekis

    Even though I think the efforts they are trying to make are very commendable, I think it is a little too much. Not too much in the sense that they should be doing less, because I think they could be doing more and this is just the bare minimum. But, in the sense that they are making it such a big deal they are fixing all of this when this should not have been a problem in the first place. Disney is supposed to be a magical place for children and even adults. It is supposed to bring everyone together. But how are they setting such an example for children that they create racist rides like Tiana’s Bayou Adventure? Disney has been around for 30 years. It took them 30 years to change all of this?

    Reply
  17. Jennifer F. Angel Avatar
    Jennifer F. Angel

    Disney’s efforts are at the bare minimum, they chose to censor what might get them into legal trouble it seems. I think that having a content warning is important and getting rid of problematic rides is a good start. Accountability from the roots of the problematic scenes that are depicted in these movies and rides is important because it shows the honesty of a brand. Disney world/land is supposed to be the “happiest place on earth” but that is not the case for minority groups. They have often been depicted as strange or as the villain. If showing these movies to children and censoring the racism in the movie is kinda giving the parent a chance to share their childhood, now it’s up to the parent to disclose that the movie or ride is problematic. But what worries me now is the possibility of hate crimes happening in these parks and movie theaters. I remember when the role of Ariel in live action version of The Little Mermaid was revealed to be Hailey Bailey a black woman and the internet went wild. A lot of online racist attacks to the actress shocked me because she is a talented woman and if she got that role then she was gonna create a stellar performance. Just because she wasn’t white like the original movie it upset a lot of people. On the other hand, it was amazing to see a woman of color on the screen playing an iconic role! I saw videos of little black girls so happy to see themselves on the screen.

    Reply
  18. Dionisia Payamps Avatar
    Dionisia Payamps

    What do you think of these efforts? Is it enough? Too much?

    it seems that the transition to streaming services like Disney Plus has made Disney films more accessible, but it risks diminishing their historical context and significance. While it’s convenient to have these movies available at any time, the periodic release strategy from the Disney vault added a sense of anticipation and nostalgia, preserving the historical context of each film’s release. Finding a balance between accessibility and preserving this historical context is important for maintaining the integrity of these beloved classics.

    Reply
  19. Vanessa Alamo Avatar
    Vanessa Alamo

    I can appreciate Disney’s attempt to fix things and make improvements, but they should now cover and forget the past educating and learning is important it’s a great message for Disney lovers of all ages.

    Reply
  20. Quesia Cruz Avatar
    Quesia Cruz

    I think the efforts Disney is making is enough and they actually continue to do so, I have been in Disney and I can say their customer service is amazing, they are trained to be great to people and also the rides and everything they have been making changes to it’s impressive. I love Disney.

    Reply
  21. Obeed Ahmed Avatar
    Obeed Ahmed

    believe that these initiatives are essential, and that it is literally the least they can do given their large platform, generous funding, and problematic contributors from these programs. Although the improvements Disney is implementing are a terrific first step toward realizing that they are necessary, they should have been made much sooner. Nevertheless, the impact is still positive.

    Reply
  22. Ashley Arely Vila Avatar
    Ashley Arely Vila

    What do you think of these efforts? Is it enough? Too much?

    I feel like I can understand what Disney is trying to do and I appreciate it. Sometimes larger platforms just delete old offensive content and pretend like it never happened but Disney is trying to own up to the fact that, yes, they did create this and yes, it was offensive. I also feel like they could do a little more.

    Reply

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