This was an entertaining read - A Disney fan complaining about the park's "wokeness"

I’ve been there where it feels like everyone commenting is on one side and I’m on the other. It’s not a good feeling. You know we (me!) love having you here, and I for one love seeing people post from all sides. I hope that people who have a different viewpoint maybe make you think a little harder about your views - I know it has that effect on me. I don’t necessarily change my mind, but it helps me understand where folks are coming from.

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I don’t think people like this ever do any self-reflection, unfortunately.

I heard a really powerful interview on the disunplugged recently with a man who’s a huge fan of Disney and an African American (he actually played Aaron Burr in Hamilton on Broadway)-who talked very movingly about how it feels to look at things like Plantation themed resorts on property through his eyes. I love Splash Mountain, Jungle Cruise, Tiki room, but man, my nostalgia and enjoyment sure doesn’t outweigh someone’s experience like that.

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This. :100:

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I think that we also need to keep in mind that Walt Disney was a VERY flawed man, and people like this guy complaining that we need to “return to the values and vision of Walt Disney” REALLY need to do their research.
I love Disney Parks, but I also know that Mr. Disney was in some ways a product of his time and he had some leanings that I don’t support. Many of his political leanings were downright fascist. He DIDN’T pay women equally or treat them equally in the workplace.
Time moves on, and we grow (at least I hope we do) and change and Disney Parks should too.

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I had a conversation with a childhood friend of mine recently on how she never took her daughter to WDW simply because when we went as teens with school she had fun, but she just remembered being surrounded by so much whiteness, and where any person of color was featured they were usually nameless or the butt of a joke.

After that conversation the whitewashedness of American Adventure actually made me kind of angry last week, especially since I was already reflecting on how Euro-centric Spaceship Earth is, despite thanking the Phoenicians. I mean, how can you have a history of Earth without mentioning the ancient civilizations in southeast Asia?

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People like this guy praise those aspects of Disney’s personality.

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That’s what worries me. When people pull this kind of thing, I think it’s important to point out what they’re really saying.

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I, too, love to hear dissenting viewpoints on things, because it helps me see things from other perspectives. @Nikkipoooo’s friend and the author of the original article would see things very differently, I’m sure. I also like to see where I can agree with someone, because that is a place we can start a conversation. I, too, am sad to see these rides change. Not because I think Disney is wrong to change them, but because I am nostalgic about them. I am used to them. Just like I am sad that Mr. Toad is gone (my kids all know him, too!). But, we have to recognize that things don’t stay the same and adapt. And ask ourselves, “why are they changing?” and reflect on that.

We also should recognize that a lot of bad things happened as this country was built (and still do) and we have never really come to grips with it. I do hope things change and change for the better.

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I think about this too. Every time.

My daughter - who is not white - commented how much whiter Disney was compared to Universal when we were just there. I don’t think she felt uncomfortable, but she definitely noticed.

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Do you mean the rides, representation on the rides or who was in the park, aka guests? B/c whenever we visit the DDs in Iowa we notice how few ppl of color we see there.

Hmm… as a person who considers my Christianity to be the strongest foundation of my entire life and how I live it, this article frustrated me for a number of personal reasons.

But personal reasons aside, Disney has a right to do this. The money from the business they are losing (apparently this guy) for adding inclusivity will not make a dent in their bottom line. This is capitalism. Private company, private right to do what they want with it. And republicans strongly support capitalism, right? Is it a double standard that this conservative Republican has a problem with this then?

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Republicans abandoned classical conservatism on social issues a LONG time ago. For people who supposedly want small government to mind its own business, they sure care a lot about legislating what other people do (consenting adults causing no harm to others).

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Not so much about this article, more about the new policy - is there any kind of “decency” clause about the tattoos? I have no problem with tattoos, I have a couple myself, but I’m wondering if they’ve addressed the fact that it’s possible for tattoos to not be kid-friendly?

*I know we don’t all agree on what is and isn’t offensive - I’m talking about NC17 type stuff…nudity, foul language, etc…

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Yes. They cannot have nudity, curse words, or racist/sexist/etc images

Also they cannot be on the neck or face

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Yes, there are restrictions on offensive material. I can probably find the exact wording.

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Thanks!

ETA - The guidelines are actually much more restrictive than I was expecting given the backlash :woman_shrugging:

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I will preface with saying I don’t mean this in a disparaging way at all, but for a while I was fairly certain a Subway restaurant near me REQUIRED face and neck tattoos because every employee had them. :joy:

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Sadly… it might have been the only place they could get a job w/ face, neck tattoos. There is some pretty good makeup out there that can cover up stuff.

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