Disneyland is jeered over ride restyling

[29yrswithaGApass]

From The LA Times:

 

Disneyland is jeered over ride restyling

Marc Martin / Los Angeles Times

Changes to the Small World ride are meant to help update and enrich the experience, but the son of ride designer Mary Blair says: "It just bastardizes the whole ride."

'It's a Small World' will showcase familiar faces instead of an anonymous cast of characters. The renovation, which some call a 'gross desecration,' sparks a preservation campaign.

 

By Kimi Yoshino, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

March 29, 2008

 

 

 

Disneyland's "Small World" will soon be getting a little more crowded.

 

The Anaheim amusement park is planning to add iconic Disney characters to the anonymous international cast of the beloved 'round-the-globe boat ride. The idea has sparked outrage among the family of the attraction's original designer and prompted a preservation campaign for the ride, which opened in 1966 and closed for renovations in January.

 

Walt Disney Co. isn't saying how many familiar characters will appear in the revamped ride or how prominent they will be. But relatives of artist and ride designer Mary Blair sent a blistering letter to Disney executives last week, berating what they called an "idiotic plan" that "represents a gross desecration of the ride's original theme."

 

"The ride itself is a classic ride," said Kevin Blair, the designer's son. "They should leave the ride the way it was with the children of the world and leave all the Disney characters out. It just bastardizes the whole ride."

 

Walt Disney Imagineering spokeswoman Marilyn Waters said a number of familiar characters would appear in "stylized" form in the overhauled ride and placed into appropriate countries. Mickey and Minnie Mouse are not part of the plan, she said.

 

The changes carry on Disney's tradition of "plussing" attractions, Waters said, and help enrich the storytelling and keep the experience relevant for future generations.

 

"No one approaches our classic attractions with more reverence than Disney Imagineers, who take great care when refreshing beloved attractions," Waters said, adding that the original intent and celebration of children will be "retained and strengthened."

 

Some fans of the original ride, however, fear the changes are a crass attempt by Disney to make the attraction more commercial and sell more plush toys, dolls and other products. Many are posting plots and pleas on savethe smallworld.com and other Disney-related sites.

 

"I'll sign any petition, wear any T-shirt or handcuff myself in a human chain to 'It's a Small World' in protest," wrote one fan. Another penned new lyrics to the ride's iconic song:

 

It's a world of franchise,

 

it's a world of fun

 

Piles of plush mean profit

 

for everyone

 

Wonder, Magic of Dream,

 

in our marketing scheme,

 

it's a mall world after all.

 

The criticism comes as Disney prepares to open its newest version of "It's a Small World" at Hong Kong Disneyland. Thirty-eight recognizable characters, old and new, will appear in the attraction: Aladdin and Jasmine, from the movie "Aladdin," will be in the Middle East; Woody and Jessie from "Toy Story" can be spotted in an expanded America section with the Golden Gate Bridge and Empire State Building. The song has also been modified, adding "familiar Disney melodies," Waters said.

 

The changes that will be made to the Anaheim ride won't mirror those in the one in Hong Kong, Waters said.

 

Ken Bruce, a former employee of Pixar Animation Studios, which Disney now owns, maintains a blog "for Imagineering and animation professionals to critique the current state of Disney theme parks."

 

He said the "It's a Small World" overhaul has sparked fierce debate about change and creativity. Most of the people contributing to his site want "Small World" kept in its original form.

 

"It's job No.1 right now as far as we're concerned," Bruce said.

 

"It's a Small World" is a "very cogent, carefully thought-out piece of thematic storytelling," Bruce added. "To think that Disney characters are going to invade the place and take away from the rightful stars -- the children of the world -- is really scary for us. It's Disney turning their backs on one of the classics and turning it into another marketing scheme."

 

Still, for all the outcry, Disney has successfully refurbished other attractions, including "Pirates of the Caribbean." Last summer, the Anaheim park added several lifelike animatronic Capt. Jack Sparrows -- played by Johnny Depp in the movies -- prompting complaints from purists.

 

But after the updated attraction opened, many fans grudgingly acknowledged that the lovable troublemaker had been seamlessly introduced and that the additions may make the ride more appealing to young park-goers who had seen the movies.

 

Of course, some park-goers who find "It's a Small World" dull and its song saccharinely repetitive and cloying say Disney can't do enough to change the attraction, which will reopen in November.

 

"What is the big deal?" one Disneyland fan wrote on Bruce's website. "The ride is old, sad and boring. "Disney: Tear the thing down and put in something more interesting please!"

 

kimi.yoshino@latimes.com

 

Times staff writer Brady MacDonald contributed to this report.

[JetsDevs4Lyf]

I have never ridden the Disneland version of this ride so I can't really have an opinion on this, but with it being the original ride design for something that has become such an icon of the Disney experience I think letting it be would probably work best.

[J4Sing]

We were discussing this same thing on the "Peace Through Understanding" forum, which is dedicated to the World's Fair.

It's a Small World made it's debut at the 1964 New York World's Fair, and after the fair closed, it was dismantled and brought to Disneyland. The folks at PTU are also quite disgusted with this change to the classic ride.

 

I have to sympathize with both sides of the coin on this one. Personally, I can't stand the ride because it is so long and repetetive. 2 minutes into the ride, I just want to jump off and swim out. but that is me personally, so I simply opt out of riding the thing and go on different rides that don't get under my skin.

 

I despise, however, this gross commercialization that Disney is forcing onto people who already spend a fortune simply visiting the parks. There was a classic attraction at Walt Disney World called "the enchanted Tiki Room" that features audio animatronic singing birds. Kitchy, yes. But also entertaining. 10 years ago, Disney decided to "enhance" the attraction by adding the obnoxious birds from "Aladdin" and "Lion King", who loudly interrupt the original show and completely kill off all charm. Wheras I saw the original Tiki room countless times, I only saw the new one once. Once is enough. Happily, the original Tiki room in Disneyland remains intact, without the obnoxious interruption.

 

The Disney movies of the early to mid 1990's were considered a "rennaisance" of Disney animation. "Little Mermaid",Beauty and the Beast", Aladdin", Lion King", "Hercules" and Tarzan are all excellent movies. However, now that CGI and Pixar are the animation leaders, old school Disney Cartoons are a thing of the past. They just don't make them anymore. The "Rennaisance" of the 90's is over, and now they are just scraping the bowl. I am sick of being force fed the characters of Aladdin and Lion King. Disney never force fed us on the original classics, like Cinderella and Snow White, they ran their course then moved on, their max out being costumed characters in the theme parks.

Now, everywhere you go on Disney Property it is "Monsters inc" "Lilo and Stitch" etc. Makes me sick. You can't go 10 yards without some merchandise location ramming 21st century Disney Characters down your through. Better to go to Coney Island and get your pocket picked, it's practically the same crime.

Keep the films on film or DVD, and stop raping old Walt's classic rides. I always loved Disney, especially when Walt was alive, but since the late 90's they have become a sell out. A sad, transparent,over commercialized simulacrum of a world that has moved on long ago. And it's a damn shame, too.

 

[The Master]

Disneyland still has the original version of Tiki Room, not the Under New Management version that WDW has. I am not sure how I feel about them changing Small World but since it is the original one they should probably leave it alone. I do like the Hoilday versions of Small World and Haunted Mansion that Disneyland does during Xmas.

[JetsDevs4Lyf]

In all honesty if they wanna make changes to the non-original versions of the ride then I say go for it. But since we are talking overall about some really classic attractions the originals should probably be kept as is unless it really will enhance the ride for sure.

[29yrswithaGApass]

In my opinion Mary Blair designed a Disney classic with her unique artistic style. I don't care for the idea of sprinkling the attraction with a mix of classic and modern day characters. It will only prove to be a distraction and lessen the overall experience.

 

I love It's a Small World Holiday because the Christmas decorations compliment the classic decor and doesn't seem to compete with it like I think the Disney characters would do.

[The Master]

Mary Blair's mural inside the Contemporary resort is alot like her artwork in Small World.