Originally Posted By Socrates Or could we just wait and see what actually is changed and how it works? (In other words, I agree with Orddu.) Socrates "The unexamined life is not worth living."
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Originally Posted By utahjosh I saw a few of these characters.. Lilo & Stitch, Wendy & Peter Pan...and they looked great. To me, they looked just like a couple more dolls added. Fit perfectly style-wise. Similar to having Don Quixote in the Spain section - it just fits to have Peter Pan and Wendy in the England section.
Originally Posted By Britain No, dang it, NO. At first I was kinda "live and let live" about this whole thing, but the idea is souring on me more and more. I can accept Peter Pan in England, just like I can accept Don Quixote in Spain. But Stitch has NOTHING to do with Hawaiian culture! This is no tribute to the Polynesians, and shouldn't be explained away as such! I personally would like an American section in the ride. It's really nice in the Paris version. But I don't want to be reminded about all of Disney's brands when I'm on the "Happiest Cruise that Ever Sailed."
Originally Posted By jdub Actually, this ride's gift shop has always been a huge disappointment for me--mostly Barbies, and rarely anything that all that connects directly to the ride. The few little things I did see last time did NOT share the same design as the characters in the ride. The one cool Small World thing I have (other than a couple of Happy Meal dome toys) is a great ball ornament, which I picked up not at the Small World store, but at a kiosk outside the Fantasyland Theatre.
Originally Posted By jonvn "Actually, this ride's gift shop has always been a huge disappointment for me" You know what would be nice, and something Disney would not do? Have a portion of the profits from that shop go to UNICEF. Ha, who am I kidding. And you know what else they could sell in that shop? Stuff that is related to the ride. Like little dolls for girls that look similar to the ones on the ride. Clothing, international things, stuff that is reflective of what the ride is about. That is what belongs in that shop. Not the garbage they sell.
Originally Posted By gadzuux You mean the blanket, right? The other kind can be so touchy about cartoon characters.
Originally Posted By aracuanbird Oh...okay. I get it now. If they add Disney animated characters AND songs from Disney animated features to IaSM, well, it just makes a whole lot of sense. Because there really is no other place at Disneyland where they could figure out how to feature this type of cartoon-content, Disney being so careful about how they use their characters within the park's carefully themed lands. It's not like you could just plop Pooh into the north woods, or Buzz Lightyear into Tomorrowland. Or Aladdin in Adventureland, even. BRAVO, WDI! This is going to be AWESOME! AB When in Cyberspace visit <a href="http://www.plausible-impossible.com" target="_blank">http://www.plausible-impossibl e.com</a>
Originally Posted By monorailblue I've been thinking. If they must add something, I'd rather see older live-action characters. Italy: a stylized Herbie zooms around Monte Carlo. England: a cute little Helen Hayes brandishes an umbrella in the Candleshoe scene. Also, Eglantine Price floats overheard on a broomstick to the music of "Age of Not Believing". Julie Andrews (wearing a crown) speak-sings the "small world" song next to a rain-drenched Anne Hathaway. Pacific/New Guinea: Swisskapolka blends seamlessly with the "it's a small world" theme song, as Francis attemps to capture a tiger. Asia: Mistress Ching, surrounded by skulls and bottles of rum. Elizabeth Swann, as a Pirate Lord, frolics with CG crabs in the sand. USA: Cute critters from Homeward Bound scamper around at the feet of lovable faces from "Disney's The Kid." Soundtrack from Fantasy in the Sky is played in counterpoint. As a joke, the Pixar folks (who are used to design the Attraction) add a small chorus singing, "We're the kids who like to play, Each and every single day. We like rides and Snoopy a lot, that's why we like to play at Knott's Berry Farm!" I know there's room for Watcher in the Woods and Witch Mountain Elements as well, and so many others. Forget the animated junk--this is an Attraction about real life. It's time to capitalize on the live-action movies.
Originally Posted By monorailblue ^^ (It occurs that my brain has melted. The Princess Diaries stuff, of course, took place in SanFran and the characters are Genovian. Doi!)
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 Well, I'm waiting to see what officialy happens at Disneyland. So far, all of this has been specifically referring to Hong Kong Disneyland's version. As for that version, I'm OK with what they are doing because it's a brand new park, and a brand new audience that has no point of reference to the classic Mary Blair "It's a Small World". It makes sense to do it this way in Hong Kong. Now, of course, there are the rumors it's going to happen in Aneheim too, but personally, I'm taking a wait and see approach...after all, they DID restore the attraction to it's "original" state a few years ago, so there was some sense of reverence...
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 Oh, and I saw the dolls of the Disney characters in a promo video from HKDL, and they actually looked like the other dolls, but wearing Disney character costumes. So, it was actually kind of hard to spot some of them, especially when mixed in a scene with other dolls. Especially somebody like Mulan. Now, as for Lilo & Stitch, I agree that Stitch is not Hawaiian, but in the scene he's paired up with Lilo, who IS, and it works...at least to me. Of course, this is all relating to Hong Kong, so...
Originally Posted By Pixiedust345 I agree with those waiting to see what happens. While I have trouble with change, I think there's a chance this all works out fine. I agree with the observation that they do an amazing job with the Holiday overlay, including jingle bells and deck the halls without removing or ruining the original song. I think they did a decent job at pirates incorporating the movie characters without destroying the original ride(though I miss the old captain that barbosa replaces). I have to say, I really think all the complaints about the merchandise opportunities in the gift store are unfounded. Disney selling stuff is about as far from new as the earth we walk on. They will always be selling things, always what they think has a good place in their market, whether it's plush toys based on new ride features or a flood of pirate costumes, there is shelf space in their stores and they will fill that with whatever products are most likely to sell. I don't think it makes sense to complain that new ride features give them opportunities to sell things. Why not just complain that the Tower of Terror was just an opportunity for a new gift shop and Tower of Terror products? I think it's the other way around, the ride first, merchandise second.
Originally Posted By ecdc I'm all for any and all changes they make to IASW. Disney fans are too paranoid about changes, and this ride in particular needed it. For years it's looked exactly like what it was: an import from the world's fair that was setup in a warehouse environment. Plus the song is dull and repetitive; change away is my vote. I love DL as much as the next guy, but I don't have so much reverence for it that I can't recognize the flaws or the outdated parts. This ride should've been changed years ago.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "I have to say, I really think all the complaints about the merchandise opportunities in the gift store are unfounded. Disney selling stuff is about as far from new as the earth we walk on." I think that complaint stems from the fact that the gift shops used sell area specific merchandise. Much of it was high quality. The Pendleton shop in Frontierland and the perfumery in New Orleans Square come to mind. Now all sell basically sell the same thing. Junk.
