The Only Constant at WDW is Change…

Well, fellow Disney fans, this week was filled with breaking news that definitely made me clutch my heart. The Disney Parks of my youth are changing and in times like these I’m not sure how I feel about it! Here are the top 3 news stories of the week:

Siemens Sponsorship of Epcot Ends after 12 Years

Photo credit: Wikimedia

I definitely panicked a bit when I saw this breaking news. Siemens currently sponsors Spaceship Earth, including Project Tomorrow, and Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. While these attractions have gone without sponsors in the past, and Epcot sponsors have come and gone, I can’t help but feel like Illuminations: Reflections of Earth is in Jeopardy (What is, Photovoltaic?)

“We Wants (To Keep) The Redhead!”

Perhaps the biggest and most controversial news this week was the announcement of the updated Pirates of the Caribbean attractions at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. The auction scene “Take a Wench for a Bride”, featuring the classic lines “We wants the redhead!” “stout-hearted and corn fed she be” and “Do ya charge ‘er by the pound!?” is being replaced after 50+ years.

Instead the “redhead” will become a pirate lining the townspeople up to “Surrender Yer Loot.”

Sigh. I don’t know about you, but did Disney Parks really feel the pressure to maintain political correctness on this attraction? Don’t get me wrong, I am all for gender equality and making people feel comfortable in the happiest place/s on earth, but all I can think is “to what end?!” I always considered this scene archaic and eyeroll-inducing in it’s political incorrectness but that’s kind of what made it endearing to me. From what I gather about Pirate history, they weren’t all that concerned with being politically correct in their antics.

The change seems subtle enough, and hopefully does in fact enhance the attractions, but I must admit, when you mess with the original Walt Disney concept attractions I can’t help but feel stubborn/angry about any kind of change.

R.I.P. Disney Quest

On top of it all, another 90s WDW icon, DisneyQuest, closes tonight after over 19 years at Downtown Disney Disney Springs. I must admit, the first and only time I ever went with my family was back in 2002. I recognize that the latest technology has made arcade games seem archaic,  but we’re also a culture of nostalgia! DisneyQuest is closing to make way for The NBA Experience, a restaurant and interactive playground all about basketball, which sounds great if you’re into that sort of thing! It’s definitely not mine.

Final Thoughts:

I don’t know about you, but after the past couple days on social media I’m starting to get PTDSD: Post-Traumatic Disney Stress Disorder. With the upcoming D23 Expo, we’re likely to hear more news about our beloved Disney Parks; and we’ll just need to take the good (changes) with the bad (changes.)

As always, #willrunfordisney!

 

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