Disney Enchantment Discussion & Reviews Thread (Premiering 9/30)

[Robo]

-I also have young daughters, 8 and 5, and THEIR Disney is Princess and the Frog, Moana, Frozen, Coco, etc. As much as I try, the classics don't capture their hearts like they did mine.

But consider that the actual RIDES in MK are about "the classics."
Will/do your daughters not like going to MK and riding the attractions?

 

[Violet Parr]

The funny thing is, they're not the ones that pay for it...

And I think this take is a little short sighted, my kids are 9 & 10 now, they know the classics just as well as the new movies.

My 20 yo went to Disney countless times from age 4-18. Frozen is a part of her childhood. She's not that far off from the age where her friends will be starting families and taking their kids.

Mine loved the classics growing up as well. Oldest is 20 and saw ALL of the old movies. But I know that most of her gen will NOT show a lot of these movies to their daughters. Moana, yes. Sleeping Beauty? Nope. Cinderella? Nope. My 27yo sister has a 2yo girl and she's only doing princesses like Moana and Tiana. No damsel stuff. And that's SUPER common for the 20-30yo crowd.

ETA: A LOT of Gen Z and young Millennials feel uncomfortable showing their kids Peter Pan because of the What Made the Red Man Red song. The winds of change are blowing, y'all.

 

[Nabz34]

But consider that the actual RIDES in MK are about "the classics."
Will/do your daughters not like going to MK and riding the attractions?

Of course they like the attractions, but I don't recall prior fireworks shows (Wishes, HEA) focusing on the actual attractions in the park.

 

[Violet Parr]

But consider that the actual RIDES in MK are about "the classics."
Will/do your daughters not like going to MK and riding the attractions?

This is actually a legit concern for Disney, as I referenced in my comment above. Splash Mountain is step one in updating MK and DL. Snow White is gone. There will be more change. Disney is signaling that for sure with a hard shift away from the vintage nostalgia.

 

[Violet Parr]

Of course they like the attractions, but I don't recall prior fireworks shows (Wishes, HEA) focusing on the actual attractions in the park.

My husband just said, "Why would I want to see a fireworks show featuring all the things I literally JUST rode all day?" Lol

 

[Dis Dragon]

This is actually a legit concern for Disney, as I referenced in my comment above. Splash Mountain is step one in updating MK and DL. Snow White is gone. There will be more change. Disney is signaling that for sure with a hard shift away from the vintage nostalgia.

How is Snow White gone? She's dancing around in a hut. And her ride just got completely revamped in DL.

 

[Robo]

My husband just said, "Why would I want to see a fireworks show featuring all the things I literally JUST rode all day?" Lol

Ask the creators of the previous half-dozen MK fireworks shows.

 

[Violet Parr]

How is Snow White gone? She's dancing around in a hut. And her ride just got completely revamped in DL.

Snow White's Scary Adventures closed 9 years ago in MK.

 

[Violet Parr]

Ask the creators of the previous half-dozen MK fireworks shows.

I'm not saying I agree with him! I just thought it was funny.

 

[Robo]

Snow White's Scary Adventures closed 9 years ago in MK.

There is some kind of coaster that I think gets some ridership.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Snow White's Scary Adventures closed 9 years ago in MK.

…and they built the mine train which heavily features her

 

[WickstarRunner]

I think it's pretty clear that Disney can't milk Gen X, Boomer, and elder Millennial nostalgia for too much longer. I once went dressed up as Annette Funicello for MNSSHP. (I'm Gen X, so it was a bit of a dip into even before MY time when I did that, and the ony people who recognized me were baby Boomers. On the business end, Disney has to work on their upcoming generation of nostalgic park goers.

I think thing to remember is that Disney's next batch of primary park goers (the people who are going to book trips) are the oldest Gen Zs and the absolute youngest millennials. For them, Frozen IS nostalgia. Princess and the Frog IS nostalgic. The kids who remember those movies as being a big part of their childhoods are the ones who in a very short time will be taking their kids. Or will they? D


I've seen quotes from Disney leadership and from Imagineers who have talked about the vision for WDW's future, and none of it is rooted in nostalgia. It's all very motion-based. Where are we going? What's NEXT? In light of the pandemic, this is the theme. I've picked up on it in both Harmonious and Enchantment. There was almost a reference to lives lost with a line about "the people you've loved along the way" that put it in a context that very much would fit the experience of a person who has been through hell since their last Disney trip (raises hand; lost 2nd brother in this pandemic.)

On the surface this seems like a great take however, two points eliminate it for me (not personal Violet, it's the best argument I've seen in the last 48 hours to explain these two shows)

1) Disney +: Not too long ago, it was feasible to think that there were 9-12 year old's that hadn't seen Lion King, Mermaid or Cinderella with the way "The Disney Vault" was handled, but now the entire library is available at any point. There's no reason to expect that kids haven't seen the classics and know them as well as the newer movies.

2) The 50th Anniversary: THIS is the time to lean hard into the Gen X and up generations. They're the ones who are going to want to experience the parks for the next 18 months and are now going to be blasted with IP that they aren't familiar with. If WDI has gone with an EPCOT Forever style show showcasing the history of WDW and THEN had Enchanted (which would have had another 18 months to cook and improve. We'd all be pretty happy.

 

[Violet Parr]

There is some kind of coaster that I think gets some ridership.

Oof. You got me there. I think I barely remember it because I never get to ride it, haha!

 

[Nabz34]

Ask the creators of the previous half-dozen MK fireworks shows.

Happily Ever After has very little from the MK park. Tidbits from Peter Pan (but Enchantment has those too). HEA had some Aladdin in it (if you want to count the carpets in Adventureland as a major attraction), and Little Mermaid, but other than that, HEA has music from Princess and the Frog, Hunchback, Brave, Moana, Tarzan, Lion King, Toy Story, Jungle Book, Frozen, Hercules, none of which are represented by an attraction in the Magic Kingdom.

 

[Violet Parr]

On the surface this seems like a great take however, two points eliminate it for me (not personal Violet, it's the best argument I've seen in the last 48 hours to explain these two shows)

1) Disney +: Not too long ago, it was feasible to think that there were 9-12 year old's that hadn't seen Lion King, Mermaid or Cinderella with the way "The Disney Vault" was handled, but now the entire library is available at any point. There's no reason to expect that kids haven't seen the classics and know them as well as the newer movies..../QUOTE]


((I keep trying to edit this to make my comment separate from the quote but it is not working, sorry!))


Thank you, WickstarRunner, that was a nice compliment.

BUT, on point #1: Disney+. I'd bet BIG MONEY that Moana is one of the top watched films on D+ and that is why we are seeing more of it than any other film in these nighttime shows. And I'd bet big money that scores of young millennials with little girls are not showing them Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella, for example, because patriarchy and because they are not strong female characters, and films like Peter Pan because of the What Made the Red Man Red scene, etc. Those old movies are having to come with *disclaimers.* My own 12yo started Dumbo a while back and then saw the disclaimer about racial stereotypes and decided to skip it.

 

[rpfennig]

The fireworks were good, glad to see Tinkerbell

I actually missed her when I watched it the first time (and that was with looking for her) and had to go back and find the part where she is included. In retrospect it was completely obvious, she flies around the castle and straight up to the top and then zip lines over the crowd (I was originally a bit heartbroken for all the unemployed Tinks).

There's a lot going on with the projections on the castle that I think we are missing with this video. A lot of stuff that isn't connected to the music that could be interesting (there's a bit with Be Our Guest that starts with the regular Beauty and Beast crew but then the March Hare and Mad Hatter appear as part of that song or during A Friend In Me where its a parade - sorry, cavalcade - of other Pixar characters plus a lot of Cinderella later on). So, I feel like this isn't the best representation of the show.

Where are we going? What's NEXT? In light of the pandemic, this is the theme.

That's was I picking up as well with some of the song selections. A bit of an acknowledgement and a message of resilience/hope (starting with Dig a Little Deeper, the darkness of Into the Unknown and rising out of that with I Am Moana). It's Disney feel-good that maybe isn't landing as well while we're still in the moment of where we are currently but getting to the other side, making it back to Disney World after being away for awhile I could see this landing with a lot of Feels for people in the hub in a way that isn't going to happen watching a video from 5,167.6 km away.

After watching it Live, I definitely had that feeling of.. MEH but just going back to find "oh yeah, Tink is there" and getting more of a feel for the story thread... I can see it growing on me.

So I just dropped 10 grand on my first Disney trip in ages, and somehow, even the good memories are blue orbs now. (I'm referencing Inside Out here.) When I go to Oga's, it's going to be SO hard not to think of how much my brother and I were so excited to go there together, and now we never will.

I just wanted to say, there is going to be Sadness but hopefully also moments of memory and connection (it's not Joy, it's something else) when you do these things. Remembering your brother, remembering why he wanted to go, your shared interests and silly conversations about those interests. My dad passed away five years ago, so before all this, but for me it's when I'm cooking from a recipe and a bit more involved in meal prep that those moments of connection come and I'm thankful for them even if it's not Joy, it's a piece of him living on in me that provides a moment of comfort.

 

[Nabz34]

On the surface this seems like a great take however, two points eliminate it for me (not personal Violet, it's the best argument I've seen in the last 48 hours to explain these two shows)

1) Disney +: Not too long ago, it was feasible to think that there were 9-12 year old's that hadn't seen Lion King, Mermaid or Cinderella with the way "The Disney Vault" was handled, but now the entire library is available at any point. There's no reason to expect that kids haven't seen the classics and know them as well as the newer movies.

2) The 50th Anniversary: THIS is the time to lean hard into the Gen X and up generations. They're the ones who are going to want to experience the parks for the next 18 months and are now going to be blasted with IP that they aren't familiar with. If WDI has gone with an EPCOT Forever style show showcasing the history of WDW and THEN had Enchanted (which would have had another 18 months to cook and improve. We'd all be pretty happy.

For point #1--we've had Disney+ since launch, now this may just be my kids, but I'll try to encourage them to watch some of the older classics (Cinderella, Dumbo, Snow White, Jungle Book, Peter Pan, etc), and they don't. Maybe it's the way the animation style is, or it just "looks" old, but they just are not that interested. Little Mermaid is probably as far back as they'll go. They absolutely love the newer stuff though.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

What am I watching…we go from grandiose nighttime spectaculars to uninspiring mash music ups and flying kites…

 

[Violet Parr]

I just wanted to say, there is going to be Sadness but hopefully also moments of memory and connection (it's not Joy, it's something else) when you do these things. Remembering your brother, remembering why he wanted to go, your shared interests and silly conversations about those interests. My dad passed away five years ago, so before all this, but for me it's when I'm cooking from a recipe and a bit more involved in meal prep that those moments of connection come and I'm thankful for them even if it's not Joy, it's a piece of him living on in me that provides a moment of comfort.

Thank you. That is so kind and I appreciate it. And I still believe very much in the healing powers of Dole Whips, so I'm expecting a good trip. <3

 

[WickstarRunner]

"BUT, on point #1: Disney+. I'd bet BIG MONEY that Moana is one of the top watched films on D+. And I'd bet big money that scores of young millennials with little girls are not showing them Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella, for example, because patriarchy and because they are not strong female characters, and films like Peter Pan because of the What Made the Red Man Red scene, etc. Those old movies are having to come with *disclaimers.* My own 12yo started Dumbo a while back and then saw the disclaimer about racial stereotypes and decided to skip it."

Fair point, but we're going have to agree to disagree on that one. I know there are also those who refuse to allow their kids to watch the newer stuff for reasons that are similar (not exactly the same).

For point #1--we've had Disney+ since launch, now this may just be my kids, but I'll try to encourage them to watch some of the older classics (Cinderella, Dumbo, Snow White, Jungle Book, Peter Pan, etc), and they don't. Maybe it's the way the animation style is, or it just "looks" old, but they just are not that interested. Little Mermaid is probably as far back as they'll go. They absolutely love the newer stuff though.

But do they still know who the blonde in the blue dress is? The guy in the green tights? The lady in the blue and yellow dress? My point was that they're at least exposed to the characters and thus their inclusion wouldn't be lost on them.