Fans of Disney Park are Divided by Substantial Changes

This summer has been an emotional roller coaster for fans of Disney. After the firm revealed which attractions would close to make room for the improvements, some people’s optimism about a plethora of new attractions has soured.

Major changes in the park

This summer has been an emotional roller coaster for fans of Disney. After the firm revealed which attractions would be closed to make room for the renovations, some people’s excitement about a ton of new attractions soured. Early in August, news broke that Florida’s Magic Kingdom park would soon open a much-anticipated “Villains Land” and two new “Cars” attractions, in addition to a “Monsters, Inc.” land at Hollywood Studios.

However, after the announcements, fans of Disney have become less excited as they have discovered that beloved, evocative attractions are being replaced with crowd-pleasing rides based on franchises.

The firm revealed that it will convert the Magic Kingdom’s “Rivers of America” canal, riverboat ride, and Tom Sawyer-themed island into the new “Cars” attractions on August 12, the Monday after D23, the company’s annual fan gathering. Disney World’s old core would be mostly replaced by the new area.

Fans mixed reactions

The news has been met with criticism, with people claiming that Walt Disney’s original plan for the park is being abandoned, that Disney is prioritizing crowd size over themed architecture, and that what was once a peaceful diversion from the Magic Kingdom crowds will now just be another long line for a boisterous, fast-paced attraction.

The corporation has been marketing to adult Disney fans as return visitors, and the growth of reactions has mostly happened inside this vibrant online community of fans, which includes Disney influencers, journalists, and content makers.

Scott Gustin, a media company employee at Nexstar and writer of popular theme park updates on X, said, “I don’t think all people in the fandom are resistant to all change, but it’s easy to be upset when something is being taken away, even if you’re excited for something coming that is new. Fans of theme parks tend to want everything. They desire the finest outcome possible. They want to keep what they know, they don’t want a ‘Cars’ attraction to have to require them to pour a bunch of concrete into the river and pave it over.”

There was much hoopla when the new planned attractions at Disney parks throughout the world were announced. Josh D’Amaro, the company’s head of parks and resorts, gave a presentation while performers like Meghan Trainor, Darren Criss, John Stamos, and Ke Huy Quan performed on stage. According to Gustin, since he began covering the event in 2022, the D23 crowd has grown in size and energy.

Other well-known fans agree with Gustin

Other well-known Disney fans agreed with Gustin’s viewpoints. “Building a parking lot isn’t exactly paving over paradise, but it’s kind of close,” blogger Tom Bricker stated. According to YouTuber Jenny Nicholson, “I feel like the appeal of the river is that it creates a grand impression and makes the park feel like a big kingdom.” Her four-hour film about the shutdown of Disney’s “Star Wars” hotel went viral in May. “It makes everything around the water feel cooler. It enhances your experience even if you choose not to visit the island or go out on the sea.” She said.

Disney content designer Deshawn Warr, who is located in Orlando, stated that he thinks a lot of the negative responses stem from nostalgia and are encouraged by social media sites that highlight postings with strong emotional content. Additionally, he emphasized that adjustments made by Disney in the past that aim to make the parks more welcoming to a diverse community have always been received with greater resistance.

“A lot of people don’t want those changes because of nostalgia,” Warr said. “From nostalgia, you can unearth personal views and viewpoints on life.How the parks look now isn’t so much for me but for my daughter, who’s 3,” he continued saying. “When she’s my age, she’ll remember a park that is different from mine, but the experiences stay the same.”

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