African dolls in IASW

[TopCat8]

Ok. So I was on Youtube and I saw this video from like he 70's or something and I thought that I noticed that there were more black dolls on the ride back then than there are now. At first I thought I was just being paranoid, but then I compared it to RU's video and there really are less. There used to be a group by the laughing hyena. There was a Supremes type girl group in the last room, and there was also another whole platform of them dancing above the ones that are still in the last room. I'm not trying to start up an argument or even a discussion, I just thought I'd point it out. Does anyone know if there was a reason for this change?

Here's a link to the old 70's video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYQov...e=user&search=

And here's a link to RU42's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APmHR...elated&search=

[fantasmic_boy122]

thats interesting. thanks for sharing!

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Perhaps they just tweaked the color a bit to make them seem more realistic? If I recall correctly, the laughing hyenas are in the Hawaiian room, and Hawaiians aren't nearly as dark as people from, say, Kenya are.

-- PMM

[TopCat8]

Originally Posted by PeoplemoverMatt

Perhaps they just tweaked the color a bit to make them seem more realistic? If I recall correctly, the laughing hyenas are in the Hawaiian room, and Hawaiians aren't nearly as dark as people from, say, Kenya are.

-- PMM

Nope. If you look in the new version, there are two heyenas next to a zebra in the same room as the hippo. That's definitely Africa. In the old version the hyena is in the same place, but there are four black people around him. It's just weird.

[Xanderick]

hmm, that IS weird. thanks for pointing that out!

[Ezra]

As far as I can tell, the only Africans removed from the attraction are those that were laughing with the hyenas. Guests visiting from Africa complained that hyenas are dirty animals, and that showing children playing with them was offensive, so they were removed. But the drummers are still there, and so are the dancing princesses. Only the laughing children are missing.

[GreenLantern13]

You can see the dancers still there in my It's a Small World Holiday video in the vf gallery.

Shame they didn't move the kids to another spot in the section, even if it wasn't next to the hyenas, as it wasn't the kids laughing themselves that caused issues, but I guess it would have had to be somewhere close by and the close proximity would've associated them with the hyenas anyways.

[ryguy222]

Originally Posted by Ezra

As far as I can tell, the only Africans removed from the attraction are those that were laughing with the hyenas. Guests visiting from Africa complained that hyenas are dirty animals, and that showing children playing with them was offensive, so they were removed. But the drummers are still there, and so are the dancing princesses. Only the laughing children are missing.

^ Are you sure? I was just in DLR last week and there were two heyenas laughing there heads off.

[GreenLantern13]

read what we've said again heh. The hyenas are there, always have been and still are. There were 4 african american boys standing next to the hyenas bellying over in laughter that were removed at some point.

[adrianne]

I can understand moving the dolls, if deptcting them playing with hyenas was offensive, but it seems to me that they should've found another place for them. Isn't the whole point of the ride to embrace people from all over the world and respectfully display various cultures?

[Ezra]

They're curled up holding their bellies laughing hysterically. If you put them somewhere else people will just wonder Why are they laughing?

[Executioner]

OK, I think people take things way too literally. Why remove them? Just because someone complained? Well it seems to me that people need to be less judgemental and take it for what it is worth. I mean like do you ever see a hippo smiling at you in real life? Or birds from around the world singing to you in english in a hawaiian building in real life? No. They played on the fact that hyenas laugh and it made the kids laugh. the ride is about fun and unity.

[Ezra]

If people in Africa feel that hyenas are vermin, then it's disrespectful to depict African children playing with them. Think how you would feel if you were at a resort somewhere on earth, and saw a depiction of American children playing with rats. You'd be disgusted right?

[GreenLantern13]

That was the same analogy I was going to use. Disneyland Paris has a new york scene.. the hyena scene would be comparable to children giggling chasing around sewer rats.

[Executioner]

Hmmmm, well seeing as how Disney presented them to the public in the ride. No. If the same exact cicumstance like you said was presented in another country but done playfully, should I be offended? No. So does this mean that evertime someone is offended by something some company does or someone does, that they should change it to appease a small section of people or a few people? No. Your presenting your views. Let's make them take down the Mona Lisa cause I think it depicts men dressing like women then. My point: when do you say enough is enough?