It’s clear that we all wants the red head but in a move towards more modern sensibilities, Disney is shifting the focus on one of the most iconic scenes in the classic Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disney Parks around the globe.
The infamous Auction scene has been a focal point since the original attraction’s opening in 1967 but will finally be updated to swap out the “BUY A BRIDE” segment with a more generic Auction of plundered loot. Recognizing the popularity of the characters in the scene, Disney is keeping the scene mostly unchanged and the fiery redhead will now be a pirate in an the Auction.
Disney and former Imagineer Marty Sklar noted that “change is a ‘tradition’ at Disneyland that today’s Imagineers practice—they learned it from their mentors, many of them Walt’s original team of storytellers and designers.” He added the show scenes in their classic attractions are part of a “story you can continue to add fun to, with great characters in new ‘performances.’ That’s what the Imagineers have done with this new auction scene—it’s like a theatre show with a new act.”
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The changes can be expected at Disneyland Park and at the Magic Kingdom in 2018.
A similar change is happening next month in Disneyland Paris that includes new costumes, special effects, lighting, and sound. In addition to the updated Auction scene, Captain Barbossa will make his ever-attraction debut in that park as a new Audio Animatronic figure. Guests can also expect to hear from the ghosts of Davy Jones and Blackbeard.
Disneyland Paris guests will also discover some changes to the Blue Lagoon Restaurant, re-opening as Captain Jack’s. It seems that Captain Jack won the restaurant in a wager and is now welcoming pirates of all ages to relax over a drink and hot meal. The interior of the restaurant has been re-themed and the establishment has been staffed with a fun-loving band of pirates. All of these changes are expected to debut in Disneyland Paris on July 24, 2017.
“but in a move to accommodate more modern sensibilities,”
Not exactly. It’s more like, “in a move to improve with the quality of their company, reputation, and to be on the same quality with their progressive rival companies, Disney finally accepted the criticism of their commonly referred to as “rapey” attraction and realized change was needed.”
Saying something like “modern sensibilities” makes the article sound like an unemployed, FaceBook addicted, bad side of politics Grandpa wrote it. All you need to do is say “Disney changed their attraction.” That’s it.
Also, other entertainment companies and their branches focused on animation/movies such as Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Dreamworks, etc have beaten out Disney several leagues in advance with their more diverse content. Many of them already have LGBT+ characters, stronger depictions of women, etc. It’s not “modern sensibilities.” It’s making better content that isn’t sheltered or purposefully ignorant of the world around us. It’s just a shame Disney still adores being out of touch to play it safe. Thankfully they’ve been making slight progress ever since The Princess and the Frog came out, but in comparison to everyone else it’s not enough (though they should be applauded for making this effort).