Tropical Hideaway and Other Adventureland Thoughts

I...actually don't know how to categorize this post.

Slightly old news at this point, I know, but I’ve been thinking lately about the announcement earlier this year concerning a plan to gut Aladdin’s Oasis and replace it with something called the Tropical Hideaway. Details are sketchy so far, but the official announcement describes it as an “exotic traders' market” where Jungle Cruise skippers will hang out, and the accompanying concept art depicts tables and chairs for outdoor dining and what appear to be a few Tiki birds.

If you’ve been following this blog for any length of time, you know that my default reaction to these sorts of announcements is one of extreme skepticism—i.e. “You’re doing WHAT to MY PARK???”—but in this case, I’m actually all for it. The whole concept of Aladdin’s Oasis in Adventureland has never sat right with me, for a variety of reasons. Here are some of them:

Bonus Post: Okay, So, About Pirates...

Okay, kids fellow adults, we have to talk about Pirates of the Caribbean.

The internet has been losing its collective mind over the past several days concerning the announcement that major changes are planned for Pirates in no fewer than three parks—Paris, Orlando, and our own Anaheim. The one garnering the most attention is a proposed overhaul of the Auction scene, where instead of male pirates auctioning off women as “brides,” including a very sultry (and suspiciously cooperative) redhead, the redhead herself will be a pirate auctioning off inanimate loot such as luxury furniture.

The announcement has garnered two basic flavors of reaction. Long-term fans of Disney theme parks are deep in mourning over the imminent demise of one of the most iconic scenes in the single greatest theme park ride every constructed. On the other hand, many feminists are celebrating the fact that a chronically objectified female character is finally being empowered and made the captain* of her own destiny.

As a long-term fan of Disneyland who is also a feminist, I can see both sides. As I suspect most of my readers are more familiar with (and in accordance with) the theme park fan arguments, I am going to play a bit of devil's advocate and explain the feminist point of view, as well as addressing some of the common complaints from the fans.

Mickey's Toontown vs. “Star Wars Land”

Here we go. This one's not gonna be much fun, but it needs to be said.

So it's official: The Mickey's Toontown area at Disneyland will be demolished to make room for a “Star Wars Land,” in order to capitalize on the upcoming new trilogy of Star Wars films.

To say this decision disappoints me falls far short of reality. To say it enrages me might be overstating the case, but only a little. I think it's a wretched idea, for several reasons which I shall now enumerate, running roughly in order of most personal to least personal.