[Question] Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

[greeeneyes17]

Just wondering,

I noticed on my last trip to Disneyland that the safety spiel is generally spoken in English, then Spanish, then Japanese, and on IASW even more languages, I think French too.

While I realize we are in California and hence Spanish makes a lot of sense, why is Mandarin not included in the languages spoken to read the safety spiel? Correct me if I'm wrong by all means, but I was with my boyfriend on the trip who is a native speaker and he didn't hear it on any of the rides.

Yes, China is further from here than Mexico, but there is a large population of people in California who speak it, and an astounding number of immigrants who barely speak any English.

According to this website, Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world.

KryssTal : The 30 Most Spoken Languages in the World

So why is Disney not using it?

Maybe there's a reason I'm not seeing, help me out?

[mickeyfan42]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

I've only ever heard it in English and Spanish

[Grin Without a Cat]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

What rides are you going on where you've heard any spiel in anything other than English and Spanish?

[greeeneyes17]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

Iasw

[SoarinMatt]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

Well, for IASW, it's part of the theme for the attraction. They also include French and German. If there is any language that should be present in Disney safety spiels in Anaheim, it should be Vietnamese. There are a lot of Vietnamese people in Orange County.

[Quentin]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

No, Spanish makes sense because a lot of visitors only speak spanish. Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world because China is the most populated country in the world. Saying "well it's the most spoken language" doesn't really work. It is the most spoken because there are billions of people in China not because it is used everywhere. Just because it is the most spoken does not mean a large enough percentage of Disneyland visitors only speak it.

[toonaspie]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

English is considered the Disney language. Depending on what resort you are in the world, the safety spiel will be in the home resort's national language followed by the English spiel.

Spanish is the second most spoken language in the U.S. next to English. The safety spiels are based on the national population not the local population.

[seafaring_ghost]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

If Mandarin were added how long would it be until the legal department made every ride Safety Spiel : The Continuing Adventure?

[WickedScorp]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

O please no. The ones in Spanish are bad enough. I'm all for saftey but with the exception of the very few attractions which keep the spiels 'themed' along with the general announcement, like Tower, the Spanish piece is always horribly distracting and breaks the rhythm, worst offender being Mansion.

[Disneytwins]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

The prominent languages in California are Spanish and English. I doubt they will ever add mandarin to that since the majority of the guests don't speak the language.

[swampymarsh]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

Why don't they just do everything in only english?

[Disneytwins]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

Because people take issue with that and liability. Liability being number one.

[penguinsoda]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

Its just not practical or needed. There are hundreds of lanugages and dialects of those languages. If Disney had to do speils in even half of the languages the speil would be longer than the ride.

[Coheteboy]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

Its just not practical or needed. There are hundreds of lanugages and dialects of those languages. If Disney had to do speils in even half of the languages the speil would be longer than the ride.

Just to clarify, Mandarin Chinese is its own language. There are other dialects that use the same basic alphabet and writing... it just sounds completely different (cantonese, shanghai-ese (sp?), taiwanese).

The majority is Mandarin, but it's not necessary at Disneyland. There are tour groups that come here that have trouble with English but it's never been a problem.

[IzzyInWonderland]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

If they ever built a Disney Park in San Francisco (where I live) they'd surely have to include Chinese, and probably Tagalog too.
To be completely honest about the safety spiels in the parks, I'm annoyed that they are in Spanish. Nothing against anybody of that descent, but I remember when many if not all of the spiels were only in English and it just sounded better with only one language. I'm sorry if that sounds racist, that's not how I meant it.

[ni_teach]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

According to this website, Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world.

So why is Disney not using it?

Maybe there's a reason I'm not seeing, help me out?

Because it's not the most common language of people who come to Disneyland.

[calsig31]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

Pretty much everything that has already been said...

They don't have safety lectures in Swahili, Hebrew, or even Ebonics. They simply can't include everyone. They just try to use the ones that are most commonly spoken by their visitors.

However, they do have resort maps at the information kiosks in several languages. I'm sure if one needed it, there would be a way to get safety information in other languages, too.

[cruise]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

If they ever built a Disney Park in San Francisco (where I live) they'd surely have to include Chinese, and probably Tagalog too.
To be completely honest about the safety spiels in the parks, I'm annoyed that they are in Spanish. Nothing against anybody of that descent, but I remember when many if not all of the spiels were only in English and it just sounded better with only one language. I'm sorry if that sounds racist, that's not how I meant it.

I see your point, but really, all of the rides would sounds better without safety information at all (save for possibly Star Tours, although funny enough there the Spanish fits in quite well). Although the spiels may sounds better in English to you, a Spanish speaker may think they would sound better only in Spanish (especially in rides that don't have any base dialogue in the ride... think Matterhorn). If they are going to do safety spiels best to try and reach the most people possible while using the smallest amount of time... and I'm sure Disney's research has shown that using both English and Spanish provides the best ratio of time used to people reached.

[IzzyInWonderland]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

I see your point, but really, all of the rides would sounds better without safety information at all (save for possibly Star Tours, although funny enough there the Spanish fits in quite well). Although the spiels may sounds better in English to you, a Spanish speaker may think they would sound better only in Spanish (especially in rides that don't have any base dialogue in the ride... think Matterhorn). If they are going to do safety spiels best to try and reach the most people possible while using the smallest amount of time... and I'm sure Disney's research has shown that using both English and Spanish provides the best ratio of time used to people reached.

I'm just used to hearing the safety spiels since I've been going to Disneyland most of my life so they don't bother me at all. My favorite is the old Thunder Mountain spiel, such a classic. Now within the last few years they have redone all the spiels and instead of the same person voicing the English and Spanish info, it's one person doing the English and another creepy, over-accentuated voice doing the Spanish. I don't get it.

[TTN]

Re: Why no Mandarin Chinese safety spiel?

Now within the last few years they have redone all the spiels and instead of the same person voicing the English and Spanish info, it's one person doing the English and another creepy, over-accentuated voice doing the Spanish. I don't get it.

Probably legal went through and re-writ many of the older safety spiels (or had to at least approve new ones). As far as I know Disney has no requirement (from any agency that is) that they have safety spiels, but without them it puts them at a potential liability. No doubt it has been judged (probably in joint by legal, operations, and WDI) that English and Spanish together cover enough of their park goers to significantly limit their liability without become ridiculously long and laughable.

For the most part I don't mind the spiels on coasters or spinner type rides (they are after all there for our safety as well as their liability, one should never underestimate the stupidity of the general population to do something E-stop worthy), but on rides with narration (in particular HM where there really isn't enough time for the spiel with how perfectly timed the original ride was) it does become bothersome.