LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

There's a sinking feeling on 'Small World'latimes.com/news/local/orange/la-fi-disneyland9nov09,1,7798008.story?coll=la-utilities-editions-orange"][IMG]http://www.latimes.com/media/thumbnails/blurb/2007-11/33712282-09093008-220205.2007-11/33712282-09092832]
BIG ATTRACTION: Disneyland says fat visitors aren't the reason it plans to deepen the channel and make the boats more buoyant on "It's a Small World."




Did anybody eles read this article? FULL ARTICLE HERE:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/or...ditions-orange

AMUSEMENT PARKS
'Small World' rehab will keep the big kids afloat


Disneyland insists fat tourists aren't to blame, but the park's upgrade of its 41-year-old attraction will include deepening the waterway and making its boats more buoyant.


....Heavier-than-anticipated loads have been causing the boats to come to a standstill in two different spots, allowing for an extra-long gander at the Canadian Mounties and the Scandinavian geese, said Al Lutz, whose website MiceAge first reported the refurbishment plans.

"If these boats get stuck . . . they have to send someone back in there to lighten the load on the boat," said Lutz, who has been on the ride when a guest or two was asked to disembark.

"They've even built a platform next to that [Mounties] curve because they've had so many problems."

Disneyland plans to add an inch of depth to the water channel and design more-buoyant boats, Lutz said.

Perhaps in an effort to protect visitors' egos, the park insists that fat tourists aren't to blame.....

[Pressler69]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

Disney is flat out lying.

[Coheteboy]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

This was my favorite quote:

The annoyingly catchy song at Disneyland's "It's a Small World" attraction reminds riders that "the oceans are wide."

Whether they're deep enough is another story.

[aashee]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

Disney is flat out lying.

I'd lie too. What good can come out of Disney saying guests are fatter now. When a girl asks "how do I look" you can darn well bet I won't say "like crap". If lying protects fat people's feelings then I'm fine with Disney making another story. Now if us fat people had a Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton representing us, Fluffy Americans would be the new word!

[Pressler69]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

What good can come out of Disney saying guests are fatter now. When a girl asks "how do I look" you can darn well bet I won't say "like crap". If lying protects fat people's feelings then I'm fine with Disney making another story.

If saying that America is getting too fat hurts our feelings then maybe our feelings should be hurt.

[Datameister]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

Yup, definitely an outright lie. The math is simple: boats didn't used to get caught like this, and the waterways and boats haven't changed--therefore, guests have gotten heavier. Solution: deepen the channel and make the boats float more. With weight scares becoming trendy now, Disney has nothing to fear from admitting the truth. Meh, oh well.

[Pressler69]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

With weight scares becoming trendy now, Disney has nothing to fear from admitting the truth.

It isn't a realistic idea and it's far from politically correct, but instead of deepening the flume they should simply deny boarding to heavier guests. The world shouldn't change because we don't know how to control ourselves. We should change, if only to better ourselves and live longer and happier lives.

But then you'd have a lot of heavier guests up in arms and complaining about not being allowed to ride, when they should be looking at it as a rude awakening.

As funny as this story is to the radio shows and late night talk shows that have been goofing on it, it really is a symbol of how our bad living has really put us down a dark road.

[sediment]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

If saying that America is getting too fat hurts our feelings then maybe our feelings should be hurt.

But it will only make us eat more!!

[fo'c's'le swab]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

I certainly don't see the advantages of risking insult to the audience you depend on. A deeper and wider channel will also allow for the redesign of the boats to accomodate more Guests, if need be in the future. Possibly it's equally a capacity issue and an obesity issue. But whether that is the case or not, I could only see harm in publicly stating you are refurbing IASW because your Guests are too fat.

[Wesley815]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

It isn't a realistic idea and it's far from politically correct, but instead of deepening the flume they should simply deny boarding to heavier guests. The world shouldn't change because we don't know how to control ourselves. We should change, if only to better ourselves and live longer and happier lives.

Bravo!

I wish that could happen, and great points you make in the post.

Put down the McDonald's and get an apple... not that hard to do. American's won't change though, only find ways to blame other people.

[Pressler69]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

But whether that is the case or not, I could only see harm in publicly stating you are refurbing IASW because your Guests are too fat.

They lose either way. By lying, and trust me everybody knows they are lying, they are simply seen as another faceless corporation fabricating the story. If being honest about this story was the one thing that actually made people stop going to Disneyland after all that crap that has happened in the last decade, especially after two deaths that were deemed Disney's fault, that would be really sad and pathetic.

Mostly I feel bad for the poor CMs getting yelled at for not filling up the boats to capacity. They have no recourse and it's things like this that irk me.

[Datameister]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

Very, very good point, Pressler69, and it pains me to say that I disagree. While yes, people should indeed watch their weight and invest the energy in eating well, failure to do so isn't always the cause of obesity. Disney should do what it needs to--within reason!--in order to accommodate the guests who aren't primarily responsible for their own weight gain.

Believe me, I'm not one of the people who tries to excuse all obesity with explanations about hormones and genetic code and so on. But I'm just saying that there are cases where disease or genetics can predispose a person to or even induce weight gain. It's not really fair to discriminate against those people, though naturally, there are limitations to what Disney can do.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

But it will only make us eat more!!

Well if you're asked to get out of a boat, they actually give you a FREE FOOD coupon.

[BoygunaSurf]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

If saying that America is getting too fat hurts our feelings then maybe our feelings should be hurt.

Quite well said!

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

After the refurb it's going to be called its a fat country

[fo'c's'le swab]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

Why should Disney be cast in the role of 'social conscience' here? Have you seen the food they sell at the Parks? They are clearly not concerned about the healthy lifestyles of their Guests; why should they be? And really what would an announcement from Disney change :"America, and International Disney Guests: You are too fat, we are closing IASW to accomodate you." Do you think the world would then go on a diet, and they would not have to refurb the attraction? No. It's a losing proposition. I hear MCers getting up in arms about the nerve security has checking their bags, and you wanna tell 'em they are too fat? No advantage, only liability, IMO.

[BoygunaSurf]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

Disney could care less whether you are fat because you don't have any self control, or if it is because of a rare medical problem that is probably only prevelent in .1% of the obese cases in this country.

All they know is, these boats aren't working. It doesn't matter what they say in the PR, all that matters is that the problem is fixed.

Although, I do agree that they should be openly honest when they can. This would have been a good chance for Disney to set themselves apart by addressing a real problem and possibly offering up some solutions. Not sure what these would be, but I am sure there are some bullet points they could have outlined.

[Pressler69]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

But I'm just saying that there are cases where disease or genetics can predispose a person to or even induce weight gain. It's not really fair to discriminate against those people, though naturally, there are limitations to what Disney can do.

I understand that. There are certainly people who are predisposed to weight gain and that is a disability in and of itself and those people should be accommodated. But I don't think that should affect our nation's average weight all that much. Those people could have still been accommodated had our average weight not gone up.

Even though I tend to hide it well, yeah, I am overweight, and while this is a funny story and all, it sort of gets me to rethink my life a little bit and the direction I am heading. With my metabolism slowing down and my activity decreasing, I'm going to have to make a lifestyle change eventually. Hopefully things like this help others do the same.

[Seawolf]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

Very, very good point, Pressler69, and it pains me to say that I disagree. While yes, people should indeed watch their weight and invest the energy in eating well, failure to do so isn't always the cause of obesity. Disney should do what it needs to--within reason!--in order to accommodate the guests who aren't primarily responsible for their own weight gain.

Believe me, I'm not one of the people who tries to excuse all obesity with explanations about hormones and genetic code and so on. But I'm just saying that there are cases where disease or genetics can predispose a person to or even induce weight gain. It's not really fair to discriminate against those people, though naturally, there are limitations to what Disney can do.

Having one person overweight in the boat is one thing, but when almost everyone in the boat is overweight, that's another. Sorry, I just don't believe replacing the entire flume and fleet of boats is within reason.

[sediment]

Re: LA Times: A sinking feeling on 'Small World'

After the refurb it's going to be called its a fat country

It can show all the parts of the USA, and what they eat, drink and smoke that makes them unhealthy.
Problem is that the smells would only make people hungrier.
And DL does not help with some of its choices (though there are some healthy choices, too).