Disney plans to modernize one of Disneyland’s oldest rides to correct stereotypical portrayals of indigenous peoples.
“Peter Pan’s Flight” was one of the first attractions when Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California in 1955. Now the attraction has come under criticism for its racist portrayal of Tiger Lily and her tribe.
The current scene shows tribe members – including the chief with his arms crossed – sitting around a campfire. Some Reddit users complained that the current ride characters were “problematic,” calling them “caricatures” of the native people.
The inspiration for the update came from a recently revamped Never Land Tribe scene at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The company said visitors can expect these revisions at all locations worldwide, but did not provide a timeline.
Before the Orlando update, Tiger Lily and her tribe were also depicted sitting around a fire with their arms folded while others drummed. The tribe members have exaggerated facial features such as broad noses and large feather headdresses. The updated figures show Tiger Lily and her grandmother dancing around the fire with men drumming in the background.
“We consider ourselves constant learners and make thoughtful changes as we find ways to make our attractions and experiences more authentic and relatable and our stories more deeply connected to our guests,” Disneyland said in a statement.
The update received a lot of praise on social media.
“Drum circle and dancers, I love it. Someone put a lot of thought into the update instead of just removing it,” commented one Facebook user.
However, not everyone was impressed by the change.
“Wake up, go broke,” commented another user.
Disneyland officials said in their statement that the company has a “long history of updating and enhancing attractions and experiences to ensure they remain current and relevant.”
Back in 2018, the park’s Pirates of the Caribbean attraction was modernized and the scene in which tied up women are presumably auctioned off to pirates was removed, The San Bernardino Sun reported. The scene now shows a female pirate overseeing an auction.
Disneyland is also working on transforming Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
In recent years, Splash Mountain has come under fire for featuring characters and music from the 1946 animated film “Song of the South,” a film criticized for its stereotypes of black men and its romanticized portrayal of the post-Civil War South. The attraction’s new storyline focuses on Princess Tiana, Disney’s first black princess, and the events following the 2009 animated hit “The Princess and the Frog.”
KTLA’s Imam Palm contributed to this report.
