A Glimpse of the Happiest Place on Earth - Guest Post

Time for vacations, and where would a family go if not Disney?! Two amazing bloggers took the time to give you the best ever guide to the happiest place on Earth. Be prepared! Have fun!

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Mickey Mouse surveys Buena Vista Street at DCA. Photo: Tejaswi Kasturi

Summer is here, which means it’s time to plan your vacation. For many vacationing people in the US, this means traveling to the ‘Happiest Place on Earth,’ Disneyland, or Walt Disney World.

Many will argue that one park is superior to the other, and refuse to give the other a visit. But what if both parks have their own strengths? Why should we quarrel? Why not get the most out of life, and see the awesomeness that lies in both places?

For this piece, I’ve teamed up with Floridian Kelly Verdeckto take a peek at what gives Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom their own unique sparkle. Both parks have their merits, and if you’re an avid Disney fan, perhaps this will psych you up for a day at the park.



Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and SoCal at a Glance

Disneyland opened its doors in July 1955. Walt was inspired by visits to places like Fairyland in Oakland, California, and Republic of Children in Argentina. He began drawing up plans for the park in the late 1940s. It is said that Walt Disney wanted to create a place that lookedlike ‘nothing else in the world.’ While smaller than its WDW counterpart, Disneyland features 58 attractions.

Walt spent plenty of time on the grounds with his family, even keeping an apartment above the fire station on Main Street. A light still shines out from a window from his apartment, signifying Walt’s presence on the premises. More, stars like Steve Martin, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Pixar’s John Lasseter all got their start at Disneyland. If you want to journey to a place where the magic of Disney began, this is the place to start.

Disney California Adventure opened its doors to the public in 2001, and expanded from 2007-2012. As you stroll through the gates, you are treated to a re-creationof 1920s-era Burbank and Hollywood, when Walt Disney landed in California with his brother, Roy. Like Disneyland, Disney California Adventure features eight different themed ‘lands’ in its 72-acre park. This includes Paradise Pier, a space that pays homage to boardwalks and piers that dot California’s coastline, and Cars Land, a 12-acre space devoted to the Cars franchise. I highly recommend a visit to DCA, particularly if you’re averse to crowds, or you have small children that don’t care for long lines.

If you desire a little bit of retail therapy after the parks close, or simply wish to catch a show and a meal, head over to the shops and eateries at Downtown Disney, or duck into Disney’s Grand Californian hotel, which feature several restaurants of their own. For a non-Disney day all-together, consider taking advantage of the many things the Greater Los Angeles area has to offer. California has 840 miles of glorious coastline, and some of the best beaches are only 30 minutes away. Hollywood is 40 minutes away; Griffith Park (where Walt Disney was inspired to create“Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln,” and home of the Hollywood sign) is just a few miles eastward. Fantastic history museums, art museums, amphitheaters and concert halls all beckon to resident and tourist alike. Observatories and mountains invite you to escape to the land beyond. Last, but not least, travelers are invited to immerse themselves in the rich, diverse culture that a metropolis of eighteen million people has to offer. You will need a car, but the world is your playground when you have wheels in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Photo: Kelly Verdeck

Walt Disney World and Orlando at a Glance

While Anaheim has the history of being first and the gift of Walt’s personal touch, The Florida Project, as WDW was known when it was just a glimmer in Walt’s eye, has what Walt couldn’t get in California: space. Where Disneyland is surrounded by an asphalt jungle of hotels and souvenir shops, Walt Disney World is practically a country unto itself, a San-Francisco-sized nature preserve that happens to contain four of the world’s most-visited theme parks.

After the Magic Kingdom, in1982 came EPCOT Center (now just Epcot), which is a sort of permanent World’s Fair: half the park is dedicated to corporate-sponsored showcases of mankind’s technological achievement, and the other half is an assortment of pavilions intended to give a taste of the culture of the eleven countries they represent–perhaps the only place on Earth where one can walk from Mexico to the United Kingdom and pass through Japan and France along the way. The Disney/MGM Studios Park followed Epcot in 1989, now simply called Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park opened in 1998. Hollywood Studios is a mix of thrill rides and movie magic, while Disney’s Animal Kingdom is essentially a zoo, with added Disney-style rides and attractions. The 40 square miles of Walt Disney World also contain two water parks, two championship golf courses plus a couple mini-golf courses, lots of hotels, a campground, and the Downtown Disney complex of shops, restaurants and entertainment. Each of WDW’s four parks has their must-see attractions and their filler, and volumes can be and have been written about each.

While Disney World strives to be an all-encompassing vacation destination, the Orlando area offers plenty outside Disney’s gates. In addition to the various world-class theme parks, there is International Drive (known to locals as I-Drive), a thoroughfare lined with tourist attractions, amusement parks, shops and outlet malls. Further afield there’s the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center on the east coast and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay to the west, each about an hour’s drive from Walt Disney World. If nature is your thing, you can find it in spades as well, from a variety of Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico beaches, to quiet forest hikes, to natural spring-fed pools and rivers.

Magic Kingdom delight.

Photo: Kelly Verdeck.

Getting to the Heart of Magic: Magic Kingdom versus Disneyland

Since they invite the most direct comparison, let us take a closer look at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and the original Disneyland Park. If you want to experience the magic that Walt Disney imagined in the beginning, these two parks are where it all began. While Walt died years before Magic Kingdom opened, he still had high aspirations for the planned resort.

The design of Magic Kingdom isn’t much different from Disneyland: Main Street USA leads up to the central Castle, with the themed lands arrayed in the classic spoke-and-hub pattern Disneyland pioneered. In other words, there’s not much difference navigating the two parks. There is a good deal of overlap between the attractions at Disneyland and those at the Magic Kingdom, which might lead some to think the parks are somehow carbon copies–but each park has attractions not found at the other, and even the rides which appear at both parks offer an interesting degree of variety.

First time visitors to Disneyland should check out the following unique attractions:

Main Street, USA

Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln is a stage show featuring audio-animatronic feature that made its debut at the 1964 World’s Fair.

Main Street Cinema plays Disney shorts on six separate screens.

Frontierland

Big Thunder Ranch features a petting zoo, and walk through cabins and a restaurant. Two turkeys that were given the presidential pardon in 2008 make this place their home. You might even get to meet Woody from Toy Story here

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Golden Horseshoe Saloon has a restaurant and variety show. This was Walt’s favorite spot in all of Disneyland.

Sailing Ship Columbia is a full-scale replica of Columbia Rediviva, the first American ship to circumnavigate the globe. You can stand on deck, listen to the tale as you sail the Rivers of America, or head below to tour the nautical museum.

Fantasyland

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride is one of the original 1955 rides. It is based on the story, “The Wind in the Willows,” by Kenneth Grahame, which was adapted in the Disney feature, “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.”

Alice in Wonderland is a dark ride based on Disney’s classic animated feature from 1951.

Matterhorn Bobsleds debuted in 1959. It’s the very first tubular steel coaster, which means that if you’re a thrill seeking steel coaster fan, riding the Matterhorn Bobsleds is a must.

Tomorrowland

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage was originally Submarine Voyage, a ride that opened in 1959. Marlin and Dory search once again for Nemo, who is lost. This ride is currently undergoing refurbishment and will open again in September.

First time visitors to Magic Kingdom should check out the following unique attractions:
Adventureland

Magic Carpets of Aladdin is a spinner ride similar to Dumbo the Flying Elephant.

Space Mountain photo: Kelly Verdeck

Tomorrowland

Carousel of Progress offers a dated but still fascinating rotating theater featuring an audio-animatronic family progressing through generations of technological progress. It shows its age, but it still has a magic—and good luck getting the theme song out of your head!

Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor is a comic show featuring the characters from the Pixar film. Kids may get a kick out of it, but the jokes tend to be real groaners for adults.

Stitch’s Great Escape may quite possibly too intense for kids. Featuring the adorable blue alien, this attraction began its life as the more frightening ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, and it still shows.

Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover offers a sedate and serene elevated journey through Tomorrowland, including a darkened turn around the perimeter of Space Mountain. It’s a great way to cool off and relax for some quieter moments.

Liberty Square

The Hall of Presidents This is Magic Kingdom’s answer to Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln. An animatronic show, the Hall of Presidents showcases lifelike figures of all 44 American Presidents and is updated with each new officeholder.

Fantasyland/Storybook Circus

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is Magic Kingdom’s newest feature in the recently expanded Fantasyland. This summer try out this thrilling dark ride, but don’t forget your fastpass.

Barnstormer Recently renovated, the Barnstormer is a short roller coaster suitable for kids as well as adults.



After you’ve had the chance to visit these unique attractions, why not compare and contrast some of the others? You might find distinct differences between rides like Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain. Try out the more docile version of Snow White’s Scary Adventures (Magic Kingdom’s was too scary to remain open), or watch the Country Bear Jamboree, which now only runs at Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disney. International travelers may spot differences from their overseas counterparts as well.

The lobby of Disney’s Grand Californian Resort.

Photo: Tejaswi Kasturi

Tips for travel
If you’ve made the decision to take yourself or your family to either Disneyland or Walt Disney World, we recommend a few things to make your visit a fun one.

Both Disneyland and Walt Disney World experience high traffic in the summer months, so be prepared. If you have young children, consider bringing (or renting) a stroller, because there is a lot of walking, and a lot of waiting during high season. Wear comfortable shoes, because blisters on your feet in the “Happiest Place” suck.

Consider downloading an app for your phone to monitor wait times on rides. There are several decent apps for Disneyland and DCA available for Android and iPhone users. The best part is that they are free.

If there’s a ride that you really want to ride with a long wait time at Disneyland and DCA, consider using the Fastpass option. For more info, read about it here. Disney World has recently launched their Fastpass+ program, which allows for advance reservations on some rides.

Keep hydrated. If you have young children, sippy cups can be brought into the parks. Adults can request a cup for water at any of the restaurants, and should you have your own bottle, there are refilling stations throughout both parks.

Consider layers. Orlando tends to be very humid, and subject to sudden afternoon thunderstorms in the summer months. Anaheim is very dry, and can get very cool at night. If you aren’t used to either climate, you can find yourself running very hot or very cold by the end of the day. If you don’t like carrying a jacket with you, lockers are available for rental in all parks. That extra jacket may also prove useful in the event you get soaked on rides like Splash Mountain.

If you’re averse to crowds, consider ducking in for a show. Or if you have a Park Hopper pass, head over to a less crowded park for a while. Need downtime for a nap or refresher at a hotel? Get a stamp on the way out for easy re-entry later in the day.


Speaking of hotels, is it worth it to complete the Disney experience by staying at a hotel?

At Walt Disney World, Disney guests are highly encouraged to spend their entire visit on-property, and for the most part they make it worthwhile to do so. For efficient access to Magic Kingdom, consider staying at the Contemporary Resort, which is within easy walking distance of the park. Grand Floridian or Polynesian resort hotels have dedicated monorail stops, which will take you to the Magic Kingdom. Otherwise, prepare to drive to the Transportation and Ticket Center and catch the monorail or ferry to the Magic Kingdom. The latter will take approximately 30 minutes.

While this may seem arduous, the intention was to enhance the separation of the park from the “real” world. That’s fine—for the first visit or two. After that it can definitely feel like a chore. The silver lining is that the other Walt Disney World parks are much simpler to reach by car.

Meanwhile at Disneyland, there are three official Disney hotels to choose from. Each hotel features one restaurant with “Character Dining,” resort pools, arcades, shops, and lounges. Everything here is exquisitely detailed, from the décor to the waffles served at breakfast. All Disney Resort hotels are within walking distance of parks, Downtown Disney, and the monorail. While staying there offers a fantastic experience, it isn’t light on the pocketbook.

If you’re looking for a no-frills more affordable place to stay nearby, consider booking a night at one of the designated “Good Neighbor” hotels. Good Neighbor hotels are near the resort that have partnered with Disneyland to make your stay a good one.

In conclusion, we hope that regardless of which park you will visit that this mini guide was helpful to you. You can’t go wrong with either coast, but hopefully we’ve helped to show that they most definitely are not interchangeable. Now grab your mouse ears and go!

Sleeping Beauty Castle

Photo by Tejaswi Kasturi.

Bios:

Kelly was born and raised in Central Florida, on the doorstep of Walt Disney World, and has spent a fair amount of time there over the years. In fact, he considers himself something of a geek when it comes to WDW, fascinated by the design and history of the place. He finally made it out to the left coast to check out Disneyland earlier this year. His favorite rides are the Haunted Mansion and Tower of Terror. A part-time professional photographer, Kelly’s website is here.

Jill lived in Colorado until moving to California in 2003, but she experienced the magic of Disneyland for the first time years before at Disneyland’s Magic Music Days. Now a card carrying Disney pass holder, her favorite Disney rides are Space Mountain, Radiator Springs Racers, and any ride that makes her daughter smile. She anticipates a multi day excursion to Walt Disney World in the not too distant future. Jill maintains PianissAmma.

Photo credits: Kelly Verdeck, and Tejaswi Kasturi.




 

Disney Trip!

Sometimes, you take a day and go to Disney. It's not often, and it's a lot of work, but it's definitely worth at least one trip for the kids. And lucky for us, we don't live far, so we don't have to go for more than a day. Phew!

On our way. Monorail isn't as awesome when you're an adult, fyi.

The kids LOVED this fountain outside of a restaurant to wash their hands.

Waiting waiting waiting in lines.

Dulce's favorite part was this roller coaster.

Princesses. Obviously.

My favorite Disney character.

Right outside one of the lands. Tomorrowland, I think.

 

Disney Cage Match: Frozen vs. Tangled vs. Brave

Yesterday, on Facebook, I found out just how serious we all are about our modern Disney movies. While the older cartoons get ALL of the free passes, our developing society now requires more social conscience in our films, and we are absolutely right to demand it. In that vein, Disney has come out with several kickass princesses in the past few years. Could they do even better? Sure! Is it nice to take Merida, though, and compare her to Cinderella to pat ourselves on the back about how far we've come? Yes, let's do it. No problems detected.

That said, when you get into the nitty-gritty of which modern movie we all like the best, things can get...ugly. Like really ugly. I mean, sometimes you prefer Tangled and then someone comes along and calls you an abusive parent or says you hate Disney. (JUST KIDDING, I KNOW YOU DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT.) But still, tempers really, really flare.

Do Not Mess With The Modern Favorites.

So, let's put these films to the test, shall we? Let's take Frozen, Brave and Tangled, and gauge them component by component to get at the real winner in all this. Preferences are fine and all, but don't we really need to examine which of the three feminist princesses is THE BEST ONE. It's not like we can all get along, right?

The Main Character:

Frozen:

Anna and Elsa: Anna is really the main character, but you could argue that Elsa makes the storyline. Or is Elsa really the main character and Anna is just filler learning a few side lessons while Elsa figures herself out behind closed doors? Either way, they need each other and we need them both. They do it alone, without anyone else.

Brave:

Merida has had enough of your bullshit. She's headstrong, free-spirited and, well, brave. She makes some pretty serious, I'm-a-spoiled-princess mistakes (like feeding her poor mom that damn cake), but it's not like her mom is even trying to understand how awesome she is, so forgiven.


Tangled:

Rapunzel is totally rad. She's utterly optimistic at every turn. She sees the best in absolutely everything. Her friendly and naive demeanor don't really make her nearly as kickass as the other three heroines, but she's willing to give anything a try, and she goes for anything she wants.

WINNER: TANGLED

Okay, okay, REMEMBER these are all my opinions. You make your own winners. I know most of you will pick Anna/Elsa. It's okay. Keep going through. Maybe you'll even agree with me once or twice, who knows!

Anyway, I chose Rapunzel because she's scared but happy, does what she wants but thinks of other people, and saves the prince like the badass she is. She does all these things without doing anything too petulant.


The Mom:

Frozen:

She never even speaks. Come on, Disney. If I were that mom (and I know, I know, I'm not), I probably would have been like, yo, king, dude. Could we go back to the trolls and get some more info on this whole powers thing? I'm not feeling locking my kid up for a decade.

Brave:

She's stubborn, she doesn't listen to what her daughter needs, she projects her problems onto her daughter, she's a traditionalist because she was forced to be so and therefore others should be, too, she's unbending, can't talk to her kid, and frequently gets angry in ways that are not productive.

She's also the raddest motherfucker ever. She learns from her mistakes, and she totally forgives her kid for turning her into a gd bear. Plus, everything she does in that paragraph up there she does out of a deep love. It's just a bit misguided, that's all.

Tangled:

I really find it hard to believe that they searched all over the kingdom and never thought to check that tower, but Flynn Rider just ran from a horse and climbed it, nbd.

WINNER: BRAVE

The Dad:

Frozen:

There is grave disagreement here, and many people feel I'm a cruel-hearted SOB for my opinion, but I think Anna and Elsa's dad is abusive. Full stop. You don't lock your kid up in a room for a decade to "protect her". Sure, do it for a week while you research other things to do, and go in there to constantly reassure her that you're working to help her, but just handing her some thicker gloves every five years, and basically being like, peace out and also never talk to your sister again? Because we love you? Nope.

Brave:

Is this guy the best ever or what? He's just the best ever. I can't even with his happy, constructive, protective demeanor and his obvious love for his family and his life.

Tangled:

Same as mom. You're just going to light lanterns and hope the princess finds her way home? Okay.

WINNER: BRAVE

The Bad Guy:

Frozen:

This is a tough one because Hans isn't really the bad guy so much as he's just an ahole. Elsa isn't the bad guy because Disney changed her tune and made her awesome instead. In Frozen, one of the messages is that the bad guy is fear, the bad guy is ourselves, the bad guy is quick decisions driven by emotion bereft of critical thinking.

That's a pretty important bad guy, guys.


Brave:

Mordu, y'all. Mor-fucking-du. You can't. I can't. I mean. I was pissed when we saw this in theaters, because why didn't anyone tell me about the damn bear fight, omg my toddlers!

Anyway, the awesome thing about Mordu is that he represents what the mother could have become if she gave up on love and family. Instead she fought that off. People need each other, families need each other, and sometimes being right isn't as important as being, well, good. Well done.

Tangled:

I love Mother Gothel. She is the most hilarious abusive pos I've ever laid eyes on. The manipulative games she plays with poor Rapunzel would have made me cry if they weren't so obvious, overdone and meant to make me laugh instead. "Mother Knows Best" is a pretty singable song, tbh, and the narcissistic tones of her badness really underscore the mental damage she is inflicting.

WINNER: FROZEN

(But, damm, that was a tough choice. These bad guys all rock hard.)

The Lovable Sidekick:

Frozen:

Okay, okay, I'm happy for you, and I'mma let you finish, but Olaf is the best sidekick of all time.

Everything he says is fucking wonderful. He single-handedly saves Frozen for me. What can I say? I'm a total sucker for childlike optimism in the face of all odds. Plus, I really fucking like warm hugs.

Brave:

Tricky one here. Merida doesn't have a legit sidekick. She rides alone, yo. But her little brothers are damn cute. Other than that cleavage scene, though.

Tangled:

Is there any way to not love a horse with moral fiber of steel and a heart of gold? I think not.

WINNER: FROZEN

Yeah, why?


The Music:

Frozen:

Okay, so Frozen had some MAMMOTH songs. Do You Want to Build a Snowman can plunge me into a depressive state the likes of which I've never previously known, and Let It Go is a power ballad to end all power ballads. It speaks to deep, entrenched issues within people themselves. Tough stuff. In Summer is a cute sidekick song, and even the prince / Anna song is pretty cute. But they're not well spaced, and they don't really work together as a whole ensemble.

Brave:

No music because Pixar does what it wants. So there.

Tangled:

I love the songs and the distribution of songs in Tangled. They're not as deep or nearly as powerful as those in Frozen, but they work for the story, they accentuate each character in good form, and they bring the piece together. Flynn even remarks about the damn silliness of everyone breaking out into song all the time, because seriously wth.

WINNER: TANGLED

I don't like crying the ugly tears down my face, and I love enormous piles of money. Sue me. Yes, I totally know this is the wrong answer. w/e

The Primary Message:

Frozen:

You don't have to shut yourself away just because you are different. Fear is the enemy. You have the power to make a change in your own life

Brave:


Tradition is not always right, love is not always prescribed, you deserve to make your own way and find your own happiness and you are strong enough to do it.

Tangled:

Follow your dreams because the life you know now may not be at all what you think it is. Don't let anyone else hold you back from what you need in life.

WINNER: TANGLED

Another contentious one. I realize this may not be a popular choice.

The Conflict:

Frozen: 

Girl grows up isolated and in fear of herself, shuts herself off to the world, while the other sister tries to break through. Has to learn to treat herself with the kindness and respect she deserves.

Brave:

Girl stands up for herself when confronted with having to get married. Has to learn about compromise and love.

Tangled:

Girl grows up isolated in a freaking tower, has to break free of what has been a "normal" life for her thus far and venture out into a new world to pursue her dream.

WINNER: FROZEN (since I gave the last one to Tangled).

The "Prince":

Frozen:

Honestly? He's nice and everything, but just an outline of a character. Meh.

Brave:

Winning. Don't need no suitor.


Tangled:

I love Flynn Rider, I love everything about him. EVERYTHING. I. Love. Him. He might be one of my favorite Disney characters of all time.

WINNER: TANGLED

I almost want to give this to Brave, because it is so important for girls to know that they do not need a boy to be happy. ACTUALLY, I change my answer. NEW WINNER: BRAVE

In Tangled, though, our runner up, it is important to note that you can't judge someone by their reputation alone, and that trust is very important in life, when given due reason.

This also isn't to discount Kristoff. Of all the Disney men so far, he GETS consent and politeness and feminism. Rad.

The Weapon:

Frozen:

Ice Powers. Um, that is all need be said.

Brave:

Fantastic bow and arrow.


Tangled:

Frying pan.

WINNER: BRAVE

The bow and arrow is something Merida worked hard at her entire life, and more importantly, when it came right down to the fight scene, you saw that even her years of dedication and practice couldn't fell such an evil beast. She needed to come together with her loved ones, and use her wits to conquer.

The Ice Powers and the Frying Pan are both close runners up, though.

Elsa has to learn to use and wield those powers similar to how Merida used the bow, and simply looking at these three, having Ice Powers clearly beats every-freaking-other-thing. But yeah, they're no good if you don't know how to use them.

The frying pan is the opposite of the Ice Powers. Rapunzel has no skills, no powers, has never practiced any form of defense, and yet she uses what is on hand to best her opponent. Not bad.


The Sequence:

Frozen:

Too much emotion at the beginning without enough backstory, too many songs in a row, and after Let It Go there is not much to hold a viewer's interest.

Brave:

Better than Frozen in terms of pacing, but it lags in some places, and sometimes the sad feels are too close to the other feels to make a clean transition.

Tangled:

 Perfect. Good pacing, good layout. Unfortunately, of the three it is the weakest in content. But we're grading sequence here, so that doesn't matter.

WINNER: TANGLED

The Most Important Relationship:

Frozen:

Sister-sister

Brave:

Mother-daughter

Tangled:

Romantic

WINNER: BRAVE

Sorry, guys, I'm just feeling the mom-daughter relationship more than I feel the sister-sister. I think it was much better development, better paced, and more involved. It required fewer assumptions and was explicit in its growth throughout the movie.


The Advisor:

Frozen:

What a jerk, amirite? This guy is truly the reason for all the trouble in this whole movie. You've got time to sing a whole stupid song about fixer uppers, but can't give the KING better advice than 'she's dangerous, but fear is your enemy'? No thanks.




Brave:

Only MILDLY above the troll king in terms of overall douchiness. She's a teenager. Give a girl some direction, eh? At least, though, the Bear Witch tries to help in her way.



Tangled:

He's bland and a bit boring, but aren't all consciences?

WINNER: TANGLED

By default, though. The other two were just horrific.


So, okay, if we tally these up...


Looks like, by my count, we've got five for Brave, five for Tangled, and three for Frozen.

But if you weigh in the overall message girls in particular should take with them going forward, that gives Frozen a few extra points.

LEAVING US WITH A TIE, GUYS, OKAY?

All that work, just to tell you these movies are tied for awesomeness on the point scale.


HOWEVER.

Tangled for life, yo.






 

In Response to Disney Haters - Guest Post

Sascha Fernandez, who blogs over at The Smart Little Girl's Guide to Summer, has generously shared with me this post about the greatness of Disney. There's a lot of back-and-forth about the virtues / faults of Disney movies, but Sascha is a confirmed fan.

...
For Meg...

OK. I’m sick to death of the Disney haters out there.  I am a fully grown woman who was raised on Disney.  For the most part I’m well adjusted, recognize my own potential, never compromised my own values, or questioned by position in the world as a woman, equal and free to succeed or fail like everyone else out there…like men.

You know what? You take from Disney movies what you bring in with you. If you are looking to tear them apart and find the “politically” incorrect message, or looking for a way to tear apart the “princess” personality and mythos you are going to find a way to do it no matter what. What you will miss is all the good stuff.  And I mean the GOOD stuff.  The values, the confidence, the life lessons, all because some of the princesses wanted to get married instead of getting a college degree, making it on their own, and then deciding whether or not marriage or domestic partnership has more pros than cons and whether or not children allow one to continue one’s current lifestyle (trust me, they don’t). You miss the message and you miss the magic.  We all need a little magic in our lives.  If you don’t have room for it, well, you end up like Gaston.

Let’s take a look at a few movies, shall we?

The Little Mermaid

Boy is this one attacked left and right and up and down.  Ariel gives up her (feminist) voice for a man!  Oh gosh and glory, let’s go get the cross and crucify her.  You know what you are missing?  You are missing the plight of an adolescent trying to find herself by breaking away from her father at precisely the correct time, when she’s 16.  This is not an “OK” for 16 year olds today to run away and get married, but what it is is the OK to realize you don’t have to like what your parents like. You don’t have to live at home for the rest of your life. You don’t have to be a little mold of your parents. You don’t have to follow in the footsteps of your siblings.  You can be YOU and YOU is whatever is important to you.  In the end, Triton realizes this.  He realizes that his daughter can have her own life and live apart from him…and guess what…she never stops loving him or her sisters and they never stop loving her no matter how she’s changed.  And imagine that...in the end she finds her voice.

The Lion King

This one is often attacked because Mufasa takes on the role of “God” when counseling his son from on high.  But it isn’t Mufasa we should be looking at and it isn’t about what your place in the circle of life is.  The Lion King is about living with consequences, pain, and emotional agony and how to move beyond them.  The key to the movie is one very small scene.  And this is the scene that should bear the most attention:
        

When I was going through a divorce, I was emotionally scarred (and still am to some degree). I watched the Lion King with my then six year old daughter.  This scene made me weep.  It was the entire movie.  When things in the past hurt I try to remember this conversation.  THAT is what The Lion King is about.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame


Yeah, this one was probably better for older children, around 9 or 10. I won’t argue that.  But in and of itself The Hunchback is one of the most important Disney movie your child should ever see. EVER.  We all know the story. The deformed hunchback Quasimodo is hidden in the bell tower. Judge Claude Frollo (and in the book he is Archdeacon of Notre Dame…a bit much even for Disney) persecutes the Gypsys, yet lusts after the Gypsy Esmerelda, who is the only person to show Quasimodo any kindness. And on.  Does this sound familiar? It should.  Nazi Germany and the persecution of the Jews.  The song *God Help the Outcasts* is probably the finest Disney song ever written and therein lay the entirety of the movie. One should not ask for help for oneself. One should ask for help for others. And if you go the Christian route (which is rather impossible to ignore since the story takes place in a church), God sees everything you do. Remember that.  And probably the most important lesson to take away from this story is the question pondered by the King of the Gypsys Clopin when he asks in the opening song, “Who is the monster and who is the man?” That’s pretty much all that’s left to be said.

Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White

Femme fatales? Sure.  Princesses? Sure.  Did they marry their princes? Of course they did.  Can I ask you a question?  What exactly is the problem you have with romance? These are stories, they are meant to entertain, and they are meant to be romantic.  There is a great deal of hypocrisy going around when it comes to damning Disney princesses.  We hate them because they seem vapid and unintelligent, yet we have no problem reading our Harlequin romance novels or watching re-runs of The Love Boat.  If you are pointing out to your five year old child that Snow White should be getting a college degree and playing the field a bit before she decides to marry, that’s your own insecurities surfacing.  Did you marry too young?  Did you fail to do things you wish you had because you got swept off your feet?  Let little girls be little girls.  Let them have a little fantasy. All too soon they will realize that the world can be a pretty rotten place for women. If you raise a strong girl for her ENTIRE childhood (not just relying on that 90 minute span when she’s watching Prince Charming slipping a shoe on a girl he met the night before), then you aren’t doing your job as a parent.  Every day should be the life lessons.  Going to school, getting good grades, being strong, being a force.  If a 90 minute movie destroys all the work you’ve put in, you didn't do very well, did you?

A dream is a wish your heart makes

Cinderella is about the dream for a better life.  And guess what, every one of us dreams of a better life, and s ometimes we need a little help getting that life.  It’s no shame asking for a bibbity bobbity boo when things get really tough or seem hopeless even when you are working as hard as you can (ask any college graduate trying to get a job in this economy…I know from experience).

The princess shall indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who know her. But... before the sun sets on her 16th birthday, she shall prick her finger, on the spindle of a spinning wheel - AND DIE!

Sleeping Beauty is about love. Not the love between the Aurora and Prince Phillip which is admittedly rather surface, but the love of parents (both the king and queen and her three godmothers) to protect their child no matter what the cost. Would you hide your daughter away for 16 years to save her life? Would you sacrifice your time with her to save her life?  I would.

Why, Grumpy, you do care.

Snow White is about kindness. Plain and simple and nothing else.  Be kind to animals. Be kind to people. Be kind to everyone. Kindness matters and kindness makes you a better person, a person worthy of kindness in return.

You're unsuited for the rage of war,

So pack up, go home you're through
How could I make a man out of you?

  
Mulan

So let’s take a step forward from the princesses and look at Mulan. I recognize there are some cultural problems with Mulan and I am not knowledgeable enough to discuss them. Most of what I hear from Disney haters is that Shang comes to Mulan's house to meet thereal Mulan (yeah, he kind of likes her as a girl now), grandmother asks where she can sign up for the next war because Shang's gorgeous.  Is that all you got out of this movie?  Really?  Mulan isn’t about a woman who dresses as a man so that she can fight in a war to save her father's honor, dignity, and life?  Mulan is about making sacrifices for your loved ones and again, finding out what kind of strength you have inside, and not just physical strength, but mental strength, emotional strength, and the ability to be a leader.  In fact, Mulan is the antithesis of the princesses (in a good way...a little contrast is a good thing) because marriage becomes the furthest thing from Mulan’s mind.  She realizes she’ll never be the “perfect” bride that society says she should be.  She realizes that there is something she should be, but doesn’t know what it is.  Throughout the movie we follow Mulan on her own journey as she recognizes some things within herself she didn't know existed. When Mulan cuts off her hair (her hair being her crown. Without it no marriage and no going back), and rides off to war in her father’s sted she realizes her life will never be the same. If she returns or is found out she'll be put to death. When Mulan is told to go home by Shang for the failure to live up to soldier standards she instead screws up her nerve and gets the arrow. Even though her life could be in jeopardy (by Shan-Yu and the laws of her country) she goes to the Emperor to try and save his life (and presents herself as a  leader because her friends listen and follow her), Finally, she takes the Emperor’s crest and Shan-Yu’s sword to her father to honor him and her family and he casts them aside to hold her. Mulan realizes that she is enough. She was always enough. 

If you kill him, you'll have to kill me, too

Pocahontas

Yup. Everyone hated this one because it was historically inaccurate.  OF COURSE IT WAS!  Just about every movie you have ever seen that was based on any kind of historical event is inaccurate (I do not include stories like Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, etc…).  Again, you are reading into the story what you should NOT be reading into it.  People are so hung up on the mistakes that, well, you can’t see the forest for the trees. This is a story about racial differences and the ability to either war with one another or make peace.  It is about two people being olive branches. It takes two people to see that they have similarities (the fact that they are both human is a good start), to bring peace.  It’s not always easy and the peace process doesn’t often come, but the potential is there.  The potential for one person to lay her head upon the head of one to be executed to prevent war exists within us all.  Oh, and of course taking care of the earth in this time of global warming shouldn’t be ignored either.

Show me the smile!

Beauty and the Beast

Yikes. If I hear “Stockholm Syndrome” one more time I’ll be sick. How many 6 year olds know what Stockholm Syndrome is unless you think it’s wise to explain a kidnap victim developing feelings for her captor to them. It seems as though your explanation might do a bit more damage than the story of a woman who falls in love with someone who has the reputation of being a monster.  Belle is the first “intelligent” woman (in today’s light) presented to us and we STILL rip her apart.  She isn’t interested in marrying the “prince” because there is no substance to him. The Beast is being punished for, well, pretty much being like Gaston.  He has to learn to love someone for themselves and not what they look like or what they can do for him (such as being arm candy in Gaston’s opinion).  Do the household staff want Beast to fall in love and have Belle return his love? Yes, of course.  They want to be returned to human, after all. But is that it?  I think characters like Mrs. Potts know what is in Beast’s heart and even though her desires are self-serving, they are also deeply rooted in the desire to see Beast become the person she knows he can be.

NOTE: I'm updating my section on Beauty and the Beast because someone pointed out that there was a  study that says girls feel it was OK for men to abuse women because Beast abused Belle.  That warrants a comment. And a great big one at that. 

You read into it whatever you want, but I can tell you that neither of my daughters ever believed it was OK to mistreat women * because* of Beast. One can find studies to validate any and all positions which is why they are pretty much all bunk. I found a study debunking your study. And then I found a study debunking the study I found debunking your study...etc.  Think about these types of studies for a moment: just how much of those girls were led into those opinions by the specific questions asked? "What do you think of Beast?" is a heck of a lot different than, "Do you think Beast should be nicer to Belle?" And how old were they? 7 or 13? How about the counter studies on the positive role models in Disney characters (Beast being able to change and learn to love).  Finding "studies" that validate the position you already have is sloppy science.  Having an opinion, looking at all the reports and THEN making a judgement is not sloppy.  I judge on experience and I've never met any child who saw Beast as an abusive boyfriend. Cripes! Every single thing has to have a devious meaning.  And if your child feels it is OK to be abusive to women because of a Disney movie then as a parent you get a big fat whopping F.

And let's revisit the movie now... Last time I watched Belle put him the heck in his place when she refused to dine with him.  And she LEFT.  The only reason she came back was because Beast was injured trying to save her. She might have been frightened at first and then she took control and refused to be treated poorly...hence Beast's change. It's all in the expectations you take in with you.

I'll be shootin' for my own hand!

Beauty and light is within

Let’s put it plainly.  Disney is about love.  Disney is about courage. Disney is about what is inside. Disney is about doing what is right. Disney is about being who you are meant to be.  Why is this bad?  Why the need to pick it apart. Watch the movie. Feel the magic.  Let Disney allow you to reflect on your own life.  Could you be a little more Snow White to the guy who just cut you off on the highway?  Yeah, you could.  Could you be a bit more Simba when you reflect on pain in your life. Yeah, you could.  Could you be a bit more Esmeralda to the bum on the street that might need your help? Yeah, you should.  These are the lessons Disney will teach your children if you let it. 

You like making deals. Take me in Meg's place.