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Darkbeer
01-06-2004, 08:11 AM
Disney's Parade Float Hits a New Low (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-patt6jan06,1,6459248.column?coll=la-util-news-local) - Los Angeles Times, 1/6/04

QuikQuote: If you did watch, you couldn't have missed it. It was the tallest float in the history of the Rose Parade. Also one of the all-time dumbest. Did anyone ask, WWWD: What Would Walt Do? Don't set the bar that high — WWDD: What Would Dopey Do?
So what was Disney thinking? It wasn't thinking. It was counting. Dough. Spelled, Homer Simpson-fashion, D-O-H. This float was a 10-story, rolling 3-D billboard for a new thrill ride opening this spring down the freeway in Anaheim. (There's already a similar ride in the Florida theme park.)

RickW
01-06-2004, 09:38 AM
GIVE ME A BREAK! Sounds a little Lutzian to me.

olegc
01-06-2004, 11:34 AM
I read with interest this article. While I basically agree that the float bent a lot of rules as well as was a total advertisment for a single ride, I disagree with Ms. Morrison's lengthy diatribe as to the lack of senstitivity that this showed. I can't say I know how folks in NY feel after 9/11 because I was not there - but if you looked at this editorial as a whole you'd swear that the references to towers and scary things are becoming the next Politically Correct protected zone.

Next she will be calling for all buildings using the word "Tower" in their name to remove it because it's insensitive. I think her argument was overblown on that score - but it was in poor taste nonetheless (one of the remaining "obligations" the previous regime of the DLR put in place).

innerSpaceman
01-06-2004, 12:00 PM
The writer seemed to object to the entire Tower of Terror concept - the attraction included, and not just the float. She's got a certain point; perhaps a simulation of falling to your death from a tall building is a bit too politically incorrect these days.

I'm ok with the ToT concept - but if it's alright to simulate high-rise death in today's social and political climate, then I expect the skirt chasing scene to be reinstated to Pirates of the Caribbean as soon as Tower of Terror opens.


I'm glad the writer mentioned the shame of not having the float available for the traditional post-parade viewing, but there was no reference to it not even completing the parade route. To me (if that part of the story is true), that would be the most newsworthy piece of information.

Disneyphile
01-06-2004, 12:28 PM
Ok, this PC-ness is going WAY too far. :mad:

While we're at it, since EVERYTHING apparently refers to some kind of tragedy, let's get rid of anything "Aladdin", because he's Arab, and that can remind people of terrorists. Let's also get rid of Space Mountain and Star Tours, because the space reference is inconsiderate of the Columbia and Challenger disasters. Let's also get rid of Autopia, because people have died in cars, and to make a ride involving cars is just wrong. And POTC needs to be shut down because of all the people who have died in history when villages were pirated and burned to the ground. And that mayor being dunked in the well is SO tasteless also, because so many people were tortured that way throughout history also.

Oh, and Universal needs to get rid of their Earthquake segment of the tour, because people die in earthquakes too, most recently in Iran. (And this one really gets my goat, because I don't see people whining about earthquake or "shaking" references over the deaths of those 50,000+ people. But, if they were American, I'm sure it'd be different. :rolleyes: )

Sorry for the rant, but this just really ticked me off. :mad:

In my opinion, people need to stop the over-sensitive whining these days and have some backbone. :rolleyes:

iwannabeanimagineer
01-06-2004, 12:32 PM
Since I don't subscribe to the L.A. Times I didn't get to read the whole article, but I'll take the opportunity to shoot my mouth off anyway:

The criticism that the float was a rolling billboard is ridiculous. Anyone who saw LensCrafter's float saw something equally promotional, couched behind the rhetoric that they were encouraging people to donate used eyeglasses to some charitable group. The same goes for every float in the parade, to some degree of success or another, every float was advocating that we buy something, give to some cause or do business in some town. The parade itself is a blatant promotion of Pasadena and has been from the beginning. All of which is fine and good and acceptable and doesn't detract from the parade for me. There are opinion-makers and opinion-writers that promote an anti-capitalist attitude, that think that no good action should be motivated by the desire for profit. These are the people who want to punish success in this country out of jealousy, laziness and ignorance. (In this case, we should say "chance of" success, since we're talking about DCA.)

Regarding the imaginary connection between the fall of the World Trade Center and the Tower of Terror, I must say I saw no such connection, although the thought of the WTC passed through my mind as I watched the fall of Sauron's tower in LOTR: TROTK.

Having said all that, I was disappointed by the float. Although I thought the actors in the elevator were funny in an over-the-top, keystone-cops, so-stupid-I-can't-help-but-laugh kind of way.

EandCDad
01-06-2004, 12:39 PM
I understand how a person who had a relative killed at the World Trade Center might find the ride and float to be difficult to see. It reminds them of something horrible that happened. That said, even the two people they interviewed who were in this category didn't seem particularly angry or upset about it.

I thought it was kinda a cool float, although I agree it's relation to the theme is pretty tenouous, although I've seen that from time to time in many of the floats.

The Lovely Mrs. tod
01-06-2004, 12:56 PM
The same goes for every float in the parade, to some degree of success or another, every float was advocating that we buy something, give to some cause or do business in some town.

A couple of things...as the mother of two Little tods who worked their backsides off on the City of Burbank float I take umbrage with that comment. Burbank's (along with several others) float is an all volunteer project, built by and for the city. Agreed, many (too many) floats are promotional and Disney's really took the cake...but many of the floats also promote nothing but civic pride and we're darn proud of the Queen's Trophy for best use of roses here in the east valley (just to refresh, Burbank's float was "Moosic, Moosic, Moosic"...the one with the cowboy serenading the cows and yeah, we know they were dairy cows, don't go there...).

That said, I knew Patt Morrison many years ago when I too worked for the L.A. Times and the tone of her article didn't surprise me. AND...it wasn't presented as a news story. And yes, I agree, we're being way too sensitive regarding mentions of towers, falls, etc. I mean shouldn't we move on instead of worrying over or re-living the past?

Bottom line...the float WAS in bad taste and New York had nothing to do with it. It was self-serving commercialism at its finest (or worst), and, adding insult to injury, I understand that the float peeled off the parade route before the finish...in other words...they got their "commercial" past the TV cameras and got out.

I'm surprised they didn't have representatives selling DCA tickets along Colorado Boulevard alongside the film and tamale vendors. Or maybe they did.....

-TLMt

Demigod121
01-06-2004, 12:58 PM
Disneyphile's got the right idea. I've posted on other topics before about how this 'PC' thing is getting way outta hand.

Now here is proof.

People gotta start thinking about important things like curing diseases and feeding the starving, not about how to soften things like being short ('vertically challenged') or what not.

Let's get real here, people.

-Demigod

AVP
01-06-2004, 01:42 PM
Originally posted by The Lovely Mrs. tod
we're darn proud of the Queen's Trophy for best use of roses here in the east valley And you guys OUGHT to be! You did a great job! Honestly, I was very happy with the number of awards given to the self-built contingent: Burbank, Cal Poly, Long Beach, La Canada / Flintridge, Cerritos, and South Pasadena ALL won trophies this year.

AVP

danyoung
01-06-2004, 01:53 PM
Originally posted by Disneyphile
Sorry for the rant, but this just really ticked me off. :mad: In my opinion, people need to stop the over-sensitive whining these days and have some backbone. :rolleyes:

DITTO!!!

iwannabeanimagineer
01-06-2004, 02:08 PM
Originally posted by The Lovely Mrs. tod
Burbank's (along with several others) float is an all volunteer project, built by and for the city.
True, but it was still intended to promote Burbank and that's fine with me. I just don't buy the anti-capitalist judgmental whining (not from you, Lovely) that promoting a corporation or its products is evil and promoting a community or non-profit organization is heavenly. They're the same thing.


Originally posted by AVP
You did a great job! Honestly, I was very happy with the number of awards given to the self-built contingent: Burbank, Cal Poly, Long Beach, La Canada / Flintridge, Cerritos, and South Pasadena ALL won trophies this year.
Only one minor argument there: Cal Poly's float is usually much more interesting. I think they made the decision to go "cute" this year and lost me.

tod
01-06-2004, 02:45 PM
Originally posted by iwannabeanimagineer
True, but it was still intended to promote Burbank and that's fine with me. I just don't buy the anti-capitalist judgmental whining (not from you, Lovely) that promoting a corporation or its products is evil and promoting a community or non-profit organization is heavenly. They're the same thing.

I may be a fervent corporation-hater, but I still can tell the difference between a well-thought-out float that reflects the theme of the parade, and a bare-faced plug that is wedged into the parade theme like a large foot crammed into a too-small shoe.

(A Disney allusion that also reminds the reader of the enormity* of the float in the parade. I'm a professional writer, kids, don'ttry this at home.)

--T
====================
*Word specifically chosen: look it up and you'll see why.

TwinGemII
01-06-2004, 04:19 PM
Originally posted by Disneyphile
Ok, this PC-ness is going WAY too far. :mad:

[snipped]

In my opinion, people need to stop the over-sensitive whining these days and have some backbone. :rolleyes:

DISNEYPHILE - DEFINITELY AGREE WITH YOU ALL THE WAY! IT'S ABOUT TIME SOMEONE SAID IT. ;)

[Mod. note: Excessive quoted material removed. Please try to keep your quote to reply ratio near 1:1. -- Andrew]

The Mouse Is Back
01-06-2004, 04:35 PM
I don't really think the post-parade viewers were missing out on all that much by the ToT float going straight to DCA.

Having said that, all in all I am a lot more concerned with the maintenance problems at DLR and the internal strife at the company. For the first time in all the years (40+) that I have been going to DL, I have been comparing it unfavorably to other recreational and entertainment attractions in terms of cleanliness, safety, and overall value.

That makes me a durn site more worried than a Rose Parade float!



-Allegra-

sediment
01-06-2004, 04:52 PM
Join the club, Mousy!
But first, you must survive the daunting trips through the archives of this, Al's, and Jim Hill's sites!!

See you in a few days.

Phydeaou
01-06-2004, 04:59 PM
Let's also get rid of Space Mountain and Star Tours, because the space reference is inconsiderate of the Columbia and Challenger disasters. Don't forget the Sailing Ship Colombia itself, that name would have to be changed for the same reason! Ha! :D

The Mouse Is Back
01-06-2004, 05:13 PM
Originally posted by sediment
Join the club, Mousy!
But first, you must survive the daunting trips through the archives of this, Al's, and Jim Hill's sites!!


Oh, boo hoo hooooooooo! :crying:

Sediment's bein' mean to me, make him stop!



-Allegra-

Morrigoon
01-06-2004, 09:11 PM
Phydeaou: Ah, you forgot the Columbia accident, how terribly insensitive of you! :~D

Ace
01-06-2004, 10:35 PM
I read this article. The author "fails" to mention that Tower of Terror was open in Florida loooong before 9/11 which removes any credibility from that side of her argument. The other side, "let's keep this local etc. etc." is pretty late anyway because the Rose Parade is already "presented by" and whatnot.

Tutter
01-07-2004, 01:30 AM
Reading the article it sounds exactly like it is - a journalist who thinks he has got onto a good story and wants to do a bit of Disney bashing.

The "crime" as i see it is that it was too blatant an advert and din't fit in with the theme of the parade. That's it.

Let's hope that the journalist never discovers Europe and a little town called Pisa that markets itself on its leaning / falling Tower.

tod
01-07-2004, 05:34 AM
Originally posted by Tutter
Reading the article it sounds exactly like it is - a journalist who thinks he has got onto a good story and wants to do a bit of Disney bashing.

The "crime" as i see it is that it was too blatant an advert and din't fit in with the theme of the parade. That's it.


You're dead on about that "crime."

And just for the record, because Patt Morrison's L.A.-area TV appearances probably don't make it all the way to Scotland: Patt Morrison (or, as I call her, "Patt the hatt," because she always wears a chapeau of some kind) is a woman.

--T

blusilva
01-07-2004, 06:45 AM
Patt Morrison is a columnist, not a journalist. She's paid to write her opinion for the LA Times.

blusilva
01-07-2004, 06:46 AM
Patt Morrison is a columnist, not a news reporter. She's paid to write her opinion for the LA Times.

efoxx
01-07-2004, 07:09 AM
while I agree with the fact that the pc crowd is going way to far, I also tend to agree that this float didn't belong. for several of the mentioned reasons most notably
1. it didn't really meet the theme. just giving it a musical name doesn't do it.
2. it was in fact nothing more then a commercial for a new ride. this is not bad in and of itself all the other commercial floats do it, but...
3. it didn't complete the route. it merely got by the cameras and then drove off.
4. it didn't meet most of the parades requirments for a float.

but the people most to blame for this fiasco is the TORA. they were so desperate for the money and attention they would get from a return of Disney to their parade they compromised their parade. Disney was just doing what it felt was in it's own best interest. and for them it worked. the amount of people who saw that parade and know the truth are few and far between. so blame the right people, the TORA, and put presure on them not to let this happen again.