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View Full Version : How long has Disneyland had two languages? English AND Spanish.



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HelloMikey
08-24-2006, 06:05 PM
Hello,
We just went to Disneyland and DCA last week all the way from Seattle. We had a good time, the lines were quick enough and enjoyed all the special 50th touches.

However on our first day we noticed that they now had the guidlines, signs, etc in spanish too! This was a little surprising and unexpected, as the last time we were here 6 years ago and this wasn't the case. We first noticed on the Haunted Mansion, it was like "poner tus peirnas, patas, y abrazos en intro al el doombugy porfavor" or something like that. It just didn't fit the attaction. The more rides we went on, the more spanish we encountered.

It just ruined the magic for a short while, (at least for me) but we did get used to it. I can see why they need spanish too, but it just was weird. :eek:

HorizonsA
08-24-2006, 06:57 PM
This is because of all the idiots who claim to know no English just so they can break the rules, can be warned in "their" language. If a Cast Member gets after these certain types of guests, they can't say "I no understand," because the signs tell them in their language. Blame them.

wardkimballfan
08-24-2006, 07:22 PM
This is because of all the idiots who claim to know no English just so they can break the rules, can be warned in "their" language. If a Cast Member gets after these certain types of guests, they can't say "I no understand," because the signs tell them in their language. Blame them.So, people who only speak Spanish are idiots? Interesting concept.

smd4
08-24-2006, 08:00 PM
So, people who only speak Spanish are idiots? Interesting concept.He didn't say that, so stop trying to twist the argument. He said "idiots who CLAIM to know no English."

Personally, I think the reason you see so many Spanish spiels is because English in Southern California is not the majority language any longer.

And I suppose by stating that fact I'm a racist, and I'll hear about it... :rolleyes:

My wife, from China, wonders why she's discriminated against, since she can't hear spiels in her native tongue.

Oh wait...that's right--she went to adult school and learned English before getting her BS at UCLA...

As a minority, she wonders why we pander to non-English speakers of Latino decent only.

So do I.

doombuggy driver
08-24-2006, 08:13 PM
You definitely have a point. I see just as many asian guests at DL as I do Spanish speaking guests. The language barrier is frustrating because it is sometimes used as an excuse for bad behavior. I think that DL just wants to make sure that they cover themselves legally.

smd4
08-24-2006, 08:16 PM
I think that DL just wants to make sure that they cover themselves legally.Because Asians never do anything bad, and don't need to be told? Or because many (I didn't say "MOST") Hispanics seem to do more stuff that's bad than Asians?

newhdplayer
08-24-2006, 08:37 PM
You know what's really funny? I learned English when we moved here so I could assimilate, but in retrospect, it may have been the wrong decision.

I want my spiels in German, NOW, or I'll sue.

Disney Yeti
08-24-2006, 09:25 PM
Its a small world.....

Peace,

Yeti.

wardkimballfan
08-24-2006, 09:49 PM
He didn't say that, so stop trying to twist the argument. He said "idiots who CLAIM to know no English."Ah, I see. So, if someone speaks only Spanish, they're just pretending not to know English. That's interesting. Does it work the other way, too? Do all English speakers pretend not to know Spanish? Is it a game?


Personally, I think the reason you see so many Spanish spiels is because English in Southern California is not the majority language any longer.

And I suppose by stating that fact I'm a racist, and I'll hear about it... :rolleyes:Making verifiable claims about population numbers in a given region is not inherently racist, so I'm unsure why you'd think you'd be accused of racism in this instance.


My wife, from China, wonders why she's discriminated against, since she can't hear spiels in her native tongue.

Oh wait...that's right--she went to adult school and learned English before getting her BS at UCLA...

As a minority, she wonders why we pander to non-English speakers of Latino decent only.

So do I.Numbers and dollars. If more non-English-speaking Chinese flooded into Southern California in a short time span (as Spanish speakers have done), you'd see more Chinese language signs at Disneyland.

wardkimballfan
08-24-2006, 10:00 PM
Because Asians never do anything bad, and don't need to be told? Or because many (I didn't say "MOST") Hispanics seem to do more stuff that's bad than Asians?Really? I'm sure the tongs, triads, and yakuza will be enlightened to know that. Not to mention the People's Army soldiers who rolled tanks over all those students in Tiananmen Square back in '89. Or the Chinese officials in charge of the laogai slave camps (http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/4-3-24/20545.html). Oh, and those Khmer Rouge in Cambodia who filled up those killing fields with bones under Pol Pot's leadership. And the Viet Cong. Not to mention Indonesian pirates, Filipino terrorists, and the Thai and Burmese generals running heroin out of the Golden Triangle.

I'm sure several thousand cheaply paid berry pickers, hotel cleaning staff, and construction workers are much, much worse.

HelloMikey
08-24-2006, 10:04 PM
Well what I think is this is America, although we are all different people from different countries, cultures, etc the ENGLISH language IS and should be what unites us as one. How will they ever learn english if thier native language is right there on everything. !Bienvinidos a Disneylandia!

HelloMikey
08-24-2006, 10:07 PM
wardkimballfan, what he meant is that Asians typically arn't as rowdy as hispanics. They just are not.

Leslie21
08-24-2006, 11:14 PM
He didn't say that, so stop trying to twist the argument. He said "idiots who CLAIM to know no English."

Personally, I think the reason you see so many Spanish spiels is because English in Southern California is not the majority language any longer.

And I suppose by stating that fact I'm a racist, and I'll hear about it... :rolleyes:

My wife, from China, wonders why she's discriminated against, since she can't hear spiels in her native tongue.

Oh wait...that's right--she went to adult school and learned English before getting her BS at UCLA...

As a minority, she wonders why we pander to non-English speakers of Latino decent only.

So do I.

Hey, guess what? I'm Pre-Med @ UCSD, I rejected UCLA because they didn't have my major. Am I Asian (as 41% of the students are) or Hispanic ? Oh, and I got a 780 the English section of the SAT (before the scoring changes?). I think that it is wonderful that you defend your wife but find that you can be prejudiced against other races. Guess what ? Some people feel the same way about your wife. I'm tired of reading things like this, I don't care about the Spanish spiels, but your attitude disturbs me. Also, it's descent not decent, so much for spelling the language you defend so fervently.

wardkimballfan
08-25-2006, 12:33 AM
wardkimballfan, what he meant is that Asians typically arn't as rowdy as hispanics. They just are not."Rowdy," eh? Well, if what he meant was "rowdy," why didn't he just say what he meant, instead of saying "Because Asians never do anything bad, and don't need to be told? Or because many (I didn't say 'MOST') Hispanics seem to do more stuff that's bad than Asians?"? See, when you use a general, broad term like "bad" to describe behavior, it doesn't necessarily translate to "rowdy," which is much more specific an adjective. I'd like to know just how you're able to interpret "bad" as "rowdy." I've known quite a few Latinos who are well-behaved and have known a few obnoxious Asians in my time.

Either way, it's peddling in ethnic stereotypes.

The simple reason that there are Spanish signs around Disneyland is that there are a lot more native Spanish speakers visiting the Park than there once were due to increased levels of immigration from Spanish-speaking nations, and Disneyland is simply responding to existing market forces. In another generation or two, if Latino immigration (legal or illegal) does not keep up with current levels, and if naturalization (especially cultural) increases, it's possible that the necessity of Spanish language signs may decrease as well. The reason other non-English-speaking immigrant groups are not catered to in such a fashion is due to their comparatively lower numbers. If the United States, particularly the Southwestern states, see a numerically comparable influx of immigrants from a region with a different language (such as Chinese), chances are good that businesses and possibly government agencies will increase their efforts to reach that immigrant market as well. Dollars are the same whether they come from the wallet of an English speaker, a Spanish speaker, a Chinese speaker, or a speaker of any other language. It's all about the benjamins, baby.

Leslie21
08-25-2006, 12:45 AM
"Rowdy," eh? Well, if what he meant was "rowdy," why didn't he just say what he meant, instead of saying "Because Asians never do anything bad, and don't need to be told? Or because many (I didn't say 'MOST') Hispanics seem to do more stuff that's bad than Asians?"? See, when you use a general, broad term like "bad" to describe behavior, it doesn't necessarily translate to "rowdy," which is much more specific an adjective. I'd like to know just how you're able to interpret "bad" as "rowdy." I've known quite a few Latinos who are well-behaved and have known a few obnoxious Asians in my time.

Either way, it's peddling in ethnic stereotypes.

The simple reason that there are Spanish signs around Disneyland is that there are a lot more native Spanish speakers visiting the Park than there once were due to increased levels of immigration from Spanish-speaking nations, and Disneyland is simply responding to existing market forces. In another generation or two, if Latino immigration (legal or illegal) does not keep up with current levels, and if naturalization (especially cultural) increases, it's possible that the necessity of Spanish language signs may decrease as well. The reason other non-English-speaking immigrant groups are not catered to in such a fashion is due to their comparatively lower numbers. If the United States, particularly the Southwestern states, see a numerically comparable influx of immigrants from a region with a different language (such as Chinese), chances are good that businesses and possibly government agencies will increase their efforts to reach that immigrant market as well. Dollars are the same whether they come from the wallet of an English speaker, a Spanish speaker, a Chinese speaker, or a speaker of any other language. It's all about the benjamins, baby.

Money really is the biggest motivator for these modifications and I couldn't have said it better myself.

KDR
08-25-2006, 02:25 AM
Without joining the rest of the fracas, I'm virtually positive that the Matterhorn had an English/Spanish spiel ("Remain seated please -- Permanecer sentados por favor") at least as far back as the mid-1970s. Quite possibly earlier. So the answer to the question in the title of the thread is "at least 30 years". In my recollections of Disneyland, it's just always been that way, and I've never really given it any thought, one way or another. It just . . . is.

doombuggy driver
08-25-2006, 05:34 AM
Because Asians never do anything bad, and don't need to be told? Or because many (I didn't say "MOST") Hispanics seem to do more stuff that's bad than Asians?
That is not what I said. Way to turn it into a racial thing! If you are going to quote me use what I said accuratley and do not make racial assumptions!!!
:mad:

oregontraveler
08-25-2006, 07:39 AM
...so anyway, back to the OP. I'm pretty sure they also have a Japanese
spiel for the fireworks and Fantasmic. mostly a countdown before showtime.

Ulysses
08-25-2006, 07:40 AM
You definitely have a point. I see just as many asian guests at DL as I do Spanish speaking guests. The language barrier is frustrating because it is sometimes used as an excuse for bad behavior. I think that DL just wants to make sure that they cover themselves legally.

DL wants to communicate with as many guests as possible, that's all. To play each announcement in many languages (like they do at Small World) would take too long. English and Spanish are the majority languages in Southern California.

I am a CM and a native English speaker who speaks marginal Spanish. I have a co-worker who speaks marginal Japanese. We note this cultural difference: Spanish-speaking guests are happy that I try. They will slow their speech down for me and compliment me on my accent. Japanese-speakers are just so amazed that anyone in America is even trying to speak their language, their usual response is to start laughing.

DisneyDustin22
08-25-2006, 07:55 AM
I wonder what Mel Gibson thinks of all this.....

spectromen
08-25-2006, 08:46 AM
When I go to Disneyland Paris or Tokyo Disneyland, I'm not irritated because most of the material is presented in the native tongue...that's to be expected when I'm visiting THEIR country.

evrythngwmn
08-25-2006, 08:55 AM
The simple reason that there are Spanish signs around Disneyland is that there are a lot more native Spanish speakers visiting the Park than there once were due to increased levels of immigration from Spanish-speaking nations, and Disneyland is simply responding to existing market forces. In another generation or two, if Latino immigration (legal or illegal) does not keep up with current levels, and if naturalization (especially cultural) increases, it's possible that the necessity of Spanish language signs may decrease as well. The reason other non-English-speaking immigrant groups are not catered to in such a fashion is due to their comparatively lower numbers. If the United States, particularly the Southwestern states, see a numerically comparable influx of immigrants from a region with a different language (such as Chinese), chances are good that businesses and possibly government agencies will increase their efforts to reach that immigrant market as well. Dollars are the same whether they come from the wallet of an English speaker, a Spanish speaker, a Chinese speaker, or a speaker of any other language. It's all about the benjamins, baby.

Well said and I totally agree. The communities I visit regularly have a high number of Japanese people living in them. Guess what language a lot of the signs and things are in? You guessed it, Japanese. It's all about catering to the masses whatever they may be for your region.

Corith
08-25-2006, 08:55 AM
How long has Disneyland had two languages? English AND Spanish

You don't really want to know the answer to that, do you? In this era of Republica del Norte & Aztlan such thoughts and discussion are now very taboo and strictly forbidden by the thought police. Just accept it and move on.

Shadowcat
08-25-2006, 09:04 AM
Wow, I see a few folks reading between the lines of the OP for what they 'want' to see there. Reading comprehension is very important in forums because too many arguements start over people reading into things that aren't there. Much like this thread.

After reading it, I see the people he was calling 'idiots' are the people that lie about not understanding english. No where did I read the OP was putting down spanish speaking people. The point he was making about his wife appeared to be questioning why Disney caters to one foreign language group and not others. The "Because Asians never do anything bad, and don't need to be told?" reads as if he is saying spanish speaking people aren't the only people that make trouble, so why not put it in other languages? which is in response to doombuggy driver's post about it being for legal issues.

Getting back to the topic, yes the spiel on the Matterhorn has been there for a loooong time. When I was little, I thought the spanish part was saying "somebody says to stop the abomidable" in a really thick accent. lol!

hg0079
08-25-2006, 09:12 AM
I found it interesting on the Matterhorn that we "took off" while the Speil was still being played in spanish (in other words you couldn't hear all of it.)