Monday, April 30, 2012

Zippity-doo-dah.

I realize that it will not make me popular to say that I find all things Disney to be highly suspect.
It’s okay.
I’m not running for homecoming queen.
I received a grant to go to the American Library Association convention this summer.
I am well and truly happy and excited about this.
So one of the grant committee people said, “Maybe you’ll stay an extra day and go to Disneyland.”
I don’t think so.
I’ve been to Disneyland four times.
Once was when I was three.
I don’t like dolls.
“It’s a Small World”nearly sent me out of the boat.
I did not grow up watching Disney movies, because the only one that my Dad thought was acceptable was Pinocchio. This was back in the day  when if you wanted to see a movie you had to see it in a theater or when it came on television.
In a way it was okay that I did not have a lot of Disney exposure. I have no Bambi trauma, because I have never seen Bambi in its entirety.
I did watch The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights. On occasion.
Now that I am a grown up--at least it says so on my Driver’s License--I have even bigger reservations about All Things Disney.
Disney Princesses!
Bah, I say. Bah.
No matter how spirited those Princesses get, they are still guilty of major league gender stereotyping.
It was the twenty-first century before there was an African-American princess.
My nieces love Disney Princesses. They get a lot of Disney Princess stuff.
I'm just Auntie or Tia Sissy, so I don't get a vote on this.
I buy them books that don't have Disney Princesses and movies like National Velvet.
Disneyland is very clean, which is nice. And there are steps in place to discourage gangwear and so on.
But.
But what goes on underneath all that squeaky-cleanness?
What happens when the lights go out?
What lurks in moats?
Do the rigid smiles on all of those dolls turn to something else when the crowds disperse?
Do all of those Plush Costumes and Rubber Faces gambol and gibber in the moonlight?
THAT is the side of Disneyland I would buy a ticket for.

10 comments:

  1. So excited for you. I hope you have a stellar time at ALA. [I already know you will!]

    I agree with you on the Princess topic. Blah. However, I would totally dig getting on the "other" side.. Yeah, that side, the one that nobody speaks of.

    One day, Kristen. One day we will embark on that journey. And it will be one hell of a ride. I can feel it all the way down to my tippy toes.

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    1. Oh yes, Amy-goddess, we will. We will do the Dark Side of Disney, and we will live to tell about it. Toes will curl.

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  2. I grew up with Disney and always held the Disney entertainment to a high standard. I've been to both Disneyworld and Disneyland and enjoyed them both. But now that my kids are grown I'm not so fond anymore. I don't care for the newer movies. My biggest problem is the whole monster corporation issue where a family of four has too spend a fortune to go to one of the parks for a few days and they have a CEO who makes obscene amounts of money. Just another big business. The parks are nice places to visit but I wouldn't want to pay to go there--not what they're asking.


    Congratulations on making it through the A to Z Challenge. Join us on May 7th with your Challenge Reflections post.

    Lee
    Places I Remember
    Wrote By Rote
    An A to Z Co-host blog

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    1. Arlee, I hear you. It's supposed to be for kids...so a lot of kids don't get to go. Thanks so much for co-hosting A-Z; I loved it!

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  3. I agree with you on the whole Disney front. I've been to Disney many times, though the parks have always been the one to pay my ticket. Disney is only worth it when it's free. Each time, though, I got to go behind the scenes to the backlots where you see all of the mechanics of the rides and see all of the characters binge drinking, smoking, groping, and swearing. Nothing really kills your childhood more than behind the scenes at Disney. First off, most everyone is tired and pissed actors who wish they could get a better gig. Second, it reaks so badly of beer back there I could hardly breathe. I held my breath for the longest time. Everything back there is so fake. There is no more magic. I stand by what I said. Disney is only worth it when it's free. Take it from someone who's been on both sides. Though I don't really have to convince you, do I?

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    1. Annie, this is one of the best comments ever. This is a stunning word picture. I'm with you.

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  4. It drives me and my daughters crazy that the hero in Tangled does not wear shoes the whole movie.
    Otherwise she is a great hero. But no shoes? Come on.

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    1. I haven't seen Tangled, but my niece LOVES it. I will ask her about the shoes!

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  5. I agree with you about Disney except...
    1. they bought Pixar
    2. they bought Marvel
    So far, they seem to be allowing those two entities to remain unDisneyfied. We'll see.

    I so agree about the Disney Princesses, though. There's a really good book that talks about how that came to be, but I'm not remembering the name of it, at the moment.

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    1. Yes, props for the Pixar/Marvel deals--but I live in fear that they will lose their Pixar/Marvel souls.

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