Disney Parks Responded to Guest Criticism and Made These Changes

When Disney fans are displeased with something, they don’t hold back on voicing their opinions. With the age of the internet that we currently live in, news travels fast. However, Guest complaints travel just as quickly. With apps, email, and social media, it’s impossible for the higher ups at Disney to not see the thoughts and opinions of Disney park goers.

Since Disney’s success heavily relies on its fan base, it’s not surprising that they value the opinions of their Guests and use those to create a better overall experience.

There have been multiple instances, especially in recent years, where Disney not only heard what Guests had to say, but have made changes as a result of it. Today, we’re going to take a look at some of these changes.

1. Updates to The Amazing Spider-Man! Stuntronic Show

Just as recently as a couple days ago, Guests visiting Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure Park are now experiencing new changes to The Amazing Spider-Man! stuntronic show. This popular show gives Guests the opportunity to watch Spidey do impressive stunts, acrobatic moves, and make an amazing web-slinging leap into the air.

This show has been wow-ing Guests since it first premiered in the Summer of 2020. However, even though the show has always caused a large number of Guests to gather and view the spectacle, it was recently rumored that the show would soon come to an end.

After receiving complaints from Guests, Disney announced that the show would continue running, with new changes. These changes were incorporated into the show on November 17th. While Guests were promised more appearances from Spidey, which included more chances to see him leap through the air and more meet and greet opportunities, there was one very noticeable difference – human actors were no longer part of the show. Many wonder if this is a sign of the show’s inevitable end.

Even though we are unsure of the fate of The Amazing Spider-Man! stuntronic show, we appreciate Disney listening to Guests and giving them more of what they want for the time being – more Spider-Man.

2. Pirates of the Caribbean Auction Scene

Over the years of 2017 and 2018, the Pirates of the Caribbean rides across the globe received a major change. Previously, the ride included a scene where women were taken to auction. Bound together by ropes, in a visible state of distress, these women were paraded in front of a sign that read “Auction – Take a Wench for a Bride”. As Guests passed by, they could hear the auctioneer shouting crude remarks to the women as their value was diminished to a mere price tag.

As real-world changes started taking place, many fans became vocal about the harmful image this scene was portraying. Disney announced in 2017 that changes would be made to this scene that would keep with the pirate-theme, but no longer display such a disrespectful view towards women. Unironically, the Me Too Movement was also in full swing during this same year. Many presume that the movement, along with Guest complaints, is what led Disney to make the very necessary changes to this scene.

Now, rather than women being auctioned off, the scene features men and women auctioning off stolen goods. One of the women from the previous auction scene even made a tremendous comeback in the new reimagining. Rather than being auctioned off like an object, she’s now a pirate known as Captain Redd, and it’s clear that she’s no longer being controlled.

3. Alcohol at Disneyland Paris

When Walt Disney first created Disneyland, he was very adamant that alcohol would never be present in his park. During an interview, he stated, “No liquor, no beer, nothing. Because that brings in a rowdy element. That brings people that we don't want and I feel they don't need it”.

Walt’s wish to keep alcohol out of the parks was honored for many, many years. At least at the “Castle Parks”. While Disneyland Park and Magic Kingdom Park remained alcohol-free, the other Disney World parks served alcohol from the time they were open. Especially EPCOT, which featured a variety of drinks in World Showcase.

When EuroDisney opened up in 1992, it was also alcohol-free, following suit with the other Castle Parks. However, that didn’t last long. EuroDisney had a very rocky start. The French weren’t welcoming of the park, too much money was put into the development of the park, not enough Guests were visiting, and only a fraction of the hotel space was being used.

While there were many major issues that EuroDisney was facing, there was one Guest complaint that could be easily dealt with. The Guests visiting the parks wanted alcohol. Not only was this a staple for the French, Guests visiting from other countries wanted to fully take part in the French experience and felt like that wasn’t possible when no alcohol was present. Within a year from its opening date, EuroDisney started serving alcohol.

Today, alcohol is so common at Disneyland Paris that you can purchase champagne from carts on Main Street!

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4. Post Covid Changes

When the Disney Parks reopened after the Covid-19 closures, Guests were met with a variety of changes. On top of the new standard Covid protocols such as mask mandates, temperature screenings, and social distancing, many changes were made to the way the parks were run. Advanced Park Pass Reservations were required, Park Hopping was restricted to certain times and availability, Annual Passes were suspended, Dining Plans were suspended, and Genie+ was introduced.

While Guests were desperate to return to the magic, there was quite an adjustment period after the parks reopened. Many Guests did not take well to the new differences, claiming that the magic was gone and the Guest experience was quite simply not the same as it was prior to the closures.

In January of 2023, Josh D’Mario, the Chairman of The Walt Disney Company, penned an open letter that revealed a variety of changes that would be coming within the year. He listed changes that would be seen at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Promised Changes

Disneyland

• Disney will “significantly” increase the number of days that Disneyland will offer the lowest-priced one-day, one-park Disneyland ticket at $104
• Park Hopping guests will have the ability to begin crossing between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure earlier (starting at 11 a.m.), beginning February 4
• Disney On-Ride PhotoPass Downloads will be complimentary for all ticketed park guests, beginning February 4 and throughout the Disney100 celebration
• Disneyland Magic Key Annual Passes will be on sale “more times during the year as inventory becomes available”

Walt Disney World

• In the next few months, Walt Disney World Annual Passholders will be able to visit all four theme parks after 2 pm without needing a park reservation except on Saturdays and Sundays at Magic Kingdom Park. Pass blockout dates will continue to apply as they do today
• Complimentary guest parking will return for guests staying at Disney Resort hotels beginning this evening, January 10
• Guests that purchase Disney Genie+ service will also receive digital downloads of their Disney PhotoPass attraction photos on the day of their purchase, at no additional charge

While these new changes didn’t promise that the parks would return to their original state, they were a comforting step in the right direction. So many Guests felt as though a lot was taken from them after the parks reopened. However, the changes that Josh D’Mario promised in this letter brought on a new wave of hope that the parks would feel more normal again soon, even if it was a “new normal”.

5. Booking Ride Passes in Advance

When Disney announced that Genie+ would be replacing FastPass+, many Guests were outraged. The aspects of the new skip-the-line service did not seem nearly as appealing as the one that was previously in place. There were two main concerns – ride passes could not be booked in advance anymore and a service that used to be free now had a price tag attached to it.

While Guests already had concerns about Genie+, things only seemed to get worse once it went live. The new service was very confusing and left Guests frustrated. Many claimed that Genie+ wasn’t worth the price since they were barely getting any passes out of it. However, this wasn’t the case for everyone. Others figured out the ins and outs of the new service and were able to utilize it in such a way that they were able to get a full park day’s worth of activities out of it.

Essentially, Genie+ was a hit or miss among Guests.

Disney listened to Guest complaints and announced another change. In 2024, Genie+ was replaced by Lightning Lane Passes. This new system was essentially the same as the previous FastPass+, but was no longer complimentary. With Lightning Lane Passes, Guests can again book passes for rides and attractions in advance. The system is also one that’s familiar to many Guests and not nearly as confusing as Genie+.

6. Jungle Cruise Changes

Jungle Cruise was designed with the original intent to take Guests on an adventurous journey through the jungle. While the attraction is now filled with jokes, puns, and dry humor, it was originally a more serious ride.

To add to the adventurous aspect of the ride, natives were included. Depicted as scary, cannibalistic headhunters, these natives were not accurately portrayed on the attraction, which made these portions of the ride extremely stereotypical and racist. There was also a portion of the ride where a white man’s safety was shown as being more important than of those with darker skin.

Over recent years, Guests have voiced their distaste for these portions of the ride. While not calling for a full overhaul of the ride, the wish was to have these scenes corrected to make them accurate and inclusive.

After a lengthy refurbishment, Jungle Cruise opened up in 2021 with much needed changes. The ride had a brand new storyline, the scenes where natives were being negatively depicted were removed or changed, and more humor was added to the ride. These changes were successfully made without taking any of the original charm away from the attraction.

7. Splash Mountain's Re-Theme

In 2021, it was announced that a beloved Disney Parks attraction would be getting a complete re-theme. Artwork and a new storyline were revealed that detailed how Splash Mountain would be turned into an attraction themed around The Princess and the Frog.

While Disney claims that this change had been in development for quite some time, the announcement came shortly after a petition titled “Re-theme Splash Mountain to Princess and the Frog” gained over 21,000 supporters on change.org. The petition stated this as the issue:

“Disney parks should be a home for all to enjoy regardless of race, age, whatever your background may be. The classic log flume ride Splash Mountain is featured in Disneyland, Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland. While the ride is considered a beloved classic it’s history and storyline are steeped in extremely problematic and stereotypical racist tropes from the 1946 film Song of the South.”

“There is a huge need for diversity in the parks and this could help fill that need. Princess and the Frog is a beloved princess movie but has very little representation in the parks. Tiana could be one of the first princesses with a thrill ride, as well as giving her a much deserved place in the parks. The framing of the ride is such that it could be easily changed to tell the story of Tiana while not compromising too much of the ride/costing a fortune in remodeling for Disney. This change could kill two birds with one stone, remove the offensive stereotypical theming the ride currently has and bring a much needed diversity to the parks. As well as a much bigger merchandising opportunity for Princess and the Frog.”

Tiana's Bayou Adventure

The ride did indeed receive this change at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, with only the original Splash Mountain still standing at Tokyo Disneyland. Whether the petition was the reason for the retheme, or simply a push to make the announcement of plans that were already in development, Disney heard the cries of Guests and made the appropriate changes.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure has made a splash among those who have had the opportunity to ride it. While many Guests miss Splash Mountain, this new vision was a much needed change that makes the ride more inclusive and more relevant for younger Guests.

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