TAMPA, Fla. — Disneyland in California will update one of its rides to remove stereotypes after coming under scrutiny for being racist.
The theme park is set to replace a scene in its Peter Pan ride to remove a racist portrayal of indigenous peoples, which comes after an update to the same ride at Walt Disney World in Florida.
The ride is one of the oldest in the park and has been around since opening day in 1955. The current scene during the ride shows tribal members sitting around a campfire with crossed arms while others drum. It came under criticism on Reddit saying the scene depicted Native American stereotypes.
Disney World updated the scene at their Magic Kingdom park, which now features animatronic figures of Peter Pan's friend Tiger Lily and her great-grandmother enjoying a harvest celebration, according to the New York Post.
Officials told The Post similar changes will be made in California but it is unclear how long updates will take.
In a statement to NewsNation officials said, “We consider ourselves constant learners and as we identify ways that can make our attractions and experiences more authentic and relatable, and our stories connect more deeply to our guests, we make thoughtful changes."
This isn't the first ride to be revised after coming under scrutiny. Splash Mountain was replaced by Tiana's Bayou Adventure. The ride was previously themed to “Song of the South,” a 1946 Disney movie filled with offensive cliches about African Americans and plantation life.
Disney’s announcement that it would transform its longstanding Splash Mountain ride into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure was made in June 2020 following the social justice protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. At the time, Disney said the change had already been in the works. But it came as companies across the U.S. were reconsidering or renaming decades-old brands amid worldwide protests.
