kids & the characters in the parks

[RumRunner31]

I'm not sure if this is entirely the right place to post this, but I was talking with another CM the other day about the DVD vault concept and how it affects the parks. Mainly, we were noticing that kids go up to ask for a character's autograph, but many times they've never seen a single cartoon or movie that made them famous! We talked to a little boy right after he met Chip & Dale and he only knew who they were through the fact that "they live in Toontown with Mickey" - he had never seen a chip & dale cartoon. What about kids riding Dumbo? Didn't that just get it's first DVD release?

Just an interesting concept of characters we take for granted that many kids today may not have even heard of outside the parks. (Merlin, anyone?) Thoughts?

[frecky]

Ive never really thought about it, because my kids watch so many Disney DVDs (even the old cartoons) that they know who most (if not all) the characters are when they see them.


My kids are 6 and 5 btw.

[Tatttoons]

Yeah I agree.... I think kids like ours are not as common as we think. We are used to our kids watching everything Disney under the sun and going there they know any and all the characters without hesitation. But most kids probably have no idea who half of the characters are running around, let alone what most of the rides are in reference too.... all they know is they are at Disneyland and it is "way cool" in their eyes. I know when I took my youngest daughter on Mr. Toad she had no idea who anyone was, so when we came home her sister brought the movie in her room for them to watch. Pretty cool when you think about it!

[Cmash95]

i think that is one of the reasons for the mickey's playhouse concept is for younger ones to have something to associate mickey and minnie and goofy and donald with. When my kids were young they knew chip and dale as the rescue rangers and they knew goofy and max from goof troup. not to mention darkwing duck and uncle scrooge and the gang. I know they have toon disney channel but I wish they would at least show those old cartoons on disney channel. that way kids would at least be able to associate the characters with something pretty soon they will just be characters walking around a park.

[Soulquarian]

Disney just needs to get back on track with the Disney channel. Show more classic cartoons showcasing Disney's treasure trove of characters.

[Beowulf]

I'm not sure if this is entirely the right place to post this, but I was talking with another CM the other day about the DVD vault concept and how it affects the parks. Mainly, we were noticing that kids go up to ask for a character's autograph, but many times they've never seen a single cartoon or movie that made them famous! We talked to a little boy right after he met Chip & Dale and he only knew who they were through the fact that "they live in Toontown with Mickey" - he had never seen a chip & dale cartoon. What about kids riding Dumbo? Didn't that just get it's first DVD release?

Just an interesting concept of characters we take for granted that many kids today may not have even heard of outside the parks. (Merlin, anyone?) Thoughts?

Couldn't agree with you more. I miss the old cartoon shorts Mickey, Goofy, Silly Symphonys, etc. I really think Disney channel needs to start showing these again to help kids re-connect with the characters that their meeting.

-On a side note, the Toon Disney channel shows old animated movies everyday or every other day such as Sword in the Stone, Oliver and Company, Aristocats, etc. so if your interested you might wanna check that out-

[mycroft16]

Absolutely true! I was so incredibly happy to see a Chip and Dale short opening Meet the Robinsons. I hope every Disney movie from now on has something like that.

And the Disney channel really needs to get in with the older Mickey, Donald, Chip and Dale, Goofy shorts. Every kid that I have ever shown my DVDs to has laughed and loved them all. Those animations are truly timeless classics beyond compare. And I think it would increase the alure of the characters in the park even more.

[ProfGriffin]

I just read an article about a new Goofy short hitting theatres (possibly a before the main feature short). It's done in the classic Goofy style (actual cell animation) and called, How to Hook up your Home Entertainment System.

I love old Disney cartoons, but Goofy cartoons just make me laugh out loud. It's silly I know, but I just love Goofy.

[mycroft16]

That is AWESOME!!! Where did you hear this from? Those "How To"s with Goofy are some of my favorites. I love the home gym and football shorts. I can only imagine a home entertainment system. And I'm glad it's done in cell animation. If this is indeed true, then I am incredibly proud of Disney Animation for doing what is right and they have forgotten.


EDIT:
Ok, I found the article. Or an article anyway: http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,12...e/article.html

[lazyboy97O]

We talked to a little boy right after he met Chip & Dale and he only knew who they were through the fact that "they live in Toontown with Mickey" - he had never seen a chip & dale cartoon.

Wait just one darn second! Are you telling me that this kid enjoyed these clearly culturally irrelevent characters without them being dressed as Jack Sparrow or a princess? Blasphemy says I!

[Capt Hook]

I have to agree to. I which Toon Disney will show more classic Mickey,Donald,Goofy,Chip,Dale and the rest instade (ms) of Power Rangers,Witch,Get ED and all these none Disney cartoons. ABC Family can show Power Ranger,Witch and all the others on there.

[Alpine]

Considering how damn awful (and lame/annoying for parents to even have in the background) most children's programming is nowadays, the timeless old cartoons definitely should be out there more. For everyone's sake.

Overstylized quasi-sci-fi kid-empowering CG shows with zero sophistication, no hidden chuckles for adults that go right over kid heads, and flat out annoying characters no deeper than a three point guideline developed by a corporate committee really need to stop hogging precious airwaves. I remember the days of the original Disney Afternoon, Animaniacs, and the good days of Nickelodeon (what was that camp show called?), and hardly anything made nowadays holds a candle to that quality family entertainment. Course, playing outside is cool too and all.




...Oh, right, yay for old characters in the parks!

(That rant inspired by "Jetix", or "why I don't miss living in a house with a 6 year old boy".)

[RumRunner31]

Considering how damn awful (and lame/annoying for parents to even have in the background) most children's programming is nowadays, the timeless old cartoons definitely should be out there more. For everyone's sake.

Overstylized quasi-sci-fi kid-empowering CG shows with zero sophistication, no hidden chuckles for adults that go right over kid heads, and flat out annoying characters no deeper than a three point guideline developed by a corporate committee really need to stop hogging precious airwaves. I remember the days of the original Disney Afternoon, Animaniacs, and the good days of Nickelodeon (what was that camp show called?), and hardly anything made nowadays holds a candle to that quality family entertainment. Course, playing outside is cool too and all.




...Oh, right, yay for old characters in the parks!

(That rant inspired by "Jetix", or "why I don't miss living in a house with a 6 year old boy".)

LOL - Eat My Shorts!!! Camp Awnawana, we hold you in our hearts...

Ok, dating myself. Same with Rescue Rangers being the show I simply REFUSED to miss when I was growing up. All these theme songs will be stuck in my head now.

And, yes - I know it's amazing, but Chip and Dale didn't even have to swash any buckles!!!

[1disneynut2another]

Yeah its all Disney Channels fault, I remember when it use to be worth a damn, now its just age inappropriate swill directed toward the tween market, theres nothing left of what it use to be. I remember they use to show Vault Disney which had the Ink and paint club, and the wonderful world of disney, it showed Davy Crockett and Texas John Slaughter and all those old made for TV Disney shows, it was awsome

[Kuzcochik]

Overstylized quasi-sci-fi kid-empowering CG shows with zero sophistication, no hidden chuckles for adults that go right over kid heads, and flat out annoying characters no deeper than a three point guideline developed by a corporate committee really need to stop hogging precious airwaves. I remember the days of the original Disney Afternoon, Animaniacs, and the good days of Nickelodeon (what was that camp show called?), and hardly anything made nowadays holds a candle to that quality family entertainment. Course, playing outside is cool too and all.




...Oh, right, yay for old characters in the parks!

(That rant inspired by "Jetix", or "why I don't miss living in a house with a 6 year old boy".)

The show was Salute Your Shorts. But that aside, excellent point! Jetix needs to die a firey death I miss the good days of kids shows (though I do enjoy Fairly Odd Parents; Animaniacs was far superior, thank god it's on DVD now)
I was at WDW about a year ago now on a very busy day and Darkwing Duck and Launchpad were out. My brother and I were in line and terribly excited b/c we grew up watching Darkwing. People kept walking by asking who he was or being mad b/c he wasn't Donald.

Kind of an obscure character now adays but I've seen it happen to Robin Hood, Kuzco (back when he was at DCA), Baloo and let's not forget Leoidas from Bedknobs and Broomsticks over at the Electric Parade.

I feel like you have to be a Pixar character, Jack Sparrow or a princess to be recognized anymore