Disney is planning to update one of the oldest rides at Disneyland to correct stereotypical depictions of Indigenous people.
Peter Pan’s Flight was one of the original rides when Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California, in 1955. It has now come under scrutiny for its racist portrayal of Tiger Lily and her tribe.
The current scene shows tribal members — including the chief with his arms crossed — sitting around a campfire. Some Reddit users complained the current ride characters are “problematic” and called them “caricatures” of native people.
The update was inspired by a recently revised Never Land Tribe scene at the Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The company says riders can expect to see those revisions at all its locations globally, but did not provide a timeline.
Before the update in Orlando, Tiger Lily and her tribe were also depicted sitting around a fire with crossed arms while others drummed. The tribesmen have exaggerated features such as broad noses and large feathered headdresses. The updated figures show Tiger Lily and her grandmother dancing around the fire and men drumming in the background.
“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,” Disneyland officials said in a statement.
The update received praise from many on social media.
“Drum circle and dancers, I love it. Someone put a lot of thought into the update rather than just removing it,” a Facebook user commented.
However, not everyone was impressed with the change.
“Go woke go broke,” another user commented.
Disneyland officials said in their statement that the company has a “longstanding history of making updates and enhancements to attractions and experiences, so they remain fresh and relevant.”
Back in 2018, the park’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride was updated to remove the scene of tied-up women being presumably auctioned off to pirates, The San Bernardino Sun reported. The scene now shows a female pirate overseeing an auction.
Disneyland is also working to reimagine Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
In recent years, Splash Mountain has drawn heat since it featured characters and music from the 1946 animated feature “Song of the South,” a movie criticized for its stereotypes of Black men and its romanticized view of the post-Civil War South. The ride’s new storyline focuses on Princess Tiana, Disney’s first Black princess, and the events that took place after the 2009 animated hit “Princess and the Frog.”
KTLA’s Imam Palm contributed to this report.