Fans Complain After Disney Adds Yet Another “IP” Feature

These days, many Disney fans are feeling disillusioned when it comes to their previously-beloved Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort theme parks.

Some aspects of this disappointment might be due to price increases, Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger, Disney’s controversial live-action remakes, and other less-than-ideal Disney changes.

However, one underlying cause seems to be Disney World and Disneyland’s pervasive shift towards IP (Intellectual Property) and its presence in the Disney Parks.

For example, the new EPCOT roller coaster called Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind might be a fun (if not nausea-inducing) ride, but it doesn’t necessarily tie in well with the rest of EPCOT.

For Disney guests who place a high priority on the original Walt Disney vision, this is a significant issue.

Does Disney Need a “Cosmic Rewind” Overall?

However, Disney has presumably included the Marvel movie-inspired attraction in an effort to capitalize on the Marvel films’ moneymaking success.

Disney Fanatics have most certainly noticed Disney World’s efforts to shoehorn its movie characters and film plotlines into the Disney theme parks — and now that a new Moana offering has just been announced, the complaints are rolling in even more than they were before about Disney’s overuse of IP in its theme parks (or within Disney Resorts)!

The straw that has broken the camel’s back, as the saying goes, is Disney’s new Moana-inspired ‘Family Fitness Fun’ attraction at the Polynesian Village Resort.

This area can be seen in the Tweet shown below, which shows a Polynesian Village Resort sign announcing that the Great Ceremonial House Lawn will become “a family friendly wellness experience that includes stretching, singing, and dancing along to some of the inspirational music from Moana” on Thursday mornings.

MOANA IS EVERYWHERE. NOT EVEN TURF LAWNS ARE SAFE. 😳 HELP!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/TUV6Z3QZba

— Brayden (@SirBrayden) August 17, 2023

Is “How Far I’ll Go” Too Far?

This appears to simply be a green lawn, with the addition of Moana music.

Songs like “How Far I’ll Go” are certainly enjoyable, but (as DisneyDining.com put it) “this Moana-themed turf is a considerable stretch, even by Disney’s standards. It further proves that just because something can be themed after a Disney movie doesn’t mean it should be.”

We Want Quality, Not Quantity

Essentially, Disney fans seem to be hoping for quality over quantity in the Disney Parks, which is the same demand that Disney+ needs to start accommodating.

Disney World Guests want to enjoy Moana-related attractions, yes, but they also want those attractions to be created with more conscious intention behind them — and this goes for other Disney attractions or rides, too!