[geeman]

This question is asked in earnest, and is not meant to be mean or derisive at all, but has anyone noticed that most times, when you actually see characters in the theme parks, they are usually ones that, quite frankly, you (or your kid) couldn't possibly care less about? My DGF jokingly calls them the "why bothers?".
Obviously, Disney movies are instant classics - but why oh why would we (or kids) really care about meeting -- and would we even recognize characters like:
The Cat and Fox from Pinocchio (It's my favorite all-time Disney movie and I couldn't even tell you their names!)While we're on the subject -- Geppetto. Yeah, he's nice and all. But where's Jiminy or Pinocchio?

Mr. Smee (who kids mistake as Santa Clause, of all things!!)

The villian from Pocahontas (can't think of his name? Radcliff?)

Cinderella's Mice. I mean... The Mice Women. Cute? Sure? But what of Gus Gus and Jaque? Where's Cinderella?

Friar Tuck. FRIAR TUCK??? Who's favorite character is THAT????
Prince John -- Where's Robin and Marian?.

And why, oh, why, does Cruella DeVille have a meet and greet in California??? She's the "mean lady"!

I would think these characters would confuse children - particular the "mean" ones - to see them suddenly prancing about before you and posing for pictures with you- wouldn't that make kids extremely confused?

And I know that they need to have identifiable characteristics - but why is every Disney character back at the point they were at when their movies began? Alice is still haughty. Pinocchio is still made of wood. The Princesses are maidens, the Beast is still a Beast...etc...

Wouldn't it be interesting to see what kids think of Pinocchio as he looks at the END of the movie?
Just a thought.:weird:

[ilvminnie]

Geeman, I agree with you & I don't agree with you. Yep, we see a lot of those "who cares" folks around, but we also see a lot we really love, like Baloo & Rafiki & Goofy/Max etc who are not exactly "big" but we love them anyway. At MGM last trip we saw Mary Poppins, Pocohantas & Mulan all at once, along with the penguins from Mary Poppins. That was way cool. I really think it's just a matter of being patient AND knowing where & when to look.

On the other hand, I think it's where the characters are for the main part of the movies that makes us identify with them. Alice, for example, reminds us that it really doesn't pay to stick your nose up in the air & Pinocchio that life is a struggle if you want to achieve your goals. (I would like to see Jiminy, though!) I think we wouldn't see them as we "remember" them if we saw them now as they are at the end of their movies. (Except for Cinderella...every little girl's dream princess!)

I still love the characters in the parks & of course "if I were running things...." I might make some changes on the whole it's still a magical time.:D

[Jimbobpetemoss]

Friar Tuck. FRIAR TUCK??? Who's favorite character is THAT????

He's not my favorite but he's definitely in the top 20

My favorite part of "Robin Hood" is where Friar Tuck loses control and starts to beat the Sheriff of Nottingham with a stick.

[buzzsmommy]

I gotta an odd on for you!! At the entrance to MK last week, next to the big guy and gal (Mickey and Minnie) was a big duck in WWI flying suit. We assumed his name was Duck Tales having never seen this guy before in our lives. Kid got an autograph (no line of course) and turns out his name is Launchpad McQuack!! Any one out there EVER heard of this guy???

Side question: what does DGF mean? I'm stumped....

[mamakay]

BUZZSMOMMY - Launchpad McQuack is Scrooges pilot in the cartoon series "Duck Tales". Although I think this cartoon is canceled, they still show it on the "Toon Disney" channel.

As for the characters that nobody "cares about", I like to find those characters. My kids and I are Disney freaks and know almost all the anamated characters (even the less popular ones). I think it's great Disney sends out a variety of characters. If you only saw Mickey, Minnie, Goofy,...etc all the time, I'm sure you'd get quite tired of the characters.

As far as the villians, I don't think they confuse the children. Everytime I've meet a villian, they have REALLY stayed in character. I told the Evil Queen my son didn't want to meet her because she was a girl, so she asked me what his name was, and she chased him around Fantasyland calling out his name (she had an evil look on her face the who time). I thought it was hilarious. Another time at California Adventure, my daughter had brought her walking poodle dog & we happened to run into Cruella DeVil. Cruella had a field day with that dog & when we were leaving, Cruella asked if she could babysit it. My daughter told her NO, because she didn't want her to make a coat out of her dog!!

That's just my 2 cents on the issue.

:love: ,
Katherine

[PhantomBantam]

I have it on good authority that you can usually find Robin Hood at or near the Rose and Crown pub in EPCOT's UK pavilion. That's (ahem) Where I would be If I were Robin.

I thought King Louie was gonna bust open when we identified him for a group of kids last time I went to WDW (MK) I immediately went into song as Baloo and third personed the lyrics to explain Louis ID as I danced with little guy.

I guess everyone cant be Mickey.

[jwdj4lfe]

I agree with Ilvminnie. Sometimes its just great to be walking thru the parks and see a chracter that you have totally forgot about and got huge flash backs to the days you used to watch that cartoon/movie. But some that I've seen I remember actually saying "why bother?" lol...so im torn. I love the fact that disney has a wide variety of characters roaming the parks.
And to answer buzzsmommy's question: I think DGF stood for Darling GirlFriend..right geeman? Or it can mean Disneys Grand Floridian..but not in the sentence he said it in, lol.
Joe:)

[buzzsmommy]

Thanks heaps for the DGF -- I was stuck on darling grand.... and couldn't figure out the "F" (female?). Now it is all so clear!!!!:dazed

[geeman]

Originally posted by jwdj4lfe
And to answer buzzsmommy's question: I think DGF stood for Darling GirlFriend..right geeman? Or it can mean Disneys Grand Floridian..but not in the sentence he said it in, lol. Joe:)

OOPS- I was trying to follow the trend here! We saw the postings for DH and DD, etc.. and figured that DGF would be the logical way of saying "Disney Girl Friend", though Darling Girl Friend works for me!

:love:

So maybe it's me that has to ask- what do DH and DD mean?? I thought it was Disney Husband and Disney Daughter?

[geeman]

Originally posted by PhantomBantam
I have it on good authority that you can usually find Robin Hood at or near the Rose and Crown pub in EPCOT's UK pavilion. That's (ahem) Where I would be If I were Robin.

I thought King Louie was gonna bust open when we identified him for a group of kids last time I went to WDW (MK) I immediately went into song as Baloo and third personed the lyrics to explain Louis ID as I danced with little guy.

I guess everyone cant be Mickey.

Thanks (ahem)! I'll watch for him next time I go. I have it on good authority that Mr. Smee also mulls around that area. I knew someone who (ahem) once "knew" Smee really well and said that's where they would be if they (ahem) were Smee That's how I heard the Santa Claus story.

[geeman]

Originally posted by buzzsmommy
I gotta an odd on for you!! At the entrance to MK last week, next to the big guy and gal (Mickey and Minnie) was a big duck in WWI flying suit. We assumed his name was Duck Tales having never seen this guy before in our lives.

LOL. That's almost like my spotting MAX, Goofy's son. I saw this character mulling about Goofy, and thought -- Oh, yeah, wasn't there a movie with Goofy and his son in it? What was his name??? Then suddenly out of the blue, I remembered the name Max. I guess kids might know Max -- is he on TV?

[geeman]

Originally posted by ilvminnie
Geeman, I agree with you & I don't agree with you. Yep, we see a lot of those "who cares" folks around, but we also see a lot we really love, like Baloo & Rafiki & Goofy/Max etc who are not exactly "big" but we love them anyway. At MGM last trip we saw Mary Poppins, Pocohantas & Mulan all at once, along with the penguins from Mary Poppins. That was way cool. I really think it's just a matter of being patient AND knowing where & when to look.

******
Baloo and Rafiki and Mary and Pocahontas and Mulan count in my book. They are all significant in one way or another. Max, I don't get, but whatever. But I can see what you mean about how everyone has their own favorite Disney Character, and it's fun seeing any of them, in the long run. It's just got me thinking - why bother going through all the trouble sometimes.

*****

I think we wouldn't see them as we "remember" them if we saw them now as they are at the end of their movies. (Except for Cinderella...every little girl's dream princess!) [/b]

You're right about that aspect. I guess it does help to see them as you remember them from the movies.

[jwdj4lfe]

Originally posted by geeman
So maybe it's me that has to ask- what do DH and DD mean?? I thought it was Disney Husband and Disney Daughter?

Lol, its ok Geeman! To my knowledge DH and DD meant Darling Husband and Darling Daughter..I could be wrong, disney would work too! I remember seeing a site that talked about the abbreviatons. I searched ALL ovew the net to find it!! But all I could find was DWDWIG's abbreviations for Disney stuff. I'll include the link to the site just incase some of you wanted to find a shorter way of saying "Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame show", lol.
Abbreviations

Joe:)

[ilvminnie]

Originally posted by geeman


LOL. That's almost like my spotting MAX, Goofy's son. I saw this character mulling about Goofy, and thought -- Oh, yeah, wasn't there a movie with Goofy and his son in it? What was his name??? Then suddenly out of the blue, I remembered the name Max. I guess kids might know Max -- is he on TV?

Yep, there's a cartoon on Disney called Goof Troop. It's all about Goofy & his son, Max, & their adventures. Goofy is always embarassing Max, etc. Really cute show.

[geeman]

Thanks, Joe!
So I inadvertently made up a new one, I suppose.
Golly, that's quite a list!!!!
Who'd ever think it?
:)