Disneyland has removed the “zip-a-dee-doo-dah” lyric played during its park parades because it comes from a movie that has been criticized for racist portrayals of Black Americans.The lyric initially appeared in the “Magic Happens” parade when it debuted in March 2020. The parade recently returned after a nearly three-year hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The song “Zip-a-dee-doo-dah” originated in the 1946 film “Song of the South” that has long been criticized for stereotypes of “spiritual” black men and its seemingly nostalgic view of the antebellum South.
Disney is in the process of cutting references to the film in other parts of it parks. In 2020, Disney Parks and Resorts announced that Splash Mountain was being “completely reimagined” at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, because the log flume ride is based on “Song of the South.” It’s being revamped to star the characters from the 2009 animated film, “The Princess and the Frog,” which features Disney’s first Black princess.
Disney (DIS) said at the time that the new Splash Mountain concept is “inclusive” and “one that all of our guests can connect with and be inspired by.”
Disney Plus has enjoyed plenty of success since its March 2020 launch – but the wheels have have now started to come off its subscriber-filled wagon.During its Q1 2023 earnings report(opens in new tab), Disney confirmed that Disney Plus lost subscribers for the first time in its history. Between October and December 2022, the streaming platform’s global user base shrunk by 2.4 million.
Theme parks, which have come roaring back to life after the grueling struggle with Covid, powered the quarterly performance. Revenue and operating income in the Parks, Experiences and Products division jumped 21% and 25%, respectively. The only significant blemish on the numbers was a decrease in operating days at Shangai Disneyland due to a wave of Covid shutdowns in China during the quarter.Operating losses in direct-to-consumer streaming narrowed to $1.1 billion from $1.5 billion, which was better than the company’s forecast for a $200 million reduction.In the Media and Entertainment Distribution unit, linear networks revenue slid 5% to about $7.3 billion, while operating income fell 16% to $1.3 billion. International channels revenue dropped 21% to $1.2 billion and operating income was down 64% to $131 million.Direct-to-consumer revenue increased 13% to $5.3 billion.