One of Disneyland’s Original Rides Plans to Remove Racist Tropes

Disneyland is poised to renovate one of its earliest attractions to address derogatory depictions of Native Americans.

"Peter Pan's Flight," a staple since the park's inauguration in Anaheim in 1955, will see revisions to the depiction of Tiger Lily and her tribe, which have been criticized for their offensive portrayal of Native American figures.

A refreshed scene depicting the Never Land Tribe was recently revealed at Disney’s Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The company announced that similar changes will be implemented at all its parks worldwide, although a specific timeline was not provided.

Disney representatives stated via email, “Our team of Imagineers routinely updates and enhances attractions and experiences to ensure they stay contemporary and relevant.”

The narrative in the early 20th-century play "Peter Pan" and its subsequent novel adaptation, "Peter and Wendy" by James Matthew Barrie, included pejorative terms like “redskins” and “savages” to describe Native American tribes. These derogatory images were also present in Disney's 1953 animated adaptation, notably in songs like “What Makes the Red Man Red?” In 2015, Disney faced criticism for casting Rooney Mara, a Caucasian actress, as the Native American princess Tiger Lily in the movie “Pan.”

Disney has acknowledged the racial stereotypes in the 1953 movie on its website, noting, “The film portrays Native people in a stereotypical manner that neither reflects the diversity of Native peoples nor their true cultural traditions.” Its 2023 live-action movie “Peter Pan & Wendy” aimed to develop Tiger Lily’s character more fully, featuring more lines for her and casting Indigenous actor Alyssa Wapanatâhk in the role.

Prior to the recent update at Walt Disney World, the portrayal of Tiger Lily and her tribe involved them sitting cross-armed around a fire, accompanied by drumming, with characters showing exaggerated physical traits such as wide noses and large, feathered headdresses. The new figures depict Tiger Lily and her grandmother dancing by the fire with men drumming in the background.

Disney remained silent on whether it had consulted Indigenous groups regarding the modifications.

“We view ourselves as perpetual students, constantly seeking ways to make our attractions and experiences more authentic and engaging. As we discover methods to make our narratives resonate more profoundly with our visitors, we implement considerate modifications,” stated Disney officials in a response to The Times.

The modifications were met with mixed reactions. Some criticized the changes, with one Facebook user commenting, “Go woke go broke.” However, others praised the updates for addressing and correcting stereotypes, with one person saying, “Drum circle and dancers, I love it. Someone really thought this through instead of just eliminating it.”