The finale of Epcot's The American Adventure show past its expiration date years ago. Today, it's grown into an embarrassment. Sorry, Disney, but Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong no longer illustrate America's "golden dreams," as even Disney Legend and Imagineer Marty Sklar pointed out this month during the industry's annual IAAPA conference. Former Imagineer Rick Rothschild agreed, saying at the same event that Golden Dreams is supposed to be updated every 10 years, and this version is going on 12 years now.
Many years ago, when the tanker Exxon Valdez dumped its oil on the Alaskan shore, Disney moved swiftly to cut a reference to the ship from the preshow at the then-Exxon-sponsored Universe of Energy pavilion. Disney's waited too long to respond to the public humiliations of Woods and Armstrong. Disney ought to save itself further embarrassment and close this show - today. Give Eric Jacobsen, the Imagineer charged with overseeing Epcot, the money he needs to pull together a team of film editors to cut a new ending to the montage and install it ASAP - before Christmas vacation starts.
What do you think?
Let's hear your thoughts on "Golden Dreams," in the comments.
But yeah, close it, regardless of the people issues, the attraction is due for a refurb.
This version was not created in 2000 (Stated that it is 12 years old). There is no way that it was in 2000. It has 9/11 in it.
For the American Adventure, this ending is brand spanking new! This ending is not that old and still rings mostly true. Say what you want about Tiger Woods, but he still is the champion they are portraying. I mean, if we are going to pick and choose, then Clinton shouldn't be there because of his infidelity (I think Clinton should be in there).
Lance Armstrong, I could take it or leave it, but he did battle back from cancer to ride in the Tour de France, an event that is nearly impossible even if you are on something.
Somebody mentioned Michael Phelps. Nope, he was caught doing drugs.
The point is that all these people are great, but have their faults as well. That is the wonder of the "American Adventure"
My guess on when they are going to update? 2017. I would think it would be hard not to put Barack Obama, the first African American President up there in the montage.
I think Steve Jobs is in it (first computer). A really young Steve Jobs
Second, sports "heroes" should not be featured anyway. What have they really done? Hit a small ball into a hole from great distance? Ride a bicycle longer and faster than others? Who cares!?!? The person above who implicitly stands Tiger Woods next to Benjamin Franklin has no sense of historic consequence and proportionality.
The answer is take all the current events references out of the parks, and concentrate on the historical, the future and fantasy. Walt did that for good reason.
And, Robert, it should be "passed" not "past" its expiration date years ago. Sorry to point that out but I've gotten used to your fine writing and self-editing as compared to the sub-standard prose of other fan sites.
Washington is in the show (owned slaves), Jefferson is in the show (adulterer, owned slaves), FDR is in the show (should there be a reference to Lucy Rutherfurd?).
If you believe Tiger should be eighty-sixed then should the new edit still include Tony Hawk (accused of adultery -- now on his third wife who used to be married to his best friend/business partner)? And if fidelity is the standard should that "ask not what your country can do for you" guy still be included in the mash-up?
Just sayin'.
Now, maybe AA needs a technology upgrade to allow such flexibility--I buy that. Seems like this attraction deserves it, if only because of this kind of situation.
Tiger Woods didn't have a mere affair. He had multiple simultaneous affairs with porn stars. His affairs have blown up in spectacular fashion with Gloria Alred getting involved by representing his paramours. You couple that with his current long long golfing slump. Surely, if he plays better, all will be forgotten, but his best years are well behind him. It seems like he needs his affairs to maintain his game (pun intended).
Lance Armstrong's doping has happened in the last decade. It is found that all his competitors have doped as well so they will not benefit from the vacating of his winnings. The mid-1990s to mid-2000s will be known as the doping decade. Such a massive doping scandal cannot be allowed to stand. It sullies the sport especially if from this point on, every single current cyclist is found to be clean. Lance Armstrong's history of doping cannot be dismissed so easily. Testimony from his friends and sporting team members hasn't been impeached. Lance didn't bother.
Sorry the doping incidence isn't being debated anymore. Lance didn't deserve his winnings.
Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong cannot be featured in a Disney attraction anymore. If some think their sporting achievements are worth touting, then there are other forums. If Tiger Wooods wins another Masters, people will forgive, but we will never forget his porn stars. Lance is beyond redemption.
Who is being condemned? Omission is not condemnation. Forgiveness does not mean acceptance of such sin. The side benefit of removing Tiger and Lance is burying their notoriety.
As for bringing up Christianity, are they Christians? I never thought of Disney as a religious place. Let's not bring up Christian doctrine to whatever end. It seems awfully self-serving.
Lance continues to not admit guilt. How can you forgive in the religious sense if he hasn't admitted he is wrong? The worse thing is Lance forced his teammates in the Tour de France to dope. He is the doping King.
Tiger has divorced, which is the way things ended. If his wife was the forgiving type, she would have accepted him back. She didn't. Why should we, the fans, love him more than his wife?
Is Anon Mouse for real ? How sad.
What on Earth is he going on about ? At what point did I raise the question of anyone's beliefs ? I merely used a much quoted phrase, which happens to be in the Christian Bible , to illustrate my point.
It has relevance to everyone no matter what their religion.
"At what point did I raise the question of anyone's beliefs ? I merely used a much quoted phrase, which happens to be in the Christian Bible , to illustrate my point. It has relevance to everyone no matter what their religion."
WRONG. You can't use the Bible to illustrate a point without bringing the religion into the discussion.
It is nice to assume that I'll stay in my corner, but you opened a new line of attack that had to be addressed.
Again, I'll repost my point. "Let's not bring up Christian doctrine to whatever end. It seems awfully self-serving."
And finally, Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong is in the court of public opinion. Thankfully, they are not in a religious court.
Essentially, you're arguing that you're not to be taken seriously. LOL!!!
Back to your previous post "In both these cases they have demonstrated inspirational efforts to realise ambition. That surely is deserving of some recognition."
Surely, being cheats have that moral element. Wonderful. You're so sad to turn it around on other's people's sin. Great.
Are we all cheats in reference to "Let he who is without sin.."?
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