Could Frozen go the same way as Stitch?

[MarknStitch]

Hi all

A colleague of mine sent me this article which centres on Stitch's Great Escape. As well as being a very interesting read about why the attraction is so despised (not by me) it also made think that history is repeating itself a little...

Here is the article...
http://passport2dreams.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/stitchs-great-escape-ten-years.html

I've noticed that people do seem to be getting a tetchy about the level of Frozen saturation in the parks, particularly WDW. With Epcot soon to open the revamped Maelstrom and the onslaught of various shows the article made we wonder...

Could Frozen end up facing the same backlash that Stitch did?

 

[KimBean]

My oldest loved Stitch but I don't remember stitch ever really being a big thing around the parks or for merchandise or a huge deal like Frozen.

I don't think the two can be compared at all.

 

[CinderElsa]

I tried to read the blog entry but the background hurt my eyes.

 

[MarknStitch]

My oldest loved Stitch but I don't remember stitch ever really being a big thing around the parks or for merchandise or a huge deal like Frozen. I don't think the two can be compared at all.

Well the whole basis for the article is about how Stitch was saturated to the point of annoyance in the parks, suggesting there was a LOT of merchandise around the parks. The fact I've managed to collect so many of the charactered-stitch plush from the parks also supports this. You say you don't remember him being a big part of the parks but the article certainly suggests he was used a lot.

I know the film was in no way as big as Frozen in terms of sales, but the way the article reads is that Stitch very quickly amassed a following to the point they were even including him on core character merchandise!

I'm discussing this level of 'cashing-in' and whether Frozen could end up facing a similar backlash. (Considering they are cashing in considerably more)

 

[pmaurer74]

I highly doubt it. Frozen has long lasting staying power and will be around a long, long time... generational I think.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I remember the stitch saturation. I love him as a character so I liked it, but understood how it got annoying. Part of his characterization is to be an annoying troublemaker and they were trying to draw in boys by having a character that appealed to them.

I don't think Frozen will have the same fate because it is aimed at little girls who love princesses. It may annoy adults, but as long as there are little girls who are obsessed with frozen Disney will make money and continue the saturation.

In another few years I do think disney will be trying to repurpose some of the frozen stuff.

 

[GlennN]

I don't recall Stitch ever getting the attention like Frozen is getting, so I think that is comparing apples and oranges. That said, I (and my family) were hugely disappointed by Stitch's Great Escape. For us, it was the least interesting, least exciting, attraction in WDW (rivaled only, for us, by the Tiki Lounge).

Really, whether an attraction is despised, I think, will largely be determined by whether the attraction itself is fun. IMHO, Stitch's Great Escape fails miserably in this regard.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

The Frozen phenomenon absolutely demolishes any buzz that was once generated by Stitch or any other film of the past 2 decades. Nope, not going anywhere.

The ride blowback is because it replaced a childhood ruining terror factory, and changed nothing about the physical experience.

 

[smiths02]

First, the shows, parades, special events, merchandise, etc. won't be a problem at all. Those are not hard to change. (And, personally, I think they will after a time.)

As for the ride, it depends:
"There Stitch's Great Escape, and all of these movie tie-in attractions in general go wrong, is that they are bound to weirdly specific moments in the narrative of the films to have their effect. Nearly every moment in the attraction is referencing some moment in the film. If you know nothing about Lilo & Stitch besides that it exists, then Stitch's Great Escape is the worst advertisement for it imaginable."

It depends on the quality of the attraction.

Disney has its flops, but it also has a good history of making rides with movie tie-ins that are good rides.

 

[KimBean]

Well the whole basis for the article is about how Stitch was saturated to the point of annoyance in the parks, suggesting there was a LOT of merchandise around the parks. The fact I've managed to collect so many of the charactered-stitch plush from the parks also supports this. You say you don't remember him being a big part of the parks but the article certainly suggests he was used a lot.

I know the film was in no way as big as Frozen in terms of sales, but the way the article reads is that Stitch very quickly amassed a following to the point they were even including him on core character merchandise!

I'm discussing this level of 'cashing-in' and whether Frozen could end up facing a similar backlash. (Considering they are cashing in considerably more)

I did not experience this at all. So maybe everyone bought it all up? I had to fight tooth and nail for Stitch merchandise, my daughter was obsessed. You don't even want to know how much my MIL paid for an Angel off ebay. I was there in 2007 and I think that is when they had stitch on the castle. We were at rope drop, went to Tomrrowland and Stitch was just standing there. Not a single person was interested. My daughter ran up to him and we got pics of the first thing she did at WDW was running to and hugging stitch like she had him all to herself. No lines, he spent 10 minutes with her because no one else even lined up.

Can you imagine this scenario with Anna and Elsa? If they were just standing on the street? Someone would probably get trampled to death.

No, I can't imagine a character that is less like the Frozen phenomenon. Maybe figment or duffy??

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I read something about it suddenly not being cool for older girls to admit they were into Frozen, but it's still going to resonate with the really young ones and little girls are WDW's bread and butter.

Stitch's Great Escape is a seriously sucky show, probably a "we have to get Stitch in there fast" thing. Even if you left the theater with its shoulder harnesses intact, if you took Stitch out and put Elsa and Olaf in there it would have lines around the block.

 

[Seeker615]

Hmmmm...I wonder about this too. There seems to be a Frozen overload.

Granted it is popular but I have already seen a decline as far as people snapping up the merchandise.

I started my holiday shopping and have found with no trouble the Frozen character dolls as well as some other merchandise my grand-daughters wanted. Last year I could not find anything!

I do think they will continue to be popular but I would not have rethemed a whole ride for one movie. In a year or two there will be another "big movie" and then what?

 

[BarbieGal457]

When I went on my senior trip in June of 2006, every item I saw was covered in Stitch!! Every souvenir I have has him on it - I even have a Stitch plush with Mickey Ears! I'm not a huge fan of him but I thought the doll was cute, and I could definitely see there was an onslaught of him everywhere on everything. Maybe it was one of those things that once you pick up on it, you see/hear it everywhere...but he definitely was everywhere I turned. When I went back in 2008 (and subsequent trips) I did not see nearly as much.

That said, I don't know if Frozen will go the same way. I am completely over the movie and annoyed with how it has taken over so much with no signs of stopping, though I do think that as long as little girls who love princesses are around, Frozen will be profitable and here to stay. I can't imagine in 2-3 years there will be nearly as much merchandise as there is now, but still a good amount. I mean, we're 25 years in and I still, at 26, love Ariel enough that I just bought her Alex & Ani bracelet!

Of course I understand the desire of Disney to turn so much into Frozen as it is beyond popular, it just isn't my cup of tea.

 

[wareagle57]

I think some people are missing the point the OP is trying to make. The article states that in 2002 Stitch was a hot commodity. They thought he was going to be so big they went as far as calling him our generations Mickey Mouse. Stitch's Great Escape was the earliest a movie had ever got it's own attraction in a park. Frozen will now break that record. And right now, it LOOKS like Frozen is going to be the most popular Disney movie ever.

I love Frozen. It IS my favorite or second favorite Disney movie since Aladdin (my favorite ever) Wreck-It Ralph being the other. I was also a kid and huge fan of Stitch when it came out. I still am. But he has definitely lost his popularity and I'm pretty sure Frozen will too. 10 years from now if that ride isn't something amazing, and possibly even if it is, people will wonder why in the world it's in Epcot and it could become a virtual walk-on like Stitch.

 

[BarbieGal457]

I think some people are missing the point the OP is trying to make. The article states that in 2002 Stitch was a hot commodity. They thought he was going to be so big they went as far as calling him our generations Mickey Mouse. Stitch's Great Escape was the earliest a movie had ever got it's own attraction in a park. Frozen will now break that record. And right now, it LOOKS like Frozen is going to be the most popular Disney movie ever.

I love Frozen. It IS my favorite or second favorite Disney movie since Aladdin (my favorite ever) Wreck-It Ralph being the other. I was also a kid and huge fan of Stitch when it came out. I still am. But he has definitely lost his popularity and I'm pretty sure Frozen will too. 10 years from now if that ride isn't something amazing, and possibly even if it is, people will wonder why in the world it's in Epcot and it could become a virtual walk-on like Stitch.

That's what I'm thinking too. I feel like they are treating Elsa like she is the best, most popular Disney princess ever - and she has been for the past year. I just don't think she will hold popularity long enough to make sense for the permanent changes. Not to beat a dead horse or change the topic, but I still am miffed over Maelstrom. I think a well-done ride would be nice, but it just does not belong in World Showcase. Maelstrom clearly had people (like me) who adored it.

I can't imagine in 10 years Frozen will still be as rampant and popular for people to still be packing the new ride unless, like you said, it's something truly amazing. Also...I would think that this inescapable barrage of Frozen might even deter people like me, who not only are beaten to death by it and who may also miss Maelstrom, from ever riding it and therefore creating even shorter lines 8-10 years down the road.

 

[KimBean]

I think some people are missing the point the OP is trying to make. The article states that in 2002 Stitch was a hot commodity. They thought he was going to be so big they went as far as calling him our generations Mickey Mouse. Stitch's Great Escape was the earliest a movie had ever got it's own attraction in a park. Frozen will now break that record. And right now, it LOOKS like Frozen is going to be the most popular Disney movie ever.

I love Frozen. It IS my favorite or second favorite Disney movie since Aladdin (my favorite ever) Wreck-It Ralph being the other. I was also a kid and huge fan of Stitch when it came out. I still am. But he has definitely lost his popularity and I'm pretty sure Frozen will too. 10 years from now if that ride isn't something amazing, and possibly even if it is, people will wonder why in the world it's in Epcot and it could become a virtual walk-on like Stitch.

Yes, the article states that Disney the company felt a certain way. We have absolutely no idea if there is any validity to these statements. How do we know how the company Disney felt about Stitch many years ago. How does this blog know? Like I said my daughter (now 14) was gaga over him but I never heard he was the new Mickey Mouse. Stitch's sequels went straight to DVD. Many, many franchises have had sequels that came out to theaters. If I was going to "guess" on how Disney feels about a franchise I could positively say that if they think something is the next Mickey Mouse in popularity they would release the sequels to the theater. Toy Story, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, all have sequels to theater and they all will probably not cause the hoopla Frozen did but I would wager have a better chance at being disney changing then Stitch ever will be or ever was.

Unfortunately for Disney I think they missed their merchandise timing for Frozen. Last Christmas there was no merchandise. Now there is too much. I agree with the older girls being over Frozen. It's like that Titanic song "My heart will go on." Everyone LOVED it, it was everywhere. About a year into it the song was a laughingstock and made you want to puke when you heard it. Some things can just get to be TOO MUCH.

I'm glad we are going now because I have a feeling by next year my ears will be screaming when I hear Let it Go. I'm lucky though, my daughters like the movie but I think they have watched it maybe 3-4 times in the last year and we don't have the CD in the car. So that has kept it fresh enough for now.

 

[RustManFan]

too much hype about anything always turns me off. I still have never seen Titanic since the hype was EXTREME when it was released and I can't bear the thought...

was Frozen nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars like Beauty and the Beast? I think not

 

[agavegirl1]

Hmmm...I read the entire article and there is more to the Stitch thing than over-hyping a character. I haven't ever seen Lilo and Stitch because of the hyping of the negative aspects of the character's personality. After reading this article, I may dig it out of my "Grandma Movie Collection" and check it out. I have also never experienced Stitch's Great Escape. I thought the character embodied all that was selfish, mean and destructive and had no place in a Disney movie or park.

As for Frozen, I think it will continue to be hyped to the point of oversaturation. The key to whether or not Elsa and Anna remain popular princesses depends on when the "next" princess appears on the big screen and whether she resonates with the target audience. Funny that Disney chose not to portray the selfish, mean and destructive aspect of Elsa's personality from early in the movie.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

was Frozen nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars like Beauty and the Beast? I think not

No, because in 2002 a separate category was created for animated films (which Frozen did win). So now that comparison doesn't mean anything.

 

[wareagle57]

Yes, the article states that Disney the company felt a certain way. We have absolutely no idea if there is any validity to these statements. How do we know how the company Disney felt about Stitch many years ago. How does this blog know? Like I said my daughter (now 14) was gaga over him but I never heard he was the new Mickey Mouse. Stitch's sequels went straight to DVD. Many, many franchises have had sequels that came out to theaters. If I was going to "guess" on how Disney feels about a franchise I could positively say that if they think something is the next Mickey Mouse in popularity they would release the sequels to the theater. Toy Story, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, all have sequels to theater and they all will probably not cause the hoopla Frozen did but I would wager have a better chance at being disney changing then Stitch ever will be or ever was.

Unfortunately for Disney I think they missed their merchandise timing for Frozen. Last Christmas there was no merchandise. Now there is too much. I agree with the older girls being over Frozen. It's like that Titanic song "My heart will go on." Everyone LOVED it, it was everywhere. About a year into it the song was a laughingstock and made you want to puke when you heard it. Some things can just get to be TOO MUCH.

I'm glad we are going now because I have a feeling by next year my ears will be screaming when I hear Let it Go. I'm lucky though, my daughters like the movie but I think they have watched it maybe 3-4 times in the last year and we don't have the CD in the car. So that has kept it fresh enough for now.

While I agree that we have no way of knowing what the frenzy was really like and what Disney really thought back then, I disagree with your movie release comparison. Disney Animation Studios movie sequels have ALWAYS been direct to DVD. The only exception to this is the Rescuers. They are the ONLY DAS franchise to get a "real" second movie.

I'm sure Stitch mania probably was not what it is now, but that's comparing two different things in two different times. With the internet not as prevelent back then, you had a lot more diversity in interests and you didn't have the "____-mania" type attitude towards things we do today. I do remember that Disney marketed that movie VERY well and I believe they thought it was going to be a huge success. Stitch the character was much stronger than the movie, which is why he has had multiple sequels AND a tv show. How many Disney movies ever had their own tv show?

The point is, it is unlikely Frozen is going to have the staying power of something like Harry Potter. It is much more likely to come closer to Stitch. I say this as someone who loves Frozen and actually get kind of annoyed at people complaining about it. I also say this as someone who doesn't hate the Stitch ride as much as everyone else so maybe my opinion is just bad.