Disneyland’s Revamped Snow White Ride Criticized for Prince Charming’s ‘Non-Consensual’ Kiss

Snow White’s Scary Adventure, one of Disneyland’s original attractions, was redesigned and reopened to the public during the park’s reopening last week. Snow White’s Enchanted Wish, the ride’s current name, has received acclaim for its enhancements, including new audio, animation, music, and stunning visuals, including laser projections and LED lights. However, one aspect of the ride has received mixed reviews: the film’s grand finale, in which Prince Charming kisses a sleeping Snow White to wake her up with “true love’s kiss.”

The inclusion of the movie’s climax, which replaces the Evil Queen’s death, is a new aspect of the ride. Snow White’s ride has been in desperate need of an update for a long time with its obsolete animatronics and slightly frightening visuals. While the debate about the kiss isn’t fresh, it has reignited conversation over how, if a ride is being revised to represent the modern time period, it can also address obsolete and old-fashioned issues, such as consent.

In an article for SFGate, theme park reviewers Katie Dowd and Julie Tremaine discussed the topic, writing that the kiss is one “he gives to her without her consent, while she’s asleep, which cannot possibly be true love if only one person knows it’s happening. Haven’t we already agreed that consent in early Disney movies is a major issue? That teaching kids that kissing, when it hasn’t been established if both parties are willing to engage, is not okay?”

The authors went on to wonder why Disneyland wouldn’t repair such an out-of-date scene, particularly given its recent overhaul of rides like Splash Mountain and Jungle Cruise that contain problematic cultural references.

Of course, there are opposing viewpoints on any subject. Matt Traynor, a member of the New York Rangers, expressed his thoughts about the situation on Twitter, writing, “I’m sorry, this is what’s wrong with the world. Snow White, a fictional character getting brought back to life by a kiss by her future husband. Y’all taking things too far and ruining the gullible by making them believe this is what to flip out about instead of REAL issues…”