Someone defend Tough to be a Bug to me

[Sparkly]

I like It's Tough To Be A Bug. It's colourful, cute and a show inside the Tree Of Life..how could you not love it!

 

[Micca]

It's high buttocks. I love that unexpected ending, so to speak. A little slight stinging feeling like if you scratched you back with your fingernail. The old "Honey I Shrunk the Audience" had a similar effect when they released the lab mice (in 3D) and I always found it hilarious to see the reaction of the crowd when it felt like there were mice brushing against your legs. That was worth the whole show.



It's too bad that things like that bother you. I feel that it is mostly imagined. There isn't that much released and really, it's just an odor it isn't like someone was throwing rocks at the audience. When it comes to kids. I agree, sometimes there is no telling what will upset them, but, I do believe that they take their cues from their parents. If the parents take it to seriously, so will they. I just told them that you don't always know what is going to happen, but, it is all just for show, nothing is going to hurt you. It is done for fun and laughter. It always seemed to work.



For me it's my most favorite:

1. ITTBAB
2. HISTA
3. The Muppets
4. Toy Story
5. Philharmagic ****

I really like Philharmagic, but, for some reason, to me, it always seems blurry or maybe more precisely, foggy. Whatever it is, it seems to damper my enjoyment of it by leaps and bounds.

+1 on the "blurry" Philharmagic. It's like the 3D glasses are smudged or something. It's otherwise very entertaining and a top attraction, would love to have the soundtrack.

ITTBAB is extremely clever & well-done. I also loved the movie (A Bug's Life), really terrific stuff, maybe that makes the attraction more enjoyable to me. I have heard some children cry during the show, but I can't say it affected my enjoyment of it.

 

[jlbmomof5]

This show has always been a Baroni family fav. We would NEVER miss it at WDW or Disneyland. Great family pictures every time too while we wait for the show. Lots of great memories and laughs for us.

 

[minnie mum]

Tough to be a Bug is the only attraction I have experienced at WDW that I consider offensive. Here is why - it should be for kids, it really should be. But the story line is scary, dark and intense. The effects are scary. My memory of the ride was the wailing of kids drowning out the soundtrack.

Offensive? Pretty strong statement.
It SHOULD be for children? Only children? Why?
And I would argue that the story line is not scary at all. But some of the elements certainly can be. That is probably why there are signs warning of it, and announcements prior to the show to the same effect. So if you as a parent have a child who might be frightened by some of these things, why did you allow the child to stay to watch the show?? There are many attractions at WDW with the potential to frighten certain children. Snow White's ride scared the bejeesus out of DD1. HM terrified DD2. Should those attractions have been banned? I've heard the crying kids during ITTBAB too. But I blame the parents, not the show.

I find this whole thread very strange. Different children (and adults) are frightened by different things. If you had to close down every attraction because it scared some kids, I'm not sure anything would be left open.

You do the attractions you think your family will enjoy. Some of them you can even leave if they start and your family isn't having a good time (ITTAB is one of the ones you can exit). Others you finish and don't do again.

I guess OP maybe you should defend closing down an attraction that many enjoy, because it scares a few. And then defend why Expedition Everest is still open. And Test Track, and The Seas With Nemo and Friends, and Spaceship Earth......

 

[lam0037]

We took DD (age 7) in there for her first visit thinking it would be 'fun'. She lasted 2 minutes. She's refused to go back and I'm not going to push it (she is now 14). We count that as one of our 2 "mistakes" for our first trip (the other was Dinosaur).

This same experience happened with me. Our trip when I was 7 was our first trip and we wanted to try everything, including ITTBAB. I didn't voluntarily see it again until I was 18. That being said I think it's mostly traumatizing and scary like that when kids who don't want to go on it do, not saying you forced your daughter or anything. Like I was scared but chose to go on it anyway. Also warning kids about the stinger and the rolly pollies under the seat too can help as well!

 

[disnut8]

I am writing our trip report from our last minute trip last weekend. We did Tough to be A Bug for the first time ever this trip. Here is my premise:

I have been going to WDW since I was 9 and I am 46. I have memories of great attractions long gone and attractions I wish were still there (Mission to the Moon/Mars >>> Stitch). I have not liked attractions (Mission:SPACE to me was a clear miss given the intensity). But Tough to be a Bug is the only attraction I have experienced at WDW that I consider offensive. Here is why - it should be for kids, it really should be. But the story line is scary, dark and intense. The effects are scary. My memory of the ride was the wailing of kids drowning out the soundtrack.

Disney does some great, amazing stuff but this is the first attraction I can remember ever that I would tell someone to never, ever do. Mission:SPACE is one that I would recommend with caution. But this one is simply an avoid.

Defenders?

Why should only It's Tough to be a Bug be for kids? There are a lot of attractions at Disney World, in all four parks, that are not just for kids. Why should this one be for the kids? I'm confused on that.

That being asked, we enjoy It's Tough to be a Bug and were concerned when we took our grandkids to it. But, my son and daughter-in-law knew about the effects and took precautions. For my granddaughter's first time, we skipped it with her (her parents went) because we knew she was afraid of the dark and anything that jumped out at her. But, on the next trip, she was fine. With our grandson, who was the same age as his sister for his first trip, he just sat in his mom's lap and was fine.

I guess my point is that each parent should know their child. But that goes for every single Disney attraction, not just this one. That's my confusion - why this one attraction should be for the kids. It's called "It's Tough to be a Bug" and last time I looked, their are about 500 million more bugs on the planet than there are humans so I'm fairly sure the kids have seen quite a few bugs in their young lives.

 

[Miskey]

If everything was "It's a small world" I would have stopped going long ago

The only ride that has actually given me nightmares. Those dolls are creepy!

We love ITTBAB and are disappointed it won't be open during out July trip

 

[k5thbeatle]

Offensive? Pretty strong statement.
It SHOULD be for children? Only children? Why?
And I would argue that the story line is not scary at all. But some of the elements certainly can be. That is probably why there are signs warning of it, and announcements prior to the show to the same effect. So if you as a parent have a child who might be frightened by some of these things, why did you allow the child to stay to watch the show?? There are many attractions at WDW with the potential to frighten certain children. Snow White's ride scared the bejeesus out of DD1. HM terrified DD2. Should those attractions have been banned? I've heard the crying kids during ITTBAB too. But I blame the parents, not the show.

I'm totally with you in that I completely disagree with the premise of the OP's question.

Guess I've been totally lucky in my trips to miss the wailing kids who drown out the soundtrack too?

 

[ArwenMarie]

When it comes to kids. I agree, sometimes there is no telling what will upset them, but, I do believe that they take their cues from their parents. If the parents take it to seriously, so will they. I just told them that you don't always know what is going to happen, but, it is all just for show, nothing is going to hurt you. It is done for fun and laughter. It always seemed to work.

Disagree.

Maybe some parents get their kids worked up (I doubt it), but you can be as positive as you want and have a kid freak out in a ride or a movie.

And if your kids don't get freaked out, just count yourself lucky instead of patting yourself on the back too much

 

[Disneychick75]

During one of today's shows, 6-8 people that I could see got up and walked out with their children. I don't think it's fair to say that kids will follow their parent's lead on this because many in the audiences have never seen it. There were warnings and everything seemed fine until the smoke started blowing when the lights went out.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

I like it. My daughter on the other hand hates it, and has since she was 7. She is a thrill rider too, and is not afraid of bugs, but she hated the sting on the back. I didn't think it hurt at all, but I guess it just caught her in a sensitive spot or something. She didn't cry, just said she wasn't ever going back, but she has, but still hates it. I have never seen any screaming or crying kids leaving the theatre, but maybe I just wasn't paying attention?

 

[Jennasis]

LOVE this attraction. Thrilled that Snow White's Scary Adventures got the boot...THAT ride gave me actual panic attacks even as an adult. Everyone has a different idea of what scary is.

 

[MichelleVW]

Love this attraction!! Pretty sure it's my husband's favorite...he laughs and laughs the whole time! My 23 year old went on Dinosaur when she was 10....scared the heck out of her and now....13 years later...still refused to go on it lol.

 

[kaylasmom07]

I really like its tough to be a bug. My first time seeing it I was about 13 years old and it was brand new. I thought it was so cool. The 3d was so awesome to me, and I liked that the theater was in the base of the tree.
I do remember the sting hurting, and I was upset about that! Now I make sure to sit forward when I see it, and when we went last time I told my kids to do the same and we were good.

My kids were 2, 4, and 6 when we went and everyone was ok. Nobody was scared, but I don't think they loved it either. They just thought it was a neat little show. I've seen it several times though and every single time I see it, there are crying kids in the theater.

About half the time i've seen the show a parent with a small child has to leave in the middle with a crying kid in tow.

 

[Alice Royal]

I am an avid thrill-seeker. I've ridden most of the coasters in Orlando, done ToT with no sweat since I was little, and experienced a few 'scary' attractions in my time.

I did ITTBAB with the family when I was three years old and was so freaked out by it that I haven't gone near it since, fifteen years later.

Maybe it's the darkness, maybe it's the effects or the bug factor, but there's just something about it that scared me so much that I have no intention of trying it again, lol. This was before the days of desensitizing kids to 'scary' rides on YouTube. Maybe I should go watch a video of it...

 

[Rosanne]

I have no idea if I would have liked the show or not. When I took my older daughter to it (she was probably 3 at the time) she started crying. It was really loud and dark for her. I was one of the parents leaving in the middle of the show. I wasn't upset about the show but it wasn't a match for my DD. Even at 13 she has no interest in ever trying it again.

I would be kind of curious to watch the whole thing someday but I'm really glad someone mentioned the sting action. I have an extremely bony back and once was in a special effect theater that did that and it really hurt. If I watched ITtBaB I would definitely sit forward a bit.

 

[Amy162]

My girls were 2 and 4 our first trip and unfortunately we were some that had to carry out screaming children! And it was only made worse when my 4 year old saw the CM coming at us with a flashlight to help, she thought it was a giant bug coming towards us!!! not only did it terrify them, we couldn't get my oldest to enter any theater for a couple of years! I take total blame for this one, I was not the researcher on our first trip that I am now! We have never tried it again! I just asked them, now 9 and almost 12 if they would be willing to give it a try in August and they both said NO! My youngest even said that she doesn't want to do it because of the smell! I don't remember a smell at all but she insists that it smelled bad! It's amazing the memories that stick with them!

 

[Annadesu]

The last time I went to the parks, there were signs all over the attraction, warning of darkness, and scariness. If you know your kid doesn't like that, don't wave your hand in the air and go "Oh, they'll be fine!" Maybe it's for older kids, and adults... But that's ok... Not everything has to be for little kids.

 

[k5thbeatle]

The last time I went to the parks, there were signs all over the attraction, warning of darkness, and scariness. If you know your kid doesn't like that, don't wave your hand in the air and go "Oh, they'll be fine!" Maybe it's for older kids, and adults... But that's ok... Not everything has to be for little kids.

 

[Jennasis]

My girls were 2 and 4 our first trip and unfortunately we were some that had to carry out screaming children! And it was only made worse when my 4 year old saw the CM coming at us with a flashlight to help, she thought it was a giant bug coming towards us!!! not only did it terrify them, we couldn't get my oldest to enter any theater for a couple of years! I take total blame for this one, I was not the researcher on our first trip that I am now! We have never tried it again! I just asked them, now 9 and almost 12 if they would be willing to give it a try in August and they both said NO! My youngest even said that she doesn't want to do it because of the smell! I don't remember a smell at all but she insists that it smelled bad! It's amazing the memories that stick with them!

Your kid has a good memory. During the show the audience is sprayed by a stink bug.