Epcot’s Habit Heroes, an attraction that helps kids to defeat unhealthy habits is open again after undergoing an Imagineering re-do.
If you recall Habit Heroes opened last February and the attraction caused a huge amount of negative publicity when fat-acceptance groups said it’s characters were cruel stereotypes. With all of this bad press swirling around the internet Disney closed the attraction by March 1st and sent Imagineers back to the drawing table.
Habit Heroes 2.0 really only has 2 common elements from the first version – its name and location (it’s housed inside Epcot’s Innoventions Pavilion).
It was the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance that triggered a nationwide reaction with their negative review of the attraction. Disney and their sponsor of the attraction Florida Blue go the message loud and clear and went back to re-do the exhibit. Imagineers sought input from national experts in children’s health, weight and nutrition, including an obesity expert from Stanford University and a nutritional scientist from Cornell University.
Now as Habit Heroes 2 reopens, the attraction takes 12 guests at a time through the 4,700 square foot interactive attraction and as “recruits” they meet Director Jim and her agents Quench, Dynamo and Fuel. They tell the recruits about how they need to blast the enemies dehydration, inactivity and poor nutrition.
What’s different from Habit Heroes 1? Gone are all the original “Habit Heroes” including the physically fit “Will Power” and “Callie Stenics” who fought their pudgy animated villains “Lead Bottom” and “Snacker”. A heavy adolescent who starred in the first edition and then evolves into a slimmer fit teen is gone as well.
Peggy Howell of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance is grateful for the revisions. “We really thank Disney and Epcot for listening to our concerns,” she said. “We appreciate that they heard us and took the necessary steps to tailor the message for every person, not one segment of the population.”
Did you have the chance to experience the first Habit Hereos? If so let us know what you thought of it! If you are going to Disney soon and see Habit Heroes 2 let us know how it is!
Related articles
Let our friends at Destinations to Travel help you book your next Disney Vacation. They are the preferred Travel Agency of Chip and Company and Disney Addicts, and who we use ourselves.
Get started below for your FREE No Obligation Quote.
Book With our friends at Destinations to Travel
For the BEST in Disney, Universal, Dollywood, and SeaWorld Theme Park News, Entertainment, Merchandise & More follow us on, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. Don't forget to check out the Chip and Company Radio Network too!
