Thread: Orlando: Disney offering Quinceaneara packages

orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-quince3008aug30,0,6187903.story
OrlandoSentinel.com
'Quinceañera,' Disney style: A rite of passage for Hispanic teenage girls

Dewayne Bevil

Sentinel Staff Writer

August 30, 2008

Walt Disney World is intensifying its Hispanic culture offerings with the introduction of a quinceañera event, which culminates today with a grand ball built for princesses.

Disney's Royal Quinceañera Weekend centers on the rite of passage of 15-year-old girls. Families of a dozen teenagers have paid several hundred to several thousand dollars to share in the celebration at Epcot.

"The girls are the princesses for the night," Disney spokeswoman Mari Santana said. "It's a wedding without a groom."

Last year, Disney World debuted quinceañera packages with options such as horse-drawn carriage rides or visits by Prince Charming.

Today each Royal Quinceañera will be formally presented to her assembled families and guests at a combined dance at the World Showplace Pavilion, decorated in blue, white and silver (" Cinderella colors," Santana said). The traditional shoe ceremonies will be included and a special cake from Disney chefs provided.

Participants will watch IllumiNations, Epcot's nightly fireworks and laser show, from a private viewing area. That will be followed by dancing until midnight under the direction of a bilingual DJ.

"Destination quinceañeras" are a trend, said Isabella Wall, an entrepreneur who has become known as "the fairy godmother of quinceañeras."

"Girls celebrating their coming of age, they dream of that princess day where they get to wear that big dress and that tiara," Wall said.

"What place is more perfect than Disney?"

Gabriella Flores and her family are vacationing here from Jersey City, N.J., and will attend the event. It's her sixth trip to Disney World.

She's bringing along her "big, poofy Cinderella-type dress," and she's not worried about sharing the spotlight with the other participants.

"It's your moment, but you also share with your family and friends that you're becoming an older woman," she said.

"I get to share with everybody."


Dewayne Bevil can be reached at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5477.

Copyright © 2008, Orlando Sentinel

Nothing wrong with that. They offer discounts and specials for Wedding Invitations - Bar Mitzvah - Bat Mitzvah - Christening. Not all Hispanics are illegal so offering incentives to appeal to them is not all that uncommon. We must to be respectful of our fellow Americans who hold onto some of their cultural and religious values.

Originally Posted by jp_48504

Nothing wrong with that. They offer discounts and specials for Wedding Invitations - Bar Mitzvah - Bat Mitzvah - Christening. Not all Hispanics are illegal so offering incentives to appeal to them is not all that uncommon. We must to be respectful of our fellow Americans who hold onto some of their cultural and religious values.

I've seen it here that Disney Land and Disney World are mostly illegal that work there.
Anyone know?
If so, it is a problem!

It is a business reacting to the needs or consumption desires of the market. Mexican folks spend lots of money when the daughter turns 15. Michael Eisner probably figures there isn't a good reason why he shouldn't be getting it. It's just like these downscale department stores in So Cal (Mervyn's, TJ Maxx, Ross, etc.) advertising in Spanish. Who are their customers? It makes sense.

As long as Disney is offering this to legal American Hispanics I think it's a nice idea! Disney celebrates America and her many cultural influences.

"It's your moment, but you also share with your family and friends that you're becoming an older woman," she said.

15 is considered an "older woman?"

Originally Posted by SicNTiredInSoCal

"It's your moment, but you also share with your family and friends that you're becoming an older woman," she said.

15 is considered an "older woman?"

In the Hispanic Culture it is. In the Jewish Faith it is 13.

Originally Posted by SicNTiredInSoCal

"It's your moment, but you also share with your family and friends that you're becoming an older woman," she said.

15 is considered an "older woman?"

Precisely SNT!!! They then wonder why out of wedlock births are so high among hispanics! If your culture is suggesting a girl of 15 is a woman, then what's a possible extension of being a "woman?"

Not saying these celebrations are a direct causation, but I certainly wouldn't be taking that risk with my 15 year old daughter.

Originally Posted by SicNTiredInSoCal

"It's your moment, but you also share with your family and friends that you're becoming an older woman," she said.

15 is considered an "older woman?"

12 is the age of consent in Mexico. They must be middle-age by 15!

The Quinceañera is a paganistic fertility ritual. In other words, "Hey guys, she's way past 12 now, her expiration date is quickly approaching...check her out!"

What's next, offering a package to have girls of African/Muslim heritage an FGM (Female Genital Mutilation/circumcision) Package at Disneyland?? This is the United States of America where immigrants were once encouraged to leave their "old life behind" in the countries from where they came, especially the old, paganistic rituals that separated the barbaric lifestyle from the civilized. (We as a nation of civilized people did take a step backward into barbarism though by allowing abortion to become legal and accepted as such, but that's a different subject altogether).

Bending down further to other outdated, pagan rituals is NOT the answer. Most Americans of Hispanic heritage that I have known whose family has been here for more than one generation don't celebrate the Quinceañera. I know, I live in the Central Valley of California with a high concentration of Hispanics. The majority of people that celebrate the Quinceanera are illegals.

I had never heard of or even seen this "ritual" in my entire lifetime growing up in and living in the San Joaquin Valley. None of my Hispanic schoolmates even mentioned the word. I had never heard of it or seen it, or been invited to one until about 10 years ago, about the time this area started becoming inundated with illegal aliens from Mexico. So, I believe Disney IS reaching out to the illegal alien population, enabling them to hang on too tightly to their own SEPERATE culture, language and lifestyles making it "okay" NOT to assimilate to this country's customs, language and lifestyle. There's NO WAY I'd parade my 15 year old daughter out there as "Up for Grabs!"

So then, along with Quinceaneras and FGM's, The Disney Corporations need to add Debutante/Cotillion Packages now too, if they want to start being ethnically EQUAL in all their packages!