It’s not very often that I editorialize on theme park activity. I generally just cover the weekly Disney news on Inside the Magic and occasionally insert a few opinions here and there. But I simply cannot resist discussing…

Pop Music Invading Theme Parks

Not too long after moving to Orlando several years ago, I realized that one of the things that differentiates Universal Studios (which I enjoy) from Walt Disney World (which I really enjoy) is the ambient music played in the parks. Generally speaking, the music found throughout Walt Disney World is background music, often instrumental, and almost always fits with the theme of the area you’re walking in. At Universal Studios, I distinctly remember hearing MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This” near the Men In Black ride. It seems to me that playing Danny Elfman’s fabulous score to the Men In Black film along with Will Smith’s catchy MIB theme song would make a whole lot more sense.

Until recently, the scene-setting music at Walt Disney World really raised the atmosphere up a notch for me over Universal Studios. Unfortunately, there appears to be a pop music invasion happening in Disney’s theme parks. And I’m not talking about good pop music either. It’s not like there’s a new parade based on The Beatles. Far from it. I’m talking about bad pop music.

Three examples:

1. Block Party Bash
This parade recently moved from Disney’s California Adventure in Anaheim to Disney’s Hollywood Studios here in Orlando. During this parade/street party/headache, the classic movie music played throughout Sunset Boulevard is replaced with a playlist that includes “Y.MC.A.“, “Whoomp! (There It is)“, and, yes, none other than “U Can’t Touch This.” And okay, they do play “Twist and Shout” but it sure doesn’t sound like The Beatles’ version when the Green Army Men hold a scream contest over it. Even with Pixar characters running through the streets, this parade/street party/nightmare just doesn’t scream Disney, no matter how loud the Green Army Men try.

2. The American Idol Experience
Just around the corner is The American Idol Experience, also at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. American Idol, the TV show, has redefined the definition of bad pop music. With “artists” like David Cook moving from obscurity to stardom as a result of this show’s existence, it was only a matter of time before this brand of overproduced music found its way into a theme park. Unfortunately for my ears, it has found its way to Walt Disney World.

3. Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It! Street Party
This parade of sorts is headed to the Magic Kingdom’s Main Street U.S.A. very soon and is the final straw for me. It is the reason I decided to write this post. I can accept pop music at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. After all, bad pop music is created in and around Hollywood. I don’t like it, but I can accept it. But when you take the atmosphere of a turn-of-the-century American town that normally is home to songs like “Junk Man Rag” and “Smiles” and replace them with the recently overplayed to death “I Like To Move It” and Miley Cyrus’ “Breakout,” it makes me want to leave and go jam to “U Can’t Touch This” at Universal Studios with my parachute pants (for the record: I don’t actually own any parachute pants). Nothing says Main Street U.S.A. like obnoxious, thumping music.

What happened to music that subtly enhances the feeling created by an area? Does all music now have to be the excessively-loud star of the show?

Shameless Plug: To discover more Disney theme park and resort music, both the good kind that usually plays in the parks as well as a little of the bad, thumping kind you try to ignore, check out ParkTunes.com.

P.S. There is no prize for being the first person to comment about how ironic it is that I’m complaining about bad pop music and yet I still linked each song to MP3s available on Amazon.com.

P.P.S. I actually like MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This“, just not inside theme parks.