Disney has spent years trying to balance the beloved stories that built its empire with a push to make its entertainment feel more modern and progressive. That hasn't always gone smoothly.
Classic attractions have been rewritten or replaced, and familiar characters and story elements have been reconsidered. Critics have repeatedly labeled that approach "woke," particularly when Disney changes something fans consider a classic. Now, one of Disney's oldest princesses has landed right back in that debate — and after everything that happened with Snow White (2025), the timing certainly isn't helping Disney's case.
The Snow White Live-Action Remake Set the Stage
Disney's live-action Snow White (2025), starring Rachel Zegler, became controversial long before audiences saw it. The remake made significant changes to the story audiences knew from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), with much of the discussion centering on Snow White's relationship with the Prince and Disney's decision to move away from the traditional romance. Instead, the remake gave Snow White a more independent, leadership-focused story.
That generated criticism from fans who felt Disney was trying too hard to modernize a fairy tale rather than embrace the original. The movie ultimately struggled at the box office. Now, some fans believe those same modern ideas have reached a classic Disney attraction.
Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains Reopens With a Changed Finale
Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains at Disneyland Paris closed for a multi-month refurbishment before officially welcoming guests back on July 28, 2026. One of the biggest changes came at the attraction's finale.
Previously, guests reached the end and found physical figures of Snow White and the Prince together alongside the Seven Dwarfs. That presentation is gone. Disney installed a new static Snow White figure, but the physical Prince figure that previously appeared with her has been removed.
The Prince Is Still There — Just in the Background
There is an important distinction to make here. The Prince hasn't disappeared from the finale completely. Disneyland Paris added him and his horse to the painted mural behind the scene, and Disney says that addition makes the ending more consistent with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937).
But the physical Prince character no longer stands with Snow White. Snow White remains physically present alongside the dwarfs, while her Prince has been moved to the background of the artwork. For fans accustomed to seeing the couple together, that is a noticeable change.
Fans Are Calling It Another "Woke" Disney Move
Disney hasn't described the removal of the physical Prince figure as political or connected it to the live-action remake. Critics, however, see similarities. Fan reactions online were pointed:
One fan sarcastically suggested Disney wanted the attraction to resemble Snow White (2025), joking that the remake was "such a success." The same commenter pointed toward the remake moving away from "Someday My Prince Will Come," sarcastically arguing that Snow White didn't need a prince because she was now a "girl boss."
- "Don't fix it if it ain't broke!"
- "Ridiculous, but I'm not surprised, very annoying to see."
- "She's a girl boss! 🙄"
- "Paris is going downhill fast."
Those are fan opinions, not Disney's explanation. Still, the criticism centers on a factual change: Disney removed the physical Prince figure from Snow White's side.
A Painted Prince Isn't the Same Thing
Yes, the Prince remains pictured in the mural. But critics argue that it isn't the same presentation guests previously encountered. Snow White still has her own physical figure. The Seven Dwarfs remain physically represented. The Prince who previously appeared alongside them does not. Instead, guests now see him as part of the background artwork.
Considering the controversy surrounding Snow White (2025), it isn't difficult to understand why some fans immediately connected the two decisions.
Fans Want Classics to Stay Classic
Most Disney fans aren't necessarily opposed to every park change. Attractions age, technology improves, and effects need replacing — theme parks naturally evolve. But many fans see a difference between improving an attraction and changing how a classic story is presented.
Some have defended the change by pointing toward darker elements in older versions of the Snow White fairy tale. But that argument doesn't really address this attraction. Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains represents Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), not a direct adaptation of the Brothers Grimm story. The Prince and Snow White's romantic ending are part of that Disney classic.
An Old Debate Gets Reopened
Disneyland Paris hasn't totally erased the romantic ending — the mural specifically keeps the Prince around. But Disney has changed the "together" ending, with the Prince physically by Snow White's side. Snow White remains a physical figure in the finale. The Prince does not.
Disney hasn't said this decision has anything to do with a "woke" agenda, and there's no evidence establishing that as Disney's official motivation. But critics can still point to the change itself.
Disney has plenty of opportunities to create new stories with new ideas. But when it revisits Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and changes the physical presentation of its classic ending, longtime fans are going to notice. The Prince may still be painted into the background — he just isn't standing beside Snow White anymore. And for some fans, that difference is a pretty big deal.