A collection of essays exploring the wide-ranging influence of the Walt Disney Company. It would be difficult to go through life without ever encountering a Disney product. Since the first Mickey Mouse cartoon premiered in 1928, Disney has played a central role in shaping American popular culture, and it has expanded to the global market. The company positioned itself as a titan of family entertainment, and many of its offerings, from films to consumable products, have become embedded in the minds of children and adults, woven into many of our life experiences. Fans of Disney build connections with their favorite characters and franchises, fueled by Disney's marketing practices. Others have developed a near-cult-like relationship with the brand, equating its products with religious icons and theme park visits with pilgrimages. This edited volume looks beyond the movies and merchandise to peer into the very heart of the Disney phenomenon: how the fan response drives the corporation's massive marketing machine and how the corporate response, in turn, shapes the fan experience.

Foreword by Michael D. Eisner. All organisations drive towards the same goal - how best to serve their customers. Walt Disney World has always enjoyed a reputation as a company that set the benchmark for outstanding business practices. Now, for the first time, one critical element of the method behind the magic is revealed: that of quality service. Here, their proven principles and processes are fully outlined, to help your organisation focus its vision and assemble its infrastructure to deliver exceptional customer service.

" ... a critical account of how the Disney Co. has used--and also abused--its governmental immunities from the beginning of Disney World to the present ..."--Jacket.

This book addresses Disney parks using performance theory. Few to no scholars have done this to date—an enormous oversight given the Disney parks’ similarities to immersive theatre, interpolation of guests, and dramaturgical construction of attractions. Most scholars and critics deny agency to the tourist in their engagement with the Disney theme park experience. The vast body of research and journalism on the Disney “Imagineers”—the designers and storytellers who construct the park experience—leads to the misconception that these exceptional artists puppeteer every aspect of the guest’s experience. Contrary to this assumption, Disney park guests find a range of possible reading strategies when they enter the space. Certainly Disney presents a primary reading, but generations of critical theory have established the variety of reading strategies that interpreters can employ to read against the text. This volume of twelve essays re-centers the park experience around its protagonist: the tourist.

For the first time, the three pairs of best friends spend a week together at Walt Disney World. Paula and Ariel are determined to do everything in every park. Ella and Yukiko have sworn that this time they will go on Space Mountain. And Jasmine and Isabelle can't wait to hit EPCOT for the ultimate Disney Girl fantasy--until the dreaded Beast shows up! Find out how the Disney Girls' magical wishes come true as they have the greatest adventure of their lives.

Contains critical essays in which the authors, having visited Disney World as individuals and as a group, offer their perspectives on various aspects of the amusement park and its appeal.

The name 'Disney' is synonymous with its expansive franchises, from princesses to theme parks. The power of the Disney brand is its role as a cultural influencer across multiple generations across the globe. This collection of essays takes a look at Disney beyond its behemoth corporate presents and into the threads of the Disney experience. b/w illus.