Interpreting and Experiencing Disney


Book Description

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.




Be Our Guest


Book Description

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.




The Experience


Book Description

Bring Disney-level customer experience to your organizationwith insider guidance The Experience is a unique guide to mastering the art ofcustomer service and service relationships, based on the principlesemployed at the renowned leader in customer experience­— the Walt Disney Company. Co-Author Bruce Loefflerspent ten years at Disney World overseeing service excellence, andhas partnered with Brian T. Church in this book, to show you how tobring that same level of care and value to your own organization.Based on the I. C.A.R.E. model, the five principles —Impression, Connection, Attitude, Response, and Exceptionals— give you a solid framework upon which to raise the level ofyour customer experience. You will learn how to identify yourcustomer service issues and what level of Experience you arecurrently offering. You can then determine exactly what the"customer experience" should be for your company, and the changesrequired to make it happen. The Walt Disney Company is the most recognized name in the worldfor customer service. The "Disney Experience" draws customers fromall around the world,. This book describes what it takes to achievethat level of Experience, and how any organization can do it withthe right strategy and attention to detail. When the Experience isenhanced, the opportunity arises to convert customers toambassadors who will share their Experience with others. Find "the experience" and what it means to theOrganization Learn the five levels of experience, and why most companiesfail at it Identify service problems that face every company in themarketplace Utilize the Experience Quotient and apply the I. C.A.R.E.principles Learn how to convert customers to ambassadors who share theirstory with others Customers are the lifeblood of business. A great product offeringisn't enough in today's marketplace, where everyone's looking foran "experience.” Imagine the kind of value a Disney-levelcustomer experience could bring to your organization. TheExperience is a guide to getting there, from an insider'sperspective.




Married to the Mouse


Book Description

" ... 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.




Adventure at Walt Disney World


Book Description

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.




Performance and the Disney Theme Park Experience


Book Description

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.




Inside the Mouse


Book Description

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.




Happily Ever Island


Book Description

Welcome to Happily Ever Island, the most pixie-dusted vacation a Disney fan could ever imagine. Head-in-the-clouds romantic Madison and driven pragmatist Lanie are unlikely best friends, but the two would do anything for each other. So when Madison's life starts to fall apart, Lanie agrees to join Madison for the test run of Disney's newest resort experience during their first college spring break: Happily Ever Island—an immersive vacation destination, where guests can become their favorite Disney character for a week. Madison decides to go as the iconic princess herself, Cinderella, with Lanie as bow-wielding Merida. It's not Lanie's idea of fun, but she knows Madison needs her, and besides, she could use the break from her strenuous courseload anyway. Plus, maybe she'll get to shoot things. But once on the island, Lanie and Madison begin to drift apart. Madison finds herself either missing out or messing up all the enchanting moments she has dreamt her whole life about, and is forever running into their annoyingly perfect (and distractingly cute) vacation's coordinator, Val. Meanwhile, Lanie unexpectedly finds herself swept up in the magic of it all. She strikes up a secret romance with Prince Charming—but there's no telling whether he's just playing a part. In this delightful YA rom-com inspired by Disney fandom, get swept up in a whirlwind of laughter, tears, and more than just a touch of Disney magic.




Walt Disney World with Disabilities


Book Description

Packed with amazing tips and insights from the author's years of firsthand experience visiting Disney while dealing with disabilities and special needs, this resource also includes extensive input gathered from other Disney guests with a wide variety of conditions.




Who Was Walt Disney?


Book Description

Walt Disney always loved to entertain people. Often it got him into trouble. Once he painted pictures with tar on the side of his family's white house. His family was poor, and the happiest time of his childhood was spent living on a farm in Missouri. His affection for small-town life is reflected in Disneyland Main Streets around the world. With black-and-white illustrations throughout, this biography reveals the man behind the magic. This book is not authorized, licensed or endorsed by the Walt Disney Company or any affiliate.