Introduction
Walter Elias Disney is the “most influential American of the twentieth century” and has become a myth. He created an empire on a cartoon mouse and everything in this empire carries his signature. For his achievements one could call him the founder of postmodern America, a founder of an industry of fantasy that enriched the western culture. That it why the first part of my essay deals with him and his company. The main part is about one of his greatest realizations – Disneyland. Today, this amusement park is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the whole world.
Walt Disney brought to this theme park “all the skills and showmanship he had learned in three decades as a film maker”. He wanted to bring his Disney vision into material and physical existence, as well as providing a strong dose of American ideology. Disneyland represents the American dream – a world of magic and illusion, prosperity and happiness. It is a showcase for postmodernism and the embodiment of capitalism. But what makes Disneyland so magical. Why are so many people visiting this amusement park? After dealing shortly with the history and architecture of the park I will try to explain the success, the magic and the contradictions of Disneyland. Walter Elias Disney was born in 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. In 1906, his family moved to a farm in Missouri and in 1910 they moved to Kansas City. Soon it became visible that Walt Disney was interested in movies, especially of Charlie Chaplin, and drawing. After he left school at the age of 16, he became a volunteer ambulance driver in World War I where he served as a member of the American Red Cross Ambulance Force in France until 1919. After this experience he worked as an advertising cartoonist and started working on methods to perfect the combinations of animation and life action. Walt Disney started some business but with not much success. In 1923 he and his brother Roy Disney launched the Disney Brothers Studio with saved and lent money: “They bought a used camera, rented a tiny studio in the back of a real-estate office, moved into a one-room apartment together, hired a couple of assistants, and according to Walt began the process of making ‘the name Disney famous around the world’”.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Walter E. Disney
3. The Walt Disney Company
4. The Magic of Disneyland
5. Summary
Research Objectives and Themes
This research paper examines the life and legacy of Walt Disney, the evolution of The Walt Disney Company, and the cultural significance of Disneyland as a showcase of American ideology and postmodernism. The study explores how Disney translated his creative vision into a tangible "fantasy industry" and analyzes the park's architecture, history, and its role as a mirror of societal paradoxes regarding nature and technology.
- The life and personal history of Walt Elias Disney.
- The corporate development and growth of The Walt Disney Company.
- The conceptualization, design, and "magic" of Disneyland.
- The integration of American cultural ideals and the concept of "Americana."
- The ideological contrast between nature and technological progress within the park's design.
Excerpt from the Book
4. The Magic of Disneyland
The vision of an amusement park was spooking in Walt Disney’s mind for a while. He went to county fairs, state fairs, circuses, carnivals, national parks and zoos: “He studied the attractions and what made them appealing, whether people seemed entertained or felt cheated”. He often made the experience that rides were tawdry and the operators were hostile and not into their work at all. He thought that this could be made so much better and his idea of building an own park manifested itself with this vision of children and parents having fun together:
It all started when my daughters were very young, and I took them to amusement parks on Sunday. […] I sat on a bench eating peanuts and looking all around me. I said to myself, dammit, why can’t there be a better place to take children, where you can have fun together? Well, it took me about fifteen years to develop the idea.
It was not difficult to think of a name for the park: Disneyland. And by this time, while the concept grew, he realized that he needed an organization to help him create Disneyland. And in 1952 the subsidiary of his company Walt Disney, Incorporated was found, later renamed WED Enterprises. All in all he spent five years of his life developing Disneyland.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces Walt Disney as a pivotal cultural figure and outlines the paper's focus on his company and the creation of Disneyland.
2. Walter E. Disney: This chapter provides a biographical overview of Walt Disney's early life, his service in WWI, and his path to founding the Disney Brothers Studio.
3. The Walt Disney Company: This chapter details the rise of the studio from a small animation shop to a global media conglomerate covering film, television, and theme parks.
4. The Magic of Disneyland: This chapter explores the vision, construction, and design philosophy of Disneyland, including its various themed lands and the contradiction between artificial construction and natural ideals.
5. Summary: This chapter synthesizes the impact of Walt Disney's innovations and reflects on how Disneyland became a symbol of Americanization and cultural imperialism.
Keywords
Walt Disney, Disneyland, The Walt Disney Company, American Dream, Postmodernism, Imagineers, Theme Park, Animation, Americana, Cultural Imperialism, Technology, Nature, Innovation, Entertainment, History.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper focuses on the historical and cultural significance of Walt Disney, his corporate entity, and the development of his flagship theme park, Disneyland.
What are the central themes discussed?
The central themes include the evolution of American popular culture, the construction of "fantasy" environments, the intersection of technology and nature, and the global influence of the Disney brand.
What is the primary objective of the study?
The goal is to analyze what makes Disneyland successful and "magical," while exploring the contradictions inherent in its creation as an artificial, yet highly idealized environment.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The author uses historical analysis, review of biographical data, and examination of architectural and cultural theories to interpret the phenomenon of Disneyland.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body examines Walt Disney's biography, the structural growth of his company, the specific design choices behind Disneyland, and the park’s role as a reflection of American society.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Walt Disney, Disneyland, American Dream, Postmodernism, Imagineering, and Cultural Imperialism.
Why did the grand opening of Disneyland face difficulties?
The opening was a logistical failure due to counterfeit tickets causing overcrowding, infrastructure failures like gas leaks, and insufficient catering for the massive influx of people.
How does the park address the conflict between nature and technology?
The park creates a "bipolar" design where "New World" and "Old World" ideals, as well as past (Frontierland) and future (Tomorrowland) themes, are juxtaposed to balance nostalgia with progress.
- Quote paper
- Antje Schöne (Author), 2006, The magic of Disneyland, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/92593
