It is worth noting that Disneyland parks are functioning in such countries as the USA, France, Japan, and China. In Shanghai, the park consists of a theme park, resort hotels, a shopping and entertainment district, and a leisure park. Moreover, a special subway station was built to ensure that visitors could reach the place easily. Such a developed structure is typical for all Disneyland parks and resorts. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the US and Chinese markets and discuss the major similarities and differences between them.
Micro and Macro Environments
To analyze the environment, it is necessary to decompose the internal and external factors that affect the company in the host and foreign markets. In terms of the microenvironment, it is essential to stress that the company has a brand name, which is known all over the world (Shanghai Disney Resort, n.d.). Also, the enterprise has a broad product portfolio, which focuses on popular characters and famous fairy-tales (for instance, Marvel heroes, characters from Pirates of the Caribbean).
One of the important similarities between the markets is that the parks are always multi-generation and family-oriented. However, the difference lies in the way this orientation should be regarded given the fact that many Chinese families have one child. In particular, the target consumer of the company are children, and China is a country in which the Walt Disney Company may introduce various educational games for families with a single child (Morrison, 2014). Moreover, the market in Shanghai may be characterized as a promising one given the growing middle class and the rise of popularity of Disney characters in the country.
One-Child Policy
However, one of the differences between the environments of the two countries is also related to the one-child policy applied throughout China (Lasky, 2017). In the US, there are no initiatives restricting the number of children a family may have, and citizens tend to bring all their children to the park. In the host country, the enterprise benefits greatly from such an environment since the main consumer group is minors. Therefore, it has an opportunity to diversify the services provided to tailor the needs of underage visitors. In China, a policy exists that allows citizens to have only one child or two children in rare cases.
This has imposed a certain degree of complexity on the operation of Shanghai Disneyland (Lasky, 2017). In particular, the foreign market has to create a strong intergenerational appeal. The park needs to offer entertainments designed and suitable for older visitors to ensure that parents can have a good time in the park apart from visiting the locations aimed at entertaining their children.
Apart from that, the policy also affects the characteristics of the visitors, which is important for the business strategy. In comparison to the US, as well as to other countries, in the Chinese market, the average age of clients is higher (Lasky, 2017). In the American market, the company caters children in a special way since it is their main customer group. Meanwhile, in China, the enterprise has to consider the interests and peculiarities of older visitors since families almost always have one child, and the needs of parents also need to be tailored. This is one of the major challenges faced by the company in the foreign environment.
Further Aspects
The company has chosen different locations to situate parks in the US and China. In the US, the site is located almost in the center of the city. However, in Shanghai, the park has been built in Pudong. This is the eastern part of the city, and it may take citizens up to several hours to get to the place (Tschinkel, 2018). Given that residents are still getting acquainted with the Disney world and its characters, this location ensures a greater immersive experience, which is not necessary for the host market.
Notably, there are other challenges to be considered as applied to the foreign market. The company mainly focuses on standardization of processes across its theme parks. However, the Walt Disney Company has had to adapt its strategy to the local needs and requirements (Alon, Jaffe, Prange, & Vianelli, 2017). For example, some of the characters of popular movies and fairy-tales have to wear Chinese costumes and clothing. In addition, the company has had to adapt its practices to local traditions and celebrations to make the activities in the park distinctly Chinese.
One of the major differences between the US and Chinese parks are festivals and celebrations held there. The Disneyland park in the foreign market has to organize special events to celebrate the Chinese New Year to address the local needs of its clients. Another example is the absence of a Chinese version of Main Street USA (signature opening land), which can be observed in other parks across the world as well. In Shanghai, the company had to modify its strategy and introduce the Gardens of Imagination, which allude to the Chinese zodiac and gardens (Tschinkel, 2018). This peculiarity may be regarded as an opportunity for diversification to create value for the customers.
Fierce competition among Chinese theme parks is another threat experienced in the foreign market (Ji, Li, & King, 2016). In the US, the company has a strong brand image. In Shanghai, there are other theme parks with a solid reputation, which are direct rivals of the Walt Disney Company. Given the location of the site, it is possible to assume that not all consumers are aware of Shanghai Disney. Moreover, it is quite likely that the park will not be accepted by all citizens. There are other scenic spots in the area (such as Happy Valley), which reflect Chinese culture better and are already known and loved by the clients.
Importantly, it is yet not clear whether the park will cover the operating costs. According to the company report, the investment may have short-term returns that are negative or low (The Walt Disney Company, 2017, p. 17). As shown in Figure 1 above, the company also experienced an increase in interest expense. However, it can be assumed that this regional park may become a significant branding experience given the challenges and possibilities the Chinese market has revealed (Alon et al., 2017). A significant opportunity, which is also one of the major differences as compared to the US market, is the nature of the Chinese entertainment market. At present, it is mainly lead by media conglomerates, which means that an international competitor of such scale will specify the industrys direction in the region.
Restrictions
One of the major threats associated with the opening of Shanghai Disneyland is laws and regulations applied in the region (Alon et al., 2017). In the host country, the rules of leading a business in the entertainment industry are not that strict as in China. Apart from safety regulations, which the company has to follow, and cultural differences that make it hard to predict the behavior of customer groups, China also imposes specific legal restrictions on foreign enterprises. For instance, the company has faced censorship of almost all media channels and digital platforms. Therefore, it is difficult for Shanghai Disneyland to advertise itself and carry out any marketing activities.
Joint Venture, Legal and Economic Aspects
It is crucial that the company had to follow specific legal requirements imposed by the authorities to be able to open a park in Shanghai. Operating in China implies increased government reliance for any foreign business, which is another major difference between the two markets. The authorities require all foreign companies to establish joint-owned ventures. In particular, at present, the city government is the owner of 57% of the assets, and the remaining 43% belong to the American company Walt Disney (The Walt Disney Company, 2017).
At the same time, 70% of the share in the management company belongs to the American side and the rest to the city authorities. In terms of investment, according to various sources, from 3.5 billion to 5.5 billion dollars were spent on the construction of the park (Levine, 2016). The approach has allowed the Chinese government to maintain the communist regime in the country while, at the same time, the state may still actively cooperate with global players in the international market.
Mode of Entry
The mode of entry employed by the company was indeed creative. As it comes from the discussion of the macro-environment, the entertainment industry is heavily regulated and censored by the country authorities (Ji et al., 2016). Initially, the Walt Disney Company was unable to get into the foreign market due to media restrictions. However, the enterprise is known for their original approach and strategies, so they have decided to enter the Chinese market through educational programming. Children are the companys main customer group, and the education industry is not intensely regulated in the country; for that reason, Disney English was introduced (The Walt Disney Company, 2017). Through this program, the company was able to address the needs of their main clients and receive all the necessary approvals.
It may be assumed that the strategy was aimed at reaching long-term goals. Disney English allowed the enterprise to enter the foreign market and create a cultural presence as well (Levine, 2016). In the US, children know and love Disney movies and characters such as Mickey Mouse. The similar nostalgia could not be observed in the market of Shanghai. Disney English was utilized as a tool to get into the hearts of minors. Therefore, a creative approach and orientation at long-term goals are the main features of the companys global strategy. It has also allowed the Walt Disney Company to build the required relationships with the government and comprehend the peculiarities of the foreign market.
Concluding Points, Implications, and Recommendations
Thus, it can be concluded that the micro and macro environments of the host and foreign markets are different. The company had to modify its global strategy to address the realities and peculiarities of the Chinese culture. The main implication of the analysis is that multinational corporations should adapt to the cultural setting of each particular region. It is crucial to be able to coordinate the marketing plan and approach in accordance with the foreign environment. One of the recommendations to maintain the leadership position is to accommodate local attitudes. The company needs to reverse its policies if necessary in order to comply with local requirements. In this case, it will be able to create the same cultural presence as it has done in the host country.
References
Alon, I., Jaffe, E., Prange, C., & Vianelli, D. (2017). Global marketing: Contemporary theory, practice, and cases (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
Ji, M., Li, M., & King, B. (2016). Incremental effects of the Shanghai free-trade zoneAn Internet informed assessment of Hong Kongs tourism competitiveness. Journal of China Tourism Research, 12(1), 2441.
The Disneyland Paris Resort is one of the many theme parks of Disney destinations situated in different parts of the world. As the name suggests Disneyland Resort Paris is located at the outcasts of Paris the capital city of France in a place called Marne-la-Vallee. Among the numerous Disneyland Resorts, the Disney Paris resort is attributed to be the most challenging resort.
In the year 2006, the Disneyland Paris had three parks that included; the Disney land Paris, the Disney Studio Park, and the Disney village. The Disney village incorporated restaurants and stores while the Disney Paris hosted the theme park itself and the Disney Studio Park was more centered on movie making concepts (Sehlinger and Testa, 2010).
Factors that influenced the location of Disneyland Paris Resort
Prior to its current location of Marne-la-Vallee, at the outskirts of Paris the Disney Company had considered a number of promising and potential locations across Europe, which could be used to proposed Disney Park resort. The major countries that were under consideration were Germany, Britain, France, Spain, and Italy.
After considerations and discarding of some countries off the list of contenders, the two countries that remained were France and Spain. Spain chances were boosted by its climate, which resembled that of Florida, a state in which one of the Disney resort is located. However, France carried the day after careful consideration of various factors.
The availability of a suitable site that was strategically located on the outskirts of Paris was a crucial factor that was used to determine the Disney resort location.
The strategic location of the proposed site as a factor was boosted by the fact that millions of people could access the proposed Disney resort in a matter of hours regardless of if one is driving or taking a flight. This therefore presented a golden opportunity to the Disney Company of tapping the vast unexploited customer base.
The good infrastructure system that was coming in and going out of the proposed Disney resort site was also another crucial factor that weighed in deciding France to be the Disney resort destination of choice.
France was about to be connected with England by a channel tunnel that was due to be opened in 1994 thus offering an additional infrastructure route that was bound to increase the customer base. In addition to this, the site connection with the rest of Europe could be facilitated by the high-speed TGV network and the French autoroutes network (Sehlinger and Testa, 2010).
Paris, being one of the favorite tourist and vacation destinations in the world, was bound to rhyme with the idea of a Disney resort that related to a vacation destination in one way or the other (Sehlinger and Testa, 2010). The favorable tourist turnover in the region was a motivating factor to its location in Paris.
According to a research carried out, majority of citizens in France embraced the idea of a Disney park in France. In addition to this, both the national and local governments in France had gone a step further by offering financial incentives and even expropriation of land from its citizens all with an aim of facilitating smooth construction process of the Disney Park.
Difficulties faced in the running of Disney Paris
Challenges that faced the Disney Paris were eminent and rocked the park even on its opening date. On the opening date, the smooth opening of the park was park commuter trains strikes and to make the matters worse a bomb had exploded on the night to the opening date.
The expected 500,000 people on the opening date were down sized to 50,000 people who attended. The protests from the neighboring villages on the noise arising from the park only added more woes to the just established Disney Paris.
In the early days of its operations, Disney Paris recorded a low number of visitors as opposed to their expectation. The anticipation of more French visitors as compared to the visitors from other countries turned out to be nightmare for the newly constructed Disney Park in France (McGuigan, 2004, p. 69).
The low attendance of guest was attributed to the protests that were conducted by the neighboring villages and the fear possess by the French citizens of losing their culture.
For instance, a glass of wine was vital while eating according to the French visitors but unfortunately, the Disney Paris was an alcohol-free park. In addition to this, the hotel rooms at the park were expensive with prices ranging from 110 380 dollars per night (Anon, 2011).
The initial weeks of operations in the Disney Paris were filled with a huge number of employees resignations. Numerous reasons were stated regarding the resignations that were going on but majority of them were directed to the chaotic operations of the park (McGuigan, 2009, p. 45).
The situation was made worse late in the same year when Europe was hit by a recession thereby making property value to drop. This situation forced EuroDisney to experience financial crisis.
Reference List
Anon. 2011. Case Study: The Not-So-Wonderful World of EuroDisney. Web.
McGuigan, J., 2009. Cultural Analysis. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
McGuigan, J., 2004. Rethinking cultural policy. NY: McGraw-Hill International.
Sehlinger, B. and Testa, L., 2010. Unofficial Guide to Disneyland Paris. London: John Wiley and Sons.
People from all parts of the world travel to Orlando, Florida to witness and experience the magical land of Walt Disney World; a place where dreams come true. Every child dreams of having a life full of adventures and making their imagination turn into reality, and the four Disney theme parks allow those kids to do so. At Disney, people can explore and be a part of exciting shows, parades, restaurants, and rides. You can hear the lions roar, rhinos stomping, giraffes pulling at the trees and chewing the leaves, and the elephants splashing in the water at Animal Kingdom. You can watch the thrilling live-action shows of Indiana Jones and Star Wars at Hollywood Studios. You can smell glazed turkey legs and fresh chocolate crepes, and taste the culinary food at eleven countries at Epcot. You can interact and take pictures with many Disney princesses and other characters at Magic Kingdom. Each theme park feels like a new adventure every time I go and makes me want to go back every year. Walt Disney World is an important place to me because it reminds me of the fun times I had as a child with my family, and helps me forget the life problems I have now as an adult.
Since 2004, I have been to Disney World every year during different times and seasons of the year. My family usually goes to all four theme parks when we visit to get the full experience of Disney and what it has to offer. I remember how excited I would be to go meet and take pictures with the Disney princesses because I believed that they were the real characters from the movies and storybooks. My brother and I would jump up and down with excitement to go on the most thrilling roller coasters at the parks (the ones I was tall enough to be on). Space mountain was and still is my favorite because of the dark track with bright and fast lights that make the ride look like it is going 100 mph. My family would always rush over to the parade line to make sure we had the best spot to watch the terrific show. My dad would put me on his shoulders and I would smile and wave non-stop at every Disney character that went by.
At Disney, there would be special events around the holidays that I loved participating in as a child. The one event that I remember the most is Mickey’s Halloween party at Magic Kingdom Halloween night; the very first time I was at Disney. There were beautiful autumn decorations hung around the attractions and carved pumpkins all around the four parks that made the experience even more enjoyable. Concession stand workers, ride operators, and Disney park characters dressed in costumes and handed out candy to children. I dressed up as my favorite Disney princess, Cinderella, and spun around in my gown the whole night while dancing to Disney’s Halloween playlist. Magic Kingdom Halloween night in October 2004 is one of the memories I will never forget about my childhood and experience at Disney World. These fun moments that I had as a child left a lasting impact on me and make me want to continue going to Disney parks even though I am not a kid anymore.
Every year from 2004 to 2018, I would go to Disney with my mom, dad, and brother. Although my parents would not choose Disney as their top vacation spot, they found much joy seeing the excitement and happiness that my brother and I had as kids. Going to the parks with my family in previous years is something I cherish. Growing up through the years life gets harder and more stressful with school and work. Disney is a place where I can forget about the stress in my life and remember how simple life was as a kid. Within the last year, there was a dramatic shift in my family. My parents decided to split up and get a divorce. During this rough patch in my life, I could use a place like Disney to take me away from the stress that I was under. After a couple of months went by after my parents broke up, my mother and I went to Disney around Christmas and it reminded me of how happy I was as a kid with my family all together. Although life happens and it can be best for people to move on and break up, Disney is a place for me to remember what it was like to have a happy family and fun moments with both my mom and dad together.
Disney World is a magical place for children and creates perfect memories that families hold forever. Parents and grandparents love to see their children live out their imagination and interact with the Disney characters that they see on TV. People go to Disney to make their children happy and are willing to pay a fortune to make sure that is the case. Young adults such as myself are typically not supposed to go to a child themed amusement park. Although Disney World is for all ages, the parks are designed for children and the attractions lean towards a younger audience. A place like Disney is meant for children but it helps teenagers and adults like me to feel young again and to feel as happy as a child would. The Disney theme parks “appeal to all ages, nationalities, and races – in other words, to the ‘kid’ in everyone” (‘10 Reasons Why’). Disney is an important place because it allows anyone to feel like a kid and to forget about the problems that adults deal with.
Over the years, I had such a great time at Walt Disney World in the sunshine state of Orlando, Florida. I had wonderful memories with my family at all four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Disney reminds me of how great my childhood was when my family was happy together and the stress-free days of being a child. Walt Disney World is what it is said to be; the most magical and happiest place on earth.
I could name a million presents that have been unfathomably significant to me: an electronic gadget given by my parents, a book given by my best friends, or even a couple of Nike sneakers from my great cousin. However, the present that has had the most significant meaning to me and in my cherished memory was my trip to Disneyland in Hong Kong, China when I was seven years of age. Have you at any point been to Disneyland? Truly, the ‘most joyful place on Earth’, with its magical-talented princesses in cotton treats decorations, and electric-light parades? Gracious and don’t forget their large number of invigorating rides! All things considered, that trip was not all that huge due to the quantity of rides I went on or what number of princess signatures I gathered, but since of the penances my family spent only for me to be there.
A great number of people may have presumably been to Disneyland before hitting the age of six. A few children I know have even gone to the astonishing place when they were four or five. It was different in my case. When I was a kid, I didn’t have similar access to Disneyland as other kids. I didn’t live near any Disney park, and I didn’t live in China. Rather, I was ‘trapped’ in my apartment in the city of Kuala Lumpur. All the more explicitly, I lived in the smoke-filled, traffic-jammed capital of Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur. In my little ‘world’ the enchantment of Disney was absent aside from through toys or the Television screen. Even so, I was in love with Disney movies and princesses, particularly Ariel from ‘The Little Mermaid’. These princesses, pixies and blade battling princes heighted my desires for ‘the most joyful place on earth’. In any case, as the years passed by, I was just ready to watch Disneyland from far off, through films and videos; if I was fortunate enough, I would have a lucid dream that I was there and that I was meeting Rapunzel or Aurora. And although I knew that my dream of going to Disneyland was far from reality, Disneyland became my dream destination. My family was bound to Malaysia and has been trying for several years to secure a Visa, just to visit China. Yet, my little heart held a shard of hope that we would soon achieve a Visa and that when we arrived in China, I would have the option to visit the amusement park.
After a long wait, my wish came true! After trying multiple times to gain a Visa, we were affirmed as tourists and where to travel via plane on March the Third, 2010. I was seven and a half years old. During the trip to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, my heart pounded in my chest and thoughts twirled around me. Is it truly obvious? Am I really going to China? Does this imply I will have the option to go to Disneyland? As we loaded onto the plane my heart beat quicker and quicker, nearly pulsating out of my chest; and my contemplations were bundled up like a typhoon. It got worse as we sat in our assigned seats and clasped our safety belts. For nearly the entire sixteen-hour flight, my mind would race back to the questions I had as I headed to the Kuala Lumpur Airport. Other than that, I would be dozing. Indeed, even at that, I wouldn’t be shocked on the off chance that I was really longing for the amusement park itself! At last, our plane started its landing into Hong Kong, and for a second my psyche was removed by the Disney daze. It was night and millions, possibly billions of city lights were aglow; electric glimmers were seen and I before long distinguished them as the vehicles blasting along the skyway. After we exited the plane and ventured out to my auntie’s apartment, I unexpectedly recalled Disney and started to ask my mom questions. The responses from them nearly left me with no expectation.
The first question about the amusement park I asked my mom was, ‘Would we be able to go to Disneyland tomorrow?’. The answer came at a harsh ‘No’ and a progression of reasons why we were unable to go, which included a few words about the cash it took to go to such a place. From the start I was crushed. Nonetheless, I contemplated to myself that it was just the first day and that perhaps we could go this week or next. However, each time I would ask my mother or auntie on the chance of going to Disneyland, I would get a similar answer and similar arrangement of reasons that my mother provided for me the first time when I had a go at questioning. Later to proceed with the disaster for a little while, I surrendered and settled that I would always be unable to step foot in the universe of princesses, pixies, and blade battling princes. What came next was an incredible stun to me, I despite everything can hardly imagine how it even happened. I didn’t realize that my family was really arranging an incredible visit to Disneyland throughout the late spring, and they were all discovering ways to be able to go to the theme park. Indeed, they were wanting to bring along a portion of my cousins and friends. After a number of months, during what I think was the second or third day of June or July, they surprised me by saying that we were going to Disneyland one week from now! The following couple of days were loaded up with bliss and fervor, and after the apparently considerable delay, I was able to step foot in Disneyland. What made it the best gift was that my family went through struggle and hard work to bring me to this theme park.
Taking everything into account, the trip that my family arranged for me was perhaps the best present in my childhood memory; and even though my trip didn’t go as planned, they sacrificed their time and cash to make my first Hong Kong Disneyland trip worth the pause. Despite the fact that other kids are honored and can go to Disneyland at a young age and likely more frequently, I accept that my experience isn’t even half of what I anticipated from films and online recordings. Even though, I couldn’t meet Ariel or Aurora, I had the option to be consistent with myself and acknowledge what my family had to bring to the table. A gift truly has any kind of effect when you realize that your parents put time and effort to give it to you. As Sarah Dessen stated, “The Best gifts come from the heart, not the store”.
Imagine going to Disneyland with your kids to have fun and then returning home to learn your child has measles. There have been outbreaks of preventable diseases spreading throughout the United States due to citizens not receiving suggested vaccinations. When there is not enough evidence to convince parents that the vaccines actually work, the more people will continue to become sick. Americans who have not received the protection provided by vaccinations contribute to the spread of preventable diseases.
As suggested to parents by doctors, young children should receive vaccinations to be protected against very serious diseases such as measles. With children not being vaccinated, they could become sick quickly and could spread a disease as fast. If everyone would believe in the benefits of medications, many would not become as sick easily. According to Melissa Jenco, a few obstacles such as no transportation and doctors not being available at clinics stops the idea of the protection. Parents should talk to care coordinators and social workers about the lack of transportation. Being linked to individuals that can provide valuable resources for parents so that children can be vaccinated on time. Care coordinators would be more than happy to help patients resolve any problems stopping them from receiving necessary medical care. Here in Michigan, Metro Transportation Authority has a program called rides to wellness that will be able to transport anyone to their doctor’s appointments. Rides cost up to eighty five cents, the only downfall is if your agency is not a partner with Metro Transportation Authority then you cannot use their transportation. Shanika Johnson, a local McLaren health plan worker said “A source from McLaren Health Plan states that members with McLaren medicaid can call into our center and request transportation services for doctor appointments with twentyfour notice. Members are also able to stop to pick up prescription drugs on their way home. This service is offered via taxi cab or the Metro Transportation Authority.” When children are born, doctors should ask parents if they will be able to make it to all checkups. When it comes down to doctors not being present at clinics, there’s nothing the patients could do but wait until there is an available doctor.
Beside not having a way to the doctors, not having a way to pay for the medication is stopping vaccinations from happening. Some people’s main source of paying for medical visits is through their insurance company. Ones who do not have insurance have to pay for each visit, even if patients do have insurance their insurance company may not insure the medicine. Having to pay out of pocket could be extremely expensive, high prices cause people to not go. “Pediatricians can help by referring patients to participating providers.” suggests Dr. Cohn (aappublications.org). If parents were serious about vaccinating their children, they would search for sources that will provide the needed income.
After nineteen years, measles has returned to the United States and there has been outbreaks known to be spreading throughout the entire country. Author Carol Pearson says that recently outbreaks have occurred in Washington DC and Houston Texas. “There has been a total of fifty measle cases in Washington and five cases in Houston'(Pearson). Out of the 50 states in the United States, 18 states allow parents to decide if their children should be vaccinated. A few of the states that allow exemptions are Arizona, Michigan, Oregon, Washington, and Texas which is one of the states that was previously mentioned for having an outbreak. The only reason parents in the eighteen states are granted the choice to have their children vaccinated is because what the citizens may believe in might think the medication will harm the body. Common myths about vaccines are: vaccines cause autism, vaccines contain unsafe toxins, and Vaccines aren’t worth the risk (publichealth.org). None of these myths are true, so parents should take their children to the doctor so to become immune to the measles. The vaccine is known to be one hundred percent effective. United states surgeon General Gerome Adams says “as United States Surgeon General, I want everyone to know that the best protection is getting vaccinated” (Adams, 00:01:40 – 00:01:47).
No parent would be happy to hear that their child has been infected with the measles, the parent would be angry at the carrier for spreading the disease. Emily K. Brunson, Associate Professor of Anthropology mentions “When the 2015 Disneyland measles epidemic infected over 100 children, for example, the backlash focused on parental choice. In the aftermath of the outbreak, social media posters brandished derogatory labels for parents who decided not to vaccinate their children, going so far as to suggest that such parents should be sued or put in jail.’ Yes, the newly infected child’s parent has the right to be mad, but the parent has to realize that they are a part of the problem too when it comes to Americans not being vaccinated. “There’s a ninety five percent that the vaccine will be effective when a first dose is given” (Pearson). All of the one hundred children who were infected had no fault in why they became sick. To understand how an expecting mother feels about Americans not being vaccinated during the mass outbreaks of measles, an interview was conducted to hear her opinion. Aspen Johnson, a DHH teacher was asked how does she feel about the recent uproar regarding the measles outbreak. Her response “ I think that people should be vaccinated because it is not fair to others who become affected from them having their own personal beliefs. In my opinion, as someone who was born in the mid 1980s I am not well versed in the warning signs of the measles since it was eradicated during that time” (A. Johnson). A question that was also asked was “What are some precautions you will have to take once your children are born ? Do you plan on vaccinating your children ?.” The question was answered “Being that I am pregnant and that I work with children, I have to be very cautious. I’m not sure if all of my students are vaccinated, but I am so I should be safe from being infected. I will be having my children vaccinated as soon as the doctors say I can” (A. Johnson). Aspen said one last statement “ It is upsetting that people take a stand in what they believe in, but it their beliefs cause harm to innocent people as well.” It’s ok to for a person to respect their beliefs, but while doing that respect should be given out to others who don’t have the same beliefs.
Vaccines are available for plenty of diseases such as: measles, mumps, meningitis, and polio (caringforkids.cpa.ca). When a active virus is present in a community, the first thing non-vaccinated citizens should do if change their mind about vaccines and then go receive one as soon as possible. Staying away from others is the best way stop spreading the virus, stay home from school and work. “Follow recommendations to separate your child from others, including family members – especially newborn babies, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems or chronic diseases” (caringforkids.ca). When it comes to traveling, people with have a greater chance of catching a preventable disease. Majority of the diseases that are existing in the United States come from other countries, Europe, Asia, the Pacific and Africa are the main where the disease are caught and then spread to United States. Foreigners and people visited virus prone countries are the carriers. When it is time to go home, newly infected will either take a plane or a boat. On either form of transportation, there are people who unsafe due to the way some diseases spread. Measles for example“Measles is incredibly contagious,” “Once it gets around the community it’s very difficult because it’s airborne.” says Dr. Camille Sabella (voanews). The atmosphere will be contaminated for two hours after the carrier leaves and anyone who enters has a possibility of becoming sick. In order for someone who has already received the vaccine for measles to contract the disease is for the first dose to not shield the immune system. They would have to have a second dose to be sure that they are immune. As long as a person has enough doses to keep them safe, the chance of them being infected should be zero percent.
Having to go to the doctors is no ones favorite, especially younger children. The reason most children do not like going to the doctors is because they will have to receive shots. The shots are the vaccinations the children need, but children skip the appointments because they are scared. In an article by NBC news, ”Missed well-child visits are a primary driver of under-vaccinated children”, which is true. Children may say that they have the right to refuse going to the doctor, but it’s actually the parents fault for not forcing their children to go. The parents are the ones responsible of taking their child to their appointments, they should want to be aware of how their child’s health is. Prior to setting up a doctors appointment, parents who do not want their child to receive the suggested vaccines that the doctors subscribe should let the doctor be aware. Or even when we the family reaches the doctors office, the nurse could be notified of the parents decision. Even though the refusal will not be a good thing, at least the child has been seen by a medical official that can let the family figure out what the condition the child’s health is in.
In the United States, the number of measle cases are under one hundred. The biggest case to be reported in the last few years has to be back in 2014, “six hundred and sixty seven people from twenty seven states were reported to have caught the virus” (cdc.gov). Majority of the infected people contained the virus from who got the measles in another country. Measles is the most dangerous for babies and young children. The young children’s immune system does not have enough strength to fight the virus. In some cases where children have been suffering with the symptoms results in death. ‘We are concerned about families having measles parties'(thehill.com), in New York parents are hosting parties where their children are being infected with the measles disease so that that can become immune. Mayor Bill de Blasio has suggested to parents to rush their children to a nearby clinic during this time of as parents are practicing their own form of vaccines. When the citizens who are participating in the “measle parties” are done, other citizens should still to continue to be vaccinated so that if another outbreak happens, they will be fully protected.
The topic of American not being vaccinated is important because unvaccinated people are putting others lives in harm. The lives in harm may be unvaccinated also, but they will soon be aware that the best decision when it comes to staying healthy is to receive the needed vaccines. The selfish people who are not thinking about getting the vaccine need to care about others lives too even if they think it’s best to not be vaccinated, they are the ones held in fault. This problem seems that it cannot be solved since everyone in the world has their own opinion, no one can change what someone thinks.
Disney was founded on October 16, 1923, in Los Angeles, California, United States. More than a third of all cinema tickets bought in North America is for a Disney movie, this means that Disney is one of the market leaders within the film industry and makes a high profit. In 1955, Walt Disney opened Disneyland to the public which meant that kids and parents could experience the magic of Disney’s characters in-person.
The Walt Disney Company: General Information
A mission statement is its objectives and its approach to reach those objectives. Whereas a vision statement describes where the business wants to be in the future. The mission statement of the Walt Disney Company is to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of magic and storytelling, Disney also want people to open their creative minds and come into a new world and experience the unknown. Their vision statement is “to be one of the world’s leading producers and providers of entertainment and information”, meaning that they want to be the biggest entertainment service. Disney also uses the slogan “the happiest place on earth”. They use this slogan in order to draw people to their theme park and make them want to come back more than once.
The Walt Disney Company is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate (which is a company that owns a controlling stake in many smaller companies which conduct business separately) headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios. It has a cooperative multidivisional organizational structure. A multidivisional organizational structure is common in diversified companies. Disney is a public limited company meaning that they can sell shares to the public.
SWOT Analysis of Disneyland
SWOT is a business abbreviation for Strengths, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threats. It focuses on the internal and external decisions of a business. The strengths and weaknesses are considered as internal factors that can affect the business operations whereas opportunities and threats are external factors. By using SWOT analysis, we can look at the factors which affect the success or failure of our business.
Strengths
The strength of Disneyland is that they have a large cash flow since there are approximately 44,000 people visit Disneyland every day. Cash flow is the money that is flowing in and out of a business. Some of Disney’s cash inflow can include sales of products, sales of assets (the Walt Disney Company held assets over $193.98 billion), and investors who’re putting more money into the business. Whereas some of Disney’s cash outflow may include purchasing goods, paying wages and salaries for the employees, and purchasing fixed assets. Both the cash inflow and the cash outflow make Disney have a large and steady cash flow.
Another strength is that Disneyland has a good brand reputation and all the customers love their experiences there. Disney’s high brand profile makes the business successful and will continue to be a success if they meet what their customers demand as they have done since its start in 1923. Since Disney is the market leader in animation, they will continue to have a high profit and their well-known brand will continue to raise.
Weaknesses
However, there are some internal weaknesses of Disney. As it is such a big company and it keeps on expanding it might become harder to manage it efficiently. This means that there might be some diseconomies of scale. Poor communication will occur since the hierarchy might have a long chain of command and a narrow span of control. Managers may have a lack of control and experience the need for a longer amount of time to communicate with the staff. This means that the subordinates will not receive the important messages in time and this, in turn, can lead to slow decision making.
Opportunities
The external opportunities for Disney are that more people want shares since they think it is a successful business and therefore can make money. The shareholders will buy it low and sell it high. If a shareholder buys ten shares for $1.70, they can sell them for $17, by doing this the company will keep on expanding. Since there will be more shareholders, they can help Disney decide on important decisions and therefore see what the public demands, this will also help them build a brand image. Disney could invest and build new attractions in order to bring new and more customers into Disneyland.
Threats
There are some threats to their company as well. Disney is isolated in America which can mean that there will not be as many tourists to come and see the world since it is far to travel to America and can be very expensive and time-consuming.
The customers are changing animation trends, they want it to be more life-like characters and this will cost a lot of money to change since they have to develop the technology and might have to find more experienced employees.
Another threat that the business is facing is that they have strong competitors doing similar things. Disney’s competitors have developed over the years and are now doing similar things, this means that Disney has to invest more capital into the business in order for them to keep on being as successful as they are.
Ansoff Matrix Analysis of Disneyland
Ansoff matrix is a business tool used to aid decision-making. It helps to decide whether a business should develop an existing product or a new product or aim at a new market or existing markets. Ansoff matrix includes: market penetration, product development, market development and diversification.
Market penetration combines existing products and existing markets. The growth strategy of market penetration aims to maintain or increase the market share of existing products. If Disney used the marketing penetration strategy, they could continue doing what they did before and just keep on producing movies. Disney could increase their sales since they don’t have to invest capital in something new and therefore saves profit on product creation costs. They could use this method to see what the existing customer wants and therefore build relationships with their customers as it is less expensive to maintain the already existing customers. However, nothing changes. No new products or markets. If competitors sell similar products and one of them decides to launch a new and better product for lower prices, Disney will lose some of their market shares since they aren’t producing anything new.
Whereas if Disney decided to use product development it would focus on offering new products in existing markets. Disney could produce 3D animated movies in order to increase their sales. In the world today, technology is developed and introduced at a very fast rate, more quickly than most customers can keep up with. A product line that stays the same over time may cause the customers to lose interest in the business and find another entertainment platform. A product development strategy helps Disney keep pace with the changing times and create new opportunities. On the other hand, it would increase the risks of failure since they do not know if this is what the customers want is, therefore, safer to stick with something that the consumers already like.
The market development strategy could be another idea for Disney to use. The strategy of market development focuses on offering existing products in new markets. They could introduce new movies for an older generation so that teenagers/adults could buy and see their movies as well. This means that they would gain new customers, increased revenue, and company growth. Disney would get a larger market share and sell more to the new market and increase sales and therefore profit. Although, the downside is that under such a strategy, Disney will enter into the unknown which is risky. Many companies have lost a large sum of money attempting to enter new markets. This could make Disney lose sales and fall back to where they were before.
The last strategy that Disney could use is diversification which offering new products in new markets. They can open a new Disneyland in another country/continent. This would increase the market share as well as increase the revenue, and business growth. Diversification can also allow a company to become a product leader in new markets since they are reaching out to a new market and a new product. However, developing a new product is expensive and very time consuming since they have to conduct market research, generate ideas, develop a prototype, etc.
Conclusion
I believe that Disney should open a new Disneyland in order to increase their sales the most. However, there are some forces for and some forces against this. I would recommend Disney to open a new Disneyland in another country/continent because they would increase their sales massively if we look at it from a long-term perspective. There will be both benefits and drawbacks, however, I think that there are more positive forces than negative forces. Disney will have an increased number of customers and this will increase sales by a big number. This would also mean that they get a larger market share and their business will expand. The demand is already very high since if we look at the feedback many customers are saying that it is very far, and by opening it, not only in America but in another continent, more customers will be attracted and thereby the sales will increase.
The Walt Disney Company was founded on October 16, 1920 in Los Angeles, California by two brothers Walt Disney and his elder brother Roy Disney. Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company is Robert A. Iger. Walt Disney is one of the largest media and entertainment corporations in the world. The company’s key products and services include media network, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products. There are 6 Disneyland in total in the world: two of them are located in America, one is in California, other is in Florida, the rest of the three parks are in Japan, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Paris respectively. Disneyland resort is the biggest employer in Orange County, California with about 23,000 total employees. There are also independent contractors that support Disney’s operation.
Product
I choose Disney Theme Park which is one of the most popular products of Walt Disney. The Original Disney Theme Park built at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, opens on July 17,1995. It holds a special place in the hearts millions around the world. Visited by millions of guests each year, Disneyland today is truly a magical place, the undisputed ‘the happiest place on Earth’. Considered by many to be a masterpiece of civil engineering, innovation and imagination. As all we know so far there are 6 Disneyland in the worldwide. I want to set another theme park in Canada in 2050. I hope every single child can receive happy memories of their childhood which Disneyland can provide.
Price
The price of our Disneyland depends on many factors. The range of one day adult ticket from $100 to $200. Besides, we have special tickets for kids who is between 0 to 5 years old and under 1.2 meters high just cost $20 for one day ticket and we also have some souvenirs for these lovely kids. However, prices fluctuate frequently during some specific festivals and events. For instance, every year on June 6 we will raise our ticket price up to $200 per day because during this period in summer all children have their summer holiday and Disneyland is a good option for recreation. It is not at a high price that why a huge amount of people choose to go to Disneyland. Plus, one Disneyland needs lots of staffs to keep order and maintain the number of people in the park within the safe range, which is another reason for the increased price.
Place
In this part, our company uses a decentralized strategy, which means we set up some Disneyland theme parks in other countries and we will hire the local labor work as difference types of staffs in Disneyland. Besides, we have many sale agents which offer tickets for people in other countries, it also provides some other related services such as Disneyland theme hotel and so forth. In addition, you can also buy tickets online or go through our website, the new membership can receive 80% discount which is pretty nice for the new customer.
Qualities of Product
Size. The scale of the Disneyland is 5,000,000 square feet. It will be separate into two theme parks, in each of the park there are several different types of theme.
Component. Our Disneyland consist of eight theme parks which are Main Street, USA, Adventureland, New Orleans square, Critter Country, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Mickey’s Toontown, Tomorrowland. Each of them have different entertainment facilities.
Feature. Depending on where Disneyland is located, we will integrate the park with local culture in order to attract more tourists.
Creditable. In Disneyland there are many good things worth mention is Disney fast pass. It is a system developed by Disney company to save time in queues.
Solve problems. If there any problem with you, it is easy for you to contact with us, our Disneyland dealing with problems efficiently, you just need to put you questions on our website then will be someone deal with it.
Promotion
The ‘Disneyland’ is surrounded by a circle, which looks like an outline of our park. Meanwhile, the circle means the whole world, for one we want people all over the world can come to join us, for another we also want to set up branches in every single place in the world. In addition, the logo combined with two colors only that green and white respectively. As all we know, green stand for peace, that why we use green as the main color and we want to offer people a place for recreation under a peaceful environment and white represent purity, children have pure hearts, and our main dumping target is children.
Consumer
As all we know, Walt Disney also produces movies, lots of cartoons and fairy tales movies are made from it, all of the amusement facilities of Disneyland are come up with its films. So, if people who likes Disney’s movies and want to try some of the new technology products can come to try it. In addition, Disneyland always attract a huge amount of people especially on summer and winter vacation. Therefore, there are special tickets for the people who can wake up early in the morning. The last one I have to mention is Disneyland is a place offer people for recreation and it is a good place for a couple to remain their sweet memory.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I hope that Disneyland can successfully settle down in Toronto, Canada. Disneyland is not only a place for entertainment, but also inherits American culture, which can better integrate cultures. In addition, if Disney opens in Toronto, Canadians will not have to go to Disney in other countries. On the one hand, travel costs will be saved, and on the other hand, tourists from other countries will be attracted. This will not only drive the economy of Toronto, but also the whole of Canada. Meanwhile, it also offers more job opportunities to the local people. Disney’s construction is a big deal, it will bring the hotel industry, the infrastructure industry, the communication industry and so on, once the construction of Disney is completed, it will add another 30,000 to 60,000 jobs.
Nowadays, many people all over the world are interested in learning more about the American Southwest due to its unique history. With an increase in the pace of life, it becomes more and more difficult to find enough time to visit a variety of locations. This brochure devoted to Disneyland will remove your doubts concerning the place to visit to get the full picture of the American Southwest. Disneyland Park in California is among the largest and the most famous theme parks in the world that has offered its visitors unique experiences for more than sixty years.
Apart from the project’s unique architectural decisions and a selection of entertainment options for children and adults, the advantages of your trip to Anaheim will include an opportunity to visit a place where different cultures used to meet. Interestingly, many modern researchers list Disneyland in Anaheim among the “magic lands” that are the embodiment of the new epoch of urban experiences in the Southwest.1 Being known as “the El-Dorado of the American Dream,” California still presents the place of opportunities, including the chance to feel the Southwestern culture and enjoy new adventures.2 The cultural role of Disneyland is widely recognized – instead of being regarded as an amusement park, it can be compared to a cultural monument that unites different generations and destroys time barriers.
The American West is typically associated with new cultural trends. 3 The same is true for the traditions in literature and cinematography.4 As for California and Anaheim, due to Disneyland, they are reflective of both the twentieth-century culture of construction and the unique spirit of pioneers and their life – for instance, Frontierland is the place where the past and the present meet.5 Frontierland in Disneyland is among the brightest examples showing the park’s historical orientation, and visiting it can help you combine the useful with the pleasant and learn history while having fun.
Bibliography
Anderson, Garry, and Kathleen P. Chamberlain. Power and Promise: The Changing American West. New York, NY: Pearson, 2007.
Etulain, Richard W. “Magic Lands – Western Cityscapes and America Culture after 1940 – Findlay, JM.” Journal of American History 80, no. 4 (March 1994): 1521.
Lewis, George H. “Dirt Roads and White Lines: Identity and Place in the Country Sound of the Other California.” Journal of Popular Culture 38, no. 5 (August 2005): 855-887.
Thompson, Craig. “Feelings of Ambivalence: Pulp Westerns and Popular Culture.” Journal of the Southwest 55, no. 2 (Summer 2013): 175-192.
Footnotes
Richard W. Etulain, “Magic Lands – Western Cityscapes and America Culture after 1940 – Findlay, JM,” Journal of American History 80, no. 4 (1994): 1521.
George H. Lewis, “Dirt Roads and White Lines: Identity and Place in the Country Sound of the Other California,” Journal of Popular Culture 38, no. 5 (2005): 857.
Garry Anderson and Kathleen P. Chamberlain, Power and Promise: The Changing American West (New York, NY: Pearson, 2007), 388.
Craig Thompson, “Feelings of Ambivalence: Pulp Westerns and Popular Culture,” Journal of the Southwest 55, no. 2 (Summer 2013): 179.
Commodification involves the capitalistic process of turning objects, ideas and even places in commodities for the purpose of commercial gains. The practice of commodifying is widely growing especially in buying, selling and trading in areas associated with the current wave of popular culture. Media corporations around the world have brought names like the Disneyland to new places with the aim of drawing consumers near to what they have experienced or heard somewhere.
Globalization is the ultimate process involving integration of the world economies, cultural beliefs and practices in the societies through a globally recognised network (Dehesa 2005, p.235). Through globalisation, the world has changed to a small village where ideas, cultural practices and languages are experienced and circulated in a transitional way. The premise of the paper is to explore the extent to which commodification and globalization has been established in the society in regard to Disneyland in Florida.
Disneyland lies on south of Orlando in California, and is estimated to be the largest vocational resort which receives thousands of people. With so many media corporations being associated with the Disneyland, it has become commercialised than ever. In Florida tourism has become the center of attraction due to the change in the cultural, social and economic shift brought about by globalization. As a result Disneyland Florida has become a commodity which is consumed by people around the world.
Due to commodification it has become evident that people from different social background have attached themselves to Disney products more than ever. Globalisation it has become easier for people to travel to from one region with the urge of receiving satisfaction from a product they experienced or need to be associated with. Tourism has become the central part in the Disneyland due to the imprints and the picture made by the media fraternity.
With the onset of post modernism, all parts have become relevant and accessible by all persons in the society. Through commodifying of Disneyland many areas associated with it have become family places which are swamped with people who would like to experience Disneyland features. The relationship, synergy and interaction found in between consumption and entertainment has made Florida a tourist attraction zone.
For instance, the Times Square was occasionally associated with prostitutes but when Disney had it redone, it has now changed and termed as a public place (Arnold 2002). Disney has emerged as a model which is looked up to in other cities around the world. To people, Disney land acts as a democratic tourism point which provides reference in our culturally changing world. Disneynisation has manifested itself in the societies to the extent that people have become absorbed by the popular culture through globalisation.
Although many people have never visited Disneyland, they feel part of it through the materials they consume either through adverts, movies and stories about it. Globalisation has made it easier for the Disneyland consumption by different people who share different cultural, social, economic and political backgrounds.
Disneyland has gained an iconic status not because of the pictures portrayed in the entertainment sector but by the impact it has brought to society. According to Wasko (2001, p. 3) the company has gained a wide reputation which is insignificantly magnified to its initial resources and aim.
Due to the rapid marketing through various distribution channels globalisation has led to proliferation making its products everywhere in the world. Wasko (2001, p.2) notes that the good reputation of Disney is that through the production and commercialisation of children and family entertainment which is free from violence and sexually explicit content.
This has enabled Disneyland to be influential and not necessarily dominant in marketing family and children entertainment content (Wasko 2001, p.2). From its movies, characters to resorts and parts it has been able to built itself a place in the capitalistic world. Disney has brought a great change leading to culture shock and acculturation.
Marxist theory on capitalism is largely employed in Disneyland case in Florida. For instance, the huge tracts of lands were predominantly acquired to develop a business empire within the city. With its developed architectural designs it has been able to attract people from different parts of the world. According to Marxism theory, commodifying is aimed at achieving profits as the consumers achieve consumer satisfaction.
With the help of media coverage it has been easy to commercialise Disneyland to a product widely consumed. The internet, television, newspapers and other modes of media relay has helped in commercialisation of Disneyland. A special feature displayed by capitalism is consumerism which allows consumption of products and services. This is all evident in the Disneyland phenomenon, where people flock to Florida and shopping stores which commercialise their products
According to Schotle (2000, p.113), the rapid change in globalisation has accelerated the scope of commodification bringing in the aspect of consumerism. This has enabled the spread of relative services and goods from one place to another around the globe.
For instance, it is now ease to get a Disney product in any place of the world since the world has become a global village. As a result the Disney consumers have gained products of accumulation (Schotle 2000, p.114). Through this different diversities like culture and language have been influenced by its commodification.
The roles played by media are all capitalistic; this is evident where advertisements are sponsored by the Disney Corporation. The consumption of this by the people has changed their lifestyles to great extends. According to Vanovic and Wassung (2009, p.49) due to demand and cultural change parks that allowed the use of wine were opened in France so as to entertain its fans. Although the Disneyland in Florida did not allow this, different culture forced them to adapt to the new culture shock.
Several effects have been witnessed by the emergence of globalisation in the 21st century. Some of the positive effects include global business competition which has encouraged manufacturers to produce goods and services that can be globally competitive (Nash 2008). This gives the consumer the opportunity to enjoy quality goods and services. For instance, in regard to Disneyland other entertainment corporations have developed the art of production products and services which are market competitive.
Dehesa (2005, p. 235) points out that labour markets have been integrated giving room for expertise and specialization in line of production. This is seen in the entertainment industry where known companies like the Warner Bros Inc. produce different line of movies and films. Globalisation has led to worldwide media coverage whereby culture and beliefs are exchanged mutually.
Although globalisation has brought about positive changes in the societies, it has also brought about negative and adverse effects. The culture system has been eroded with the adoption of western culture which is transmitted through media sources like the TV and the internet.
With connected transport systems around the globe, diseases like HIV/AIDs and other communicable disease are being transmitted easily. For instance Disneyland in Florida is swarmed by people from different backgrounds; sexual activities are encountered since it’s a tourist attraction zone.
Culture, lifestyle and language are interchanged; this brings about cultural and language diffusion. Diffusion leads to cultural shocks and assimilation and consumption of media materials allover the world. Vanovic and Wassung (2009, p. 51) notes that after wiping out existing culture tourism through globalization creates a mono culture. This mono culture is responsible for the changes seen in today’s society.
The commonly known negative aspect on commodification of Disneyland is the buildings which brought about disruption in the quite and abandoned neighbourhood. It has also raised the standards of living in Florida due to huge flow of capital. Like commodities, Disneyland has been modified and simplified for easy persuasion and recognitions.
In other words, commodity culture manipulates people to want only presented options defying the law of demand and supply. Commodification has also brought about unwanted expenses and demands simply because they want to be associated with Disney. Since Disneyland has its transport system and employees tourists spend more compared to any other tourist attraction place in the world. Commodification has also affected people social lives making it hard to escape the market place even in the 21st century.
Commodification has brought about both negative and positive impacts in the society. For instance, through the commodification of the Disneyland in Florida it has become easy for people from different parts to access and utilize its products. For instance people living in Brazil or India are able to access Disney products with ease.
It has also made the Disney Corporation a large entrepreneur where employment has been created with more than thousand employees being part of Disneyland Florida. California has become a tourist attraction center with an estimate of more than 30million tourist per year. Many of these tourist are attracted by the vocational resorts and features found in the Disneyland which is regarded as the city of happiness.
Commodification over the years has become rampant in the society. With accelerated rate of globalisations it has become easy for culture change. From a contemporary view globalisation has changed how social, political and cultural aspects of life are conducted. Disneyland in Florida has become commercialized through the media fraternity making is more of a commodity than an entertainment aspect.
People have attached themselves to its products which due to globalization are available allover the world. Although it has changed the society globalization and commodification of Disneyland has brought both negative and positive impacts on the essential aspects of society. These effects are well discussed in the essay giving insights on the consequences the Disneyland has brought both in Florida and other places of the world.
Since the first of the Disney parks was founded in 1955 in Anaheim, California, Disneyland theme parks have often been referred to as the “happiest places on earth.”
Donyamali has mentioned: One of the most significant functions of recreation is to generate an unrealistic and ideal world for social groups or individuals. The entertaining industry seizes this desire of the public, providing various products for people to escape from the physical world’s pressure. Disneyland, as one of these choices, lay in front of us, are becoming increasingly popular around the world due to their specific themes that can meet different demands of visitors. People’s interests and desires are satisfied here since theme parks collect and amplify the Utopia within each mind, creating a unique environment that used to only exist in our dreams. Disneylands are recognized worldwide for their joy-filled rides, playful atmosphere, and other amusement features.
Various studies have shown that Disneyland has created multicultural amusement zones where people from diverse geographic and cultural backgrounds enjoy escapism and fairytale life. This description makes Disneyland an intermediary between cultures. Culture can be seen as shared beliefs, customs, values, behavioral patterns, and cognitive constructs among people belonging to a particular group (Banks 72). It defines the characteristics and knowledge of unique groups of people in aspects such as language, socialism, religion, cuisine, art, and more. While culture presents diverse characteristics among people of different origins, conscience plays a significant role in binding them within a larger society, allowing them to share unique experiences, beliefs, attitudes, values, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and time (Banks 73). In this context, cultural diversity is a phenomenon where people of different cultures respect each other’s beliefs, customs, and values, among other aspects.
Due to the popularity of the American culture, Disneyland’s representation of American culture that spreading a positive attitude about life has a significant impact on Disneyland in Asian countries, especially in Japan. However, the popularity of American culture does not go well in every place, such as Paris Disneyland in Europe.
As a result, they are equally crucial in the embracing of cultural diversity in Disneyland theme parks. Overall, Disneyland offers an environment for enjoyment and relaxation in almost every aspect of life, regardless of cultural variations among communities. Disneyland amusement parks play intermediary roles between diverse cultures in Japan and France. However, while American culture is readily acceptable in Japan, it is seen that Europeans have a negative attitude towards it, deeming American presence in France as a cultural invasion.
American Culture in Disneyland
Disneyland fully embodies the spirit of the American people who love freedom, adventurous, creative. Fist of all, the first immigrants came into this rich but full of inflicted land. Americans have to fight with nature. Therefore, they have the spirit of innovation enterprising, adventurous. Also, because of their lack of history and tradition, they don’t have many taboos. American people believe that people need to have an adventurous spirit to get a chance to be a success. (need some source here) As a part of American culture, the national feather is fully embodied in Disneyland’s thematic area. In the “Fantasyland,” visitors find their favorite Disney characters, hovering in Disney coffee cups; “Adventure land” allows visitors to experience a tour of virgin forest in Asia and Africa. “Tomorrow land” is a place full of science fiction and the realization of shuttle space fantasy place, visitors can “fly over space mountain” experience time and space travel. They also can take the UFO back and forth shuttle space. When people in Disneyland can temporarily stay away from the real world, into the colorful fairy tale kingdom, feel the mysterious fantasy of the future kingdom and thrilling adventure world. This is the main reason most people enjoy spending their spare time in Disneyland.
Moreover, as part of the culture, Americans have great behaviors in public. In Disney, everything has its rules. As such, people should get in line with everything. Only if people respect the rules, they will get full freedom. Except for disabled people, no one has special. In the United States, people are educated on their independent work, independent thinking ability, and American education to encourage personality development. However, in most Asia cultures, people do whatever their parents want at home, follow the teachers’ orders in the school after work listens to their boss. This is completely lost their independence, resulting in creative lack. At Disneyland, people can take full advantage of their creative and independent ability. This is also why Disneyland, as an intermediary for American culture, is being loved deeply in Asia.
Comparing the Tokyo and Paris Disneyland Parks
Amusement activities offered by Disneyland parks in Tokyo and Paris play an important role in shaping multicultural and social environments. When discussing the present tendencies related to cultural and social development, it is important to pay attention to such companies since they influence the whole of society by attracting an audience that loves escapism and fairytale settings. Everyone knows that Disneyland is a popular theme park. However, people seldom think about the enormous influence of the company’s activities on people’s perceptions regarding fun in multicultural environments.
There is no doubt that culture and cultural diversity play an important role in Disneyland. Nowadays, theme parks represent a major source of cultural exchange as they promote specific values that are unique to Americans among the citizens of other countries (Stahl et al. 3). Indeed, Disneyland represents several of American cultures’ key values, such as having a positive attitude about life, being kind, and spreading peace. The presence and spread of American culture have compelled millions of people to accept Disneyland. This has significantly promoted the popularity of Walt Disney products (Stahl et al. 3). However, it is also necessary to note that Disneyland is popular because its specialists have managed to integrate newer elements that reflect and support local cultures.
Disneyland’s representation of American culture has had a significant impact on Asian countries such as Japan. Tokyo Disneyland attracted many visitors as it became one of the most liked parks in Japan. In 1983, Tokyo Disneyland completed, the number of visitors was increasing year by year, such as 1984, about 10 million people in 1990, 15.88 million people in 1995, 16.99 million people in 2001, 22.05 million people in the first half of 2003 (4 ~ 9 Month) the highest number of admission record, per capita consumption of about 100 US dollars. (source here) As we all know, Japan and the United States are two countries with very different cultural differences.
How can Japan Disney successfully overcome the huge cultural differences between the United States and Japan? Japanese admire the modern culture of the United States. This is determined by the characteristics of the Japanese nation: Japanese has very great pride for the great of their country, but once it is defeated, it will accept the other country’s culture at all. In World War II, the united states occupied Japan. After the war, the US helps Japan rebuild their country, so that the rapid recovery of the Japanese economy into a world economic power is Japanese appreciate. They had respect and acceptable, that the Americans are heroes and savior, and in that time, they thought American culture must be advanced culture. In this situation, Disneyland is representative of the typical American culture is very successfully. Also, Disneyland in Tokyo has been characterized by successful cross-cultural management (Needs more research source here)
Cultural differences not only didn’t bring any bad influence but contributed to the success of Tokyo Disneyland. Ambitious Disney decided to build another overseas paradise in Paris, France. However, the popularity of American culture does not fit well in every place, especially in Paris. In 1992, Disney company investment of 4.4 billion US dollars opened in Europe Disney. However, this investment has failed to achieve the desired success. Only 40% of French tourists came here to visit; even more surprising is that many Japanese people travel to Europe. By the end of 1994, Euro Disneyland had a total loss of $ 2 billion (need source) Why is the success of the business model in the United States and Japan in France does not work? Cultural differences are an important reason. Historically, the French have a great national pride; they are proud of their culture and strive to maintain and carry forward. French people despise American culture that compared with France’s long history, the history of the United States is very short, there is no local culture, even if there is only a fast-food culture or commercial culture, no artistic beauty and philosophical precipitation. They think that Europe Disney is cultural imperialism, fear of American culture from their culture had a great impact or even replaced, from the psychological generation of exclusion.
As a result, there have been cases where Disney’s management team has failed to consider other communities’ cultural aspects. This situation has been witnessed in Paris Disneyland. In this case, Disney executives failed to understand the European culture before the establishment of the amusement facility in Paris. The anticipated customers for this park had no idea of the meticulous nature of Disneyland. This situation created a disconnect with their customers from the opening of the facility. Disney has made a lot of cultural mistakes in the negotiations with Paris. Before Disneyland was going to buy 4,400 acres of farmland from the French government, there was a distance between French and Disneyland. That 4,400 acre is the peasants who lived in the farmland for generations were reluctant to leave their homeland, and Disney thought it was as simple and easy as buying land in the United States, ignoring the French people have a nostalgic feeling of the homeland.
Also, through a large number of media reports, Disney is the invaders’ face in front of the French people. Disney also ignores the French style of negotiation, which appoints lawyers rather than management to participate in the negotiations. In French culture, lawyers are the last choice in the business. If the negotiations are fully responsible by the lawyer, there is no trust in this business, but in the American culture, it is a very normal culture. Therefore, the French didn’t have any good impression of Disney Company. In addition, the number of guests was far lower than the management team had anticipated. Various factors also led to inconsistencies with other Disneyland theme parks. For example, other Disneyland parks are known for not serving alcoholic beverages. However, due to European customer preferences and demands, the Paris facility was forced to begin serving beer and wine. The early failure of Europe’s Disney shows how European culture has unique differences from American culture.
Nevertheless, Disneyland demonstrates how distinct elements of different cultures can coexist peacefully and even complement one another through its American cultural features and demonstrated respect for other cultures worldwide. Soon after the opening of Paris Disneyland, Disney executives embarked on research to understand European consumers’ culture in aspects such as spending habits, means of transportation, preferred activities, and geographic distribution, as well as other factors. This strategy helped Disney executives integrate European cultural aspects into the management of Paris Disneyland without fear of losing Disney magic.
Why Disneyland Is an Intermediary between Diverse Cultures
Asian culture differs from Western culture in many aspects. Considering there are so many cultural differences, why is Disneyland still so popular in Asian countries? It can be said that Disneyland exists as a successful intermediary that encourages people belonging to other cultures to accept new ideas and see the world from a different perspective. Therefore, it is important to understand that Asian people are more likely to accept American values promoted by Disneyland theme parks both in Paris and Tokyo. The construction of theme parks such as Disneyland contributes to exchanging information, values, beliefs, experiences, attitudes, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and notions of time (Batala et al. 105).
Moreover, it is widely known that Disneyland has become popular among Asian and European people despite the differences between them and Americans. Cultural exchange involving the United States, Asian, and European countries has greatly increased Disneyland’s popularity. This state of affairs is considered one of the most obvious manifestations of globalization (Tao and Lai 812). Disneyland theme parks represent a mixture of different cultures. Thus, it may be stated that American values can successfully integrate into other communities’ lives, especially in Asian countries such as Japan.
At the same time, some people have the opinion that Disneyland’s activity and its expansion of amusement parks pose a threat to cultural diversity in the world. However, evidence shows that these theme parks’ creators strive to strike the right balance between American and other cultures (Hoon Hyun et al. 247). For instance, the application of local customs and festivals in the programs at Tokyo Disneyland has drawn many domestic tourists’ attention. Indeed, Disney has always emphasized cultural factors such as customs, beliefs, and values, which help the amusement parks to pose huge attractions both locally and globally. The influence of culture on Disneyland theme parks’ success is evident in most of the facilities, as seen in Tokyo Disneyland. Japanese people are known for their product effectiveness and high taste in quality. They are careful about cultural differences between themselves and other people. Also, they admire the advanced technology of Western countries. However, they are keen not to forget their essence. For these reasons, Disney has had an easy time incorporating American culture into Tokyo Disneyland.
Although American culture’s acceptance in Europe has dwindled, Disneyland has become a symbol of fashion among many locals and international tourists. French people have demonstrated a dislike of Western styles since capitalism is discouraged in Europe. There is a feeling that Paris Disneyland represents America in France. Due to consistency, Disneyland in Paris resembles the Anaheim theme park in many aspects related to Western culture. The French people may never come to accept American styles. However, by embracing diversity and inclusion, Disney started incorporating “Mickey and Minnie” into fashionable elements popular among the French people. In this manner, the latter started seeing their homeland represented in Disneyland, thereby creating a more positive attitude toward the facility.
The cultural exchange encouraged by the expansion of Disneyland is reciprocal. By respecting other cultures, the company does its best to show that many elements of different cultures can coexist peacefully. Support of this opinion is presented by several different facts that show how Disneyland theme parks outside the United States are constructed with the local identity in mind. According to Hoon Hyun et al. who study and compare four Disneyland parks in Japan, France, and the United States, there is no doubt that the people engaged with organizing new events at these parks pay special attention to the use of imagery and symbols unique to the local cultures; indeed, incorporating local imagery remains an important factor that allows the company to increase its competitive advantage (247). As made clear from the facts discussed by the authors, the most successful attempt to reflect local culture has been made in Tokyo, Japan.
The company’s significant attention to cultural norms is represented not only in the way that costumed characters look but also in the approach taken to place objects inside the park. For instance, because Japanese people find it inappropriate to eat while walking, the company chose to increase the number of seats in the eating areas of Tokyo Disneyland to meet local visitors’ needs. This evidence is important for future research, as it shows that Disneyland is a place where values supported by different nations and preferences unique to local cultures are respected. Indeed, it seems clear that visiting Disneyland may help representatives of different cultures outside of America feel that their national identity is respected and that measures have been taken in order to make them feel comfortable.
Moreover, the culturally sensitive approach used in Disneyland theme parks around the world is beneficial even for those who have left the United States recently. Due to the presence of ancestors in both cultures, it might be easier for them to get used to the new culture while also immersing themselves in the atmosphere of their native culture, a situation that might help increase their psychological comfort levels. Disneyland parks are constructed with regard to local visitors’ preferences; the specialists who have worked on their design seem to have conducted substantial research to understand the specific needs of local people based on the notions of appropriate and inappropriate behavior unique to their cultures. As a result, customers respond to the joy-filled atmosphere with the Disneyland characters mimicking their homeland culture. It is for this reason that Disneyland is seen as an intermediary between cultures.
In addition to uniting people of different cultures, Disneyland parks help to strengthen the links between children and their parents, who may hold extremely different attitudes to life. Another important idea connected with the work of Disneyland theme parks in some countries is that it encourages dialogue not only between different cultures that may vary deeply from each other but also between people of different generations who sometimes fail to understand each other. For instance, Disneyland Park in California acts as a kind of guide for children by encouraging them to get acquainted with their parents’ concepts and ideas in everyday life (Aronstein and Finke 616). In this amusement park, special zones are designed to reflect the differences between the two genders related to men and women’s traditional roles, which are still strongly supported in the United States despite people’s love of liberty (616).
Also, it is necessary to incorporate the work of Lyon, who discusses the topic of religious symbolism in theme parks and how it influences people (17). Some people may believe it to be inappropriate to use religion in places where children are supposed to relax. Still, in fact, it may often remind children of religious values supported by their parents and encourage them to follow their example. The fact that people visit Disneyland parks for leisure and excitement does not mean that they cannot make religious comparisons. Indeed, Disney has ensured that popular religious festivals are celebrated in the Disneyland theme parks since the celebration is deemed central to the religion. For instance, the animations presented by the world’s most famous rodent, “Mickey Mouse,” and his animated friends bring about an understanding of various religious values and faith in Disneyland theme parks. However, there are no religious buildings on Disneyland’s main streets. In addition, postage stamps and other animated features do not explicitly imply religious meanings to avoid favoring any particular faith.
Disneyland parks are aimed at supporting the diverse cultural values that unite generations of Americans and other people around the globe. Besides the fact that many of the events help children better understand the world in which their parents live, Disneyland also provides them with an opportunity to learn more about the religious beliefs and ethical principles of their ancestors. Although Disneyland theme parks do not favor any particular faith community, various postage stamps and animated features provide relevant religious lessons, especially to little children. Traditional elements of culture and the common notions of good and bad can help shape children to be an important part of society and its future. The above discussion reveals that Disneyland theme parks are successful at promoting cultural traditions and strengthening cultural integration.
Conclusion
The proposal will provide an insight into the intermediary roles played by Disneyland theme parks in the promotion of cultural diversity. It will provide a clear comparison between American styles and those of other cultures of the world. However, the proposal will focus on the Disneyland theme parks in Paris and Tokyo. For example, it is commonly believed that Americans do not respect European culture enough, and this is why the Disney theme parks fail to meet the needs of visitors in Europe (Kaynak and Herbig 6). To some extent, some researchers view this situation as a cultural invasion on behalf of Americans and proof that Americans overestimate their culture and want to expand its influence even more.
It may be necessary to pay more attention to the cultural characteristics of Asians, Europeans, and Americans in order to prove that the elements of different cultures are preserved in theme parks outside the United States. In order to address these minor problems, I am planning to examine additional sources devoted to the cultural assumptions of the mentioned groups of people as well as visual materials that will help illustrate the ideas better. When conducting research, I will try to focus more on examples related to the designs and plans of theme parks in order to make my argument more substantial and illustrate the concepts mentioned in the paper. As for the broader significance, the research paper will present a general review of the topic of Disneyland and culture.
Works Cited
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Kaynak, Erdener, and Paul Herbig. Handbook of Cross-Cultural Marketing. Routledge, 2014.
Lyon, David. Jesus in Disneyland: Religion in Postmodern Times. John Wiley & Sons, 2013.
Stahl, Günter K. et al. “The Upside of Cultural Differences: Towards a more Balanced Treatment of Culture in Cross-Cultural Management Research.” Cross Cultural & Strategic Management , vol. 24, no. 1, 2017, pp. 2-12.
Tao, Teresa, and Shuk Man Josephine Lai. “Globalization and Theme Park: A Case Study of Hong Kong Disneyland.” CAUTHE 2013: Tourism and Global Change: On the Edge of Something Big, vol. 1, no. 1, 2013, p. 812.