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7 - Playing in the Parks: Meeting ‘Real Life’ Princesses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2024

Robyn Muir
Robyn Muir
Affiliation:
University of Surrey
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Summary

In 1955 Walt Disney opened Disneyland in Anaheim, California, USA, a theme park where families could enjoy a day out together (Mittermeier 2020: 15–6). It was described like this, by Walt Disney:

To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here, age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world. (Walt Disney 1955)

In the park, guests can go on rides; take photographs; meet characters; view parades and night-time fireworks shows; purchase food and beverages; purchase merchandise, and have many more experiences. Originally, Disneyland consisted of five themed ‘lands’: Main Street, USA; Adventureland; Frontierland; Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. Since then, Disney has added New Orleans Square (1966), Critter Country (1972), Mickey's Toontown (1993), and most recently Galaxy's Edge (2019). In 2001, the Walt Disney Company introduced a separate theme park: Disney California Adventure Park.The business venture soon expanded, with Walt Disney World Resort opening in Orlando, Florida, USA in 1971 (Mittermeier 2020:66). Much bigger than its predecessor, Walt Disney World now boasts four theme parks: Magic Kingdom (1971), Epcot (1982), Disney's Hollywood Studios (1989), and Disney's Animal Kingdom (1998). In addition, Disney opened two water parks: Disney's Typhoon Lagoon (1989) and Disney's Blizzard Beach (1995), as well as Disney Springs, a shopping area opened in 1975; Disney's Wedding Pavilion (1995), and ESPN Wide World of Sports athletic complex (1997). Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom has a similar layout to Disneyland, Anaheim, including: Main Street, USA, Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. Overall, Walt Disney Attractions received 157,311,000 guests in 2018 (Theme Index and Museum Index (TEA) 2018: 9), with Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, Anaheim ranking first and second respectively in the worldwide rankings of amusement and theme parks (TEA 2018: 11).

My discussion will focus on Walt Disney World for two reasons. Firstly, it is their largest solely owned park, meaning the Walt Disney Company has full control over the way it is run, with no external influences such as other companies or governments. Secondly, it is the only Disney park in which it is possible to ‘meet’ most of the princesses.

Type
Chapter
Information
The Disney Princess Phenomenon
A Feminist Analysis
 , pp. 184 - 200
Publisher: Bristol University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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