Author and social media strategist Shel Israel gazes into the crystal ball and sees a future populated by children who learned everything they needed to know about how to interact online from a Disney owned Social Network or Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG).
Read More »Disney is raising your kids on social networks
This is the story of how Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK) came to its end and how and why it doesn’t have to be that way.
The year is 1959. Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom of Disneyland is just about to enter its third year of operations. Disneyland has been very successful not just in attendance, but in creating a new type of community; a remaking of Main Street America in Walt’s image. Walt calls Disneyland his great experiment. He uses it to cross-promote his movies, television shows, and his growing interest in urban planning.
However, something is not quite right. The surrounding area has penned his magical kingdom in with cheap looking motels and tourist traps. Disneyland really needs to grow, add new attractions, even remake whole parts of the theme park that just aren’t working. Walt has got grand ideas, add a steel roller coaster hidden inside the Matterhorn, bring online a monorail system (even extending to Downtown Los Angeles), remake parts of Fantasyland, Frontierland, Tomorrowland and even Main Street. Perhaps to open even a whole new city where urban blight will be a thing of the past.
All that will cost money, take time, and talent. Those are resources Walt could use elsewhere in his growing company. So he decides that his ‘experiment’ in 360 degree themed entertainment has been a success. But he wants those customers go enjoy one of his other projects where there is a higher margin so he can afford his future plans.
So, shocking everyone who has come to love and enjoy Disneyland, worked there, made friends there, even come to regard its wide avenues and wondrous attractions as part of Americana itself, Walt Disney decides to end his experiment and set up shop elsewhere (perhaps Florida, where he’ll have more room).
Lee Aase attended a speech by Duncan Wardle, Sr VP Disney Global PR, on Disney Park’s social media efforts. It’s worth a read. This was a very interesting presentation. If big brands like Disney are realizing they need to cede control of their messages (or… Read More »Disney’s growing Social Media efforts
Things that are open in the various tabs of my browser right now:
When it comes to theme parks, I usually don’t stray too far from either Anaheim or Orlando, but this is too cool a project to pass without mentioning. SeaWorld already has a contest where you can submit your photos of the park and be entered to win free park tickets. That’s for the whole SeaWorld… Read More »SeaWorld’s User-Generated Content Coaster Campaign