Walt, the Mouse, and Me
My grandfather, known as Pop-Pop, and I used to go to movies almost every Sunday afternoon that we could steal away from family. You Boomers will recall that Sunday afternoon drives with a stop by to see relatives were a very common happening.
So, Pop-Pop and I went to matinees. We had an escape the relatives date! We saw whatever was on. Didn’t matter--saw war movies, corny slapstick movies, romances, film noir (not that I knew what that was), and Disney movies.
My first Disney movie was Cinderella. I was four years old. Oh, my, how entranced I must have been. I was sure that a fairy godmother was going to make me royal. I don’t think I gave much thought to the prince. It was so much more about the dress and the shoes and the ball. And the dress had to be blue! What great expectations Walt Disney gave me. False ones! The Disney movie was preceded by a cartoon. I remember the newsreels more than I remember the cartoons, but I am sure I saw many a Mickey Mouse cartoon. So this year is Mickey’s 90th birthday and Cinderella had to have been at least 18 in the film so she’s at least 85 years old. What a long and thriving enterprise Walt Disney created.
Why, you may be asking, am I still ambivalent about all this? Okay. I was probably a preteen or teenager before I could definitely say which picture was the Biltmore Estate and which was Cinderella’s castle.
[I was afraid to use a REAL photo of the Disney castle as I do not want to get sued. I understand that is a reality for using photos without permission.] Besides, when Disney decided on the parks, he bought up all the surrounding land (often under shell corporations) to protect the largest size area he thought could ever be needed)
I lived in an ordinary house. I had no turrets and no fairy godmother. Why not? Remember: “If you wish upon a star, makes no difference….” Phooey! This is more like reality:
While I maintain that Disney lets us confuse reality and imagination, here are some aspects of Disney that I appreciate and admire. Number one is MARKETING!
Walt Disney was truly an entrepreneur – stories, films, parks, songs – all ubiquitous. His castles and other parts of the parks are all about perspective. Next time you visit a Disney theme park, look at the size of the boulders and trees on the Matterhorn to make the mountain appear bigger than it really is. He was able, and taught his employees, to use perspective to make bigger, more impressive scenes.
And Disney’s attention to detail is exquisite. Did you know (I read it in a Disney magazine -which I did not purchase - at a bookstore) that there are vents on Main Street in the parks that pump out scents according to the season – usually vanilla until fall, then cinnamon. Crazy brilliant.
Another canny idea that Disney incorporates (and I am not sure I understand HOW he does it) but the parks and movies and the available souvenirs seem and are so accessible and yet carry with them a touch of being exclusive – a cut above the rest. Fans, therefore, WANT to interact with his brands.
Next, I chatted with an old friend of mine who worked for several years at Disney in Florida. He would not tell me his character, but here a few of his insightful memories.
Walt Disney was truly an entrepreneur – stories, films, parks, songs – all ubiquitous. His castles and other parts of the parks are all about perspective. Next time you visit a Disney theme park, look at the size of the boulders and trees on the Matterhorn to make the mountain appear bigger than it really is. He was able, and taught his employees, to use perspective to make bigger, more impressive scenes.
And Disney’s attention to detail is exquisite. Did you know (I read it in a Disney magazine -which I did not purchase - at a bookstore) that there are vents on Main Street in the parks that pump out scents according to the season – usually vanilla until fall, then cinnamon. Crazy brilliant.
Another canny idea that Disney incorporates (and I am not sure I understand HOW he does it) but the parks and movies and the available souvenirs seem and are so accessible and yet carry with them a touch of being exclusive – a cut above the rest. Fans, therefore, WANT to interact with his brands.
Next, I chatted with an old friend of mine who worked for several years at Disney in Florida. He would not tell me his character, but here a few of his insightful memories.
- You are not an employee; you are a cast member (remember exclusive)
- Rules are strict – princesses must be between 5’4” and 5’8” and a size “very, very small”
- Cast members have extensive training--i.e. school--so almost any question can be answered
- Cast members could not point with ONE finger--two or more fingers or the whole hand
- Lost children were announced as “children with lost adults” (kind of thoughtful, actually)
- Social media and electronics (including cell phones) are banned at work; absolutely NO SELFIES at work
- All cast members are responsible for keeping the parks clean--all of them help
- If you leave something behind at a Disney establishment, it is stored for a few weeks. After that, cast members can purchase the items.
- Don’t get caught in the broom closet with another cast member. You will be fired on the spot.
- No gum chewing, no tattoos, no beards, no visible piercings. Only Gaston can have long hair.
- Do not try to drink alcohol in the park--wait ‘til you get back to your Disney suite. There are undercover, plainclothes agents on patrol in the parks not only for alcohol but for pedophiles, particularly around water rides.
Now, this date, if you follow – even for fun – astrological signs, here is a bit about Mickey. (Yes, still ambivalent!) Is it ironic that the Scorpio sign is an M? No--just coincidental, I am sure!
From a website called ScorpioMystique.com, I have paraphrased their findings. Scorpios live their lives as if they are the center of attention and always on a theatrical stage. In opposition to this element of their personality, they are focused on financial achievement through “unorthodox ways.” (No explanation given.) People find the Scorpio “mystifyingly mysterious” which makes him stand out among peers. Scorpios are deeply connected to family and friends and want to make the world a better place. (Well, yes and no!)
In the end, do I thank Walt Disney or am I still just a little cynical that so much positivity can seem like sugar overload and unrealistic dreams – particularly for little girls? But, whatever I think and whatever you think, here’s a belated wish to the
In the end, do I thank Walt Disney or am I still just a little cynical that so much positivity can seem like sugar overload and unrealistic dreams – particularly for little girls? But, whatever I think and whatever you think, here’s a belated wish to the
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