Seeing Disney with Adult Eyes: A Reflection on Storytelling and Immersion

I owe you, dear reader, an apology for the lack of writing over the past five months. Even while unemployed, life has somehow stayed busy, which is better than becoming idle, I suppose. So consider this a reentry into a semi-regular writing habit.

The Vacation Kingdom of the World

Walt Disney World and its four parks are about an hour-and-a-half drive from where I call home. I grew up going to the parks as a young lad, and my mom has the photos to prove it. EPCOT became our favorite park of the four as I grew up, but to be honest, the last time I was at one of the parks was about thirteen years ago when my youth group went to Night of Joy, a former Christian music concert held at Magic Kingdom. Braving the lines and the rain and seeing Newsboys perform in front of Cinderella Castle is a core memory from that trip, but as I grew up I didn't have much interest in going back to Disney World.

That changed last year when my parents and I made the decision to become annual passholders. With ticket prices the way that they are (even with Florida resident discounts), the math made more sense to get a pass and take multiple trips throughout the year. A luxury and a privilege, I know, but it has allowed us to visit the parks at our own pace and not feel like we need to see or do everything on our trips. It has also allowed me to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of the parks, which is partly what inspired this post.

Walt's Vision

Just over seventy years ago, Walt Disney opened Disneyland to the public on July 17, 1955. His opening day dedication is memorialized on a plaque within the park, including this line:

"Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future"

There is another plaque that conveys a similar message above the entry to Disneyland and Magic Kingdom:

"Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy."

Photo by Giorgio Trovato / Unsplash

As I have now seen all four Disney World parks with fresh, adult eyes, I've picked up on ways that "today" is left behind and the average park-goer is immersed in brand new worlds.

Yesterday...

If you are unaware, the employees of The Walt Disney Company that work at the theme parks and resorts are called Cast Members. This was another one of Walt's ideas, suggesting that the parks are a theater production and that employees are "on stage" when they are clocked in. Things like costumes, accents, and attraction instructions are all in-character depending on where in the park they are working. Never is that more evident that on Main Street USA at Magic Kingdom. Main Street is themed to a quaint, turn-of-the-century American town, famously drawing inspiration from Walt's hometown in Missouri. Shops and restaurants are quintessentially Americana, the vehicles are either horse-drawn or old-time jitneys and omnibuses. Music from Oklahoma! and The Music Man adds to the ambiance—or a performance by The Dapper Dans barbershop quartet if you're lucky! Also, Main Street is absolutely gorgeous at Christmastime:

Each land at Magic Kingdom that spokes out from the castle hub continues that immersion. Whether you walk into in Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, or Tomorrowland, each attraction, gift shop, and quick service restaurant is themed to each area. Perhaps without realizing it, you are essentially transported to that land, whether it truly existed in our world or only exists through the magic of Disney Imagineers.

Tomorrow...

If you have heard of EPCOT, you probably know that it's a "permanent world's fair" where you can see ideas for the future and visit various pavilions celebrating cultures around the world (showcase). But did you know what Walt originally planned for what he called the "Florida Project"? EPCOT was envisioned as a self-sustaining, innovating futuristic city dedicated to experimentation, community, and progress. It was (and still sort of is) an acronym:

• E: Experimental
• P: Prototype
• C: Community
• O: of
• T: Tomorrow

There is an excellent video essay that goes into great depth on what Walt imagined as a city of the future could look like. While that city never came to life, many of its ideas continue to influence the EPCOT theme park of today.

I grew up going to EPCOT at its peak "edutainment" era, where attractions including Spaceship Earth and Living With the Land showcased the past and future of communication and agriculture (or aquaculture!). The country pavilions around World Showcase highlighted the cultures around the world, and gave young me a greater knowledge of the world I live in. In more recent years, attractions such as Test Track and The Journey of Water are continuing the legacy of edutainment that EPCOT was known for.

and Fantasy...

One of my favorite lands at Walt Disney World is Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, often called "Star Wars Land". I was immensely excited when they announced this land was being built, and I was grinning like a twelve-year-old when I took my first visit with a good friend of mine last May (shoutout to Coleman!)

With details that feel like they belong on a movie set, the fictional planet of Batuu transports the off-world visitor to Black Spire Outpost, where the gift shops and restaurants are run by locals with stories about the Resistance and a mysterious Jedi that roams the outpost. You can also dip into Oga's Cantina, the local watering hole, as long as you don't attract too much attention from the First Order...

Or you can build an actual lightsaber...

"And so our journey comes to an end..."

So why does all this matter to me as a church leader? Why share a post about Disney on a blog primarily dedicated to worship leading? While I wouldn't consider myself a "Disney Adult", I still appreciate the way that Disney's hospitality, clear and consistent messaging, and well-done storytelling with attention to detail can transport you to another world. As someone who works in a church, I am challenged to go the extra mile through my own hospitality, through being intentional in how I communicate from the stage, and in being engaging in my worship leading (also "digital storyteller" is a subheading for my blog!) Of course, the goal is to point people to Jesus and the gospel. But if one of the most successful entertainment companies in the world can make people of all ages "believe in the magic", I firmly believe that the church can learn a thing or two from good old Mickey Mouse and make sure that our doors are always open to invite people in to become part of the biggest story ever told.

McC

What are your thoughts on Disney World or other theme parks in general? If you have something you'd be interested in seeing me write about, drop a comment below and I'll add it to my list of topics!