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60 years of magic: an in-depth look at Disneyland’s use of public relations strategies

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60 years of magic: an in-depth look at Disneyland’s use of public relations strategies

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Content i

60 YEARS OF MAGIC:
AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT DISNEYLAND’S USE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
STRATEGIES

By
Kathryn L. Lee

A Thesis Presented to the
Faculty of the USC GRADUATE SCHOOL
University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
(STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS)

May 2015

Copyright 2015 Kathryn Lee

60 Years of Magic ii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To my loving and patient husband: it’s over, it’s over, it’s over. Thank you for being my
rock over the last year and a half. I wouldn’t be where I am without you. Thank you for
the late nights, for the distractions, for the laughs and smiles. I love you more than all the
words, in all the books, in all the world.

To the friends I have seemingly forgotten over the last six months: Looking forward to
late nights, long dinners, and lots of laughter.

To the professors who are responsible for getting me here: thank you for seeing the
potential in me and for constantly encouraging me.

To my dad: thank you for all you have sacrificed to get me where I am today. I love you.

To Allison and Matthew – thank you for doing everything in your power to assist me!

To my committee: Jen, thank you for being tough. Matthew, thank you for being the
good cop to Jen’s bad cop. Laura, thank you for all you taught me.

60 Years of Magic iii

ABSTRACT

By retroactively looking back at the major events that have shaped Disneyland’s public
perception and proactively looking at emerging technologies, a public relations
professional can better understand how Disneyland has become a leader in theme park
and resort industry. Through the understanding of the Disneyland Resort as a
communication artifact, and augmented by outside resources such as the Walt Disney
Family Museum and Cast Member interviews, this case study gives a comprehensive
look at Disneyland’s past and possible future.
60 Years of Magic iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................... II
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... III
LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................ VI
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1
VISION .................................................................................................................. 3
LOCATION ........................................................................................................... 4
HISTORY AND LEGENDS ................................................................................ 6
OPENING DAY AND THE EARLY YEARS .................................................... 9
FINANCING THE PARK .................................................................................... 9
MARKETING THE PARK ............................................................................... 11
CHAPTER 2. SCOPE OF RESEARCH ....................................................................... 13
PRIMARY RESEARCH .................................................................................... 13
INTERVIEWS ............................................................................................ 13
SUBJECTIVE OBSERVATION ................................................................. 14
WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM ......................................................... 15
NEWS AND JOURNAL ARTICLES .......................................................... 16
DISNEY FAMILY OF WEBSITES ............................................................ 17
CHAPTER 3. WHAT’S NEXT FOR DISNEYLAND TO REMAIN A SUCCESS? 18
SWOT ANALYSIS ............................................................................................. 18
STRENGTHS ............................................................................................. 19
WEAKNESSES .......................................................................................... 22
OPPORTUNITIES .................................................................................... 25
THREATS .................................................................................................. 27
STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS .................................................................. 30
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE ....................................................................... 31
SEAWORLD SAN DIEGO ........................................................................ 32
SIX FLAGS MAGIC MOUNTAIN ............................................................. 34
KNOTT’S BERRY FARM .......................................................................... 35
DEFINING THE GOLD STANDARD ............................................................. 36
THEME PARK INDUSTRY....................................................................... 36
CAST REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................... 37
PLACES TO WORK .................................................................................. 38
CHAPTER 4. LEARNING FROM THE 50
TH
ANNIVERSARY ............................... 40
BUILDING EXCITEMENT ....................................................................... 40
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ............................................................... 42
INTEGRATING NEW TECHNOLOGIES ................................................. 42
TRADITIONAL MEDIA TACTICS ................................................................ 43
TELEVISION ............................................................................................ 43
60 Years of Magic v
COMING HOME ...................................................................................... 44
RADIO ....................................................................................................... 45
NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES ............................................................... 46
PARTNERSHIPS & CO-BRANDING ....................................................... 46
PROMOTIONS & CUSTOMER RELATIONS .......................................... 47
2-FER TICKETS ....................................................................................... 49
DISNEY GIFT CARDS .............................................................................. 49
DREAM MAKING ..................................................................................... 50
PAID MEDIA ............................................................................................ 50
CHAPTER 5. TRADIGITAL MEDIA TACTICS ....................................................... 51
SOCIAL MEDIA ........................................................................................ 52
GAP STUDY ............................................................................................. 52
REACH OF SOCIAL MEDIA ................................................................... 54
CONSUMER PUBLISHING CONTESTS ................................................. 55
SHAREABLE CONTENT .......................................................................... 56
THE FUTURE OF DISNEYLAND MARKETING ........................................ 58
PROXIMITY COMMUNICATION ............................................................ 59
EYE IN THE SKY ...................................................................................... 61
BEST PRACTICES WITHIN THE THEME PARK INDUSTRY ................ 64
LOCAL VISITORS .................................................................................... 64
DOMESTIC VISITORS ............................................................................. 65
INTERNATIONAL GUESTS ..................................................................... 66
BEST PRACTICES ............................................................................................ 66
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE PR INDUSTRY? .......................... 69
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 71

60 Years of Magic vi
LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE 1: DISNEYLAND TICKET PRICES OVER THE YEARS ............................ 24

FIGURE 2: SOCIAL MEDIA NUMBERS ..................................................................... 32

FIGURE 3: 2013 USC GAP STUDY .............................................................................. 53

FIGURE 4: DISNEYLAND SOCIAL MEDIA ............................................................... 54

FIGURE 5: JENNIFER HUDSON PORTRAYS PRINCESS TIANA ON THE DISNEY
PARKS BLOG ................................................................................................................. 57

60 Years of Magic 1
“[Disneyland] is something that will never be finished. Something that I can keep
developing, keep plussing and adding to. It’s alive. It will be a live breathing thing that
will need changes. A picture is a thing, once you wrap it up and turn it over to
Technicolor, you’re through.... I wanted something live, something that could grow,
something that could keep plussing with ideas, you see? The park is that.” (sic)
– Walt Disney

60 YEARS OF MAGIC:
AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT DISNEYLAND’S USE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
STRATEGIES

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
Disneyland is the original Disney theme park. At the time Disneyland opened, much of
the competition the park faced was from small, local theme parks such as the Santa
Monica Pier, or Coney Island in New York City (Matt Johnson, personal
communication). Opening its doors in July 1955, Disneyland changed and revitalized the
theme park industry. For nearly six decades since, Disney Parks and Resorts have
maintained a leading share of the market worldwide. In fact, Disney Parks and Resorts
have expanded from the relatively small location in Anaheim, California, to include six
theme park resorts, a family-style resort destination in Hawaii, and the Disney Vacation
Club, Adventures by Disney and Disney Cruise Line, allowing guests and members the
opportunity to travel to hundreds of different locations.

Each different Disney Resort -- Walt Disney World (USA, opened 1971, 6 theme parks
and 23 resort hotel options in Orlando, Florida), Tokyo Disney (Japan, opened 1983, 2
parks and 3 resort hotels), Disneyland Paris (France, opened 1992, 2 parks and 7 resort
hotels), Hong Kong Disney (Hong Kong, opened 2005, 1 park and 2 resort hotels), and
Shanghai Disney (China, scheduled opening 2015, 1 park) (“Family Vacations,” n.d.) --
60 Years of Magic 2
adds a cultural style to each property to match the area of the world in which it operates.
These changes make each resort a unique experience, allowing even the most dedicated
Disney Park enthusiast the opportunity to experience distinctive aspects of the “Disney
Magic.” A great example of this is while each Disney Park has a Haunted Mansion
attraction, the style of the mansion (or chateau) changes based on regional characteristics
and the technology and story inside the attraction also may vary somewhat based on local
consumer’ level of acceptance. (Author’s note: there is an ongoing, non-confirmed rumor
that the rides in Disneyland Paris tend to be more vulgar and brazen because the Parisian
society is not as squeamish as their American counterparts). However, Disney Parks and
Resorts globally maintain many similarities. For instance, each theme park has a Main
Street USA entrance, allowing park-goers to venture down a street reminiscent of
Marceline, Missouri, Walt Disney’s hometown, at the turn of the last century.

Because each Disney Resort faces its own set of successes and challenges based on many
different circumstances -- including local perceptions and attitudes, different economies
and political climates, and cultural norms -- the scope of the analysis to follow will focus
primarily on the Anaheim Disneyland Resort and the competitive advantage it continues
to maintain over local rivals SeaWorld San Diego, Knott’s Berry Farm, and Six Flags
Magic Mountain. It’s important to note that while there is a fifth major competitor in the
area – Universal Studios – it is largely considered to operate in a class of its own, because
it is solely movie-dominated and combines a lucrative film-making enterprise with theme
park attractions. (Author’s note: while the Walt Disney Company parent organization
also operates a lucrative film-making enterprise, the theme parks are not located on or
60 Years of Magic 3
near the company’s movie studio lot nor are the rides and attractions, such as Space
Mountain, solely based on movie characters/themes.) It is important to note, however,
that with the Universal Studios Hollywood expansion of their Harry Potter themed area,
future research may be possible to identify competition between these two parks.

VISION

It is commonly known and accepted among Disney enthusiasts that Disneyland was Walt
Disney’s home away from home, which has grown into a global icon that remains at the
forefront of the Theme Park and Resort Industry. To enthusiasts, this notion is likely in
the forefront of visitors’ minds as they pass into Town Square, at the beginning on Main
Street USA. To the left, next to City Hall, sits the Disneyland Fire Department, which
stores a classic-looking fire truck for youngsters to climb on and have their picture taken.
However, to the more observant eye, above the firehouse sits a window with a single
light shining out of it (Shrimpton, 2005). It shines in memory of Walt Disney from his
one-time apartment, where he and his family spent much of their time. The anecdote is
that Walt Disney would light a candle and place it in the window to let Cast Members
(Disneyland’s term for employees) know he was in the park. Whether this was meant to
encourage them to build relationships with him or to maintain their best behavior is
unclear.

Walt would often walk the park in the mornings, making sure everything was clean and
orderly before the first guests arrived, and ride attractions throughout the day to make
60 Years of Magic 4
sure Cast Members were not only doing the best they could to create magic for park-
goers, but to see what improvements could be made and what average park-goers were
saying to one another, which he considered the best form of feedback (Disney Family
Museum, observation, June 20, 2014). He became so well known for this practice that he
began to disguise himself so as to not cause a distraction while experiencing the park.
Walt Disney’s vision of Disneyland was built on the desire to have a place to spend time
with his daughters, Diane and Sharon, together.

“Well it came about when my daughters were very young,
and [on] Saturday … I’d take ‘em to the merry-go-
ground, and I took ‘em different places. And as I’d sit
there while they rode the merry-go-round, did all these
things, while I sat on a bench eating peanuts, I felt that
there should be some kind of amusement enterprise built
where the parents and children could have fun together.”
(Ibid)

In fact, during his famous Opening Day speech, Walt emphasized that the park was for
both the young and the young-at-heart, a defining characteristic of Disneyland’s next six
decades.

LOCATION

Choosing a location for Disneyland was one of the more challenging parts of designing
the park. During the early days of planning Disneyland, the Walt Disney Studios had
relocated from Hyperion Studios in Los Angeles to a new location in Burbank. The
company had barely survived the Great Depression and World War II by allowing its
60 Years of Magic 5
studio to become a makeshift military base and barracks and creating propaganda films,
ranging from emergency procedures to how to ration water and food during wartime
(Ibid).

“When I built the studio over there I thought, well, gee, we
ought to have really a three-dimensional thing that people
could actually come and visit. They can’t visit our studio
because the rooms are too small. It’s too disrupting …. So
I had a little dream for Disneyland adjoining the studio. I
couldn’t get anybody to go with me because we were going
through this financial depression.” (Ibid)

Unable to find a location near the studio, Roy O. Disney, Walt’s brother and business
partner, and Walt went to Stanford Research Institute, where a formal search was
conducted, weighing the climate differences of the various areas, as well as population
trends. Studies on birthrates indicated the greatest growth was heading southeast from
Long Beach, along the Santa Ana freeway – so the Disney’s narrowed their location to a
five-mile stretch and then zoomed in on available areas (Matt Johnson, personal
communication).

Ultimately, Walt and Roy chose the first recommended site, located Harbor Boulevard
and the Santa Ana freeway in Anaheim, California. With their decision made, the
brothers sought to keep their identities a secret, hiring a real estate agent was hired to
purchase the land – 270 acres @ $4,500 an acre (Ibid). (Source notes: they had actually
wanted more land, but they ran out of money.)

60 Years of Magic 6
HISTORY AND LEGENDS

After opening in July 1955, Disneyland became a major Southern California hub, known
for the year-round good weather that also drew tourists to Hollywood and Los Angeles.
Disneyland assisted in transforming a relatively agricultural Anaheim into California’s
10
th
largest city, boasting an abundance of hotels, shops, restaurants, and residential
communities (Brief, n.d.). Similarly, Disneyland has hosted over 500 million guests from
all over the world, including, but not limited to, 7 American Presidents and numerous
heads of state, such as Prime Minister Nehru of India, President Anwar Sadat of Egypt,
and Emperor Hirohito of Japan. Admitting nearly 65,000 guests a day, and operating 365
days a year (and yes, 366 days on a leap year), Disneyland has hosted a virtual “Who’s
Who” of the 20
th
century, with visits from multiple celebrities throughout each year
(“Disneyland Resort News,” 2005b).

Main Street USA, gateway to the five themed lands, is not only reminiscent of Walt
Disney’s childhood and hometown, but is also a treasure trove of Disneyland history.
The author’s personal observations noted that windows that appear on the buildings up
and down Main Street pay homage to longtime Disney Cast Members and employees
who have made an impact on the Walt Disney Company (August 13, 2014). For
instance, there is a recording studio door that insinuates the Sherman brothers, veteran
Disney songwriters, are working within. According to Disneyland Historian Stacia
Martin, some Cast Members, upon achieving major career milestones, retirement, or even
posthumously, these windows are granted during a Main Street ceremony: one is revealed
60 Years of Magic 7
on a façade, and a duplicate awarded to the recipient (or her/his family, should it be
honored posthumously) (observation, July 8, 2014).

As much as the Walt Disney Company promotes the idea of magic and fantasy,
Disneyland has always been grounded in reality. Walt Disney had a passion for learning,
and his hobbies made their way into Disneyland over the years. He loved forms of
transportation, as evidenced by the Disneyland Railroad, a full-size steam engine that
circles the entirety of the park, which was based on the miniature version that ran around
his own home property. Similarly, since automobiles were a prominent form of
transportation, Walt paid homage to them in the Autopia attraction. While vacationing in
Europe, Walt spotted a monorail traveling overhead and was so fascinated that he stopped
his car and ran across the street to the maintenance yard to ask how he could acquire one
for his theme park (Disney Family Museum, observation, June 20, 2014). On June 14,
1959, the Disneyland-Alweg became the first daily operating monorail in the Western
Hemisphere (Disneyland Monorail, n.d.).

Authenticity has been observed elsewhere, too. Noticeably, the Mark Twain Riverboat,
named after the famous author, circles the Rivers of America attraction and is a replica of
the steam-powered paddlers that ferried people up and down the mighty Mississippi. The
trains that circle the Park are replicas of genuine steam powered engines that transported
people west during the California Gold Rush of the 1840’s. At Disney’s California
Adventure Park, located across from the Disneyland Resort, one of the most prominent
pieces of Disneyland history, Carthay Circle, is the centerpiece of the remodeled entrance
60 Years of Magic 8
plaza. Carthay Circle, a fine dining restaurant, is a throwback to the glitz and glamour of
Hollywood’s Golden Age. The original Carthay Circle Theater was built in 1926, and
hosted the premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Fantasia (Disney Family
Museum, observation, September 1, 2014). The interior of the restaurant acknowledges
the multitude of Disney legends and their work in film (observation, July 9, 2014).

On the whole, Disneyland Resort is rich in lore, some of which is unsubstantiated.
However, it remains a treasure trove of history for the observant enthusiast. Disney
Imagineers (employees who design, build, and maintain the attractions and buildings
featured throughout the park) have skillfully added what are referred to as “Hidden
Mickey’s” into rides and attractions over the years (Ibid). These are carefully crafted
moments in which ordinary objects create a Mickey Mouse silhouette. Some of the most
prominent ones noticed by the author are featured in the dining room of the Haunted
Mansion attraction (three dinner plates on the dining room table), and at the end of
Pirates of the Caribbean attraction (three barrels tied together overhead) (observation,
July 9, 2014). Guests have made it a mission to look for these intentional, and often
unintentional, Mickey heads over the years, as evidenced by numerous unofficial books
and websites.

Sleeping Beauty’s iconic castle, the focal point of Disneyland, has undergone minor
changes over the years, aimed at making it a gathering place and centerpiece of the park.
The castle spires are plated in gold leafing so that even on overcast days, it still sparkles
(Sleeping, 2014). There are five crowns on the golden spires, added for the 50
th

60 Years of Magic 9
Anniversary Celebration; one to represent each decade the park has been open
(Shrimpton, 2005). Walt Disney’s family crest hangs over the drawbridge as visitors
cross into Fantasyland, and barely noticeable on the ground as you enter Fantasyland is a
small golden stake. It has been rumored over the years that the stake marks the
geographic middle of Disneyland Park (observation, August 13, 2014) others believe the
location is merely a survey marker, creating a straight line down Main Street U.S.A.

OPENING DAY AND THE EARLY YEARS

When Disneyland opened to guests on July 17, 1955, Disney’s Sleeping Beauty film was
still in production and therefore, the idea of ‘Sleeping Beauty’s Castle’ was likely lost on
many guests. Still-wet pavement led park-goers up Main Street while piles of lumber
lined the walkway (Disney Family Museum, observation, June 20, 2014). Rides
continuously broke down, and while only 6,000 visitors were invited, nearly 30,000
showed up, thanks to counterfeit tickets (Shrimpton, 2005).

FINANCING THE PARK

Disneyland was constructed in just under a year, from groundbreaking to opening day,
and was largely financed from Walt’s personal funds as well as partnerships with
multiple companies and organizations (Disney Family Museum, observation, June 20,
2014). Mickey Clark, former business manager, remembers, “At the beginning, it was all
his money. In fact, he hocked his life insurance and a few other things to get the money,
60 Years of Magic 10
to get to do the things he wanted to do to get the Disneyland project started.” (Disney
Family Museum, observation, June 20, 2014) In fact, Walt Disney sold his home and
whatever else he could to finance the project. Disneyland cost a total of $17 million to
build, which would calculate to about $116 million in 2014 dollars (Bubacz, 2013). Roy
Disney was surprised they were able to finance the park. “I don’t think even the bankers
that were loaning the money were quite sure what they were getting for it. It was very
difficult to raise money for a scheme that didn’t make any sense to anybody on Earth,” he
said (Associated Press, 1995).

To continue building and financing projects, retail space throughout the park was rented
to local and chain retailers. For a period of time, not only was there a location that sold
baby grand pianos, but also a lingerie store! One of the most popular over the years was
a quick-service food stand outside what is now Big Thunder Mountain Railroad that
exclusively offered McDonald’s French fries (Cast communication, July 9, 2014).

Though the theme park was Walt’s idea, and much of his money went into it, Disneyland
has always belonged to the Walt Disney Company, never to Walt Disney himself. Large
companies and corporations sponsored many of the major attractions on opening day, and
have continued to do so. These include Coca Cola’s sponsorship of the Coke Corner
restaurant, located in the Main Street area, and Bank of America’s in-park branch.
Siemens, parent company of Sylvania, has sponsored the beloved “It’s a small world” in
recent years (Irwin, 2009). Similarly, Energizer sponsored “Star Tours” and FedEx
sponsored “Space Mountain.” The relationships between Disneyland and outside
60 Years of Magic 11
sponsors are led to the exclusive Club 33 location opening in 1967. At the locations
opening, there were 33 corporate sponsors of Disneyland, though Cast Members claim
this is a coincidence, as the official address of Club 33 is 33 Royal Street (Club, n.d.).
This location has since expanded and now boasts a lengthy wait list and high-price-tag
membership fees. Members of this club no longer have to be connected to park sponsors,
as many of them have since left the park, but instead it is speculated that high-end Disney
clientele, including the likes of Tom Hanks, known for his reprising role in the Toy Story
trilogy, are members.

MARKETING THE PARK

According to the Disney Family Museum, Walt learned a few business tricks during the
early years of his film studio, arising from bad experiences with agents and industry
middlemen who failed to ensure that he received fair payment and proper credit for his
creations (Disney Family Museum, observation, June 20, 2014).

Once Disneyland was announced, Walt devised another novel idea -- Disneyland: The
Television Show. This show allowed him to promote his theme park, week-by-week,
exactly how he wanted it presented (Disney Family Museum, observation, September 1,
2014). It also gave Disneyland a direct avenue the homes of viewers on a weekly basis.
His partnership with the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), a relatively new and
smaller network, to promote Disneyland culminated in 90 million viewers tuning in to
witness the grand opening (Griffiths, n.d.).
60 Years of Magic 12

In addition to utilizing the growing popularity of the television medium, Walt wanted a
new icon to tie to the park. After years of success with his character Mickey Mouse, he
did not want to entwine the fate of his beloved character to that of a theme park, should
the park fail (as many were expecting it to). Instead, he appeared on camera and
introduced a co-host to his weekly show that quickly captivated audiences and welcomed
visitors to the park during the nightly show: Tinkerbell, a character from the Disney
Studios film, “Peter Pan”.

Walt also made a spectacle of the opening day, to which select guests and media were
invited to experience the park. He requested the presence of many recognizable faces of
the day, including future-President-then-movie-star Ronald Regan, and encouraged news
reporters to broadcast live from Disneyland throughout the day to show those uninvited
viewers at home what they were missing. Home viewers were dazzled with everything
the park had to offer, from the advanced technologies of the Carousel of Progress
attractions, to the familiar animated favorites of life-size characters Mickey Mouse and
friends (Disney Family Museum, observation, September 1, 2014).

It was like nothing the world had seen before.

60 Years of Magic 13
CHAPTER 2. SCOPE OF RESEARCH

Understanding the history of the Disneyland Resort from the original concept to what it
has become today is a daunting task. While the physical footprint of the park has
remained mostly intact, elements of the park have changed substantially over time. Many
of Walt’s original ideas have since been altered, with others becoming obsolete as the
visitor demographics shifted and technologies advanced. Disneyland has not only
transformed as a theme park, offering more rides, more food, more entertainment, and
some of the most cutting-edge entertainment technology, but the resort has continuously
focused on attracting and retaining new demographics.

PRIMARY RESEARCH

For this paper, the author conducted extensive observational research and various types
of content analysis. In addition, a detailed SWOT analysis was performed. Finally, the
author examined Disneyland Park’s key Southern California competitors to ascertain
where the park might have advantages from a PR perspective.

INTERVIEWS

The Walt Disney Company and the Disneyland Resort emphasize the fact that
employees, who are known as “Cast Members” are part of the magic, and as such are an
integral part of any experience. Many Cast Members are thus well versed in Disneyland
60 Years of Magic 14
history they learned from time spent in the park, from studying the Disneyland archives,
or from working in a previous position within the company that required research and
insight on previous happenings, Disneyland employees may be considered a treasure
trove of knowledge and fervor that help contextualize the park’s early years.

The author reached out to the Walt Disney Company and the Disneyland Resort directly
through e-mail and ultimately, the author was able to connect with Matt Johnson,
Manager of Traffic Inventory, Worldwide Technology and Operations, for the Walt
Disney Company. Johnson has had previous experience with identifying Disneyland’s
past history and trends for the television show Vault Disney.
(Author’s note: Mr. Johnson suggested contacting the Disney Archives, which replied
that unfortunately, it does not respond student requests for research or inquiry. [Personal
communication, August 5, 2014.])

SUBJECTIVE OBSERVATION

Disneyland is full of history, much of which is merely passed by thousands of times a
day. Yet, to the more observant, indicators such as Time Castles (Disney’s version of a
time capsule, created for major events), gifts, sponsors, and nearly 60 years of memories
cover the property. From the memory wall inside the Disneyland Hotel, featuring photos,
memorabilia, cast member nametags, and buttons, showcasing the changes over six
decades, to the petrified wood anecdotally given to Lillian Disney (Walt’s wife), to the
Land Dedication plaques inside the Opera House, Disneyland continues to honor its own
60 Years of Magic 15
heritage (Observation, July 9, 2014). A plaque over the entrance way into town square
reminds us that “here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and
fantasy,” a world Walt Disney believed would never be complete, “as long as there is
imagination left in the world” (Smith, 2001).

As part of research for this thesis, the author visited the Disneyland Resort numerous
times between July and September 2014. The visits on July 9, July 19, July 28, August
13, August 24, September 6, September 8, 2014, allowed the author time to assess the
changes in the park, observe sentiment of park-goers and Cast Members, and utilize the
park as an artifact communicating a broad history.

These visits alone, however, do not form a complete picture of the Disneyland Resort. It
is equally important to look at both inside and outside sources. These outside sources
provide additional information and analysis on the park as a whole.

WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM

The Walt Disney Family Museum opened to the public on October 1, 2009, mostly from
the efforts of Walt’s daughter Diane Disney Miller. The museum allows spectators to see
and understand Walt’s humble beginnings, his trouble with business, and his eventual
success with Mickey Mouse. Covering everything from his first major film success,
Snow White, to the original concepts for Disneyland, the Museum helps visitors
understand the Disneyland Park from Walt’s perspective. The Museum also gives lesser-
60 Years of Magic 16
known insight from Walt’s family and business partners about the creation and growth of
the park. The author visited the Disney Family Museum twice, for a total of six hours.

NEWS AND JOURNAL ARTICLES

From before its opening day, the Disneyland Resort has been a journalist favorite.
Covered in newspapers around the world, many of the Park’s largest events are mirrored
and immortalized in print. Disneyland has been the front-runner in the theme park
industry, and countless case studies have been published in regards to hundreds of aspects
of theme park and tourism research. Many of these articles reflect common criticism and
sentiments expressed about the Park. Each major expansion or change in the original
Magic Kingdom, each milestone, is reflected back through mass media, even decades
later. Disneyland has long since been covered by the Orange County Register (or OC
Register), which devotes an entire page on its website to the Resort (Observation,
September 14, 2014) (Authors note: the OC Register page for Disneyland can be found
here: http://www.ocregister.com/sections/entertainment/oc-disney/). A Google search
performed in September 2014 showed that the Resort had been the topic of over 1,700
electronically accessible news articles and journal topics around the world (Authors note:
The Author searched for the terms ‘Disneyland AND California, and Disneyland Resort
EXCLUDE Paris EXCLUDE Shanghai.)

60 Years of Magic 17
DISNEY FAMILY OF WEBSITES

The Walt Disney Company, parent company to ABC, ESPN, and recent acquisition
Marvel, boasts over 1,000 social media accounts (“Social Media Index,” n.d.). These
accounts vary from character-based Facebook accounts to personalities, to ESPN
YouTube sites. The Walt Disney Company has used this potential reach to their
advantage when marketing individual major events throughout their brand.

60 Years of Magic 18
CHAPTER 3. PROBLEM OR GOAL:
WHAT’S NEXT FOR DISNEYLAND TO REMAIN A SUCCESS?

To understand what makes Disneyland a success, it is important to frame the Resort, and
analyze it from many different viewpoints. Highlighting the best parts of the Park, both
its strengths and opportunities, and honestly considering the weaknesses and threats, will
help to identify the areas in which Disneyland excels and those where it can be improved.
Similarly, Disneyland does not exist on its own in Southern California, so it is important
to identify how the Resort maintains a competitive advantage over other theme parks in
the area. And finally, Disneyland has often been considered the “gold standard” in the
theme park and resort industry. Understanding what makes Disneyland different from its
competitors is an important step in analyzing the Resort’s continued success.

SWOT ANALYSIS

The following strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats follow the University of
Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Strategic
Planning Model and clearly and concisely articulate both internal and external factors that
are likely to have an impact at Disneyland.

60 Years of Magic 19
STRENGTHS

• Corporate culture defined by Walt Disney himself
Walt Disney believed in creating strong relationships with the people he worked for.
Though the time after Walt’s death was tumultuous for the company, as a whole Walt’s
corporate culture persisted. Marty Sklar, former Disney Imagineer, in 2013, wrote what
was known as “Mickey’s 10 Commandments” as a guide for company leadership. The
first two commandments – “know your audience” and “wear your guest’s shoes” –
continue to be pivotal roles for Cast Members to step into (Sklar 324). These two
“commandments” as Sklar calls them are also likely the basis for Disneyland’s
communications, both within the company and to their key audiences.

• Consistent Branding
Stepping onto the Disneyland Resort property, guests are immediately surrounded by
bright colors, recognizable music, and beloved characters from childhood. Disneyland
has always had the goal of “leaving the world of today” behind, as Walt Disney’s famous
speech recalls (Smith, 2001). The strong brand recognition surrounding Disneyland
allows public relations practitioners a strong foundation for creating and cultivating
messages to key stakeholders.

• Constant refurbishments and technological upgrades
The constant upgrades and refurbishments taking place at the Park allow public relations
practitioners to keep stories about the Park in the news. Because the Disneyland Resort
60 Years of Magic 20
lacks the space to develop entirely new “lands,” the constant upgrades help keep the park
from becoming stale and promote new and improved attractions.

• Location
Even prior to Disneyland’s establishment, Walt and Roy Disney enlisted the help of
strategic research to identify the ideal Southern California location for their park.
Possibly the best example of how this has affected the messaging of the Disneyland
Resort is by looking back at winter 2013. During one of the coldest winters in the U.S.
on record, Anaheim was experiencing warm, sunny weather. Messaging about the warm
weather, as well as incentivized hotel stays, appear to have become a large part of
Disneyland Resort’s strategic plan to drive customers in during normally slow periods.

• Staying power
Disneyland has remained a fixture in Southern California, even as other theme parks and
resorts have faced severe economic challenges and near-closures over the decades. Two
of the major competitors: Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain, have
undergone changes in ownership, partnership, and direction over their years of operation.
Other smaller niche parks have developed and subsequently closed over the years,
including a Jungleland and Japanese Village and Deer Park in Orange County, and Rock-
a-Hoola Waterpark. All of these parks faced hardships, ultimately failing to turn a profit
and attract visitors (Rylah, 2014).

60 Years of Magic 21
• Legacy and new movie and character tie-ins
Each themed “land” at Disneyland focuses on a variety of well-known characters, such
allowing visitors in Fantasyland to sail on a pirate ship to Neverland, or face Mara,
guardian of the Temple of the Forbidden Eye in the Indiana Jones attraction located in
Frontierland. These fully immersive rides and character experiences are meant to provide
a more captivating illusion and tell a more cohesive story than similar theme parks. In
recent months, Disneyland has added meet-and-greet locations for the sisters from the
2013 Disney Studios film Frozen, as well as a special float in the daily “Mickey’s
Soundsational Parade” (observation, August 24, 2014).

• Special Events
Disneyland’s philosophy of walking in their guest’s shoes has lead to special events and
what the Resort has called “limited time magic.” This includes special holiday overlays
in which the park decorations and select rides are transformed to fit a specific theme. A
prime example of this is the Christmas season and the Haunted Mansion Holiday
attraction, in which the traditional Haunted Mansion attraction is “taken over” by the
characters from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Disneyland also promotes “Disney Performing Arts” in which dance troupes and
marching bands from across the United States perform throughout the park. Similarly,
the Resort has reached out to niche markets by offering tailored events such as
runDisney, offering varying length races through the Resort and surrounding Anaheim
area, set to a specific Disney theme.
60 Years of Magic 22

WEAKNESSES

• No available real estate to expand
Because of the expansion of hotels, restaurants, and even residences surrounding the
park, the Disneyland Resort does not have the ability to expand contiguously. This
challenges public relations practitioners to constantly find new ways to promote a
property that has physical constraints that may slow its rate of change. And, to some
degree, the Anaheim location itself may be considered a weakness in that visitors from
out-of-state or overseas often believe the park is in Los Angeles and are dismayed to
learn it can require a long, traffic-laden drive to Orange County.

• Change in company culture over time
A Cast Member once commented to the author that working at the Disneyland Resort is
akin to a rite of passage for Orange County youth (Cast communication, July 9, 2014). A
modern day public relations practitioner must be aware of the changing culture beyond
the Walt Disney organization. For instance, tattoos and colored hair are becoming more
commonplace as Millennials enter the workforce, yet the Disneyland Resort prohibits
visible body art and unnatural hair colors on employees (Disney Look, n.d.). As such, the
public relations practitioner may find themselves functioning as a facilitator between
employees who are seeking a change in corporate culture and a C-Suite whose members
may still base the organization’s culture in direct alignment with the precepts set forth by
Walt Disney himself.
60 Years of Magic 23

• Shift in focus from new C-Level management
When Walt Disney opened Disneyland in 1955, he imagined a place families could enjoy
together. While this is still mostly true, Disneyland executives appear to continuously
push for more premium experiences. These experiences encourage park visitors to spend
more beyond the cost of a ticket for an opportunity to experience characters not normally
in the park, such as special hair and makeup services at Bibbidi-Bobbidi Boutique or gain
reserved seating for shows (Bibbidi, n.d.).

Similarly, the Disneyland Resort appears to have recently spent more energy reaching out
to key audiences beyond families, primarily young adults. This has been accomplished
through resort renovations, as evidenced by the popularity of the Downtown Disney
shopping district, which features a number of restaurants, bars, and live music venues
(Downtown, n.d.).

• Rising Operating Costs and Ticket Prices
The ever-increasing cost of maintaining the park, from light bulb changes to safety
checks on rides, is one factor that contributes to rising ticket prices (Walt, 2014). Public
relations practitioners are constantly challenged with negative public perception as prices
increase.

60 Years of Magic 24

Year One-day One-park
Ticket Price
1982 $12.00
1984 $14.00
1986 $18.00
1988 $21.50
1990 $25.50
1992 $27.50
1994 $31.00
1996 $31.00
1998 $31.00
2000 $41.00
2002 $45.00
2004 $49.75
2006 $59.00
2008 $69.00
2010 $76.00
2012 $87.00
2014 $96.00
Figure 1 Disneyland Ticket Prices 1982-2014
• Few incentives to combat “visitor fatigue”
A realistic part of Disneyland is that the park rarely changes. Though it has seasonal
additions, such as “Haunted Mansion: Holiday,” visitor fatigue can be a real problem,
particularly for annual passholders. To combat this, Disneyland has focused on adding to
the park when possible. For Christmas, Chinese New Year, Three Kings Day, and Dia de
la Muerta, Disneyland makes a point to add extra décor and entertainment and food
offerings to the park, and sometimes offer limited edition products.

Over the years, the Walt Disney Company has expanded their runDisney program to
include half- and full-marathon races at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. 2014
marks an inaugural Avengers Superhero Half Marathon, while 2015 brings a Star Wars
60 Years of Magic 25
“Let the Wookie Win” marathon event. These runDisney partnerships give incentive and
reason to visit a park that you otherwise may choose to overlook.

Recently, Disneyland has eliminated one of two Southern California-geared annual pass
offerings (Tully, 2014). In light of this very visible cutback, maintaining and including
the important, growing key audience of annual passholders has become a continuing
struggle for the Disneyland public relations team.

OPPORTUNITIES

• Massive movie, character, collectible, and other fan-bases
Instead of offering certain products online or in local Disney Stores, Disneyland Resort
has encouraged fan bases by offering “Disney Parks Products” (Disney Parks Product,
n.d.). The resort has also become more accepting of niche groups, such as the Main
Street Elite, a Disneyland fan group identifiable by their denim vests. In recent years,
this acceptance has broadened to include fan-lead, unsponsored events, such as the ever-
growing Dapper Day. Dapper Day is held twice a year, and encourages guests to dress
up for their visit, similar to the 1950’s styles that were prevalent when the park opened.
Catering to these newly relevant audiences is a challenge public relations practitioners
will have to meet in the coming years.

60 Years of Magic 26
• Ultimate vacation destination
Disneyland has welcomed more than 500 million guests from around the world since
opening in 1955 (“Disneyland Celebrates,” 2006). With over 7 million tagged photos
and 958,000 followers on Instagram and 7 million check-ins on Facebook, the
Disneyland Resort has branded itself as an “ultimate travel destination.” This broad
audience gives public relations practitioners a wide field of influence over prospective
guests.

• Social media powerhouse
The Disneyland Resort has over 958,000 followers on Instagram. It also boasts more
than 18 million Facebook “likes.” The Walt Disney Company, Disneyland’s parent
company, manages over 1,000 social media pages to promote films, characters, and
companies. This massive social media presence gives public relations practitioners a
virtual megaphone to share their message on social media.

• Visitor nostalgia
The Disneyland Resort understands that family vacations become an important part of a
child’s psyche. These treasured trips create special memories, and were the focal point of
the Park’s 50
th
Anniversary media strategy: “Coming Home.” Creating a feeling of
“home” for the 500 million guests that enter the park is not easy. Public relations
practitioners are charged with developing strong messaging and tactics that reinforce the
feeling of “home” to continue drawing visitors back.

60 Years of Magic 27
• Southern California location
The location of the Disneyland Resort was strategically chosen as conveniently
accessible from major freeways and airports in California, and, over the years, the City of
Anaheim has developed a strong Resort transportation infrastructure centered on
Disneyland. This creates an opportunity for public relations practitioners to formulate
year-round campaigns, trusting on the mild weather in Southern California to draw in the
crowds.

THREATS

• Economic downturns
Although this is uncontrollable from a public relations perspective, Disneyland’s annual
revenue is contingent on having a strong economy. When the economy is hurting, or
consumer confidence is falling, it is more likely for people to cut unnecessary spending
from their budgets. Expensive family vacations become less important and trips to a
theme park are the first items to be cut from the budget. In this situation, Disneyland’s
public relations practitioners are charged with the responsibility of creating messages that
promote the importance of family time and vacations.

• Less-expensive vacation options
Similar to the problems with overall economic downturns, some families seek less-
expensive vacation options, which is a very real threat to the success of Disneyland. A
strong public relations strategy to combat this is to focus on the value of a day’s
60 Years of Magic 28
admission to Disneyland. The Park has more attractions, shows, and experiences, once
inside the gate, than its local competition. For instance, guests can view a three-man
play, reflecting familiar stories of Beauty and the Beast or Tangled, full stage productions
of “Mickey and the Magical Map,” or partake in any number of musical offerings
through the park. Disney also offers high-energy nightly shows in World of Color,
Fantasmic!, and the fireworks spectacular. Emphasizing these added perks within
messaging and campaigns works to minimize the potential appeal presented by lower
priced vacation options present.

• Constantly increasing prices
Continuing maintenance costs are one factor contributing to increasing prices. Another
reason that admission prices are consistently increase could be related to the investments
in the continued refurbishment of rides and attractions, and the Resort’s affiliated hotels,
which are adjacent to the Park. While these explanations are merely conjecture,
Disneyland’s public relations practitioners are responsible for shaping strong campaigns
and strategies that make guests forget about the price tag.

• Shifting consumer priorities
For a family of four, a 4-night/3-day Disneyland vacation can cost $1400 (“Offers &
Discounts,” n.d.). The Disneyland Resort offers pre- and custom-packaged vacation
plans, including partnering with “good neighbor” local hotels. However, many families
are seeking more affordable vacation options, even if they understand the value of taking
a family vacation. As noted in a Kelton research survey for Disney, 94% of respondents
60 Years of Magic 29
believed it was important to take family vacations together on a regular schedule. Yet,
13% of parents admitted they had no free weekends through the year for vacations
(“Disneyland Resort News,” 2013). This creates a unique position for public relations
practitioners to craft messaging that addresses the underlying need for family time,
possibly a continuation and complement to the “Disney Side” theme from 2014.

• International terrorism risks
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 forced a new generation of American citizens
to accept the reality of terrorism attacks. The Disney parks are arguably some of
America’s most recognized landmarks. This realization caused Disneyland to close park
gates during the early morning of September 11
th
. That was one of three times the park
has closed on a scheduled operating day (Smith, 2010). A strong, well-executed crisis
plan with Cast Members well trained in emergency protocols allowed Disneyland to
quickly empty and close the parks. Disneyland’s public relations practitioners were an
integral part of the crisis planning and training. It also was their responsibility to create
messaging assuring park guests of the additional safety measures implemented to protect
Disneyland against such a threat.

• Other appealing theme park options nearby
USA Today named X-2, Six Flags Magic Mountain’s multidimensional roller coaster
located in Valencia, California, as one of the 10 best roller coasters “of your life”
(“10Best: Roller-coaster rides of your life,” 2014). For the adrenaline-pumping thrill
junkie, Disneyland’s local competitors may offer more high-speed and thrilling options.
60 Years of Magic 30
Other theme parks in the area have formed partnerships with entertainment companies.
For instance, Knott’s Berry Farm brings Snoopy and all of his friends from “Peanuts” to
life (“Knott’s,” n.d.).

STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS

Disneyland has a history in storytelling. Walter Fisher’s 1978 research on the “narrative
paradigm” attempts to explain that all communication is a narrative (as cited in West &
Turner, 2007). By his logic, humans are, at their most basic, storytellers. Public relations
practitioners are responsible for multiple areas of messaging as both technicians and
managers. Marrying the idea of strategic messaging and narratives assists public
relations practitioners in crafting strong messages inside a company through internal
communications and outside a company through strategies and tactics. Disneyland’s
strengths allow it a unique placement among Southern California theme parks. Many of
the threats and weaknesses are areas Disneyland public relations can target with strategic
campaigns in the future. Disneyland is not alone among theme parks or travel
destinations in facing many of these threats and weaknesses. Many of the external
factors that can affect Disneyland’s business and reputation can equally impact local
competitors. Disneyland public relations practitioners are charged with formulating a
cohesive narrative that people understand and relate to, both inside and outside the
company. This narrative is what ultimately makes Disneyland a premier vacation
destination.

60 Years of Magic 31
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

A competitive advantage is generally maintained in business in one of two ways: avoid
the competition or be better than them. To avoid competitors, businesses may aim for a
niche market, target a strategically selected group, or look for an industry nobody is
currently involved in. This is a more difficult way to create a competitive advantage as a
niche market can change, or an industry can become inundated with competition, which
ultimately will likely reduce the competitive advantage.

Disneyland, while originally maintaining an incidental competitive advantage because it
was the first major theme park and resort in the United States, quickly realized this last
vulnerability. As a result, the Resort focuses on the second path to achieving a
competitive advantage: be better than the competition. This has been the singular goal of
the Disneyland Resort from the original concept. Walt Disney’s wife once asked why he
wanted to build a theme park anyway, since they were all so dirty (a common observation
at the time, considering most theme-park-type areas were located on or near piers). Walt
emphasized that was his point: his park would not be like the others (Disney Family
Museum, observation, June 20, 2014).

In present-day Southern California, Disneyland is one of five major theme parks. The
area also hosts SeaWorld San Diego, south of Orange County; Six Flags Magic Mountain
(located in Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles); Knott’s Berry Farm (located in nearby
Buena Park), and finally Universal Studios Hollywood, located in Los Angeles. Because
60 Years of Magic 32
of the unique type of amusement park Universal Studios has to offer, a synthesized theme
park and active studio backlot, it is not included in the author’s analysis of competitive
theme parks.

Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
Park Likes Check-
Ins
Followers Tweets Followers Photos Subscribers
Disneyland 18,529,000 7,833,000 613,000 12,500 1,000,000 520 254,934*
SeaWorld 392,000 29,000 2,200 1 8,200 688 784
Six Flags 566,000 1,102,000 13,800 790 31,000 144 1,016
Knott’s 462,000 1,250,000 25,600 17,800 27,000 860 3,704
Figure 2 Social Media Numbers
*subscriber count for the Disney Parks YouTube account
(All data gathered directly from each respective social media page)

SEAWORLD SAN DIEGO

SeaWorld®, founded by George Millay, Milt Shedd, Ken Norris and David DeMott,
opened in 1964. Originally planned as an underwater restaurant, the concept grew into a
marine zoological park on 21 acres along the shore of the then newly expanded Mission
Bay in San Diego. With an initial investment of $1.5 million, 45 employees, several
dolphins, sea lions, and two saltwater aquariums, SeaWorld drew more than 400,000
visitors its first year (“History,” n.d.).

Recently, SeaWorld, which is celebrating its 50
th
anniversary in 2014, has come under
fire following the 2013 release of the documentary film “Blackfish” which alleges
inhumane treatment of animals, especially the larger Orca “killer” whales that are kept in
smaller-than-necessary tanks, rather than being released back into their natural habitats.
SeaWorld has maintained a strong public relations presence in the face of this
60 Years of Magic 33
controversy: promoting its 50
th
anniversary and repeatedly emphasizing that all the
animals receive preventative medical care, exercise, a nutritious diet, and an environment
that includes a wide variety of enriching activities (“Animals,” n.d.).

SeaWorld San Diego is considered a moderately priced theme destination; welcoming
over 4 million guests a year on 190 square miles of property, boasting 10 ride attractions
and 9 shows (Rubin, 2014b). The park also runs discounted ticket specials to drive
crowds through the door. For instance, a normal one-day ticket is $50, but for $84, it is
possible to purchase a Fun Pass (annual pass) and attend through the end of the calendar
year.

The branding at SeaWorld is partially tied to a partnership with the Sesame Street public
television children’s show, with the character branding appearing on some rides. The
park utilizes multiple forms of social media to connect with guests: Twitter (1,600+
followers), Facebook (383,000+ likes), Instagram (7,200+ followers), YouTube (690+
followers), and a classic blog (observation, September 4, 2014). SeaWorld San Diego is
part of SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, a subsidy of SeaWorld Entertainment.

The Themed Entertainment Association, a group recognizing the best and brightest in the
theme park industry, awarded SeaWorld San Diego the Classic Award in 2008. This
award recognizes an achievement that has stood the test of time (Rubin, 2014a). The
Amusement Today trade publication ranked SeaWorld San Diego the #4 Best Marine
60 Years of Magic 34
Life Park in 2011, #3 Best Marine Life Park in 2006-2010, and the #2 Best Marine Life
Park in 2012 and 2013.

SIX FLAGS MAGIC MOUNTAIN

According to the company website, “Six Flags Magic Mountain is well known for world-
class roller coasters and over 100 rides, games and attractions.” (“Newsroom”, n.d.)
Disneyland competitior Six Flags Magic Mountain located in Valencia, California
opened in May 1971 (“Frequently”, n.d.). Originally opening as Magic Mountain
(Reckard, 1999), Six Flags Magic Mountain is currently owned and operated by the Six
Flags Entertainment Corporation (“Home”, n.d.).

Six Flags Magic Mountain was ranked 18
th
most visited theme park in North America,
according to the 2013 Themed Entertainment Association (Rubin, 2014b) drawing in
over 2.9 million visits. A regular priced admission ticket ranges from $49.99 - $69.99
with Season Passes starting at $74.99 for unlimited entry (“Tickets & More,” n.d.). The
season pass offers perks such as discounts and free tickets for friends.

Relatively limited information is available on the Six Flags Magic Mountain, or parent
Six Flags entertainment Corporation website in regards to strategy and events
surrounding the park. Six Flags Magic Mountain has a social media audience of 562,822
likes, 1,076,897 “check-in’s”, 13,000 Twitter followers, and just fewer than 28,000
Instagram followers. The brand has only posted 782 tweets and 143 photos on Instagram
60 Years of Magic 35
(observation, September 4, 2014). This is a much smaller audience than Disneyland, and
can possibly limit the reach of strategic messaging.

KNOTT’S BERRY FARM

Knott’s Berry Farm calls itself America’s first theme park. Opening as a chicken kitchen
in the 1940’s, the restaurant served as many as 4,000 people on Sunday nights (“Knott’s,”
n.d.). To keep customers entertained, Walter Knott acquired authentic ghost town
buildings to explore. Ghost Town became the first themed land (“Knott’s,” n.d.). The
first themed “land,” dedicated specifically to children with Camp Snoopy, opened in
1983. The publically traded Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, which also owns 11
other amusement parks in North America. acquired Knott’s Berry Farm in 1997.
Operating 364 days a year (the park is closed Christmas Day), Knott’s Berry Farm
features five themed lands: the Boardwalk, Fiesta Village, Old West Ghost Town, Indian
Trails, and Camp Snoopy (“2014 Press Kit,” n.d.). Ticket prices vary based on the
season, generally fluctuating between $35 and $65 for a one day ticket (Daily, 2014), and
$79.50 for a season pass (2015 Season, 2014).

From a social media perspective, Knott’s boasts 459,000+ Facebook likes and
1,235,000+ “check-in’s”. The park’s twitter presence reflects 24,600 followers and
17,400 tweets, and Instagram has 23,000 followers and 839 posts (observation, October
3, 2014). The park reached 3.7 million visits in 2013 (Rubin, 2014b).

60 Years of Magic 36
DEFINING THE GOLD STANDARD

Disneyland, being the first spoke-and-wheel and multiple-land model of the theme park,
has long been the acknowledged leader of the theme park industry. From the way the
cast members dress, to the overnight updates and repairs, to the 365 operating day
calendar, Disneyland attempts to maintain leadership over its aforementioned competition
in Southern California.

THEME PARK INDUSTRY

Walt Disney’s idea for the spoke-and-wheel model was a very intentional layout. He
believed the center of the park, in this case Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and the Walt and
Mickey partner statue, would be the gathering and meeting place for families. If
someone was elderly or sick, they could say “go on ahead, I’ll meet you back here,” and
the rest of their party could continue into one of the five themed worlds (Disney Family
Museum, observation, June 20, 2014).

In addition to designing a central gathering place, Walt imagined an immersive
experience. Each land at Disneyland is unique from the music played to the type of
terrain walked on, to the fencing used around the area. There are very clear indicators to
the naked eye that the story has transferred from one “world” to another (observation,
July 19, 2014). The park is designed so that by-and-large you cannot see another land or
area from the one you are immersed in. However, to help guests keep their bearings,
60 Years of Magic 37
each themed land has a major landmark that rises above the skyline and can assist guests
in navigating their way around the park. One of the most notable of these landmarks is
the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction, located in Frontierland, which towers at a
remarkable 104 feet high.

CAST REQUIREMENTS

It is not the park operations alone that allow Disneyland to lead the pack in the theme
park industry. A large portion of the experience at Disneyland comes from the
employees, or Cast Members, who play their role in helping visitors’ dreams come true.
Cast Members at Disneyland are held to higher standards than employees who work
elsewhere in much of the theme park industry. Women are not allowed to have more
than a single piercing in each ear, and anything other than a natural hair or nail color is
not accepted. Men are expected to remain clean-shaven, or keep well-trimmed facial hair
(anything in-between is not allowed), and are not allowed to have ear or other facial
piercings. Employees are not allowed to have visible tattoos. Anything that is deemed
distracting or unprofessional, such as large earrings, is frowned upon (The Disney Look,
2014).

Similarly, to maintain visitors’ immersion experience while visiting the Parks multiple
lands, each land has a specific look that the cast member uniforms follow, which is then
tailored further to the individual rides and attractions. Cast Members are also
discouraged from being visible in an area of the park incongruous with their uniform, and
60 Years of Magic 38
instead traverse the park through unobtrusive pathways outside of public view. It would
ruin the illusion for someone to see a Cast Member wearing a New Orleans style pirate-
themed uniform walking around Tomorrowland, for example.

PLACES TO WORK

Disneyland Resort is often highly ranked on annual “Places to Work” lists. Because of
the benefits and pleasant environment, people come from all over the world to work at
the Disney Park Resorts. The anonymous employee submission website glassdoor.com
reports mixed of feelings about working at the Disneyland Resort, with many noting that
there are too many “chiefs” and not enough “Indians,” but that employees who have a
true interest for the company and believe in the Disney “magic” enjoy their time and
work at the company (“Disneyland Resort Reviews,” n.d.). Of course, all companies
have their claims to fame as well as their weaknesses, and according the author’s review
of submissions written on glassdoor.com, much of the employee dissatisfaction with
working at the Disneyland Resort come from younger, inexperienced workers who may
not be as committed to the company as they could be. Overall, however, the employees
participating on glassdoor.com rank the park a 3.6 on a scale of 5 and expressed general
satisfaction with their positions at the company. In addition, US News & World Report
ranked Disney Parks and Resorts number 36 in its top 50 companies to work for in 2012
(Baden, 2011). This was the first time the Parks and Resorts area of the Disney Company
had been ranked by the publication.

60 Years of Magic 39
The Disneyland Resort’s parent organization, the Walt Disney Company, has often been
touted as one of the best companies to work for, and won that award again in 2014
(“Working,” n.d.). It also boasts being one of the best places for LGBT employees
during the last decade, as well as one of the most admired and innovative companies.

These accolades give the Disneyland Resort much to aim for in order to remain a strong
reflection of their parent company. It also allows the potential for advancement into
other opportunities with the parent company for employees who are committed to the
organization. Each year, Forbes compiles a list of the dream companies each graduating
class aims for as they enter the workforce. In 2012, the most popular majors, Business,
IT, and Liberal Arts, all ranked the Walt Disney Company as their first or second most
preferred employer, a strong testament to the company’s reputation as a desired
employer, and promising a vast talent pool of employees who could become dedicated to
the company (Casserly, 2012).

60 Years of Magic 40
CHAPTER 4. LEARNING FROM THE 50
TH
ANNIVERSARY

One effective way for PR practitioners to define success is to stage a milestone campaign.
In Disneyland’s case, it was the 2005 celebration of the Park’s 50
th
Anniversary. By
committing all of the Resorts available resources, Disneyland defined what a successful
campaign would look like. Disneyland makes a grand show of almost every event
imaginable, dating all the way back to Opening Day, when it is believed to have beento
be the first time there was a traffic jam on Interstate 5 in Orange County (Shrimpton,
2005).

All departments within the Disneyland Resort collaborated with different areas of the
Walt Disney Company to craft a one-of-a-kind, only-at-Disneyland anniversary
celebration. The following outlines the key elements of that campaign.

BUILDING EXCITEMENT

“Content crashing began on January 4
th
, when mascot
Mickey paid a visit to the Orange Bowl during ABC’s
telecast of the USC Trojans/Oklahoma Sooners game. The
Mouse left his house in Anaheim to bring a special gift to
everyone at the stadium: tickets to any of the Disney parks
during the 18 month celebration (Ebenkamp, 2005).”

First and foremost, Disneyland was one of the first organizations to ever stage an 18-
month celebration for an anniversary event. Secondly, they devised a clever motto for
the campaign: The Happiest Homecoming on Earth.
60 Years of Magic 41

Disneyland officials employed every tactic they had learned over the prior 50 years of
operation to truly create the “happiest homecoming on Earth (Shrimpton, 2005).”
Creating a year of giveaways, dreams come true, and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities,
Disneyland’s Happiest Homecoming on Earth became a global Disney Parks and Resorts
celebration.

Media in countries as far away as Australia covered the event, touting exciting
happenings such as the fact that “Julie Andrews, who won the Best Actress Oscar for her
role in Disney’s classic 1964 Mary Poppins movie, would be honorary ambassador for
the anniversary (Shrimpton, 2005).” Or the “Midas touch” Disney was giving to
remaining opening day attractions like the Autopia, the King Arthur Carousel, and
Dumbo the Flying Elephant (“Disneyland Celebrates,” 2006). These small changes
allowed excitement to build about what else Disneyland might have up their sleeve for
future milestones, culminating of planning and effort.

The Walt Disney Company 2005 annual report revealed “increased theme park
attendance reflected increased international and domestic guest visitation, driven by the
Happiest Celebration on Earth promotion which celebrates the 50th anniversary of
Disneyland.” (Walt Disney Company, 2005)

60 Years of Magic 42
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Another key public relations strategy is to embrace the local community, and nowhere is
this more evident than the Park’s relationship to the surrounding area. And Disney
officials take it one step further: they view their customers from near and far as part of
their “community.”
“We wanted to tap into this lifelong emotional connection
our guests have, the idea of coming back to celebrate this
very special moment. It’s a once in a lifetime experience –
a 50
th
.” – Michael Mendenhall, former Disney EVP Global
Marketing (Ebenkamp, 2005)

Disneyland focuses on two major communities: Annual Passholders and local visitors,
and those who visit from a distance, possibly for the first time. For large-scale events,
Disneyland attempts to make both communities feel like they belong at “Walt’s home.”
The 50
th
anniversary arrived in a post-9/11 world, when the world believed the idea of the
large theme park had ended (Ebenkamp, 2005).

INTEGRATING NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Disneyland communicators utilized television heavily during the marketing of The
Happiest Homecoming on Earth, but they also embraced the up-and-coming computer
generated imaging (CGI) technologies. “For the first time, the parks division teamed
with Disney Studio Animation – along with agencies Leo Burnett and Digital Domain –
to create ‘Coming Home,’ an anthem-like ad that used CGI and composited 13 characters
60 Years of Magic 43
against live-action backgrounds (Ebenkamp, 2005).” This cutting-edge technology
allowed visitors to feel like they were in a “living movie.”

Mendenhall emphasized that the Walt Disney Company, as well as Disneyland, had a
legacy in storytelling, and they must make sure that the story they were telling was not
forced, but natural (Ebenkamp, 2005). The complex story the Park tells is constantly
being rewritten through emerging technologies, which have seemingly have been adapted
for major events.

TRADITIONAL MEDIA TACTICS

Traditional media tactics for public relations professionals generally revolve around
legacy media: television, radio, newspapers, print magazines, partnerships and co-
branding, and promotions. Media coverage can be earned, or something that is covered
and promoted by someone outside the organization, such as a news article. It also may be
sponsored or paid, such as when a company or organization directly purchases a
placement or promotion time, such as a television commercial or an outdoor billboard.

TELEVISION

“Obviously TV is an incredibly powerful way to reach kids
and we have a deep connection to them,” - Adam
Sanderson, former SVP Brand Marketing at Disney ABC
Cable Networks Group, current SVP Corporate
Communications at the Walt Disney Company (Ebenkamp,
2005)
60 Years of Magic 44

Long before The Walt Disney Company acquired the ABC television network, Walt
partnered with them to promote the opening of his park. ABC, which was a relatively
small broadcasting company in 1955, beat out competitor NBC to air Walt Disney’s
Disneyland television show by agreeing to invest in the park itself. NBC would only air
the television show if Walt signed his existing library of films to the networks (Disney
Family Museum, observation, June 20, 2014).
“When television came … I said, television is going to be
my way of going direct to the public, bypassing the
middleman who can sit there and be the judge.” – Walt
Disney (Disney Family Museum, observation, June 20,
2014).

COMING HOME

The 50
th
Anniversary celebration with the aforementioned “Coming Home” commercial
series emphasized both Disney’s strength for storytelling and the nostalgia that keeps
Park visitors returning.

Similarly, during the 50
th
Anniversary, ABC branded television shows, such as America’s
Funniest Home Videos, or the adult-focused (now defunct) SOAPnet channel emphasized
segments that were filmed at the park, or about the park (Ebenkamp, 2005).

Television was the primary anchor to launch the 50
th
Anniversary Celebration to millions
of people. The Celebration kicked off on January 1, 2005, with Mickey Mouse serving as
grand marshal of the renowned Tournament of Roses Parade, which airs on all major
60 Years of Magic 45
networks. Coincidentally, the Parade theme was “Celebrating Family,” a very
Disneyesque idea. Similarly, stars from shows on the Disney Channel (Disney’s
television channel promoting its branding and programming) stars shared favorite
Disneyland memories or rides on short segments, showcasing the park to viewers.

RADIO

The Walt Disney Company operates many different smaller entities under it. One that
has been growing in popularity since its launch in 1996 has been its family friendly Radio
Disney AM, a radio station that plays a combination of well-known Disney songs from
films and television, as well as Top 40 songs that have been vetted as clean and
encouraging music for children to listen to.

For the 50
th
anniversary celebration, Disneyland leveraged this platform, partnering with
LeAnn Rimes, a Grammy Award-winning country artist, to record “Remember When…”
which became the theme song of the Celebration (Ebenkamp, 2005). Because of Leann
Rimes’ clout as a musician, she is known to other age groups and demographics besides
those that listen to Radio Disney, and thus was able to reach those extended target
audiences with a melody that encouraged people to feel nostalgic. The song also played
at the end of the “Remember… Dreams Come True” fireworks spectacular, which was
specifically designed for the Park’s 50
th
Anniversary.

60 Years of Magic 46
NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES

Local press outlets such as the OC Register and LA Times historically have not been the
only ones covering Disneyland. Travel articles and general news articles by news outlets
in Washington, London, England, and Australia, to name a few, have promoted
Disneyland internationally. These articles report changes in the park, from ticket prices to
major changes and renovations in the Park.

While some of the content includes sponsored travel articles, in which Disneyland has
paid for a journalist to travel visit, and experience, the Park, many more of these are
written because of the public relations work Disneyland has accomplished.

PARTNERSHIPS & CO-BRANDING

Mickey Mouse, in particular played a prominent role leading up to the launch of the 50
th

anniversary; from the promotion at the USC Trojans/Oklahoma Schooners game,
broadcast on ABC-TV, to grand marshaling the Tournament of Roses, Mickey Mouse has
made his mark. In fact, USC and Disney have had an on-going partnership for years,
largely culminating in cross-branded products across their lines.

When Disneyland first opened in 1955, it was imagined to be a small city of the future. It
boasted a Bank of America branch, a United States Post Office branch, an opera house
initially used for stage shows and, ultimately, the “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln”
60 Years of Magic 47
animatronic show, and local fire station, all in the town square of Main Street, U.S.A.
(Disney Family Museum, observation, September 1, 2014). A number of retain
operations have also operated in Disneyland over the years, from McDonalds restaurant
to a child’s swim apparel store. Recently, Starbucks has helped to pull Disneyland back
to the age of business partnerships by opening Starbucks locations in Disneyland,
California Adventure, and the Downtown Disney shopping district (observation,
September 6, 2014). While the partnership with Starbucks is plugged as a first of their
kind partnership, they are not the first individually operated shops to operate inside the
Park.

Though most of the stores and restaurants inside the park are run directly by Disneyland,
the Resort kept several partnerships active by building a Downtown Disney shopping
district in 2001, aimed to draw young adult consumers, featuring unique restaurants, live
music, and a plethora of niche store offerings.

PROMOTIONS & CUSTOMER RELATIONS

Disneyland officials demonstrate awareness of exactly how much it costs the everyday
visitor to truly experience the parks, which averages $96 for a one park-one day ticket,
not including any parking costs, by offering various promotions and incentives to park-
goers that allow them to get incredible value for their money. During special events, the
quantity and frequency of promotions increase.

60 Years of Magic 48
Disneyland also offers and promotes the purchase or upgrade of annual passes, despite
the fact that they may not largely increase sales. “In slow periods for the DLR
[Disneyland Resort], annual pass holders drive attendance to the Parks. However, as
attendance increases during low and high periods, the overall revenue in areas such as
food and beverage and merchandising stays flat or declines. In addition, annual pass
holders have already paid up front for their yearly use of their passes and can frequent the
park as much as possible [sic] (Keliiholokai, 2010).”

Disneyland has, within the last few years, implemented payment plans. Disneyland also
allows Annual Passholders discounts on merchandise and food, working on a tiered
system based on the type of annual pass purchased (observation, September 6, 2014).
This system allows 10% discounts on merchandise and food for Southern California and
Southern California Select Annual Passes, and Deluxe Annual Passes, and 15% on food
and 20% on merchandise for Premium Annual Passes, as well as free parking.

Disneyland also features special events, or extra hours, limited to Passholders only. The
author has observed many of these; from lectures in the famed Opera House about the
opening days of Disneyland, to after-hours ride sneak peeks, Disneyland has consistently
gone above and beyond for Annual Passholders, whom the Cast Members tend to treat
like part of the larger Disney family (observation, July 9, 2014).

60 Years of Magic 49
2-FER TICKETS

To increase sales and visits to the park during low attendance periods, Disneyland has
often implemented ticket incentives, such as the 2-fer deals that allow guests to visit
longer, without experiencing a major fluctuation in prices. During the Year of a Million
Dreams promotion from 2006 – 2008, the 2-Fer ticket allowed guests to visit Disneyland
Park on one day, and without paying anything extra, visit the California Adventure Park
on a different day (Anonymous, 2009). Similarly, in an effort to drive local visitation to
the park, Disneyland has offered Southern California discounted resident tickets in recent
years.

DISNEY GIFT CARDS

Disney gift cards (available for purchase online, on property, or in a local Disney store)
were introduced as Disney Dollars in 1987 (“Disney Dollar History,” n.d.). This form of
currency can be used to pay for everything on property, including tickets, food, or
merchandise (Give, n.d.). While there is no documented evidence that the gift cards are
highly popular, or cause an increase in park sales, the fact that Disneyland offers multiple
ways to pay makes it unique to the Southern California theme park landscape.

60 Years of Magic 50
DREAM MAKING

During the aforementioned Year of a Million Dreams promotion, Disneyland’s 2008
theme, the resort made a strong effort to ensure guests’ dreams came true. The former
Disneyland Gallery, located above the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in New Orleans
Square and once imagined to be a larger apartment for Walt Disney, was renovated into
the Disneyland Dream Suite. It became the ultimate dream for Disney enthusiasts to be
granted an overnight stay in the park, with a personal concierge to take them on an after
hours tour, and cater to their needs.

Other dreams came true that year, too. Disneyland gave away more than a million
‘dream come true’ prizes, with values ranging from $4.75 to $87,361 through a random
process to resort guests and mail-in participants (Pak, 2008). The dream-making idea
was repeated throughout the 2009 ‘What Will You Celebrate?’ theme which allowed
guests to show off what they were celebrating, such as a birthday, graduation, or
engagement, with special buttons offered at City Hall on Main Street U.S.A. That year
also granted free admission to guests visiting on their birthday.

PAID MEDIA

The Walt Disney Company spent over $1.93 billion on advertising in 2011 (Bhasin,
2011). This was spread over both traditional and tradigital medias.

60 Years of Magic 51

CHAPTER 5. TRADIGITAL MEDIA TACTICS:
HOW DISNEYLAND PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTITIONERS CAN HARNESS
NEW TACTICS FOR THE 60
TH
ANNIVERSARY AND BEYOND

While typically paid and earned traditional media, in conjunction with well-trained
employees, have worked to build Disneyland’s brand and reputation in the past,
technology has rapidly evolved over the last decade. The use of social media has
expanded to include multiple networking sites that draw thousands of hits a day. This
includes the popularity of Facebook, which launched in 2004. Facebook beat out
MySpace as the most popular social networking site for Millenials, boasting 1.2 billion
users (Chang, 2014). Likewise, Google, strictly a search engine in 2004, has expanded to
host Google Maps, Gmail services, and YouTube video streaming, among other services.
A 2005 Pew study reported that 51% of teens (aged 12-17) reportedly went online daily
(Hitlin, Lenhart, & Madden, 2005). In 2007, Pew reported that 93% of teens were using
the Internet (Lenhart, Macgill, Madden, & Smith, 2007). Correspondingly, the generally
accepted practices (GAP) of public relations practitioners have changed, making their
role more intertwined with business strategy than many practitioners were a decade ago.
The USC Annenberg GAP study reports that in 2013, 40% of public relations and
communications professionals actively participate in corporate strategic planning
(Swerling et al., 2014). And finally, new technologies are coming into play that
Disneyland has begun to utilize but has not taken full advantage of, such as localized
drones and proximity marketing locators.

In the era of tradigital media (traditional media optimized for, and presented in, the
60 Years of Magic 52
digital world), it is important for Disneyland to continue to remain on the cutting edge of
these trends to keep their competitive advantage. Following are some examples of what
Disneyland PR professionals should consider before launching the Park’s next milestone
campaign.

SOCIAL MEDIA

An eight-year longitudinal analysis conducted by Donald K Wright, Ph. D., and Michelle
Drifka Hinson, M.A., for the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), analyzed the
trends in usage and influence of social media. It indicated that public relations
practitioners believed “social and other emerging media continue to improve in terms of
accuracy, credibility, honesty, trust, and truth telling.” In fact, 2008 proved to be the first
year more people got their news online than through a traditional print newspaper.
Wright and Hinson also stated that their respondents believed “social networks –
especially Facebook and LinkedIn – were the most important social media in the overall
communications efforts of their organizations.” (2013)

GAP STUDY

Every other year, the USC Annenberg Strategic Communication and Public Relations
Center produces an annual GAP (or Generally Accepted Practices) study to provide
senior communicators timely guidance to manage their organizations and prepare for the
future.
60 Years of Magic 53

These studies are a compilation of responses from hundreds of senior communicators
associated with the Arthur W. Page Society, Institute for Public Relations, and the
International Associate of Business Communicators, as well as PRSA.

The findings in this study inform and direct the future growth of public relations. In the
2013 study, published June 16, 2014, there was a clear growth in social media techniques
being used more widely in the practice than legacy techniques mentioned previously
(Swerling et al., 2014).

Figure 3 2013 GAP Study

60 Years of Magic 54
REACH OF SOCIAL MEDIA
The Walt Disney Company operates over 1,000 social media pages (“Social Media
Index,” n.d.) promoting each of its brands including the Disney Resorts, ABC television,
ESPN broadcasting, and more recent acquisitions of Lucusfilm and Marvel
Entertainment. Disney utilizes many of these for promotions, contests, and events, often
repurposing the same content over many pages.

Figure 4 Disneyland Social Media

60 Years of Magic 55
CONSUMER PUBLISHING CONTESTS

Over the last decade, Disneyland has been pushing for more user-generated content to
promote the Parks. For the 50
th
anniversary, fans could submit photos from their Park
visits to be worked into life-size artwork depicting famous Disney characters, such as the
hitchhiking ghosts from the Haunted Mansion (Ebenkamp, 2005). During the 2014
“#DisneySide” all-night party, guests who posted photos to Twitter and Instagram had
their photos shared on screens in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle throughout the night.
Disney Parks & Resorts also ran a series of commercials featuring fan-submitted home
videos of their time at Disneyland, or the moment they told their children they were going
to Disneyland. Leslie Ferrario, EVP of Global Marketing for Disney Destinations,
believes that “these real voices have impact and credibility. They are making real-time
moments that burn into your memory (“Disneyland Resort News,” 2010).”

In regards to the park’s upcoming Diamond Anniversary, Disneyland encouraged fans to
submit photos, video, or text, about their favorite park memory of the last 60 years,
through their social media pages. The submissions are narrowed down by staff, but
ultimately voted on by website visitors (observation, September 30, 2014). The winner
will win a trip to the 60
th
Anniversary Celebration at Disneyland in 2015.

Disneyland also invited guests to “sing along with the show” during the “World of Color:
Winter Dreams” show during winter 2013. Guests recorded themselves at home and
uploaded their videos, which was then transformed into a choir-like performance,
60 Years of Magic 56
opening the “World of Color” show. Because of the extraordinary success of this event,
Disneyland, as well as the other parks, gave guests a second opportunity to participate in
a “global sing-along” on April 10, 2014: the 50
th
Anniversary of It’s a Small World
(“Disneyland Resort News,” 2014). Disneyland also turned this into a charity fundraiser
for UNICEF.

These activities are intended to tell a story and emphasize the nostalgia factor
Mendenhall emphasized. This experience creates a narrative that the human self is
automatically drawn to, according to Fisher’s Paradigm (as cited in West & Turner,
2007). Because humans position themselves around stories and events, essentially telling
their lives as a narrative, finding opportunities to create strong nostalgia in key
stakeholders presents a chance for public relations practitioners to craft meaningful
messaging campaigns that combine communication theory with practical tactics.

SHAREABLE CONTENT

Disneyland, however, does not rely solely on user-generated content for its social media
campaigns. During the Year of a Million Dreams, Disney Parks partnered with famed
photographer Annie Leibovitz to create an ongoing photo series that places well-known
celebrities in the Disney fantasy world. The original photos featured Scarlett Johansson
as Cinderella; Beyoncé Knowles as Alice in Wonderland; and David Beckham as Prince
Philip, slaying the dragon. (“Disneyland Resort News,” 2005a). These photos have since
gone viral, and the concept has expanded to include Jennifer Hudson as Tiana; Taylor
60 Years of Magic 57
Swift as Rapunzel; and Johnny Depp as his famous counterpart: Captain Jack Sparrow.
These images have been shared across the Internet, originating from the Disney Parks
Blog and were featured as a series of paid ads in well-read magazines. They have even
inspired fan-created “Disney Dream Portraits.” The most recent of the official series -
Jennifer Hudson as Princess Tiana – garnered over 7,000 Facebook likes from the Disney
Parks Blog alone.

Figure 5 Jennifer Hudson Portrays Princess Tiana on Disney Parks Blog
60 Years of Magic 58
Disneyland also offers insider tips, relevant news, and park updates through its social
media pages. Through the network of Resort-relevant social media pages (Disneyland,
Disney, Disney’s California Adventure, and the like), image heavy content is shared
multiple times a day. These images are liked, commented on, and shared hundreds of
times, on average.

THE FUTURE OF DISNEYLAND MARKETING

Disneyland excels at using every possible avenue to reach and engage visitors. The
Resort reaches different demographics and lifestyles through the use of social media and
traditional media usage. The author’s review of the primary social media pages of
Disneyland versus its local competitors’ indicated that Disneyland interacts with its fan-
base and prospective guests with greater frequency online than the others. In September
2014, for example, Six Flags Magic Mountain and Knott’s Berry Farm, combined, have
less than 1/18
th
of the number of Facebook ‘likes’ as Disneyland. Strong, engaging
content and a sustained social media presence can continue to keep key audiences
interested in the Disney brand.

While Disneyland is clearly using social media to promote and build relationships with
park visitors, there are still additional opportunities to capitalize on emerging technology
that can augment the experience.

60 Years of Magic 59
PROXIMITY COMMUNICATION

Disneyland launched Glow with the Show ears in 2012; recently these products have
been rebranded as “Made With Magic.” Bearing changing LED lights, these high-tech
mouse ears change colors to interact with the shows at the California Adventure Park,
specifically during the shows of “World of Color” and “Mad T Party,” in the themed
lands of Cars Land (Radiator Springs), and Buena Vista Street area, and during
Disneyland’s ‘Fantasmic!’ choreographed water and light show and nightly fireworks
spectacular (“Disneyland Resort News,” 2012). The ears incorporate the latest infrared
trigger technology allowing the colors to change according to the musical beat of the
shows or the surrounding areas.

The ears allow a unique presence in the Disneyland Park as visitors transition from area
to area. The technology that allows them to do this is similar to proximity marketing
tools such as iBeacons, a proximity-based system that can communicate through Wi-Fi or
Bluetooth to an iOS7 device, pinpointing the iOS device’s location in a store (Hern,
2014). (Author’s Note: while iBeacon technology can be used on an Android device,
there seems to be cross-platform issues that result from this. While not impossible, at the
point, iBeacon access by Android devices is rather limited). A consumer choosing to opt
into this technology offers endless possibilities, especially for am innovative company
like Disneyland.

60 Years of Magic 60
For instance, by attaching a coupon for 20% off a purchase in select stores to a receipt,
Disneyland incentivizes shopping early. Instead of attaching the receipt, the park could
use proximity locators to automatically send a notification to a guest’s phone inside the
store informing the customer them THEY may receive 20% off of purchases made before
a certain time.

Another great use would be to reward those Annual Passholders who frequent the Park.
The iBeacons could target these returning phones and send them special incentives to
purchase more items or share special moments.

iBeacons could also be used to transmit data to guests waiting in line for attractions. This
information could range from updated wait times based on their current position, to
historical facts about the park or the specific attraction. In fact, some of this technology
is already being used during the long wait for the “World of Color” show at night.
Viewers are invited to use their smartphones and play a game; the highest scorer gets to
control Mickey’s Fun Wheel and the colors on it until another player takes the lead. It
breaks up an otherwise relatively boring wait for an anticipated show.

Bob Iger, Disney’s CEO, is also on the Board of Directors at Apple. This marriage of
this customer experience and innovative technology may presents the opportunity to
reach a wider variety of audiences, and engage them more deeply. One can speculate
about many relevant public relations tactics that can come from iBeacon technology, such
as personalizing visits for annual passholders or frequent visitors by identifying relevant
60 Years of Magic 61
information, such as favorite rides or experiences, and allowing a user to create a more
intimate park experience. It also could reward participation in experiences, or even send
simple “Happy Birthday” or “Happy Anniversary” messages to users at appropriate
times.

The ability to use localized marketing to target key audiences and create unique
experiences is not far different than the current Magic Bands being offered at Disney
World. These wearable, all-in-one bands allow users more flexibility in pre-planning the
trip. Visitors can book FastPass tickets early and use their Magic Band for everything
from entering the park to paying for meals and souvenirs, and uploading photos to their
Disney Photopass account; Disney Resort Hotel guests can also use them as their room
key (Magic Bands, n.d.).

Because this technology is already being implemented across the country, it is not a far
stretch to imagine the capabilities of marketing and messaging attached to using the
technology in Disneyland.

EYE IN THE SKY

Although the original controversy surrounding drones was primarily military-based, the
conversation has expanded to include private drone use. Originally, advocates argued
that drone technology could be an effective weapon against terrorism; opponents claimed
there would be a loss of civilian life (Levs, 2013). The conversation surrounding the
60 Years of Magic 62
private use of drones, whether on closed movie sets, or for everyday use, has expanded to
discuss the right of privacy of private citizens. The ACLU (American Civil Liberties
Union) argues that drone use, if left unmitigated by laws, could create an environment in
which a citizens every move is monitored, tracked, recorded, and scrutinized by the
government (“Domestic Drones,” n.d.).

However, Disneyland has perfected the use of drones by replacing some characters in the
park. On August 26
th
, 2014, “three Disney Imagineers filed patents that outline plans to
use unmanned aircraft systems capable of carrying large puppet-like characters and
projection screens during nighttime shows,” according to the OC Register (Marroquin,
2014). These drones can make current costumed characters become more lifelike and
interactive, allowing, for instance a more realistic Tinkerbell to fly down Main Street
U.S.A. before the nightly firework spectacular, or a flying Dumbo that could move his
appendages and trunk independently.

There are other uses for the drones, however, that could focus on keeping the park safe.
These drones would be able to travel above the park and identify problems before they
happen. Not only would the use of drones add an aesthetic appeal to the park, but the
requested patents are also rumored to create drones that simulate fireworks, possibly in an
effort to alter the nightly fireworks spectacular due to noise, limitation, or cost. There are
many benefits to the Park investing in drone usage over the next few years.

60 Years of Magic 63
The use of drones could quickly de-escalate crisis type scenarios for public relations
practitioners at the Disneyland park. For example, if a riot broke out in the park, not
unlike one that happened in 1970 during a ‘Yippie’ sit-in on Tom Sawyer Island (“City of
Anaheim,” n.d.), drones could immediately identify targeted culprits, allowing security to
resolve the situation quicker.

In May 2013, a former Disneyland employee left two dry ice bombs in the Toontown
area of the park. One was placed inside a vending cart, the second in a nearby trashcan.
Both exploded, but no injuries were reported (Esquivel, 2013). Drones maneuvering
around Disneyland designed as part of the aesthetics for each land give public relations
practitioners, as well as park security, an added measure to ensure guest safety. In a post
9/11 world, one can speculate that the threat of terror attacks on major United States
landmarks is more prominent than previously. Whether these attempted attacks were
foreign or domestic, utilizing drones to consistently monitor the Parks and resort for
unruly behavior would allow public relations practitioners to form quick-response crisis
plans.

However, the use of drones could positively add to the story that is Disneyland, as well.
During the 24-hour Disney Side event in May 2014, Disneyland was posting user photos
on large screens in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. Drones could also be deployed
celebrate and reflect live-action happenings around the park. For instance, a couple
celebrating an engagement in front of the Castle could be filmed or photographed, and
these moments could be shared throughout the park. Drone technology has the potential
60 Years of Magic 64
to allow public relations practitioners to create a strong connection to the park for park
guests.

BEST PRACTICES WITHIN THE THEME PARK INDUSTRY

Disneyland remains seemingly miles ahead of the competition in Southern California and
has quickly grown from a one-of-a-kind experience to a worldwide phenomenon. There
are lessons to be learned from the way Disneyland organizers treats visitors, and how
they tailor the experience to different visiting demographics.

LOCAL VISITORS

A high number of local visitors are also Annual Passholders who visit the park for shorter
amounts of time than other visitor groups, and are usually single minded in their goal at
the park, looking for one or two rides, a meal, or shopping, rather than trying to get
everything done in a few hours.

Disneyland does not skimp on the Annual Passholder recognition, but has made these
people a part of the Disneyland family. This is different than the other Southern
California theme parks which limit days and hours of park availability, and have a one-
size-fit-all annual pass programs. Disneyland attempts to tailor its program it to the
Passholder’s interests, offering five different options. Though Disneyland does not
disclose official Annual Passholder numbers, it is estimated there are over 825,000
60 Years of Magic 65
Annual Passholders (Keliiholokai, 2010).

Disneyland also invites local visitors to enjoy the nightlife in Downtown Disney, an
alternative to visiting the parks. Local visitors can have dinner and take in a movie, shop
or listen to live music in a safe, clean environment, providing yet another difference over
Disneyland’s competition.

DOMESTIC VISITORS

Disneyland Cast Members have their hometowns featured prominently on their nametags,
allowing guests and Cast Members to bond over regional similarities. The Park also goes
out of its way to almost “poke fun” at people who have travelled hundreds of miles to be
there, such as a Main Street vehicle operator who will ask guests where they’re from,
how long they are visiting, and announce it to the rest of the vehicle.

The footprint in Disneyland remains the same over time, though the rides and attractions
may change over the decades. This allows repeat visitors to feel the familiar sense of
“coming home.” Also, Disneyland has, in the past, partnered with airlines such as United
Airlines, which granted additional bonus miles for vacations to Disneyland booked
through their website (Anonymous, 2008).

60 Years of Magic 66
INTERNATIONAL GUESTS

Similar to the nametags that identify where each Cast Member is from, Disneyland also
highlights any additional languages the Cast Member may speak, allowing visitors from
other parts of the world to find a Cast Member with whom they can converse confidently.
This effort to create a comfortable environment is compiled with maps and entertainment
schedules in the most popular languages of park visitors to allow visitors to feel at home
and confidently navigate the Resort, and not to feel like they spent half their time
attempting to figure out the map. Disneyland reaches out to international guests, many of
whom may likely have another Disney Resort likely closer to them, by reinforcing the
fact that anyone on earth can enjoy and celebrate at the original Happiest Place on Earth.

BEST PRACTICES

The ultimate identifiers that set Disneyland apart from their competition in Southern
California are:

• More park hours
According to the author’s primary research, Disneyland offers more operating days than
its Southern California competitors, remaining open 365 days a year, while others may
limit hours or days during non-peak times. They also offer longer, extended holiday and
peak-season hours during the high-volume summer months. Because Disneyland is the
only one of the Southern California resorts to do this, it is a key tactic in drawing in
60 Years of Magic 67
audiences and reaching out to prospective visitors.

• Cleanliness
In a theme park geared towards small children, it is important to keep them in mind when
planning and developing operations. Disneyland Park’s well-known reputation for
cleanliness can be important to parents, knowing that their child will be far less likely to
step in another person’s gum, for instance, or be subjected to unnecessary germs and
illnesses. With the revival of assumed eradicated viruses, such as the recent Ebola
outbreak, one can assume cleanliness will continue to play a factor in parental decision
making about vacation locations.

• Guaranteed and recognized branding
Unlike its competitors, Disneyland does not require partnerships in character branding.
The company has promoted, and introduced, its own characters. By featuring beloved
characters from its hit films over the years and adding new ones to complement Disney’s
character corps, the Park, creates a more cohesive story, one that taps into the nostalgia
that visitors experience, without needing to be constantly negotiating with outside
partners.

• Involved and committed employees
Employees are a sizeable part of the Disneyland story. Guests experience the culture and
passion of Disneyland through park Cast Members. It is possible that the employees
themselves are Disneyland’s greatest public relations assets. They are the Park’s first line
of defense if something goes wrong. They are the visitors’ first line of contact. They
60 Years of Magic 68
represent Disneyland to every person they encounter. Investing in the corporate culture
and employee relationships to ensure Cast Members remain engaged and committed to
the organization is invaluable to delivering the consummate Disneyland experience.

• Massive social media attention
Comparatively speaking, Disneyland has a broader social media audience than their three
biggest competitors combined. This gives the Park’s public relations practitioners a
broader stage on which to share pertinent information and cultivate a community of
stakeholders that are encouraged to be involved in the brand. This allows Disneyland to
harness the power of word-of-mouth marketing tactics to expand its audience base,
reaching new demographics, and ultimately creating the opportunity to increase revenue.
When planning long vacations, it is not uncommon to take the Internet or trusted friends
and family members to obtain advice. In the moment of decision-making, word-of-
mouth marketing from a key influencer to someone who is on the fence can make a
difference.

• Invested neighboring community
Because Disneyland attracts millions of visitors to the Anaheim area every year, the
neighboring businesses, particularly hotels, transportation companies, and restaurants,
create a community strongly invested in the park’s success.

60 Years of Magic 69
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE PUBLIC RELATIONS INDUSTRY?

PRSA defines public relations as "a strategic communication process that builds mutually
beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics” (Elliot, 2012). As
information and technology continues to grow at a rapid pace, public relations
practitioners are constantly charged to be both ethical and responsive. In a massive
industry like theme parks and resorts, public relations practitioners are expected to
connect guest experiences and needs to the resort’s product: rides, attractions, packaged
goods, food, interaction with beloved characters, and accommodations. Public relations
professionals are the go-betweens charged not only to protect the park’s reputation and
promote its campaigns, but also to give honest and necessary feedback to C-Suite
leadership.

The USC 2013 GAP study found that, on average, public relations professionals are
experiencing budget increases and growing staffs. This, plus the fact that approximately
43% of public relations practitioners are reported to have “solid line” reporting to the
CEO, President, or other C-Suite, meaning they report directly to these leaders, indicates
that the role and perhaps the influence of the senior public relations practitioner is
growing each year. This important role can, and should, play a key part in defining
overall business strategy (Swerling et al., 2014).

Disneyland officials, much like the original Imagineer of the park, Walt Disney,
understand the importance of people. In the fast-paced technological world, it becomes
60 Years of Magic 70
ever more challenging to protect an organization’s reputation and to promote it. Disney,
as a brand, understands the importance of storytelling as a human instinct and has
invested decades of work and untold millions to deliver it. Disneyland’s strong public
relations staff consistently combines these two resources to attract and retain key
audiences. This melding of people and narrative to elicit strong brand support should be
an aspirational achievement for those entering the public relations field, and a
comparative for other theme parks to consistently strive for.
*****
“Walt did more to change the world for the good than almost any politician in history and
his motivation for creating Disneyland was the best motivation in the world: his family.”
– Ray Bradbury

60 Years of Magic 71
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Abstract (if available)

Abstract By retroactively looking back at the major events that have shaped Disneyland’s public perception and proactively looking at emerging technologies, a public relations professional can better understand how Disneyland has become a leader in theme park and resort industry. Through the understanding of the Disneyland Resort as a communication artifact, and augmented by outside resources such as the Walt Disney Family Museum and Cast Member interviews, this case study gives a comprehensive look at Disneyland’s past and possible future.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Lee, Kathryn L. (author)

Core Title 60 years of magic: an in-depth look at Disneyland’s use of public relations strategies

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Strategic Public Relations

Publication Date 02/09/2015

Defense Date 11/24/2014

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag amusement parks,California,Disneyland,OAI-PMH Harvest,Public Relations,theme park industry,theme parks

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor LeVeque, Matthew (committee chair), Floto, Jennifer D. (committee member), Jackson, Laura Min (committee member)

Creator Email kllee89@outlook.com,kmcallis@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-530029

Unique identifier UC11298278

Identifier etd-LeeKathryn-3168.pdf (filename),usctheses-c3-530029 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-LeeKathryn-3168-0.pdf

Dmrecord 530029

Document Type Thesis

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Lee, Kathryn L.

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA