Worker resistance in the Disney theme parks can take several different forms which to a certain extent are affected by the kind of job under consideration. One response is to ‘switch off’. According to Van Maanen, when feeling too tired to smile but still having to, ride operators simply switch off. Various names are given … Read more

It was not quite like this at the beginning however. In Disneyland’s very early days, Walt was appalled by the behaviour of some of the park’s staff toward visitors. The staff, many of whom had been hired by lessees, lacked training and were gruff and unhelpful towards visitors. Such behaviour was unacceptable to Walt who … Read more

From the point of view of the consumer of the themed environment, theming offers the opportunity to be entertained and to enjoy novel experiences. It is sometimes suggested that we live in an entertainment economy in which the constant exposure to forms of entertainment – most notably through television, the movies, and computer games – … Read more

In a sense, Disneyization takes up where McDonaldization leaves off. McDonaldization is frequently accused of creating a world of homogeneity and sameness. One of the main foundations for Disneyization is that of increasing the appeal of goods and services and the settings in which they are purveyed in the increasingly homogenized environments that are the … Read more