Disneyland is a symbol of Americana. The original theme park opened in 1955. Disneyland has represented America’s insatiable appetite for the escape into fantasy as a form of entertainment.
The creator of Disneyland, Walt Disney, refused to accept the advice of those who thought his idea for the theme park was borderline insane, defied the naysayers and followed his dream. Disneyland itself represents following a dream, which is embedded in the spirit of America’s free market society.
The daily march of people to Disneyland is proof that America’s desire to dream and escape into a fantasy world is part of our DNA. Disney World in Orlando, FL opened in 1971, and its size and success have dwarfed Disneyland. The expansion of Disney parks in other countries has made Disney an ambassador of America’s need for entertainment.
At Disneyland in Japan, the sight of Japanese people, young and old, lining up to experience an authentic American creation drove home how American Disney is to the world.
My recent trip to the original Disneyland in Anaheim, CA with my son and his family encouraged me to think about where America is in 2021.
On a weekday in October, Disneyland was crowded and the wait time for many of the rides ranged from 5 minutes to 50 minutes. The wait time for food was primarily the result of a new system of ordering online on your phone and then picking up your food and beverages, sometimes 30 minutes later. But make no mistake about it - Disneyland in 2021 is crowded. I realize people are still reacting to their newfound freedom following the strict pandemic restrictions, but I got a sense that a visit to Disneyland was also an affirmation as to what is unique about America.
Many will condemn Disney for its lack of respect for all people and the suppression of our past and present. My granddaughter was in awe of the live characters that represented the fantasy characters she had seen over and over again in Disney movies. She was among the kids who greeted the different live characters the way teens greeted The Beatles, Justin Bieber, or Katy Perry. It was fascinating to witness the unbridled excitement that erupted with the sight of every character.
My granddaughter was dressed as Princess Aurora, Sleeping Beauty, and when she shouted, “Hey, Aurora,” the character expressed appreciation that my granddaughter had chosen her outfit to wear at Disneyland. And when she asked my granddaughter, “What is your name?” she answered without hesitation, “My name is Aurora!” to which the character laughed and seemed amused that she had taken her persona AND her name.
Many of the children, and some of the adults, were dressed as Disney characters or wearing Disney apparel. We were at the theme park just a few days before Halloween, and I was amazed that Disneyland was decked out with Halloween themes. I was even more surprised at the number of visitors wearing Disney shirts and hats that included Halloween-related images, like bats and pumpkins.
Many shirts had a picture of Mickey’s smile, eyes, and ears set in a full pumpkin face. I knew Disney was always Christmas-sensitive, but I did not expect the park to have a strong Halloween theme. I got the feeling that people who visit Disney on a regular basis felt the need to experience Halloween Disney.
We all have a certain image of Disney - an image of princesses, fairy tales, and wholesome fantasy. I was surprised at the number of young goth people enjoying Disney. The dark ambience of goth kids did not fit my image of Disneyland. I figured the pure, wholesome surroundings of Disneyland would be the last place these teens who live with an alternative mindset would find entertainment.
Could being goth be a symptom of arrested development? Did goth kids enjoy the attention they would get being in a setting that defied their style? Obviously, teens who dye their hair and wear dark clothing want to be noticed, and what better way to be noticed than to be the dark character at family-friendly Disneyland?
Whatever the reason - goth kids love Disneyland and that’s cool. It’s not like they were there to cause any disturbance. They were as polite and orderly as anyone else at the park that day.
During the two days we spent at Disneyland, we saw a stream of diversity that truly is America. Of course, there were the kids, but there were also middle-age adults without kids who were there to resurrect the kid they used to be - the kid that still lives in their hearts and minds. There were seniors with walkers, in wheelchairs, and on motorized scooters who were at Disneyland to remember their distant youth and escape the reality of their lives.
There was a rainbow of colors and some who proudly wore Disney merchandise that included rainbows. Yes, there is Disney apparel that reflects the LGBTQ community - further proof that Disneyland represents America.
Many visitors wore outward signs of their religions, and I detected no sense of tension in this sea of diversity - which was calm.
Maybe Disneyland is not reflective of America, but is more an example of how America should be in 2021. We are all different - race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, morals, and body types - are among the things that make us different. And in nearly every case - each person represents the person they were born to be.
You can’t convince me that the only difference between a thin person and an overweight person is the decision to eat a salad instead of a double cheeseburger. Many people do make poor choices and could be different, but many of us are prisoners of our own DNA. For that reason we should all do a better job of accepting each other.
Disneyland is not a politically-free mileu. Reactions to past injustices have altered some Disney characters and images.
In fact, Disney’s friendly portrayal of crabs Baz and Bernie in “Finding Nemo”has robbed me of the opportunity to eat crabs in front of my granddaughter!
One night in Newport Beach, we were talking about what we wanted to eat and I knew that in an oceanside community on the West Coast I would love to find Dungeness or Snow crabs. When I mentioned eating crabs, my granddaughter emphatically said, “Papere’, you don’t eat crabs!” To which I mistakenly replied, “Yes, crabs taste good.” And in the most compassionate voice you could possible hear from a 4-year-old, she said, “Papere’, you can’t eat crabs - crabs are nice!”
Understanding her perception of crabs - I didn’t argue and told her I would not eat crabs. At least not in front of her! I will not be the one who challenges her image that crabs are nice...I’ll let the crab that pinches her do it for me!
Disneyland seemed to be the perfect place to assess where we are as a nation and a society. Human imperfection was omnipresent, and I thought how boring it would be if we were all just alike. I would not want to see everyone look like me or believe exactly what I believe. That would create widespread monotony.
It is our imperfections that make us perfect, and those perfect imperfections were on full display in the context of a true American symbol - Disneyland - USA.
Maybe our goal should be to reflect the spirit of America that is the foundation of Disneyland and Disney World?