So by now you all pretty much know about the new brand for the Disney Parks and Resorts Division. It is “Where Dreams Come True” and the first of what I understand is an onslaught of promotions is the “Year of a Million Dreams.”
So while others have been posting all the details, yours truly was attending the event in Soho and I was just blown away by everything.
Where do I start?
Before I had even gotten to the event I knew quite a few details. The question was whether that would have a watering-down effect on me.
Uhhhhhh NO!
From the moment I stepped into the gallery I could sense this would be quite a night. The carpet was blue, similar to the powder blue we’ll be seeing a lot over the next year of this promotion. The hallway was strewn with huge photos of guests enjoying themselves at a Disney theme park.
I noticed something special about these pictures. The guests were in color but the surroundings were in black and white… an obvious move to focus more on the guests than anything else.
Here is my wife Carol in front of one of these pictures… notice only the little girl is in color.
A young guest in color runs to Cinderella in black and white. Photo by Mike Scopa.
The music was blaring and there was this artist using just his hands to paint a picture of Mickey.
An artist slowly getting Mickey to appear.
In one corner was a teacup sitting in front of a mural done in chalk.
A chalk mural is the backdrop for a lonely tea cup. Photo by Mike Scopa.
In the other corner there was some sand sculpturing going on. Oh look, there are clouds overhead. And don’t we associate clouds with dream sequences?
a sculpturer puts the finishing touches on a Disney sand castle Photo by Mike Scopa.
How about this mural with all the cards and letter children send to Mickey?
A collage of cards and letters to Mickey Mouse Photo by Mike Scopa.
Are you in to live art? There was some there. These are real people sitting on the bench.
A live art painting on display. Photo by Mike Scopa.
Then I noticed the stars on the blue carpet. Wasn’t that the star in Pinocchio when Jiminy Cricket sang “When You Wish Upon a Star?”
Hmmmmm.
Hey he’s finished.
Artist proudly displaying his finished artwork Photo by Mike Scopa.
We sat down for the big presentation.
Actress Tracy Pollan (also known as Mrs. Michael J. Fox) came out and told us about her family’s experience in the parks and how a cast member made a special memory for her family.
Tracy Pollan tells her Disney Dreams story. Photo by Mike Scopa.
We then saw a video of both guests and cast members talking about making dreams come true. The cast members were talking about delivering the dreams and the guests were talking about being on the receiving end.
Then Jay Rasulo, chairman of the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts came out and told us about the brand and the “Year of a Million Dreams.”
Jay Rasulo addresses the event attendees. Photo by Mike Scopa.
He talked about how the parks have a transformational effect upon the guests and how the company always noticed that “dreams” was the word most used by guests in describing their park experience.
Rasulo talked about how the parks have the uncanny ability to affect transformational escape. That is, once a guest walks through the turnstile, that guest begins to experience the “core of the DNA of a Disney park.”
He went on to say that the intention is to build upon the “Happiest Celebration on Earth” celebration momentum and take it another level in which there will be more communication and interaction with guests.
We then watched another short video that exemplified Rasulo’s remarks. I can tell you that this video, as well as all others shown, had an amazing effect upon all those in the audience. The music we heard, the visions we saw, and the words we heard by both cast members and guests had us all spellbound.
It appears that the company will be running regional promotions for all the Disney parks around the world. It seems as if there is a rebirth towards putting attention to the guests more than ever before.
You’ve already heard it, a chance to spend the night in Cinderella Castle, a chance to be grand marshall for all Disney Parks parades around the world, a chance to receive a gold Fast Pass, a chance that a crew of pirates may ride Pirates of the Caribbean with you or the ultimate dream of having the Magic Kingdom all to yourself.
Of course this sounds pretty cool but the best thing to hit my ears was the announcement of the empowering of cast members to make these dreams come true.
Cast members are, as Rasulo said, a “crucial part” of the Disney parks experience and now they get to firsthand deliver the type of Disney magic that was being described tonight. That was music to my ears.
We were introduced to several cast members on stage and Rasulo talked about how the they would be put at the heart of the celebration.
Jay Rasulo acknowledges Adonis, a valued Cast Member. Photo by Mike Scopa.
He then continued to talk about the Year of a Million Dreams
Ah yes, there are new attractions on the way. Later this year we’ll find “The Seas with Nemo & Friends” at the Living Seas in Epcot. We’ll also be watching a Finding Nemo – The Musical at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The Timekeeper attraction at WDW’s Magic Kingdom will be replaced in early 2007 by the “Laugh Floor Comedy Club” with character from Monsters, Inc.
In 2007 Disneyland will have the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage and a refurbished classic, Space Mountain, re-emerging as Rockin’ Space Mountain.
He then introduced two of the performers from Broadway’s The Lion King and Judy Kuhn, who was the singing voice of Pocahontas in the movie. They sang a song or two with the words “dreams” in there. Use your imagination.
Judy Kuhn performing with two young performers from The Lion King Photo by Mike Scopa.
Of course then the real star of the show emerged… Mickey himself.
Mickey joins Rasulo and company on stage. Photo by Mike Scopa.
As we left the presentation area we heard people buzzing all around about this new program, slated to begin in October. There was a hint of excitement in this gallery and I think everyone was really thinking about which dream they would like to realize.
So what was my reaction? Well, I don’t want to be accused of being a shill for the Disney Company but I need to say that this promotion says a lot of things.
It says that the company is listening to its customer base and has heard what makes their guests excited and what they fantasize about each and every time they come into the parks.
Who hasn’t ever thought about spending the night in Cinderella Castle? Having the entire Magic Kingdom park to themselves? Being a grand marshall in a Disney parks parade?
Not too many people.
This turns every trip into a Disney theme park into an adventure that could end up making a dream come true.
The second message sent out by the company is the acknowledgement that their first lines of service to the guests, the cast members, need to be empowered to directly feel the excitement coming from the guests.
Many times I’ve talked to cast members and have seen their eyes light up whenever they talk of a Disney Magic experience that they have been involved in. Now they will get to initiate Disney Magic.
I don’t know of anyone I’ve ever met who wouldn’t want to be able to have the power to make someone’s day. That is, someone’s Disney Day.
So hats off to whoever thought of empowering the cast members to become an important part of this promotion.
I know two things.
I know that this promotion impacts the experience of two important groups of people to the Disney Company… the guests and the cast members and will make for an exciting 15 months when this kicks off in the fall.
The other thing I know is that I am glad I am not the person assigned to come up with the next promotion because frankly, this one will be a tough act to follow.
I’m sure whoever that person is will “dream” up something.
