The Re-Imagineering Web site (link) published an essay on March 6, 2007, that caught my attention. Basically, the premise of the article is that the Disney parks are ignoring a very significant segment of its audience who were part of the reason Walt built Disneyland in the first place.
“It’s time to give seniors their Disneyland citizenship back” proclaims the article, and I definitely agree, especially as the ravages of time have unexpectedly swept over me when I wasn’t paying attention.
At the turn of the century when Walt was born, the average life expectancy of an American male was approximately 47 years (and slightly higher for women than men). Obviously, Walt beat the odds by living until 65 but, as a young man, a fortune teller once told Walt that he wouldn’t live beyond the age of 35 and Walt easily believed that predication.
Today, statistics point out that an American man or woman on average will live at least 75 years, although with constant advancements in medicine and early check-ups, you could probably add an additional five years to that assessment in most cases.
However, it does not seem that the Disney Company is aggressively addressing the needs of this older audience, especially when it comes to new attractions. I think back to the famous interview with Walt, where he described being so frustrated and saddened sitting on the bench while his daughters rode the carousel at Griffith Park that he decided to build a place where the entire family could enjoy the attractions together.
When Disneyland opened in 1955, a 6-year-old granddaughter could get on the Jungle Cruise with her grandfather and both would enjoy the experience. They might enjoy different things about the shared experience, but just like a good Disney feature film, both of them would leave satisfied. Certainly that opportunity still exists, because the Jungle Cruise still exists even though that little granddaughter has become a grandmother.
However, the concern is that the newer emphasis on thrill rides—that may be a little too bumpy for a gran daughter or a grandmother—may be limiting the enjoyment that was one of the things that made a Disney theme park a different experience.
I am not ignoring the reality that in order for Disney to stay competitive with other entertainment venues, that Disney needs to develop thrill rides—but it seems that the thrill rides have taken precedence over attractions an entire family can enjoy together. Big Thunder Mountain is mild for a roller coaster but it is certainly a lot rougher than the Mine Train through Nature’s Wonderland that it replaced.
The first two-thirds of Splash Mountain would delight any grandchild or grandparent as they bobbed gently on a water track seeing audio-animatronic characters re-creating some of Uncle Remus’ stories, but that last drop through the Briar Patch prevents them from even attempting the experience. (The first two-thirds of the attraction bores thrill-seeking teenagers anticipating that final watery plunge so they aren’t satisfied, either.)
I used those two examples because most people think of the emphasis on thrill rides as a fairly recent occurrence, with probably Epcot’s Mission:Space and Expedition Everest very prominent in their minds. When was the last time Disney created a family attraction that could be considered an “E Ticket”?
Van Arsdale France addressed this shift in emphasis at the Disney parks over a decade ago. Van France is well-remembered and loved, both as the founder of the Disney University as well as for his innovative approach to training guest service standards that produced the first Disneyland cast members that were so admired around the world.
Former chairman of Walt Disney Attractions Dick Nunis, who worked closely with Van on developing that training, said, “Van believes in Walt Disney’s dream of Disneyland and has convinced thousands of us that our goal is to ‘create happiness for others.’ He goes into a Donald Duck fit if he thinks we lose sight of the dream when we have to watch costs and make a profit. To survive in this changing dream, Van’s mixed pixie dust with the grist of corporate reality.”
Van France stated in an interview that “(Walt) could certainly be tough! And yet, he was most always gracious with those of us who worked at Disneyland. When he died, most of us, the people who served the food, operated and maintained the attractions or simply cleaned the streets, openly cried with genuine grief. I was never invited to his apartment to have a drink, but we were both chain smokers, and we both bought our smokes at the Tobacco Shop on Main Street. A tobacco shop was a typical store on a turn of the century Main Street during those times. Today, it has been replaced with a shop that features sports stars and hobby items which didn’t even exist a few decades in the past. I guess times do change, but I still feel history is history and that will never change. I sometimes wonder, if Walt were alive today, if he would have to join me out in the far reaches of the parking lot to have a cigarette break.”
In 1978, Van was forcibly retired from the Disney Company along with other Disney Legends who had reached the age of 65. The Disney Company apparently failed to realize that at the age of 65, Walt was designing Epcot and well into his mid-70s, Roy O. Disney was building Walt Disney World.
Van became a special part-time consultant to Dick Nunis. He also went on to author Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks, a career guide for senior working adults, as well as his autobiography Window On Main Street, 35 Years of Creating Happiness at Disneyland Park. Published by Laughter Publications/Starbur Press in 1991, it is probably one of the most sought-after, Disney-related out-of-print publications.
He remained an active member of the Disneyland Golden Ears Club and the Disneyland Alumni Club and spoke on Disneyland history at conventions around the country. Listening to him speak about early Disneyland was inspirational as I can tell you from personal experience. Van passed away October 13, 1999 in California
In my files is an article Van wrote in 1993 when he was 81 years old—but his mind was still as sharp as ever:
“As Ken Dychtwald points out in his 1989 book The Age Wave, the graying of America is the most important trend of our time. I wonder today how it is going to change today’s theme parks as we rapidly approach the magic year 2000.
“In the recent past we’ve aimed at attracting those who enjoy rides which offer ever more thrilling and scary rides. Unfortunately, there is increasing competition for the entertainment dollar, and some parks are facing some drastic losses in attendance. Perhaps this downturn in some theme parks cannot be blamed on the weather or the recession, but rather on the fact that their prime audience is rapidly changing, and they’re not adapting to this alteration. I wonder who’s out walking the park these days like Walt used to do?
“Walt Disney created Disneyland for the family audience. This was his expressed desire, not that of a PR man! But today, even the traditional family is changing. Grandparents were not included in those happy pictures of Mom and Dad, with the two kids holding a balloon or an ice cream cone, not even in the 1950s. Today, Mom and Dad may have been divorced, or both parents may be working, even on different time shifts. And the young kids may be more interested in playing the video games in the Tomorrowland and Frontierland arcades than in standing in line for a ride. Virtual reality may be more exciting than a flume ride but you certainly can’t prove it when you watch the faces on Splash Mountain, the Matterhorn or even the dark rides like Peter Pan or Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.
“Old and older are not happy terms and are very difficult to define. My 4-year-old granddaughter thinks that old age is 12, and I, on the other hand, think that age 60 is still young. Perhaps those of us involved in theme parks should think less about downsizing the payroll, and spend more time studying the needs of those who won’t stand in line for a three minute thrill ride attraction.
“For the first time in history, people over 65 outnumber teenagers, and the gap is growing. The approximately 68 million people within this 257 million population represent about $500 million in annual income, and have the most time to spend it. The AARP, The National Association of Retired Persons, is one of the most powerful organizations in the nation with their magazine Modern Maturity which currently has the second largest circulation of any magazine in the world.
“And then there are the Baby Boomers who are finding that they need a tad more room to be comfortable in their jeans. The oldest of this amazing group of 78 million will be eligible for the AARP at age 50, just two years from now. That’s something that the theme park marketing people might want to consider.”
So are the Disney theme parks creating happiness for all their senior guests? Thanks to healthier lifestyles, seniors are no longer the decrepit stereotypes of yore but they still need wider, more comfortable seats and a little more time to board a ride vehicle, and perhaps an opportunity not to bend so low that it is a challenge to get back up. Once they board that vehicle, they want an experience that is entertaining and without the chaos of carnival lighting, constant jerking and jostling of current ride vehicles, and perhaps a little less sarcasm that now tries to pass for humor.
They also might like alternate offerings like more live entertainment. I enjoyed the Kids of the Kingdom show when I was a kid and would probably enjoy it just as much as an older adult today. The Golden Horseshoe Revue is one of my fondest memories of my many, many visits to Disneyland. It would be nice to know that show is not just a prelude to a mass autograph signing.
I will say from personal experience that one of the things that delighted my parents in their later years was sitting on a bench at the Disney-MGM Studios and interacting with streetmosphere performers or seeing one of the outstanding stage shows, or even taking a leisurely ride on the Great Movie Ride. They liked the fact they didn’t have to walk too much in order to get to these areas and always liked being able to walk in to one of the restaurants and grabbing a bite without advance planning. As I look to my uncertain future, I hope I will be able to enjoy something similar at a Disney park when the time comes.
