How Were The Disney Parks Created?

      So I am loving Disney more and more as I research about them! Disneyland first opened in 1955. One of Walt Disneys incentives for opening Disneyland was actually because Walt Disney just wanted more entertainment options for his two daughters which I thought was kind of cute. Most amusement parks back then had rides that parents couldn't ride with their children and they were often very unsafe and dirty. Disney changed that by inventing rides that were fun, that the whole family could ride, and also told a story.

      The concept of themed rides was a hit and soon led to the opening of Disney World in 1971. Paris, Tokyo, and most recently Hong Kong Disney parks, which opened in 2005, followed after. A lot of theme parks around the world have followed some of Disney's ideas like for instance the 3D shows with moving seats.

     Another very important part of Disney is their customer service. They actually have workshops for their employees so they treat every single customer with the utmost respect. I thought that was REALLY cool. I will keep researching about Disney and get back to you guys soon!

Numbers Numbers Numbers...

      If you have never been to a Disney park, you are missing out. Disney has things for all ages! I'm in high school and I still wish I lived there. I mean they have the classic Peter Pan rides and Dumbos and The Haunted Mansion and not to mention all the characters that hang out around the park. Last year its 11 parks around the world provided nearly a third of its $45 billion revenue and 20.7% of its $10.7 billion operating profit. So what is the secret to their success?

      In total they attracted 132.5 million guests according to the 2013 global attractions attendance report.  The total was more than double the 59.8 million who visited Disney’s closest rival, British business Merlin which runs the Legoland and Sea Life parks. Disney’s other competitor, Universal Studios, is third in the global attendance rankings but has a fraction of its visitor numbers. Last year Universal attracted 36.4 million guests which may sound like a lot but, to put it in perspective, it is just under double the 18.6 million who visited Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Florida.

      But what makes it Disney so popular? Stay tuned for the next blog post to learn more!

Why Is Disney So Dominating?

      Unless you live under a rock, you know that Disney is everywhere you turn. From Frozen to The Avengers to Star Wars. I am starting Genius Hour at my school and we have to pick a topic that we would love to study and will not get bored with, so I chose to study Disney. I am in love with everything Disney. One of my dream jobs is to be a Princess in Disney World. I could pull off Belle, right? 

       I have always wanted to research what makes Disney as popular and successful as it is today. It seems like The Mouse is everywhere and if Walt Disney was still alive today he would be way more than a billionaire.

       So now I get to start my research. Yay! I will leave you here with this awesome picture of Mickey Mouse himself and come back next week to see the progress I've made and I promise this will be your favorite blog on Blogger.com (besides my wonderful English teachers blog, or course).