Do you think Disneyland just another place of commerce?

Answer 1

Well of course it is. It's a business. But that doesn't make it a bad thing. Quite the opposite, in fact. The profit motive is strong, and Disney knows that by making a better product, they can sustain their business. Six Flags parks are places of commerce also, but for me they don't have the "gotta go back" factor nearly to the extent that the Disney parks do. Sure, it's depressing to have to pay for those expensive Disney tickets, but they aren't running a charity.

I was talking to some employees of Disneyland the last time I was there, and they said they liked working there because the benefits were good. Now, go talk to a Wal-Mart employee, and you won't hear them talking about benefits. Wal-Mart has low prices, and you can see how they can afford to do that. I don't mind paying high ticket prices to a company that treats its employees right. Wal-Mart has conditioned us all to think that everything should be bargain-basement CHEAP, but for one thing, you get what you pay for, and for another thing, this kind of thinking is what is eroding the middle class in this country as well-paying jobs with benefits disappear.

Answer 2

No. It is a business and designed to turn a profit. But Disneyland has legions of fans who are very interested in its continuation as "the Happiest Place on Earth". You don't see collectors saving department store flyers as some people collect Disneyland tickets, maps, and napkins. No one mourns the temporary closure or redesign of the menswear section at Macy's as they have discussed and lamented changes to Pirates of the Carribean.

As a business, certainly during the Eisner years, Disneyland did suffer. Park maintenance was pushed aside, and the guest experience went downhill. Souvenir sales points increased, as did prices. But the 50th Anniversary showed the Disney company that maintenance will bring people back in droves, and John Lasseter is determined to keep adding magic back into the parks, including spending way more money than originally budgeted to bring the Finding Nemo submarine ride online and adding new effects.

Unfortunately, human resources and employee management still thinks of Disneyland as a business, paying employees less than other businesses in the area, resulting in constant employee turnover. They have yet to find the happy balance between employee morale and cost effectiveness, resulting in most castmembers leaving shortly after they are hired and trained (within a year).

Answer 3

Yes I do...its not like it was when walt was alive....my husband used to be an artist there and he was there in the morning, at the park, before it was open to the guests, and there was Michael Eisner telling the Cast Members that a way to a parent's wallet is thru the heart of his child...my husband quit a couple of days later....its terrible the way employees are treated now...if you encounter a not so happy cast member its probably because its their 7th day in a row and they have missed school that morning cuz the scheduling forgot again that they are enrolled at Cal. State. Univ. Fullerton or because yet again they missed another family dinner because the mouse said they had to work...I believe that Disney should be closed on Christmas Day...that they should pay their cast members more money to operate the attractions...that they should offer more support to families working there...and that they should lower their price so ppl can actually enjoy themselves without worring about paying the credit card bill later on...also they should have disney exclusive merchandise things that you can only buy at Disneyland, Walt Disney World etc... maybe its because I was an employee and I have seen what they have done to employee's that have hurt themselves on the job etc...you are a number not a person to them...when walt was alive his employees were like family to him

Answer 4

I didn't think so until recently when I read that the ticket prices for Disneyland and Disney World went up THREE TIMES this year alone. How on earth can they be hurting for money that badly that they need to rip us off even more?! ARGH!

Answer 5

Absolutely, but way more fun than most places of commerce

Answer 6

I think it is a fun place to visit and a great place to let your children explore and let loose their imagination. I think it is a positive place to go (adults and kids alike).

Answer 7

The rides are secondary to the merchandise (as I spend, spend, spend for Little mermaid items)

Answer 8

Nope - it is a spiritual home to a great many of us.

Answer 9

of course it is, but its family fun and they are jsut trying to make a profit , cant blame them for that

Answer 10

It's the happiest place on earth! :-)