Disney & His Worlds

This work provides an overview of the Disney organization, in particular the theme parks and their significance for contemporary culture. The author examines topics such as Walt Disney's life and how his biography has been constructed, the Disney Company in the years after his death and various writings about the Disney theme parks. He raises important issues about the parks such as: whether they are harbringers of postmodernism; the significance of consumption at the parks; and the representation of past and future. The discussion of theme parks links with the presentation of Disney's biography and his organization by showing how central economic and business considerations have been in their development and how the significance of these considerations is typically marginalized in order to place an emphasis on fantasy and magic.

Preface Part I Disney and his Organization 1 THE LIFE OF WALT DISNEY 2 DISNEY AFTER WALT Part II The Disney Theme Parks 3 BACKGROUND TO THE DISNEY THEME PARKS 4 A FAMILY PILGRIMAGE 5 CONTROL AND PREDICTABILITY 6 BACK TO THE FUTURE: REPRESENTATIONS OF PAST AND FUTURE 7 CONSUMING THE CORPORATION 8 INTIMATING POSTMODERNITY AND THE PROBLEM OF REALITY 9 THE BUSINESS OF FANTASY

Alan Bryman is Professor of Social Research, Loughborough University.