college DISer needs help!

[BluesTravlr00]

Hi everyone,

I hope some of you can help me if you have a moment to think...

I'll be writing an article this semester dealing with manifestations of the cold war and anticommunism in WDW. If you can think of anywhere you've seen such manifestations, either in the parks themselves or in advertising or otherwise, I'd love to hear it.

Right now all I've got to focus on is the emphasis on technological advancement evident in EPCOT, which was such a part of the cold war. A professor recommended that I read Steven Watts' The Magic Kingdom for more info... Does anyone know anything about it?

Thanks in advance!

~blues

 

[WDWLinda]

I can't think of Disney being anti-anything...I can come up with more stuff on the technological advancement side...the Carousel of Progress, the scenes of future cities coming off of Space Mtn, the future scene from the TTA.

How about a different slant: how Disney is SO "we're all one big happy, peaceful world" - maybe this was in response to the cold-war fears? You could even work in Its a Small World!

Good luck!

 

[BluesTravlr00]

I can't think of Disney being anti-anything...

How about a different slant: how Disney is SO "we're all one big happy, peaceful world" - maybe this was in response to the cold-war fears? You could even work in Its a Small World!

On the contrary; WDisney was pretty strongly patriotic, which to him in the 1940s-50s equaled anticommunism. He was actually the First Vice President of the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals, which was responsible in large part for the blacklisting of so many people during the Hollywood red scare.

So far, my article looks as though it'll be arguing against Disney's claim to be "in it for entertainment only" and "part of one big happy family." From what I've read so far, WD definitely had an agenda in mind when he made a number of his plans.

IASW will have to make an appearance though, I agree

 

[WDSearcher]

Yes, but you also have to remember that Walt died in 1966, towards the end of the Cold War and well before ground was even broken on Epcot. You'll need to research what changes, if any, were made from Walt's original plans, because the Epcot Walt envisioned was certainly not the Epcot that opened. I'm sure there were things he wanted for his own "agenda" that did not get included in the final product.

As for IASW ... remember that the ride was first developed for the 1964-65 World's Fair, and was developed not only to show off technology, but also to embrace the countries and nations of the world. It is telling, though, to look at which countries are NOT represented in the ride anywhere, and to look at how the different dolls are portrayed.

As for obvious manifestations in the theme parks -- anything to do with space was a direct result of the space race during the Cold War, which means that things like "Mission to Mars" at the MK -- and probably all of Tomorrowland -- can probably be traced back to that. Even Tomorrowland as it exists today takes us back to that time period, as today's Tomorrowland is really "tomorrow as it was seen in the 1950s."