Research Memo
Four
I’m not sure if I can still call Disney fans, just fans. Everyone I have met thus far is remarkable. My own theories have been proving correct: Disney to the most pure fan is more than a symbol of happiness or appreciation; it’s a lifestyle. Most of my visual data stems from actual people I have met. I have also implemented outside media and footage from various Disney films, events, and songs. In terms of the visual data I have collected, pieces ranges from studio vocal recordings, piano recitations (both amateur and cinematic recordings), costume demonstrations, interviews, and even my own excursions into the Wonderful World of Disney. In short, I have over 10 hours worth of visual data that I have to condense. Choosing the “best acts” will be no easy task, especially taking into account that I have not completed my collection of data yet. There is still one more trip to Florida I have to take to complete interviews with the Disney Imagineers.
It is amazing how much response I have been getting from my participants. I really only expected just interviews when I first began my research, but some participants really grasped the visual element to, “Show me what Disney means to you.” I may be biased, but Disney fans have talent. I never would have expected one of my friends to practically create an entire Disney album for my research (or perhaps it was for her own pleasure). I especially loved how I never witnessed anything generic from my participants. One would somewhat expect that people would repeat the same thing when discussing the same thing, but each fan has been completely unique.
I was also amused about the additional information I gained prior to my visual research. For someone who knows nearly anything and everything about Disney, my background research provided me with different perspectives, and reminded me of important information I would have otherwise overlooked. One of the most substantial pieces of information I found was that there are scientific studies that have yielded positive results that Disney fans (which I assume are the “pure-bloods”) are better people, environmentally conscious, and more likely to be the positive change in the world. It seemed far fetched at first, but when I read the experiments and analyzed the findings, the scientific results spoke for itself.
When I consulted the statistics of Disney visitors, it led to the sure conclusion that has surrounded all of the parts of my research: Disney is special. I do not just mean special to the fans, but the meaning and the image of Disney is truly special. Well, does that even have tangible data? Yes. 134 million people visit Disney attractions every year, and that number has since grown from 2014. There are a few events that people save up for their entire lives to have once in a lifetime experiences. This ranges from weddings to travel to even home buying (maybe even college tuition). The only other thing that has a proven record on people saving up for something is going on a trip to Disney. The Super Bowl and World Cup have yet to even make it onto the list. Over two third of the people who visit Disney attractions each year are those who will be on their first and last Disney vacations for their whole lives. People save up to experience this special place, and all of its wonder. Most of us take it for granted, but fans and Disney Cast Members alike share the pride and appreciation of being able to go to Disney on a decent basis, and we all feel the honor of trying to put out a little more magic for those who will only be able to witness all of the wonders of Disney just once. That really is special. Disney fans of all ages and “ranks” feel the need to spread happiness and magic to everyone. That is the entire purpose of my research. There is so much that is unseen or ignored that comes form being a fan of Disney, and I want people and society to a) accept that being young-hearted is healthy and okay, and b) accept that the Disney fandom is a strong network of people who should have the same respect as any athletics associations.
This data is provided by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) in a 2014 collection.
From the beginning, I have envisioned my research to be presented as a sort of story, and I will attempt to do just that. I want to take my viewers directly into the world of Disney starting everything off with an excerpt from their very own ride: The Tower or Terror. In a way, I believe it brilliantly describes key aspects of what Disney magic consists of – which is a proper setup for how the fans react to it. After that, I do not really have a concrete organization to my presentation, but I imagine it should have many overlapping elements. I want to fit in as much content as I can without making it extremely long (also because of time limitations), so I think that putting material “on top of” one another is my go-to alternative. One thing that I am certain about is that I want to separate the “normal” fans from the fans that actually work for Disney. Finally, I want to top off my presentation with a segment that shows that no matter who someone is, or how old they are, they can forever be a part of Disney. Just one man's opinion.
To this day, there have been few surprises that I have run into, but the ones that I have were not altogether negative. One of my participants claimed, “There are people who think they’re Disney fans…,” and I could not agree more. Many of the people I screened and interviewed to see if they were a good match for my research hardly got past the first “phase” of questions. Many people have seen the movies…great! However, that is not exactly good enough, nor does it make someone qualified to talk on behalf of the Disney fan base. I did run into a few bumps and arguments there, but otherwise, the other surprises were accepted with high praise. I was certainly blown away by the enthusiasm that my participants brought forth and the ways that they wanted to contribute more than just words to my research. I’m also shocked at how much content I have gathered up until now. I feel very proud that I have not only given my time and dedication to what I love, but I have also been able to witness a well-rounded variety of people who are as dedicated and giving as I am. I am also both surprised and not surprised that Disney is very emotional to many of the fans. My amazement really comes because I have always believed that I was one of very few who were very emotional about Disney, but I have since learned that it is more common than I imagined. This again helped to guide me toward my goal of showing that the Disney fan base had true meaning, and that it is so much more than a cluster of people.
