Disneyization argues that the rest of the world is mirroring theme parks and the four main dimensions of Disneyization are Theming, Hybrid consumption, merchandising and Performative labour.
Theming
Theming represents the most obvious dimension of Disneyization. More and more areas of economic life are becoming themed. I will be discussing two prominent examples that displays Disneyization and that will be Efteling theme park and the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.
For example, the Efteling Theme park. Efteling theme park is the largest and oldest theme park in the Netherlands. Originally the park catered for children with a fairy tale theme. In over fifty years the park has evolved from a nature park with a playground and just a Fairy tale forest, into a full-size theme park along the lines of Disneyland. Currently, it is twice as large as the original Disneyland in California and predates it by three years and now, Efteling caters not only to children but adults as well with its cultural, romantic and nostalgic themes and its variety of amusement rides.
The park is divided into four themed areas though these are not entirely comparable to Disney's 'lands.'. Previously, the parked areas were just North, South, East and West. However over the years, North was changed to Reizenrijk (Travel Realm), West became Marerijk (Fairy Realm), East became Ruigrijk (Rough Realm), and South became Anderrijk (Differ Realm).
In fact, even the restaurants in Efteling theme park are themed from the Underwater theme, to the old colonial India theme to the empire theme.
Snapshot of Efteling Theme park
In Reizenrijk (Travel Realm), they have this particular ride called the "Carnival Festival". To me, it is another version of "Its a small world" in Disneyland. Carnival Festival is a indoor ride whereby visitors are transported to 15 different countries such as France, China, Alaska, Mexico, etc... whereby visitors admire the costumes of the countries on their 270 dolls. If you have been on "its a small world" before, the layout is exactly the same. Visitors are transported to different countries such as Hawaii, China, Iceland, etc.. and they use the dolls as well to represent the costumes and music.
Disneyland Paris consulted Efteling theme park during their construction and design phase and hence the similarity to Disneyland. I feel that Disney is very powerful in the economic world and every country that owns a theme park work towards being a Disneyland. It seems that theme parks believe that without a theme, a theme park wouldn't be called a theme park. True, the power of theming recreates another world for people and attracts both adults and children. However I feel that Efteling theme park has over done it with the inclusion of so many different themes in just one theme park and is a big symbol for Disneyzation.
Gottdiener (1997) suggests that airports are increasingly becoming themed environments and this is rather prominent in Amsterdam's Schiphol airport.
Amsetdam's Schiphol airport is the main international airport in the Netherlands. Schiphol airport is the 4th best airport in Skytrax's grading system.
In Schipol airport, there are several restaurants that are highly themed such as an Irish theme, 17th century theme as well as a sport theme.
Hybrid Consumption
Hybrid consumption or differentiation of consumption simply means that there is a general trend whereby the forms of consumption associated with different institutional spheres become interlocked with each other and increasingly difficult to distinguish.
Taking Efteling theme park into example again, Efteling theme park has got many shops and restaurants. In fact Efteling theme park did not limit itself by being just an amusement park but expanded with the inclusion of Hotels, golf course and a theater. There are currently two hotels in Efteling. It becomes increasingly confusing because personally I feel that a golf course is completely irrelevant and then i realise how Efteling combines a night accommodation with golf and with meals and tie in with admission to the theme park. Also the other funny thing is that Efteling golf course targets business travelers as well with their Business club.
Also, the theater in Efteling theme park is one of the five main theaters in Holland. There are large musical productions every year and contains a luxurious restaurant with stage and entertainment; Theaterrestaurant Applaus. Now, the theater is separated from the park and produces professional entertainment. Everyone staying at one of the accommodations at the Efteling gets a 20% discount for shows in Theater de Efteling. This is a clear way of increasing hotel guests as this is merely emphasizing that if they stayed at their accommodation with no intention of visiting the theme park, they get an advantage. A brilliant and Disney way to lure people.
So yes I see that in Efteling theme park there is a tendency for shopping, eating, recreation, hotel accommodation and even the chance relax and do business with golf.
In Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, it is extremely prominent that hybrid consumption takes place. Schiphol airport is becoming like a shopping mall as it has a shopping plaza selling clothes, food, gifts, electronics and flowers as well as a wide range of restaurants. Schiphol has many other outrageous facilities such as an aviation theme park aviodrome that houses the biggest collection of historic aircrafts, a casino, the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Schiphol, a library. People can even conduct wedding ceremonies in the airport with the Schiphol wedding planner. Lastly, Schiphol has its own mortuary, where the dead can be handled and kept before departure or after arrival. I feel that it is very puzzling where an airport would have so many different facilities when an airport is a place to facilitate the receiving and disembarking of passengers. But it all comes to the chance of hybrid consumption, the opportunity to spend on shopping, food and other activities.
Merchandising Merchandising refers to the promotion and sale of goods in the form of or bearing copyright images and/or logos, including such products made under licence. Efteling theme park have a point of significance in relation to merchandising as a component of Disneyization which is the vast opportunity for the sale of Efteling theme park merchandise. In Efteling them park, they have created a mascot known as the Pardoes.
Pardoes in Efteling Theme Park
With the creation of the Pardoes, it gave rise to merchandise such as soft toys Pardoes dolls, lunch-boxes, water bottles, bags, keychains, etc... With all these merchandise, it acts a form of advertisement for Efteling theme park. Thus i feel Merchandising is a very powerful source of advertising and promotion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXxTR0xk1vI
This video shows the wide array of Pardoes merchandise one can find in the souvenir store of Efteling theme park.
With the creation of Pardoes, it gives their park and identity like how Mickey and Minnie is associated with Disneyland.
Efteling also produces its own merchandise by producing fairytale stories and releases them on DVD and CD called Sprookjes. There is even an Efteling channel on television for the hotel. After a succesful musical about Ti Ta Tovenaar (a wizzard living in a floating castle), Efteling produces a television series about it. It is clearly evident that they are portraying traits of Disneyization as create their own fantasy world like how Disney has with the emergence of Disney cartoons, princesses and fairytales.
Amsterdam Schiphol airport is a platform for the selling of variety of merchandises due to its shopping plaza. They have stores from Starbucks, Crocs, H&M, Nike, Mexx, The Body shop just to name a few.
Performative labour
Peformative labour is the growing tendency for frontline service work to be viewed as a performance, especially one in which the deliberate display of a certain mood is seen as part of the labour involved in service work.
I am pretty sure that because of their Fairytale theme, the staff there have to behave in a certain way by smiling and greeting. They have to amplify the fairytale feeling of the theme park. By pretending to be in a fairytale world, they seem like they are in a theatrical set performing a certain role to enhance the experience for visitors of Efteling theme park.
For the Schiphol airport staff, their mission is to develop lasting talents of people who want to make a tangible contribution to the dynamics of trade and business services at an airport and believes in social agility and learning. To a certain extent, the Schiphol airport staff are performing emotional labour as they have to ever smiling as they are in the service staff and are the first people to be seen when tourists leave and enter the country.
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