Break Out of the Other Disney Bubble

 by Ray Keating

Commentary/Lessons

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 10, 2024

 

Amongst fans, one might come across the phrase the “Disney bubble.” The idea is that when you enter a place like Walt Disney World, you’re in a bubble, leaving everyday life, and perhaps its worries and troubles, behind. That’s the basic idea behind many vacations, but the immersive Disney experience – the Disney bubble – takes it to another level.

However, there’s another potential Disney bubble that’s more troubling, and Walt Disney warned against it.

 

Consider the following…

 

“Walt always said, ‘You get down to Disneyland at least twice a month and you walk in the front entrance, don’t walk in through the back. Eat with the people. Watch how they react to the work you’ve done down there.’ This made an enormous difference in how we approached our work.” - John Hench, Imagineer and Disney Legend

 

“I don’t want you guys sitting behind desks. I want you out in the park, watching what people are doing and finding out how you can make the place more enjoyable for them.” - Walt Disney 

 

A threat in any business – not to mention other aspects of life – is to get confined and constrained by your own bubble. You associate with all of the same people, and they tend to think like you do. While being on the same page in various areas of business is essential, becoming insular to the point of ignoring or not understanding your market can be fatal. Ironically, today, while technology has given us the world on our laptops, too many people have managed to move deeper into their own bubbles. 

 

As highlighted in the two quotes above, this is what Walt was warning against by telling his people to get into the parks on a regular basis. Walt knew that it was essential to understand your customers – from who they are to their experiences with your product to what innovations might excite them to providing them with excellence in terms of products and service.

 

There are signs that a counter-productive bubble has engulfed some at The Walt Disney Company recently. That’s always been a risk in Hollywood, and Disney isn’t immune. Have company executives been stuck in their bubble, becoming insular and listening to each other, rather than talking with and listening to customers?

 

Indeed, do the leaders of Disney consider that some of their recent troubles regarding creativity – specifically, a diminishment in quality – might be attributed to the bad Disney bubble? Make no mistake, as Walt knew, the bad Disney bubble can burst the Disney bubble that customers appreciate.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement and fun for Disney fans, including those who love Mickey, Marvel, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pixar, princesses and more.

 

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Various books by Ray Keating…

 

• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. There are 19 books in the series now.

 

• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel is at Amazon. 

 

• Order The Weekly Economist III: Another 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist.Kindle editions here.

 

• Grab The Weekly Economist II: 52 More Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Kindle and paperback editions here.

 

• Purchase The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Kindle and paperbacks here. 

 

• Signed editions of Ray’s books are at www.raykeatingbooksandmore.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.