Mass media magic moves to Disney

by Alyssa Storm

“The Happiest Place on Earth” is where 17 students spent their spring break.

The Impact of Disney on Society is a course, taught by Andrew Anglin, assistant professor, that covers the history of The Walt Disney Company and how it has shaped the industries of entertainment, show business and guest services.

Because the course is designed to focus on more than just the media aspect of Disney, students of any major can benefit from this course in one way or another.

Being a business major, senior Diana Martinez-Ponce doesn’t normally get to be creative within the classroom.

“I really like the creative side of [the class],” said MartinesPonce. “As a business major, you don’t usually dive into creativity, but I liked learning about that side of it.”

A week-long trip to Disney isn’t all fun and games as students were there to learn how the theme parks are operated in big and little ways. Students saw Disney’s business practices first hand, which matched with the concepts covered during the class.

Students are bringing the trip back into the classroom by creating a proposal for their own theme park as the final project.

Martinez-Ponce said that visiting the theme parks in-person gave her plenty of inspiration to improve her final project. One of the ideas was to put a gift shop at the end of the rides.

Students gained an appreciation for the details that can make a big difference.

“The focus on the little details that Disney has, down to the look of the water fountain, the different areas of the park or the placement of trash cans or the placement of every tree – it’s intentional,” said Kevin Conner, a senior computer information science major. “I paid more attention to what was around, what I could see from where I was, and what I could hear all the time with the background music.”

This trip was funded in part through generous donations received through the Day of Giving as well as the receivign the Washburn Transformaional Experience schoalrship. Keeping the cost minimal for the students is a way the Department of Mass Media educates students instead of worrying how much it’s going to break the bank.

photos courtesy of Disney photographers Washburn students spent a week at Disney World learning about all things Disney. Students pose in front of the castle and outside Magic Kingdom. Along with photo opportunities, they learned how to design their own theme park.h

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