Post Blog 10/10

Our class discussion today brought to light many ideas that I had never thought of before. Eco and Dorfman’s approach to the notion of reality within “Disneyfication”, highlighted important theories that can be exemplified in our everyday lives, especially when visiting mainstream amusement parks. One main thing that stood out to me was the idea of becoming separated from our independent actions, and choices, when we are at these Disney amusement parks. Eco states that “Disneyland is also a place of total passivity, its visitors must agree to behave like robots” (205). Here we see how these theme parks put us in participatory culture while also being a spectator. Overall, when we are at these amusement parks, we behave like robots. Before one even arrives to the park, our awaiting journey at Disneyworld is already mapped out for us. We flood the highway that directs us to the main gates, we park in an organized fashion, one car after the other, and once parked, we take a trolley to where you can purchase a ticket. After buying our way into this constructed city, we next take a monorail to the park entrance, and from there we mechanically follow the paths that lead us through the lands within the magic kingdom. This notion of acting like a robot is what differs Disneyworld from cities such as New York or Boston. In these American cities there is no constructed path that one must follow.

I find it interesting that Eco describes Disney as this “place of total passivity”, and that we “agree” to act like robots, because there is no forewarning or notice that informs the parks visitors to act in such a submissive manner. It is simply subconsciously accepted, and universally known, that we follow this robotic forum that Disney has constructed for us.