There have been many important milestones in Disney’s rise
to the pinnacle of entertainment history.
I believe the first major event was the release of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” The company’s first animated feature, “Snow
White” was so over-budget that many considered it a tremendous mistake. The film proved the naysayers wrong by raking
in $8.5 million in its first three months at the box office (Wasko, 2001). The profit from Snow White helped Disney
begin a major growth spurt. A second
important event in Disney history was the government work undertaken by the
company during World War II. This work,
while not a financial windfall, sustained the company through a time that might
otherwise have proven financially disastrous.
A momentous change in Disney’s timeline occurred when Roy Disney stepped
aside and allowed Frank Wells and Michael Eisner to helm what would be one of
the greatest decades in Disney history.
History Channel Magazine, Cartoons of WWII
When viewing the documentary “Waking Sleeping Beauty,” I was
surprised to learn that the animation department had ever been treated as
Disney’s redheaded stepchild. Growing up
on Disney’s animated films, I would never have imagined that the animators were
ever treated as less than artistic royalty.
While Disney has had many other types of successful productions, the
animated features have always, in my mind, been the mainstay of all things
“Disney.” Disney executives seem to have
realized the true value of animation when they maneuvered to bring Pixar
into the Disney fold in 2006.
There are many keys to Disney’s success, but I believe the
foremost is the company’s belief in diversification. Disney has managed to obtain a piece of every
entertainment-related pie imaginable.
With communication venues from T.V. to radio, print to cable, it is a
simple matter for the company to cross-market itself and cross-merchandise its
products. I believe this diversification
provides Disney with a degree of independence that sets it apart from other
companies.
As for where I see the Disney company in 10 years…I would
like to believe that Disney will still be the pinnacle of American entertainment
that it has been most of my life. I have
read some things lately that concern me, however. One
article in the New York Times tells that Disney has fired a large number of
workers, and replaced them with foreign workers. To add insult to injury, the outgoing
employees are expected to train their replacements. I think that this type of corporate behavior
could seriously backfire on Disney from a public relations point of view.
It’s difficult to say which of Disney’s varied properties
might be its most valuable. The theme parks
are undoubtedly a huge source of ongoing revenue for the company. But a huge source of income continues to flow
from the vault of Disney classics, which are new again for each generation of
children. These films, their beloved characters, and the multitude of licensed
products they inspire surely provide Disney with an enormous and continuous
stream of income. The greatest source of
profit for Disney today may be the vast number of media outlets the company
controls. Disney owns a multitude of
radio and television stations, as well as print media.
Despite its economic stronghold and dominance of the
entertainment industry, Disney does experience its share of challenges. A recent outbreak of measles was traced to an
infected visitor in a Disney theme park. This finding sparked major concerns
about contagious diseases finding their way across American borders via
international visitors. The constant
threat of domestic and international terrorism must be carefully considered and
plans put in place to ensure the safety of theme park visitors. Lastly, the company should carefully consider
the potential fallout from replacing American workers with foreign labor. Disney has long been considered as American as
apple pie, and decisions like that may seriously backfire on the company in the
future.
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