Chapter 14- Marketing Channels and Retailing

Chapter 14 - Marketing Channels and Retailing

Recently I visited the Walt Disney Store in, New York, Time Square location,

And in this blog I shall be discussing my experience and how I think this store relates to chapter 14 in the MKTG 7

Place

The Manhattan, Time square, Disney store, is a perfect location being that time square is a famous intersection in New York City, with More than a third of a million people passing through every day.  This Disney store attracts many tourists because Disney is such an internationally recognized brand also it attracts many New Yorkers who happen to be passing by Time Square. Also the Disney store has the Time Square feel to with its gigantic screen in front of the store which pulls in customers, since Times Square is known for its famous electronic screens and striking billboards.

Target market

Quite often when we think of who would visit a Disney store, we usually think only parents go because their children insist. But believe it or not every time I’ve gone inside a Disney store obviously I find kids of both sexes, but I also find a lot of females who ages range 15- 50 who are not looking at children merchandise but merchandise for themselves that Disney has to offer which are Disney toys, clothes and Disney collectibles featuring everyone's favorite characters including Mickey Mouse, the Disney Princesses, Fairies, Buzz Lightyear, Pooh and so Many More.

Like me for example anytime I walk passed a Disney store I have an urge to enter just to look around I find my self attracted to the beautiful scenery the bright colors it brings back to so many childhood memories. I feel somehow connected to Disney because I’m familiar with all the animated characters because of watching all the classical Disney films and knowing the stories I’m automatically sucked in I feel compelled to walk in and look around the store. Even though I know I don’t actually need anything from Disney and I know their products are all so pricey, something always happens to catch my eyes. Consequently I find myself spending money on something I don’t even need and will never probably use, and I believe this is what usually happens most of the time when individuals visit the Disney Store especially with such a perfect location as time square.

Market Factors

o   Who are the potential customers? 

Children families & females ages 15-50 & tourists

o   What do they buy?

Disney merchandise ranging from toys, clothes, souvenirs and housewares; such as dishes photo frames snow globe etc..

o   Where do they buy?

Disney stores /Where full price is charged (retailers) JCPenney, Target, Bj’s, etc. /Where prices are discounted  (Intermediaries)   

o   When do they buy?  

All year round

o   How do they buy?

Retailers are more pricier and offer better products compared to intermediaries which are discounted Disney-designed merchandise that’s similar to the products Disney sells in its theme parks instead of the licensed goods that other retailers stock. These discounts would make Disney products more affordable.

Personnel

As soon as I walked in to the Disney store I was pleasantly greeted by a security guard who informed me about the different merchandise offered on the different floors, which made me feel very comfortable and welcome as soon as I walked in the store. When guest enter a store with this feeling they want to spend money because they feel very welcome and happy.

The Disney store even has a like sitting area and at certain times in the day employees will gather kids to sit in the area where they read stories to the customers. Also while I was in the store I observed employees walking around and passing out Disney stickers to the young children and greeting all guests I even asked about a specific doll I didn’t see and the employees was very helpful and friendly, helpful and very patient with me.

Presentation / product

While I was walking around looking at the many different merchandise and I was fascinated at how beautiful everything looked which made me feel like I was a young child once again in a fairyland the atmosphere is very friendly and happy and the store has many different sections which offers different atmosphere like for males they have a marvel comic book hero section so young boys can feel like super hero’s and older men can reminisce when they were young and were fans of these comics for females there is a fairytale princess section were young girls feel like princess and women remember those fairy tales that they read or watched when they were young. Other sections of the store sell clothes soft toys souvenirs of all the other Disney characters. Everything is assorted just right so walking thought different sections is just like you’re walking though different worlds and all products are neatly placed and assorted on the many different shelves

Price

The Disney store are prices at the retailers but there are alternatives such as intermediaries who sell discounted Disney-designed merchandise that’s similar to the products Disney sells in its theme parks instead of the licensed goods that other retailers stock. These discounts would make Disney products more affordable but wouldn’t be as nice as the products at the Disney retailers, which are pricier.

Promotion

Every few days Disney changes characters on its gigantic outside screen above its time square store. This is one way Disney advertise its products by having different character themes that are routinely changed to attract customers to walk in.

While I was at the Disney store I was told about an upcoming event that would take place in the store, which is a Halloween dress rehearsal event where customers dress in their favorite Disney costume, for a costume parade.

This is part of store promotion customers who attend this parade will remember this Disney store because of such an event and all the fun they would have had which will earn Disney, customer loyalty and brand preference because other stores don’t offer such events for specially for families who have young children this would be like a perfect day out.

Overall customer service in the Disney store was very good matter of fact it was excellent. I felt very welcome and happy and as I looked around the store everybody (other consumers and employees) was smiling so I gathered they felt the same as me. The atmosphere was wonderful it was like I was in a very happy place; compared to outside the store (Time Square) where everything is very fast and so busy and crowded every thing is very hustle & bustle outside meanwhile in the store was very calm and happy.

Chapter 6: Consumer Decision Making

Need Recognition

We all know Disney doesn’t produce any products we (consumers) actually need, so how has Disney been around since the 1920’s and become one of the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue?  How has the Walt Disney Company, been able to produce such revenue by offering things people don’t necessarily need but want?
  The Walt Disney Company has achieved much success because they have adequately understood their target markets (young children and families) wants.
Disney understands how important spending quality with ones family is. Therefore they produce products families can enjoy together such as animation movies that families gather around and watch together. Which consequently leads to these families purchasing Disney merchandise, since they recognize the characters from the different animations they watch with their families be it siblings, children and parents. This then results with families booking vacations to go an visit the many different Disney theme parks that they have to offer, particularly Disneyland.
**The need recognition is the result of an imbalance between actual and desired states. Need recognition is triggered when a consumer is exposed to either an internal or external stimulus.
What drives consumers to visit a Disneyland location?

Disney has succeeded its target market by triggering families internally needs (spending quality time together for a vacation) and being able to provide for that need Disneyland, also externally stimulating this need with such slogans as “the happiest place on earth,” their brand equity and their many satisfied customers and keeping such a high reputation.
Information Search & Evaluation of alternatives
**After recognize a need or want consumers search for information about various alternatives available to satisfy it. After getting information and constructing an evoked set of alternative products the consumer is ready to make a decision.
So now families have realized what they need internally (spending quality time together) they then have to choose from many different alternatives, in this case other theme park such as Universal Studios, Sea World, 6 flags and so on.

Most of the times, just like my personal experience Families decide to go to Disneyland because they remember how much they enjoyed visiting Disneyland in the past, in a way this is like brand preference that would be an example of internal information search. An example of external information search would be commercials seen or slogans heard such as “happiest place on earth” or “where dreams come true” this would be marketing controlled compared to non-marketing controlled information source; a family member researching online to find reviews of what other Disneyland customers had to say about their trip to Disneyland and how much of a great time they had. This is why it is so important for Disney to keep such a good reputation so their external information search especially non-marketing controlled information source will only have five star reviews so they can attract more consumers.

Purchase
What makes Disneyland stand out compared to all it’s competitors in order to earn move revenue?
• Disney understands “white glove treatment.” Disney goes the extra mile for its visitors to have the most convenient and comfortable stay they offer baggage check service at the airports so guest don’t have to wait in the long lines in the airport to have their baggage checked
• Disney understands guest convenience. Guest can purchase merchandise from any of the Disney stores at Disneyland and have the store send it to their hotel room, so they don’t have to carry their purchased item all around the theme park and actually enjoy they day.
• All Disney employees are beyond friendly and helpful. Which is very pleasant to any guest
specially an international guest who has traveled half way round the world to visit Disneyland or anyone how has spent their hard earned money to visit. It makes it that much more worth it when they are greeted and treated with the utter most respect. From personal experience the employees are very friendly and pleasant which makes you want to keep visiting, because everyone that works there is so nice it just makes you feel so happy inside. The customer service is excellent which make Disney stand out because there aren’t many companies that can manage to maintain all employees customer service qualities.

• Disney understands the power of repetition. All over Disneyland there are hundreds of Disney stores so therefore physiologically after seeing merchandise over and over again guest will final purchase something because of seeing it so many times they will think they want or need it.

Overall, Disney makes it so EASY to spend money with them, also they keep their customers satisfied after there post purchase which result with good customer reviews and customer loyalty and brand preference and the cycle will keep repeating itself over and over this is how Disney has become one of the largest media conglomerate in the world.

Chapter Five: Developing a Global Vision

According to this chapter from the MKTG^7 we find out that, France, Britain, and Germany all derive more than 19% of their gross domestic products from world trade, which is considerably more than the united states does.
So I did research to find out how much the Walt Disney Company contributes towards the gross domestic products of the United States. And to my surprise I found out that for April 13, 2011 - A new study released showed that Disney parks and resorts (which include Disneyland) and cruise ships translates into a strong economic impact not only in Central Florida but also across the state.
So your probably wondering how much GDP was the Walt Disney Company able to contribute towards the GDP of Florida?
 And the answer is $18.2 billion in annual economic activity generated locally by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts accounts for a staggering 2.5 percent of the gross domestic product for the entire state. The negative impact of trade and globalization include jobs’ being outsourced that translates into unemployment which results with protest. Even though Disney do take part in this they also take responsibility and create domestic jobs. According to my research fortunately for the Floridians thanks to Disney out of the 7.2 million Floridians in the workforce in 2009, more than one out of every 50 had a job that can be directly or indirectly tied to the operations of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Locally, 6 percent of all jobs in Central Florida can be attributed to Disney's operations. This is why GDP is so important because when a company is based in its own country like Disney it is contributing to its country’s success. For example by opening resorts and theme parks Disney is able to accommodate not only Americas but also attract tourist from all over the world to come and visit their parks and also America. Not only that but Disney is also able to employee people to work which will lower the unemployment rate, help people earn money so they are able to spend and keep the economy healthy so in a way this is like a multiplier effect.

Positives of globalizing
As a consequence of globalization countries are able to expand economically just like the multiplier effect I mentioned. Globalization helps lift millions out of poverty and improve standard of living of low wage families in developing countries around the world.
While researching I found that Disney have globalized all over the world and call this globalization, Walt Disney International (WDI) that provides oversight of the Company’s activities outside the United States.
Disney has established foundations for long-term growth in the emerging markets of Latin America, Russia, India and China. More recently a renewed focus has been brought first to Japan and this year to Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), where Disney businesses are more developed, and where they believe they can grow substantially and better serve their consumers.
What is Walt Disney’s Disneyland global marketing standardization?

Disney's traditional approach was largely to force-feed its U.S. products from its Burbank, Calif., headquarters. The company ultimately concluded that this approach wouldn't work, and now it is going country by country, with a particular focus on five hot markets: India, China, Russia, Latin America and South Korea. "We're building Disney from scratch," in countries such as India, said Mr. Iger, citing the company's founder and namesake: Just "as Walt did in the U.S. over 50 years ago." -http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2007/06/disney-goes-global-india-china-russia.html#sthash.aYkZWRoP.dpuf

So from this article we can see Disney does operate different in each country it ventures to, but they do keeps most traditions such as the many different characters of there animation and the castles and rides but just change culture wise so they can fit in and attract and accommodate more visitors.

Sources :
http://corporate.disney.go.com/news/parks_resorts/news_release/waltdisneyworld/2008/041311_wdw_econ_impact.html
http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/investors/annual_reports/2009/keyBusinesses/waltDisneyInternational.html

Chapter 4 The Marketing Environment


The ultimate goal of any corporation is to make as much money as they possible can. Therefore just like any other goal there must be a plan, which has to be fulfilled in order to succeed the goal. A key factor for any firm is that they must understand their external environment in order to plan so they can meet any future goals.
External marketing environment consists of social, demographic, economic, technological, political and legal, and competitive variables
Your probably wondering why it is so important to understand the external environment, and how much effect does it have on a business?
Well the importance of understanding the external environment is learning and seeing the change in the environment surrounding the business and also seeing what kind of an impact this change has on the target market. Once a firm has gathered this information they are then able to create a plan that will effectively meet the needs of their target customers. Therefore not only the corporation has met its goal to gain profit but also the consumer has gained a profit in buying something they desire.

The Walt Disney Company founded in 1922 with only two employees, has now become a leader in family entertainment. Today Disney stands as a conglomerate worldwide entertainment company. Disney proves that studying and understanding the external environment is key to being a successful company. Disney has changed so much over the years just to keep up with its target market. Just like in their mission statement they affirm:
“The Walt Disney Company is to be one of the world's leading producers and providers of entertainment and information. Using our portfolio of brands to differentiate our content, services and consumer products, we seek to develop the most creative, innovative and profitable entertainment experiences and related products in the world.”

The last line clearly states they differentiate their products and seek to develop the most creative innovative products in the world. This shows us that Disney takes external marketing environment very serious because if they didn’t understand the many changes in the environment and how much of an impact these changes had on the target market since the 1920’s till this day and age they wouldn’t have lasted this long.

A good example of this would be that Disney has not been very successful in recent years for reaching most of their target market. So after researching the external environment Disney were able to find out most of this generation of kids (boys) are not very interested in the products or services Disney had to offer such as, the whole Disneyland fairytale genre. Instead much of this generation of kids preferred superheros such as superman batman the hulk  so instead of visiting Disneyland kids preferred to go to Universal Studios, where they have the hulk rides or superman or batman rides so in order to keep up with the completion Disney purchased Marvel Entertainment which consists of many superhero comics such as  Ironman, Thor, etc.…. Also they recently purchased Lucas film (Star
wars). Consequently Disney opened their first notable Marvel presence at the original Disneyland in Anaheim.  The acquisition of Marvel Entertainment earned Disney a 35 percent increase to quarterly profits for may 2013 which include Marvel-related merchandise that contributed to operating income of $200 million at Disney’s consumer products unit.


Managing to modify and fit the market of current times is what keeps Disney a conglomerate worldwide entertainment company. This is how Disney are able to capture the target market for every generation which explains why parents, who once loved Disney as young children, are able introduce Disney to their children who will also love Disney and this cycle repeats its self over and over again. And this is how Disney is able to execute their goals and earn much reward (profit and customer satisfaction) by using the marketing environment.

Sources 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/08/business/media/disney-profits-soar-as-most-divisions-show-strength.html?_r=0

http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/sites/default/files/reports/q1-fy13-earnings.pdf

Chapter 3: Ethics and Social Responsibility

From the third chapter of the MKTG textbook we learn about how important Ethics and Social Responsibilities are to firms and how if they are enforced in correctly will result with sustainability.
The textbook definition of sustainability is: the idea that social responsible companies will outperform their peers by focusing on the worlds social and environmental problems and viewing them as opportunities to build profits and help the world at the same time.
Technically this is a win, win situation because everyone is satisfied; customers are satisfied and happy with the services. The company is able to improve the environment, which is beneficial to society; this will earn the company a good reputation that will attract more customers. Therefore earning the company more profit in the long run.
Sustainability is what I believe should be one of the main goals of any firm. So the formula here is ethics + social responsibility = sustainability

"Being a respected global citizen isn't just good for our employees and the communities in which we operate, it is critical to the growth and success of our business," said Robert A. Iger, Disney President and CEO.

The Walt Disney Company is a great example of how, when this formula is used correctly would give the best results.

Here is what the Walt Disney Company affirms, on their website to be their Ethical Conduct:
We believe that acting in an ethical manner and with respect for human rights is core to being a good corporate citizen. We strive to conduct business with honesty, integrity, and in compliance with the law everywhere we operate. Through reporting and stakeholder engagement, we strive to increase transparency and accountability. And internally, educating and informing employees about the importance of citizenship, we are able to leverage the intelligence, integrity, and passion of our workforce towards achieving our greater citizenship goals.
The following are our goals for ethical conduct:
•  Disclose relevant citizenship information in a timely manner 

•  Integrate citizenship into the day-to-day decision making of leadership
•  Engage with our stakeholders on a regular basis 

•  Integrate citizenship into the responsibilities of every Disney employee 

•  Respect human rights within our operations

You may be wondering how does Disney help the worlds social and environmental problems?

Well I did some research and found in 2010 Disney outlined targets to track citizenship performance that were:
• Minimize Disney’s environmental footprint
• Foster safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces, wherever Disney does business
• Create opportunities for kids and families to help people and the planet
• Utilize strategic philanthropy to make a lasting, positive change in communities around the world
• Partner with parents in their quest to raise healthy kids

Disney also uses “green marketing” which is the development and marketing of products designed to minimize negative effects on the physical environment or to improve the environment

We see the use of green marketing in; The Walt Disney Company 2010 Issue of Corporate Citizenship Report, that includes:
• Global expansion of programs aimed at inspiring kids, parents, and communities to make a difference in the world. Disney Friends for Change, now in 19 countries, has rallied 2.5 million kids to take pledges for the environment. Disney Magic of Healthy Living launched in September, partners with parents and kids to make healthy choices simple and fun.
• Investment of $15.5 million in carbon offset projects around the world as part of Disney's Climate Solutions Fund, the Company’s internal carbon pricing program.
• Corporate charitable contributions of $198 million, and more than 548,000 hours of VoluntEAR service contributed by Disney employees.

So we see that by expanding they are not only gaining a profit for themselves but for the community around them. By investing some of their profits to help benefit the world they hope to reach out to the different communities around and inspire families to make a difference by taking care of the environment and make healthier choices which will benefit both the environment and society.
This is a win, win because the environment is looked after which enables the society to live healthier lives, so they are able to invest and consume Disney products. Also this would make Disney a much more preferable company then its competition because of all the good it has done for the environment and community also customers satisfaction and loyalty , would build the company a good reputation  among the many different communities which is like free advertising it will attract more consumers.

Sources
http://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/31862-The-Walt-Disney-Company-Issues-2010-Corporate-Citizenship-Report
http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/citizenship/ethical-conduct
http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about-disney/business-ethics

    Chapter 2: Strategic Planning for Competitive Advantage 

From chapter 2 we find out, the foundation of any marketing plan is the firms mission statement. The mission statement is based on a careful analysis of benefits sought by present and potential customers and an analysis of existing and anticipated environmental conditions.                                                                                                                                          The business mission statement of the walt disney company is to be one of the world's leading producers and providers of entertainment and information. Using our portfolio of brands to differentiate our content, services and consumer products, we seek to develop the most creative, innovative and profitable entertainment experiences and related products in the world.                                                                                                                             I have underlined part of the mission statement because I feel disney has emphasized the use of  market development(attracting new customers to existing products), product development (creation of new products for present markets.), and also effective strategic planning(which requires continual attention creativity and management commitment.)                                                                                     According to chapter 2 in mktg 7 performing a swot analysis allows firms to identify their competitive advantage. A competitive advantage is a set of unique features of a company and its products that are perceived by the target market as significant and superior to the competition. It is a factor or factors that causes customers to patronized a firm and not the competition. There are three types of competitive advantage: cost, product/service differentiation, and niche.                                            

Disneyland's swot analysis    
Strengths:                                                                                    

1) The very first disney theme park ever to be made.                                                                                    

2) The world’s most popular brand in the category of amusement parks.                                                                

3) It has a larger cumulative attendance than any other theme park in the world.                                                                                         

4) Has a very wide range of offerings suitable for all age groups and personality types.                                                                                         

5) Attracts close to 16 million tourists every year.                                                                                         

6) One of the best amusement and recreation parks in the whole world.

7) Strong brand equity and visibility, and strong brand backing of walt disney.           

Weakness:                                                                                                                                              1.It has a very diverse product portfolio with several different theme parks and hotels, which makes centralized management and monitoring very difficult.                                                                                                 2.Incidents and accidents over the years have been problematic.

Opportunity:                                                                                                                                        1.The flourish of the travel and tourism industry offers excellent prospects. For example current events informs us that zibabwe intend to build a disneyland for Africa. This relate to opportunity for disney because the theme parks are disney’s biggest cash cow, bringing in about 20 percent of the company’s revenue. If they were to open in Africa they will atract more customers from Africa to visit, and will bring in more tourist to visit their African location since they are already recognized world wide. Which would benift both the Walt Disney Company and Zimbabwe.                                                                                                                                **current events (news article) :  -alison monday "zimbabwe intends to build a ‘disneyland for africa’ in victoria falls" the south african 9 sep. 2013 web. 11 sep. 2013                                                                


2. A huge opportunity exists in the company’s ability to build innovative new attractions that bring the imaginary world to life. for example current events informs us disneyland park and walt disney world are hosting a new attraction, a night to celebrate and party with disney villians on a spooky night of friday 13 "where villains are ready to unleash some limited time magic at disney parks on september 13 — friday the 13th."                                                                                                     **current events: "disney’s dastardly villains are ready to unleash some limited time magic at disney parks on september 13 — friday the 13th."-Walt Disney World News.                                          3. The company’s ability to leverage on the huge popularity of the brand.                                                    4. Special offerings to tap tourists specially from the emerging economies.                        

Threats:                                                                                                                                                  1. Local competitor, universal studios is gaining huge popularity.                                                                                          2.The various theme parks opening throughout the world have the potential to steal away visitors.                                                                                                                                                  3. In the absence of constant innovation, disneyland runs the risk of losing its charm.   Disney's Competitive Advantage:  Is that for more than nine decades, the name Walt Disney has been preeminent in the field of family entertainment. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to today's global corporation, the Walt Disney Company continues to proudly provide quality entertainment for every member of the family, across america and around the world.Therefore, attracting tourist/customers/guests to disneyland is never a problem. Since the company has been around for so long children who were once introduced to disney at a young age grow up to then introduce disney to their children and this cycle repeats its self over and over.                                                                                  

Disneyland target market- Disneyland was created for people and families of all types and ages to have fun.

The 4 Ps                                                                                                                                       Product: Disney offers both goods and services at Disneyland where families can go and enjoy their day and also resorts for the family to stay overnight. At the parks they have many stores and stands, where customers can buy, Disneyland merchandise and souvenirs, apparel, toys, collectibles, sweets and snacks. Also services include, professional photo taken with the many disney charactors and Disney cafes and resturants that provide food.                                                                                                                                                Place: There are 5 disneyland locations which are -Disneyland California-Disneyland Florida-Disneyland Paris -Hong Kong Disneyland-Tokyo Disneyland,and as current event tells us maybe one more Disneyland in Zimbabwe to come in the future.                  Promotion: The Walt Disney Company promotes Disneyland by offering many discount prices for Disneyland multi-day tickets and other tailored offerings such as annual passholders get a 20%discount for Disney resorts, special rates for memebers of the u.s millitary and so on. Most patrons choose a multi-day ticket and don’t pay the single-day rate.Disney even promote buying multi-day ticket with a sologan of "the more you play the more you save."                                                                                                                              Price: Since Disney have so much competative adavantage they are able to charge at a much higher rate for all their products specially at their parks. Because of their good reputation of high qualtiy goods and services such as,Disneyland merchandise and souvenirs, apparel, toys, collectibles, their customer/guest relations , and park maintances. Disney maintains such high standards overall that customers are willing to pay extra.        

Disney proves that effective strategic planing does work it may take a longer process but its worth it at the end. Building and maintaining good customer relations, will result with customer loyalty which will attact new customers. The Walt Disney Company is known for its compelling entertainment experiences. From revolutionizing the way people connect with sports, to creating new realities in interactive experiences, the Walt Disney Company is dedicated to immersing their guests, audiences and consumers in never-before-seen ways. This record for innovation combined with their welcoming work environment and development opportunities has earned them some of the most distinguished accolades of all time, including: 

1) Disney named Most Reputable Company – Forbes, 2013                                                                                  2) Disney ranked no. 2 on World's Most Respected Companies list – Barron's, 2013                                                                                                                                          3) World's Most Admired Entertainment Company – Fortune, 2012                                                                  4) World's Most Admired Entertainment Company – Fortune, 2011                                                                           5) Top 50 Most Innovative Companies – Fast Company, 2010                                                                            6) Top 50 Companies for Diversity – Diversityinc, 2010                                                                                   7) First Ever Green Ranking of the S&P 500 – Newsweek, 2010                                                                        8) 100% Rating on Human Rights Campaign – Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality, 2008 - 2011     

“Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” —Walt Disney 

Sources 

• https://disneyland.disney.go.com/offers-discounts/                                                                       • http://www.disneydreamer.com/walt/quotes.htm                                                                          • http://travelwithkids.about.com/od/disneyparks/tp/Disneyland.htm                                         • http://disneycareers.com/en/aboutdisney/awards/                                                                       • http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about-disney/disney-history                                                             • http://wdwnews.com/releases/2013/08/22/friday-the-13th-mischief-is-bi-coastal-at-disney-parks-during-unleash-the-villains-event-sept-13-2013/ 

                                                          

Walt Disney

Chapter 1 : History & Mission Statement 

The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney, is an American diversified multinational mass media corporation headquartered in Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, California. It is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Disney was founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, and established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into live-action film production, television, and travel. Taking on its current name in 1986, it expanded its existing operations and also started divisions focused upon theater, radio, music, publishing, and online media. In addition, Disney has created new divisions of the company in order to market more mature content than it typically associates with its flagship family-oriented brands.

The company is best known for the products of its film studio, the Walt Disney Studios, and today one of the largest and best-known studios in Hollywood. Disney also owns and operates the ABC broadcast television network; cable television networks such as Disney Channel, ESPN,A+E Networks,LifeTime and ABCFamily;publishing, merchandising, and theatre divisions;and owns and licenses14 theme parks around the world. It also has a successful music division.The company has been a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since May 6, 1991. An early and well-known cartoon creation of the company, Mickey Mouse, is the official mascot of The Walt Disney Company.

One day Walt Disney had a vision. It was a vision of a place where children and parents could have fun together. The more Walt dreamed of a "magical park," the more imaginative and elaborate it became.Location was a top priority. The property would have to be within the Los Angeles metropolitan area, and accessible by freeway. It would also have to be affordable: Walt's pockets were only so deep.


The search for the best spot finally ended in the rural Anaheim, California with a purchase of a 160-acre orange grove near the junction of the Santa Ana Freeway (I-5) and Harbor Boulevard.Although, Disneyland was expensive. Walt once said "I could never convince the financiers that Disneyland was feasible, because dreams offer too little collateral." So Walt turned to Television for his financial support. 

In 1954, Walt Disney used his Disneyland series to unveil what would become Disneyland, an idea conceived out of a desire for a place where parents and children could both have fun at the same time

Construction for Disneyland began on July 21, 1954, a meager 12 months before the park was scheduled to open. From that day forward Walt Disney's life would never be the same.

When the real designing came around, Walt Disney looked to his movie studio staff for the answers. The design of Disneyland was something never done before. There would be five uniquely different lands; Walt had planned out all the lands to every detail. If Walt Disney didn't like what his studio designers came up with, he'd do it himself. Finally, everything seemed to come together. 

The "magical little park" was really a $17,000,000 "Magic Kingdom." Walt's dream had come true and Disneyland was ready to open."On July 18, 1955, Walt Disney opened Disneyland to the general public. On July 17, 1955, Disneyland was previewed with a live television broadcast hosted by Art Linkletter and Ronald Reagan. After a shaky start,a 15 day heat wave raised temperatures up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, which almost wiped out the park.Disneyland continued to grow and attract visitors from across the country and around the world. 

When Walt Disney opened Disneyland on July 17, 1955, he created a unique destination built around storytelling and immersive experiences, ushering in a new era of family entertainment. More than 55 years later, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts (WDP&R) has grown into one of the world’s leading providers of family travel and leisure experiences, providing millions of guests each year with the chance to spend time with their families and friends making memories that will last forever.

One of the reasons why Disney has a reputation of delivering a seamless "magical" experience to its guests in all of its operations - theme parks, hotels, restaurants, retail stores, etc. - is because it has one overriding vision and mission for all of its business operations. 

The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to be one of the world's leading producers and providers of entertainment and information. Using our portfolio of brands to differentiate our content, services and consumer products, we seek to develop the most creative, innovative and profitable entertainment experiences and related products in the world.

 Sources: 

http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about-disney/company-overview 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Walt_Disney_Company

http://retailindustry.about.com/od/retailbestpractices/ig/Company-Mission-Statements/Walt-Disney-Mission-Statement.htm

http://www.justdisney.com/disneyland/history.html