Blog Post 7: Why Lawyers Might Decide the Future of the Biggest Players in Tomorrowland
Technology won’t win the day; the stories will. Just who owns the best stories?
Theme parks are different than amusement parks in one major way: their themes are and must be protected from copycats.
Experts share that the most successful franchises are successful because of the intellectual property behind them. The Entrepreneur writes, “safeguarding a company’s intellectual property is crucial to developing and maintaining a successful business.” Disney is one of the best at that. Their IP is recognizable in every country around the world.
When it comes to theme parks, contrary to popular belief, it’s not just about the rides. In fact, every industry expert I spoke with said the same thing: the most important thing is to start with a good story.
Walt Disney famously said, “I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing — that it was all started by a mouse.”
Check out this cool article about a theme park in China using Disney’s characters without their permission! (Uh oh!!) Question of character: Walt Disney warns Wanda over Snow White, Captain America
This is not to say that ride technology is not important, it is. But, Walt Disney designed the theme park, first, as a place for him to spend time with his daughters, and that has not changed. As much we attend theme parks to check out the cool rides and the technology, we are more so interested in the moments we share with our family and friends who accompany us.
I caution those theme park owners looking to incorporate technology into their parks that, it’s crucial to remember that without a good story to start with, that people can relate to, that theme park, no matter the technology, will not be as successful as one with strong IP.
The only way that technology can be successful in theme parks is if they are used to enhance the story they accompany. Hub Zero in Dubai is an example of virtual reality not working, according to a former Disney Imagineer. In his opinion, this ride did not encourage repeat customers, they felt it was a one-time experience. To this Imagineer, this particular experience’s failure was because “nothing kicks ass harder than a good story.” Time Zombie at Dubai’s Hub Zero, was lacking just that. A good story that is relatable, nostalgic, and evokes emotion is the other half of why people visit theme parks. Half for the rides, the other half to experience what their favorite characters have experienced. The future of theme parks and its relationship with immersive technologies only works as long as it’s done with sensitivity, meaning you need the story before you can add the headset.
Disneyland’s California Adventure park features a Finding Nemo themed attraction where kids can actually have conversations with Crush the turtle. The kids are placed in front of a screen that looks more like the glass window at an aquarium than a TV. According to this article, Crush, “appears to interact with the audience, answering its questions, making jokes, and otherwise acting like a real live character. In effect, it is live-action animation.” Not the most tech savvy experience but cool for the kids nonetheless.
One mother wrote a letter to Disney thanking them for the experience they gave her son. Before meeting Crush, this little boy hadn’t spoken in six years. When he met Crush for the first time in real life, he had his first conversation for a whole ten minutes.
This is why I’m passionate about theme parks.
It brings people’s dreams to life. It brings so much more than just a day of fun. The stories behind theme parks have the ability to change lives. If immersive technologies can bring about more interactions like the one above, then theme parks should certainly invest in them. However, the most important thing to remember about the future of theme parks is that even though the technology will always be changing, the one thing that should remain constant is that it all starts with a good story.
And who owns the story?
The future may belong to the lawyers and who owns the stories that bring us through the turnstiles….
Check out this hilarious video of a VR rollercoaster fail!
And please do buy the book at Amazon.com and if you’d like a signed copy, simply message me at mkelley2@wellesley.edu and I’d be happy to sign and mail the first fifty people who ask a signed copy.
