Disneyland

Disneyland Park  is a theme park located in Anaheim, California, owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division of The Walt Disney Company. Known as Disneyland when it opened on July 18, 1955, and still colloquially known by that name, it is the only theme park to be designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. In 1998, the theme park was re-branded "Disneyland Park" to distinguish it from the larger Disneyland Resort complex.

Walt Disney came up with the concept of Disneyland after visiting various amusement parks with his daughters in the 1930s and 1940s. He initially envisioned building a tourist attraction adjacent to his studios in Burbank to entertain fans who wished to visit; however, he soon realized that the proposed site was too small. After hiring a consultant to help determine an appropriate site for his project, Walt bought a 160-acre (65 ha) site near Anaheim in 1953. Construction began in 1954 and the park was unveiled during a special televised press event on July 17, 1955.
Since its opening, Disneyland has undergone a number of expansions and renovations, including the addition of New Orleans Square in 1966,Bear Country (now Critter Country) in 1972, and Mickey's Toontown in 1993. Disney California Adventure Park was built on the site of Disneyland's original parking lot and opened in 2001.

Disneyland has a larger cumulative attendance than any other theme park in the world, with close to 600 million guests since it opened. In 2009, 15.9 million people visited the park, making it the second most visited park in the world that calendar year.

Pre-discussion:

1.    How would you most like to be successful? Why?

2.    What kind of people are usually successful in life? Do you know people who are successful in their life?

Activity 1

Do you have any associations with the following words?

-         Mickey Mouse

-         Donald Duck

-         Dumbo

-         Alice in Cartoonland

All these words are connected with such a name as Walt Elias “Walt” Disney. Many of us are familiar with the Walt Disney cartoon characters.

Interesting facts about Donald Duck:

-         Donald Duck’s voice is one of the most identifiable voices of all animated characters.

-         Donald Duck is the mascot of the University of Oregon.

-         Donald has a star on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame.

-         Donald Duck’s full name is Donald Fauntleroy Duck.

Dumbo is an American film produced by Walt Disney. Dumbo is based upon the storyline written by Helen Aberson and illustrated by Harold Pearl for the prototype of a novelty toy “Roll-a-Book”. The main character is Jumbo Jr., an elephant who is nicknamed “Dumbo”.

Activity 2. Have you ever been to Disneyland? What do you know about its founder? Do you think he was successful in his life?

Walter Elias “Walt” Disney (1901-1966) was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist. Disney is famous for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20^th century. Disney became one of the best-known motion picture producers in the world. The corporation he co- founded, now known as The Walt Disney Company, today has annual revenues of approximately U.S. $35 billion.

Disney is particularly noted for being a film producer and a popular showman, as well as an innovator in animation and theme park design. He has been awarded 4 honorary Academy Awards and has won 22 competitive Academy Awards out of 59 nominations, including a record four in one year, giving him more awards and nominations than any other individual. He also won seven Emmy Awards. He is the namesake for Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in the United States, as well as the international resorts.

Disney died of lung cancer in Burbark, California, on December 15, 1966. The following year, construction began on Walt Disney World resort in Florida. His brother Roy Disney inaugurated the magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971.

“Disney” is actually a changes version of Walt’s family’s original name. The original name was D’lsigny. It was around the year 1044. Originally from France, Isigny-Sur-Mer was the area that Walt’s relatives came from. How far are the trash cans in Disneyland Park today? Walt Disney ate a hot dog in Disneyland and counted how many steps it took to finish it. It’s said it took him 17 steps, which is the spacing used in every Disney park today.

DISNEY WORLD

General Information about Disneyland Park and its Founder.

Disneyland Park is a theme park located in Anaheim, California, owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division of the Walt Disney Company. Disneyland was dedicated with a televised press preview on July 17, 1955, and opened to the general public on July, 18, 1955. Disneyland is the only theme park to be designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney himself. In 1988, the theme park was re-branded “Disneyland Park” to distinguish it from the larger Disneyland resort complex.

Disneyland has a larger cumulative attendance than any other theme park in the world, with close to 600 million guests since it opened. In 2009, 15.9 million people visited the park, making it the second most visited park in the world that calendar year.

II. Talking on the theme using the pictures on Disneyland Park in California (from volunteers’ experience).

-           What are the most interesting places to see in Disneyland Park from your experience?

-           How long does it take to watch everything? From what to start? What activities did you prefer when attending it?

-           Where is it possible to stay to watch everything within some days?

-           What pleasant memories do you have about Disneyland Park? When did you visit it for the first time?

-           What associations do Americans have when thinking about Disney World?

III. Sharing experience by Disneyland visitors