A recent article published by Inside the Magic discussed the latest trend at Disney parks to incorporate their intellectual property (IP) into everything they do. From new attractions to new lands, nearly everything Imagineers create these days is in some way connected to their new or existing characters and movies. Whereas earlier major thrill rides and attractions at Disneyland used to be based on the pure, unmitigated creativity of Walt Disney and his Imagineers (Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, The Jungle Cruise, Matterhorn, etc.), today’s attractions are almost exclusively based on Star Wars, Marvel characters and Disney films.
According to the article, Disney fans are not particularly thrilled with this new trend, noting that whereas Disney parks and lands in the 20th century were clearly and deliberately themed, now they are a hodgepodge of attractions based on IP that don’t always make sense together. Looking at Disneyland for example, Star Wars Land (Galaxy’s Edge) feels distinctly out of place compared to Fantasyland, Frontierland and Tomorrowland.
The newest generation of lands and attractions are no-doubt enjoyable and awe-inspiring. They utilize the latest technology, are fully interactive, create new stories and experiences, and, rightfully so, are the most popular. But the question still needs to be asked…
Is it really necessary for every new attraction to be synergistically and strategically created in order to market intellectual property and maximize… everything… all the time?
As you read in The Nonprofit Imagineers, Walt Disney’s original intentions never had to do with making money. He knew that his brother, Roy, would find the money to help him achieve his goals. He rarely let the requirement that IP be worked into an attraction stand in the way of his visions. It’s A Small World, The Tiki Room, The Mark Twain riverboat, The Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean… None of those were based on IP. They were based on a desire to do something new and different, and open doors to new adjacent possibilities (read chapter 2 if you aren’t sure what that means). Even Fantasyland rides, which are clearly “book reports” about his films, were designed less as a means of promoting the films and more as an opportunity to bring a 2-dimensional film to life as a 3-dimensional experience.
So, what does all of this have to do with us nonprofit leaders?
When was the last time you did something for your members or supporters purely for fun? When was the last time you contacted them just to say hi, without any sort of solicitation or ulterior motive? When was the last time you had a great idea that was ruined with someone else on your team said “let’s add a donate button… what could it hurt?” When was the last time you embraced Walt’s Dreamer mentality, rather than today’s business mentality that treats every interaction as an opportunity to increase profits?
I recently received an email from my son’s school entitled “Year in Review” and expected to see pictures and stories from the year, but instead found one brief slideshow video and a few paragraphs soliciting a donation to the annual fund. Sometimes, can’t we just sent out an end of year review that makes our supporters feel good, without asking for money? Sometimes, can’t we hold a program that serves no purpose other than to be a fun experience for our community?
Yes – everything should fit into our theme, story and chapter for the year (as we discussed in chapter 5 of The Nonprofit Imagineers). And yes, each of our programs should help progress that story and feel organic. But sometimes it’s ok to spend a little bit of time in our story for “character development,” without progressing the narrative. Sometimes, we don’t need to ask for money in every communication. Sometimes, the bowling event is just a bowling event, the picnic is just a picnic, and the end of year review is just a review.
Perhaps it’s time for Disney leadership to reflect on their history and not let an irrational need to turn everything into an opportunity to make a few extra sheckels stand in the way of Dreamers being able to dream.
What great idea have you had in your Ideas Folder that you haven’t been able to use because it doesn’t raise funds or serve a purpose other than being fun and creative? Let’s be Dreamers! Let’s change the world!
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