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| The famous castle... |
My children are of an age where they are entranced by Disney
films and get caught up in the story (in fact I still do too). So as much as we
enjoyed the rides, our highlights from visiting Disney were meeting our
favourite characters, having photos taken in front of landmarks from the
movies, and generally just immersing ourselves in the whole experience.
To this end we had taken plenty of dressing up and had various themed tee-shirts printed – something we had fun wearing and which elicited plenty of fun comments from the various cast members (Disney staff) around.
To this end we had taken plenty of dressing up and had various themed tee-shirts printed – something we had fun wearing and which elicited plenty of fun comments from the various cast members (Disney staff) around.
"My children are of an age where they are entranced by Disney films..."
I wonder whether the popularity of the parks is an example
of the power of ‘story’. I read a fascinating history of Walt Disney before we
left, and a hallmark of the various Disney cartoons over the years is the
strong emphasis on the narrative. We get sucked in to powerful stories, and we
can relate to the emotions displayed on the screen. We laugh, we cry (every
time when watching Frozen) – we identify and we remember.
Stories are powerful
things which transport us and connect us together. Visiting the Disney parks
there’s a powerful sense of shared experience, especially when you’re dressed
up!
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| The inscription at the entrance to Magic Kingdom |
It’s funny how the things we most readily remember or
identify with Disney are the feature length animated cartoons that have been
produced since the 1940s. You’ve probably got a favourite few. Perhaps it’s
Jungle Book, or Aladdin, or the Lion King, or the Little Mermaid, or Frozen.
Perhaps Disney’s strongest legacy is the rich history of animated films. But funnily enough, this was the idea for which Disney was ridiculed in the early days.
Perhaps Disney’s strongest legacy is the rich history of animated films. But funnily enough, this was the idea for which Disney was ridiculed in the early days.
"Stories are powerful things which transport us and connect us together."
Disney’s early success was through short cartoons, maybe ten
minutes long, which were well received by film goers in the 1920s and 1930s. He
won Oscars for his characters, even then, but he had a vision for creating a
full length animated film. This vision would take him years, and would require
Disney studios to invent groundbreaking new ways of animating. It was so
complicated to realise Walt’s vision that Snow White took much longer to
produce than planned.
The media began to lose faith that this would happen. The idea for a feature length animated film became known as “Disney’s Folly”. Journalists tried watching ten animated shorts back to back to try and imagine what a feature film would be like, and published their lack of belief in the result. It seemed that no one apart from Walt Disney could imagine what a full length cartoon movie would be like.
The media began to lose faith that this would happen. The idea for a feature length animated film became known as “Disney’s Folly”. Journalists tried watching ten animated shorts back to back to try and imagine what a feature film would be like, and published their lack of belief in the result. It seemed that no one apart from Walt Disney could imagine what a full length cartoon movie would be like.
"The idea for a feature length animated film became known as 'Disney’s Folly'..."
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| We love Mickey! |
So what can we learn from Disney? Well, we can be reminded
that stories are powerful, and that no matter what field we’re in, we can
utilise the power of story to better communicate our ideas. We can also be
inspired to write the best story of our own lives, taking heart from Disney’s
folly – just because no one seemed to believe in Walt’s dream, that didn’t mean
his dream wasn’t worth pursuing.
It’s usually the visionaries that see things that the rest of us can’t. And if those around you can’t see your dreams in the same way you can then you’re in good company. By the end he had won everyone over. He just needed to create the best story he could and that drew people in. So don’t let anyone rob you of your dreams – the world needs your vision.
It’s usually the visionaries that see things that the rest of us can’t. And if those around you can’t see your dreams in the same way you can then you’re in good company. By the end he had won everyone over. He just needed to create the best story he could and that drew people in. So don’t let anyone rob you of your dreams – the world needs your vision.
"It’s usually the visionaries that see things that the rest of us can’t."
Seeing our dreams more clearly is the subject of my new book
Sight Lines: Clearer Vision, Closer Dreams. Do download a copy now for more
inspiration and encouragement to develop a more compelling vision for your
dreams.
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Thanks for taking the time to read Disney's folly and the power of story. If you've enjoyed it please share it with your friends on social media! Why not subscribe to The Potting Shed Podcast on iTunes or Stitcher for expanded musings and much more (direct RSS feed is here).
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