An interview with The Disney Blog(ger)
Tue, 10 Aug 2010Below is the full version of an interview with John Frost, the founder of The Disney Blog, that appeared in Monday’s print edition of the Orlando Sentinel.
John Frost is founder of The Disney Blog, a widely read blog devoted to Disney and theme parks that has had more than 5 million visitors since its inception. He is now writing a book about Disneyland. Frost, 40, spoke with Sentinel staff writer Jason Garcia.
CFB: The Disney Blog recently reached its sixth anniversary. How has the site evolved over the years?
The overall content mix has remained consistent since its launch — provide current news and analysis covering all facets of The Walt Disney Company, its rich history and the fans who enjoy it. I think I found a good niche of people looking for three to five posts a day and whose interest goes beyond just animation or theme parks.
As far as design goes, a few years ago I ported The Disney Blog from TypePad to Wordpress to give me more portability and the freedom to add new features. I just went through a design change to make the site look more clutter-free and to work better with mobile browsers. I definitely have more improvements planned.
CFB: How well do you think Disney World and the other big theme parks use social media?
Disney’s use of social media is on the right path, especially compared to where they were just two years ago. They have acknowledged that many of their fans and regular visitors get their information from social media and have begun communicating via a growing number of channels. For the most part, the company appears okay with allowing its employees to blog and twitter about their work as well, which I think is not just acceptance of the new reality, but also a great marketing tool — let your experts be experts.
The one area where Disney is a little weak is the conversation part of social media. There is some interaction taking place on the Disney Parks blog via comments and they’ve chosen to let the Disney Mom’s Panel be their vacation planning Q&A experts. But that’s about it. I expect to see expanded participation in the conversation from Disney over the next few years.
The future of Disney’s role in digital media has me the most excited. As social media stops being a buzz word and becomes something that is just a part of daily life, Disney Parks will be able to extend the vacation experience for guests willing to take part. Look for pre-, during, and post-trip interactions with characters, special updates from the parks, and other special opportunities all based on the customer’s personal experiences with Disney much of which will occur using social media technology.
CFB: Disney has a uniquely passionate fan base online. How would you describe Disney’s relationship with the blogosphere?
Yeah, we Disney aficionado’s pretty much set the standard for obsessed fandom. Okay, maybe it’s a close call between us and the Trekkies. Back in the 90s, a good lesson was learned when Paramount Studios attempted to close all the Star Trek fan websites via cease and desist letters and threatened lawsuits. The fan backlash was loud and clear and soon Paramount took a more live and let live approach. Disney pretty much follows that lesson. As long as you aren’t pretending to be Disney or leveraging their trademarks for your benefit, then they let you be.
In 1999 Disneyland press and publicity realized that Disney fan websites were attracting many readers who wanted to plan their next vacations and keep up with updates to the parks between them. So a small group of the most popular and Disney friendly sites were invited to get media passes. It took Disney World a few years longer, but now they pretty much follow the same pattern.
A website like The Disney Blog has about the same monthly circulation as a medium sized magazine. Larger travel planning sites (wdwinfo.com, laughingplace.com, and wdwradio to name a few) attract many more readers. Plus we’re all narrowly targeted to reach exactly the type of reader who is most likely to become a customer in the next six to twelve months. So it makes great business sense for the parks to keep us in the loop.
CFB: How is the state of the parks right now?
In short, the state of the parks is mixed. The realities of an economic recession as deep as this one can’t be ignored. Cuts did take place and they are noticeable. Less noticeable are the projects that were put on hold until things recover, but they had a big effect, too. I think general opinion is that Disney hasn’t cut back so much that the magic is gone, but they need to be careful. Disney does risk losing some market share if they don’t return service standards to the level of excellence they were once known for and if they continue to charge a premium for a product that has been matched by Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter without an answer that sets the new standard for themed entertainment.
Q. What’s the one thing they should be doing better?
If I had to choose one, I would like to see Walt Disney World really improve either Epcot Center or Disney’s Hollywood Studios — both, if they think they have the budget. Epcot Center needs to return to the core values set by the ideas behind Future World and the World Showcase. New country pavilions and some visionary attractions for Future World would get great. Disney’s Hollywood Studios has the opportunity to really capture the feeling of Hollywood by tapping into two great franchises — Star Wars and Pixar — ironically both from the San Francisco area. A Star Wars land done to exacting detail would rival Harry Potter at Universal in terms of exciting fans and immersing guests in the world of fantasy. Meanwhile, Pixar is Disney’s strongest acquisition in years. It makes sense to provide it a showcase at the park where it fits the best. These are the type of ideas that excite the fan base the most and have the largest potential for driving a steady stream of guests to the Walt Disney World Resort.
If, as Bob says, capital expenditure is really off the table, then Disney World should focus on hiring and training the best employees. This means more training for new employees on exactly how to provide the type of service that makes the Disney experience a show, instead of a trip to the mall, and retraining for existing employees. Additionally, a few new higher paygrades are required to hold on to the best cast member talent longer. The great purge at the beginning of this recession has resulted in a noticeable drop in service quality.
Disney employees are called ‘cast members’ for a reason. Walt Disney was very emphatic that the parks are a show and employees are the cast. That is a huge part of the difference that sets them apart from other theme parks in the area. Cast member interaction has really moved away to far away from the idea of ’show’ and too much emphasis has been placed on ‘efficiency’. I understand why they made that move to save money. But right they’ve gone too far.
CFB: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter; Short-term hit or fundamental game-changer?
It is definitely a hit. The Harry Potter fan base is enormous and worldwide. As long as Universal Orlando remains the only place to physically visit the world of Harry Potter, it will be a game-changer for the Orlando tourism market.
I expect it to drive about equal parts new business for the region and single day visits from those who would have come to Orlando anyway, but will now change one day of their schedule to include Islands of Adventure.
CFB: You’re writing a book about Disneyland. There’s obviously a lot of books out there devoted to Disney theme parks; what will make yours different?
With “Dispatch from Disneyland: The Fireworks Spot and Other Tales,” I really wanted to capture the little moments where the magic happens and memories that last a lifetime are made. Most of the book’s contents are fictional stories set at Disneyland where the reader is drawn into one particular detail or experience at the park. There are a few attempts to divine what future technology might bring to the guest experience and a few observational essays. Finally, I’ve included a collection of little known Disneyland trivia. If you can’t make it to Disneyland you will be able to evoke a little of the spirit of the park by reading this book.
Disney Vacations - Did you know that the Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida is a big place? I mean a really big place? It contains four complete theme parks, two water parks, dozens of restaurants and hotels, and more than 20,000 acres of fun. It's a great place for a family to enjoy a huge variety of fun activities.
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