the world showcase through a sensory lens~ @sfarrand18-blog - Tumblr Blog

The article “Wonder and Worth: Disney Museums in World Showcase” discusses how Walt Disney had different intentions for the different parks. Epcot was intended to be a more educational experience and more mentally stimulating. Epcot appeals to all five senses more effectively than any of the other parks, which is fulfilling Walt’s initial dream. Many people may question why there are artifacts and museums in Walt Disney World, but Disney is just remaining true to the cultures which the World Showcase represents.

The Brits are infamous for their tea drinking, and I was not disappointed when I went to the United Kingdom Pavilion. “The pavilion's street contains one building for each century of British history”, which is a very accurate and authentic portrayal of the country (United Kingdom Pavilion at Epcot). There is a shop called “The Tea Caddy” and the shop smells of sweet teas and has a very British, royal feeling to it.

#britishtea #royal

The song “Frozen Heart” accurate depicts the vibe of the Norwegian Pavilion. The movie Frozen has become a grand part of the Scandinavian culture associated with Walt Disney World. The scholarly article by the New York times discusses the new ride that will open in the Norwegian Pavilion and how the ride “will take our guests to Arendelle and immerse them in many of their favorite moments and music from the film” ( ‘Frozen’ Finds a Theme Park Home at Epcot).

The vibe of Japan was very chill and the spatial layout of the pavilion definitely was parallel to Shinto feng shui. I noticed that the intonation of the voices of the employees/waiters in Japan all had a very positive energy. Everyone seemed very happy, and I noticed that I was very smily while being there.

The Italian shop Il Bel Cristallo had an amazingly aromatic flowery scent wafting from its delicate window panes. My aunt and I went inside and enjoyed taking samples of each perfume for sale. All of the perfumes were ornate and clean smelling. The shop would certainly not have the same shopping effect if it did not have the same olfactory sensory engagement.

#floweryperfume

So this is an image of a woman pearl diving in Japan in the 1900s, which is a unique cultural practice there. Women used to dive down into the seas and capture oysters and bring them back up to the shore and see if there are pearls in them. The shop in the Japanese Pavilion had a station for people to pay to “pearl dive”. Basically you stuck your hand into a tank with oysters, and chose any oyster. I remember sticking my hand into the cold water and feeling the rough textures of the oysters. Once they cut open my oyster and cleaned my pearl, I remember how excited I was to hold the smooth pearl in my hand.

#pearldiving #japan

"In a world of Disney fantasy, does authenticity matter?” (Magical Realism). This article by Addison analyzes how “real” the cultural spaces are in comparison to the actual countries. I found this article enticing, especially the analysis on France’s cuisine. Addison talks about how “the seeds of interest and enthusiasm were planted in Walt Disney World”, and how the cuisine was up to par. The chefs at “Bistro de Paris” are world-renowned pastry chefs and food critics are always at a loss for words when it comes to the French pavilion.

#authenticfrenchcooking

Celtic Music is an obsession of mine; I am an anglophile and listening to Celtic Music has always had a large impact on my mood. As we were sitting in the pub “Rose and Crown”, the Celtic Music playing in the background certainly added to the cultural feel. My family listens to Celtic Music often, and we were then attentively listening to the music to see if we recognized any of the songs!

#celticmusic #ireland

The architecture dominated this Pavilion-- from across the Lagoon you can see the huge pyramid modeled after a Mesoamerican, Aztec pyramid which was actually an optical illusion. The way it was built made the pyramid seem to be bigger than it actually was. Within Mexico it was very evident to me that the architects and designers of this space were cognizant to make spaces appear to be more grand then they actually are.

#aztecpyramid

The bright colors of the Victorian Gardens in Canada caught my attention. Bright reds, pinks, yellows and oranges engaged me completely. The stark contrast between the bright floral arrangements and the natural neutral rock formations in the background were amazing.

#victoriangardens #brightcolors #o'canada

Although religion has become a bit of taboo in America, I noticed a couple of subtle religious symbols throughout Epcot. The two countries where I noticed this were China and Morocco. Morocco is a Muslim country, and I noticed that a lot of the paintings on their architectural structures had crescents (a symbol sacred to the Muslim religion). In addition, China (which is a primarily Buddhist country) had a large Buddha in the gift shop. Both of these countries have cultures that are reliant on religious symbols. Disney World wanted to maintain the authenticity of the cultures, so subdued symbols were scattered throughout.

"Religious Symbols." Religious Symbols and Their Meanings in Relation to Religion. 2014. Accessed May 24, 2016. http://www.ancient-symbols.com/religious_symbols.html.

#coexist

Italy=pasta. The sheer amount of carbs my family gained from the Italian Pavilion itself is out of control. As we were sitting around in the Via Napoli restaurant, there was a certain ambiance created by the Italian culture. “Family style meals” are prominent within the Italian culture, and I felt this emotional link to my family as we were sitting and sipping on fizzy Italian sodas. The taste of the pasta is still set in my mind and contributes to my fond memories.

#italianpasta #sodelicious

The Chinese Pavilion was playing music throughout. I have only recently seen Mulan for the first time, and I instantly recognized where the music was from. China’s use of sensory engagement effectively completed the space.

#china #mulan #blossoms #musiccontributingtoathemedspace

I spoke French all throughout High School and Middle School, and I have developed a strong love for french culture. When I was in France I wanted to ~test my skills~, so I made a promise to myself that I would speak only in french to the servers or gift shop employees so I could fully immerse myself in the french culture. I said “la crème glacée au chocolat s'il vous plaît” at least 6 times... France smelled so sweet, and every single time we approached the French Fountains, the delightful scent radiated from the Ice Cream Shops.

American Pavilion in a nutshell: FLAGS! Americans are stereotyped to be very patriotic, but honestly this is not a stereotype. Everywhere I looked there was red, white, and blue and I am #proudtobeanamerican. The American pavilion focused on showcasing our historical past; the large Georgian Colonial proves this. American culture has evolved to be so much more, and I felt like the pavilion did not focus on enough modern day culture. However, most people in Disney are American and are aware of the modern day culture because they are living in it on a daily basis. I believe that this was the motive for demonstrating the historical past of America. In the scholarly article “ Simulated Tourism at Busch Gardens: The Old Country and Disney’s World Showcase, Epcot Center”, Mintz discusses how Americans create a hyperreality and that has observed that “people have long ‘understood’ other cultures, not through actual contact, but through mediated experience and imagination” (Mintz 47). Americans have contact with their own culture all the time; but the desire to be submerged in other ethnic backgrounds is fulfilled with the World Showcase.

I started to get really hungry and thirsty as I approached the German pavilion. The smell of fresh baked, salty pretzels is still imprinted in my mind. There were little beer stands all over, and people were walking around with pints of authentic German beer. The architecture of the beer kiosks was enhanced by the olfactory engagement: good ol’ German beer and pretzels.

#germanbeer #germanpretzels #letshaveadrink

Frozen is EVERYWHERE. Princess Elsa’s hit single “Let it Go” is well known to every single elementary school girl in America. I am honestly not even ashamed to say that I also know every single word to most Frozen songs. Anyway, in Alan Bryman’s “The Disneyization of Society” he talks about Disney’s effective marketing and merchandising skills. I can certainly attest to this; Elsa is promoted everywhere and is honestly almost as globally recognizable as Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney’s OG merchandising character. Bryman also talks about how the parks are intentionally designed to create a space so guests are more inclined to purchase Elsa merch.

#elsaeverything #frozen #disneyization #merchandiseobsession

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