Theme Park Tourist

Here’s what Chapek’s comments mean for the future of the Disney Parks—and why his refusal to copy Walt’s model might be good for the company.

Let’s go behind the ride to learn how Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run works.

The Happiest Place on Earth is now in its mid-60s. Since the earliest days, Disneyland has been the most famous theme park on the planet. In the face of lofty expectations and fierce competition, it’s maintained that status.

Disney does everything in its power to sell you on the fact that staying on Disney property simply makes your vacation more special. And, if you’ve done it once, you’ve likely understood exactly what that difference is — even if you aren’t able to articulate it. So, despite the fact that it can save you so much money, you often choose to bite down and spend the extra dough for an entire stay firmly inside the Disney bubble.

Why?