4. Vacation or Vacation Club?
I spent my reading week this winter in Walt Disney World, Orlando Florida. While I was there I decided to pay extra attention to the advertising Disney World does within the “world” to promote their organization. From the moment Disney bus picked us up at the airport, to when it brought us back to the airport at the end of our trip, Disney World was getting into our minds about planning our next trip through Disney travel.
Disney Vacation Club was established to help travellers easily, and cost efficiently, book Disney theme park vacations, cruises, and a multitude of other popular travel destinations. Basically, a member of the Vacation Club can visit and park, destination within their guidelines, or Disney cruise at a discounted price. They offer many popular destinations such as Mexico, Cuba, many areas of Europe, etc. The idea is that there is a destination in there for everyone. The vacation club seemed to be their number one promoted idea within Disney World. Of course they try to get you back to Disney World first by giving reminders about booking your next vacation, and the deals you can be given for doing so. But to make sure they’ve got you hooked in, they have vacation club in the event that you do not want to return to this specific Disney destination.
To start off the bus that picked us up from the airport was called the Magical Express. This magical express was painted to portray a cruise ship and had Disney Cruise advertisements all over it, even though it was headed to Walt Disney World in Orlando.
Once we were dropped off at our hotel we proceeded to check in. With this check in you are given a booklet which contains all the important maps and documents you need for the trip. Also in this package are tons of flyers for none other than the Disney Vacation Club: how to become a member, the advantages of becoming a member, where you can go and so on.
When we really got out into the hotel atmosphere and walking around all the different parks, we noticed Disney Vacation Club booths set up all over the place! They would try to suck everyone in from young couples, to older couples, to large families. It seemed as though they were being quiet successful most of the time with getting people to have a seat and listen to what they have to say.
Lastly, on the bus ride back to the airport they play a funny video involving the characters and how they are sad to be leaving Walt Disney World. Following the sad goodbyes the video sprung into ways to continue the magic. Well the vacation club of course! It was crazy to see so many advertisements for the same thing in one week and almost I would say was overwhelming. Because of the nature of Disney World you are taken out of the everyday world and everyday advertisement, but brought into a world of Disney advertisements and products.
While I always thought society was far too surrounded by ads I have realized that a society which only advertises one thing can be far more overwhelming and controlling.
