Friday, September 23, 2016
Creepy Fox on Splash Mountain
The fox on the Splash Mountain ride kept telling this guy he was going to marry his dad... not quite sure if I believe it.
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Buzz Lightyear Pancake
A weird talent, but cool nonetheless. I wonder how it tastes! This was posted by the Disney Twitter:
Operation: Play with your food is a go! See @drdancake go from batter to Buzz. pic.twitter.com/ekLRWZ6QCY— Disney (@Disney) September 21, 2016
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Response to Team Rodent
Disney is taking over the world. That's it. I am officially convinced. Giroux wasn't as easy to get on board with, but Carl Hiaasen's novel-like and relatable tone in his nonfiction book Team Rodent was difficult to disagree with.
I think his chapter called "Whistle While We Work", the second to last chapter, could have been one his first few chapters. This chapter made me gain whole new level of respect for his strong will in not being corrupted on his trip to Disney World- despite the temptation everywhere. How can you reject a stuffed animal whale? His insistence on paying for everything that he got at Disney, at the correct price, was certainly important for his integrity as a reporter/writer. Sure, he could have just taken the free stuff, not told his company, and claimed he was going to stay unbiased, but who knows if this book would have ever even have been written if that were the case.
Also in this chapter, I was smiling when Nicholas Daniloff walked right past Mickey Mouse. I am still appalled that Disney had the audacity to believe that Mickey Mouse was who Daniloff wanted to be welcomed back into the country by after being seized by the KGB. Okay I am fine with Disney doing its thing and playing up the whole fantasy vibe, but when Disney tries to involve itself in serious matters, I get peeved. It cannot be both. Disney has to know its place and this is just another example of how Disney oversteps its boundaries.
And those poor puppies. How could I go without mentioning the chapter "The Puppy King." This is one of those tricky situations in which the public tries to play the blame game. It happened in this chapter when Hiaasen blames the parents as much as Eisner, and it happened recently in the news when that child was snatched up by an alligator. Even with Harambe getting shot, there was out-roar from the public crucifying the mother of the child who got into the gorilla exhibit. No one can say for certain if Disney was responsible for the euthanizing of a multitude of dalmatians for simply releasing a newer version of a classic Disney movie. Maybe the parents should have done more research on the behavior of the dog. Maybe there should have been a disclaimer at the beginning or end of the movie. Who's to say.
Disney has their own police force and governs itself. How messed up is that? How do we let this be a thing? They are basically their own sovereign nation living within America, like the Vatican is to Italy. Do they even need to follow the rules of the Constitution? This book by Hiaasen has grown contempt for Disney within me. Before I did not hold Disney to any higher standard than other company. I understood that they had to use unfair business practices sometimes, but now I understand why Giroux seemed so volatile. Disney parades around as something that it's not. If it wants to be fake, fantasy world where beaches are always clean and water is always blue, I fully understand that. But Disney tries to incorporate itself into the real world and pretend that the fantasy world is more than a fake place made more children's enjoyment. This belief of Disney's that it is more than just pretend is almost alway the reason for Disney's overstepping boundaries. I wish I could back to times of ignorant bliss when I didn't know about this villainous side of the beloved company, but now that I know I will never be the same and I need everyone else to know what I now know, too.
I think his chapter called "Whistle While We Work", the second to last chapter, could have been one his first few chapters. This chapter made me gain whole new level of respect for his strong will in not being corrupted on his trip to Disney World- despite the temptation everywhere. How can you reject a stuffed animal whale? His insistence on paying for everything that he got at Disney, at the correct price, was certainly important for his integrity as a reporter/writer. Sure, he could have just taken the free stuff, not told his company, and claimed he was going to stay unbiased, but who knows if this book would have ever even have been written if that were the case.
Also in this chapter, I was smiling when Nicholas Daniloff walked right past Mickey Mouse. I am still appalled that Disney had the audacity to believe that Mickey Mouse was who Daniloff wanted to be welcomed back into the country by after being seized by the KGB. Okay I am fine with Disney doing its thing and playing up the whole fantasy vibe, but when Disney tries to involve itself in serious matters, I get peeved. It cannot be both. Disney has to know its place and this is just another example of how Disney oversteps its boundaries.
And those poor puppies. How could I go without mentioning the chapter "The Puppy King." This is one of those tricky situations in which the public tries to play the blame game. It happened in this chapter when Hiaasen blames the parents as much as Eisner, and it happened recently in the news when that child was snatched up by an alligator. Even with Harambe getting shot, there was out-roar from the public crucifying the mother of the child who got into the gorilla exhibit. No one can say for certain if Disney was responsible for the euthanizing of a multitude of dalmatians for simply releasing a newer version of a classic Disney movie. Maybe the parents should have done more research on the behavior of the dog. Maybe there should have been a disclaimer at the beginning or end of the movie. Who's to say.
Disney has their own police force and governs itself. How messed up is that? How do we let this be a thing? They are basically their own sovereign nation living within America, like the Vatican is to Italy. Do they even need to follow the rules of the Constitution? This book by Hiaasen has grown contempt for Disney within me. Before I did not hold Disney to any higher standard than other company. I understood that they had to use unfair business practices sometimes, but now I understand why Giroux seemed so volatile. Disney parades around as something that it's not. If it wants to be fake, fantasy world where beaches are always clean and water is always blue, I fully understand that. But Disney tries to incorporate itself into the real world and pretend that the fantasy world is more than a fake place made more children's enjoyment. This belief of Disney's that it is more than just pretend is almost alway the reason for Disney's overstepping boundaries. I wish I could back to times of ignorant bliss when I didn't know about this villainous side of the beloved company, but now that I know I will never be the same and I need everyone else to know what I now know, too.
Finding Dory Mac n Cheese
When I was shopping in Harris Teeter and saw these!! Too cute- I had to buy some for me and my roommate.
She was appreciative and even mentioned me in her blog:
http://nicoledecodingdisney.blogspot.com/
She was appreciative and even mentioned me in her blog:
http://nicoledecodingdisney.blogspot.com/
Reflection on the Disney's Spying & Secrecy
When I looked up the phrase "Disney spying" on google after reading one article on dirtboxes, a military grade spying device, I assumed the rest of the articles I found would be related to that story in some way. I was mistaken. Almost every article that comes up is a different story about how Disney spies on its fans, whether its at the theme parks or on their websites. I found five separate articles on Disney spying in different ways. The articles discuss phone spying in the parks, wristbands that follow you around in the parks, facial recognition use in the parks, Disney owned websites tracking your internet use, and a device that spies on the use of internet by children to limit their time on certain websites. I won't discuss all of Disney's secretive tactics because that could take up an entire book; however, I will touch upon a few.
Article 1: http://gizmodo.com/disneylands-local-police-force-caught-secretly-using-po-1755671568
The first article I found, titled "Disneyland's Local Police Force Caught Secretly Using Powerful Phone Spying Tools" focused on dirtboxes. A dirtbox is a powerful device that Disneyland's police force was caught using to spy on the phones in Anaheim, and on those in the rest of Orange County. The police would spy from planes that fly over Disneyland and collect data from phones. The article mentions that Disney police did everything they could to keep the spying from the public and went about the use of these tools in a secretive way, just as the FBI and homeland security do. These devices mean that Disney can spy not only on the residents of the OC, but also on every tourist that passes through Disneyland from around the world. A law was passed in California requiring warrants for police to use dirtboxes. The author writes, "The terrifying news is that we need new laws to protect our privacy from the people supposedly protecting us." This quote really stuck with me; however, I do see the other side of it. If the police believe they are spying for the good of the people, they could be actually using that information to protect us. The police were wrong in the way they went about obtaining this information, because they know it is illegal. This just shows another example of Disney being too secretive with the public.
Article 2: http://www.salon.com/2013/01/17/disney_is_spying_on_you/
Disney website about MagicBands: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/bands-cards/
The next article, titled "Disney is Spying on You!" discusses the "MagicBand." This wristband will be able to track your movement around the park. If you go onto the Disney World website, they do not mention the tracking. They talk about customizing the wrist band in fun different colors to make it seem like an accessory you want to wear, instead of a device that they really want you to wear. Instead of forced to wear, it is desired. The MagicBand enables you to unlock your hotel room door, enter water and theme parks, etc. No where does it say that Disney will be tracking your movement at all times. The secrecy has to stop. Disney honestly has such an aura of innocence that chances are, they could get away with half of the things they withhold from the public; however, their surreptitiousness makes their actions seem that much more provocative when their indiscretions come to light.
Article 3: http://www.oregonlive.com/geek/2015/11/disneys_circle_debate_how_far.html
This last article that I will be discussing is titled "Has Disney's Circle Device Taken Spying on your Kids' Online Activity Too Far?" This article compares Disney to a "Big Brother" type figure, or even more fittingly a "Big Parent." There is a new product called the "Circle" that limits your child's internet usage based on preset conditions. For example, if I put in that my daughter can only use Facebook for one hour, the device will track her internet usage and shut off the app when she reaches the time constraint. The author of this article argues that the device is parenting the kid for you. I do not agree with the author's point of view and do not even really see this device as "spying." The device isn't actually spying any more than a parent would be so I really don't see the issue with it. This is just a more effective way to monitor internet usage.
There are many more articles that discuss Disney's spying in a variety of ways. The common theme across them is secrecy. This "spying campaign" that Disney is following will certainly hurt its reputation. Disney is supposed to be the brand name that every family can trust in America, and now even around the world. If we can't trust Disney, its whole appeal is gone. If we don't trust Disney, we won't buy products like the Circle to basically parent our children. Trust is the foundation of the loyalty of its fans and once the trust is gone, we will see many fans go too.
Article 1: http://gizmodo.com/disneylands-local-police-force-caught-secretly-using-po-1755671568
The first article I found, titled "Disneyland's Local Police Force Caught Secretly Using Powerful Phone Spying Tools" focused on dirtboxes. A dirtbox is a powerful device that Disneyland's police force was caught using to spy on the phones in Anaheim, and on those in the rest of Orange County. The police would spy from planes that fly over Disneyland and collect data from phones. The article mentions that Disney police did everything they could to keep the spying from the public and went about the use of these tools in a secretive way, just as the FBI and homeland security do. These devices mean that Disney can spy not only on the residents of the OC, but also on every tourist that passes through Disneyland from around the world. A law was passed in California requiring warrants for police to use dirtboxes. The author writes, "The terrifying news is that we need new laws to protect our privacy from the people supposedly protecting us." This quote really stuck with me; however, I do see the other side of it. If the police believe they are spying for the good of the people, they could be actually using that information to protect us. The police were wrong in the way they went about obtaining this information, because they know it is illegal. This just shows another example of Disney being too secretive with the public.
Article 2: http://www.salon.com/2013/01/17/disney_is_spying_on_you/
Disney website about MagicBands: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/bands-cards/
The next article, titled "Disney is Spying on You!" discusses the "MagicBand." This wristband will be able to track your movement around the park. If you go onto the Disney World website, they do not mention the tracking. They talk about customizing the wrist band in fun different colors to make it seem like an accessory you want to wear, instead of a device that they really want you to wear. Instead of forced to wear, it is desired. The MagicBand enables you to unlock your hotel room door, enter water and theme parks, etc. No where does it say that Disney will be tracking your movement at all times. The secrecy has to stop. Disney honestly has such an aura of innocence that chances are, they could get away with half of the things they withhold from the public; however, their surreptitiousness makes their actions seem that much more provocative when their indiscretions come to light.
Article 3: http://www.oregonlive.com/geek/2015/11/disneys_circle_debate_how_far.html
This last article that I will be discussing is titled "Has Disney's Circle Device Taken Spying on your Kids' Online Activity Too Far?" This article compares Disney to a "Big Brother" type figure, or even more fittingly a "Big Parent." There is a new product called the "Circle" that limits your child's internet usage based on preset conditions. For example, if I put in that my daughter can only use Facebook for one hour, the device will track her internet usage and shut off the app when she reaches the time constraint. The author of this article argues that the device is parenting the kid for you. I do not agree with the author's point of view and do not even really see this device as "spying." The device isn't actually spying any more than a parent would be so I really don't see the issue with it. This is just a more effective way to monitor internet usage.
There are many more articles that discuss Disney's spying in a variety of ways. The common theme across them is secrecy. This "spying campaign" that Disney is following will certainly hurt its reputation. Disney is supposed to be the brand name that every family can trust in America, and now even around the world. If we can't trust Disney, its whole appeal is gone. If we don't trust Disney, we won't buy products like the Circle to basically parent our children. Trust is the foundation of the loyalty of its fans and once the trust is gone, we will see many fans go too.
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Moana Costume Misfire
I'm not quite sure how I feel about this costume. These situations are always tricky because I see both sides. Why wouldn't the costume people try to make the costume look as much like the character as possible? But in this day in age when everyone is very sensitive about race, Disney should have seen this reaction coming. It's hard to believe that costume got past a whole team of PR agents and all the way to the public. Looks like someone is getting fired.
This is the link to the article on this situation:
http://io9.gizmodo.com/disney-does-brownface-in-moana-costume-misfire-1786770402
This is the link to the article on this situation:
http://io9.gizmodo.com/disney-does-brownface-in-moana-costume-misfire-1786770402
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
My Response to Giroux
Henry Giroux's article "Animating Youth: The Disneyfication of Children's Culture" can come off as harsh and a shock to most, especially to those who love Disney. As someone who falls into that category, I was very skeptical at first of this "Giroux" character who has the audacity to call out the creator of everyone's favorite childhood memories. Then I realized, that's the point. That is his point- that Disney has this aura of innocence that surrounds it like a forcefield, protecting it from being put under any scrutiny. Despite Giroux's pessimistic view that Disney is somehow indoctrinating our youth into believing happiness only comes in the version it has created for us, he does raise many valid points and he does deserve respect for being bold enough to openly critique Disney- something no one had ever really done before.
In some instances, Giroux takes Disney's responsibilities too seriously; for example, when he brings up the argument by Wiener that Disneyland "fictionalizes and trivializes" history by not including an accurate portrayal of the lower class by excluding tenements (68). Disneyland is a kids park, and that is what it claims to be. It does not parade as a historical representation of life in America so it is not obligated to show that.
A section of Giroux's article that I enjoy is when he dives into the undertones of Disney films. His examination of men as a source of empowerment for Disney Princesses is certainly a topic that other critics have latched onto. Finally, Giroux starts making some sense and moves away from his repetitive demand for examining the implications and towards actually proving why this "political necessity" exists (70). He examines how Disney misleads the viewer to believe The Little Mermaid will be about a struggle for a young girl's independence, but actually turns out to teach that "desire, choice, and empowerment are closely linked to catching and loving handsome men" (71). This observation of the misleading message is often overlooked and was a good catch by Giroux.
He also does a good job of tying Beauty and the Beast into this theme of women only being useful as a prize for men. Giroux writes, "In the end, Belle simply becomes another woman whose life is valued for solving a man's problem" (71). Again, we see Disney superficially teaching the lesson to reject hyper-masculinity, but really the theme of women as useful only in regards to men peaks through.
I appreciate Giroux's analysis of women in Disney films and I agree that I have certainly been influenced by these anti-feminist themes; however, Giroux underestimates the power of other influences. I haven't grown up wishing to be a housewife- I understand that my value as a woman extends farther than any man. Giroux might say that this is because I am not a child anymore; however, I am a child that has grown up. Children outgrow silly beliefs they had when they were young. Who's to say that believing in the objectification of women when I was young is any different than believing in the Tooth Fairy. I outgrew both beliefs so why is one more provocative than the other? Giroux's demand for examination of Disney is excessive, but as a suggestion, it isn't such a bad idea.
In some instances, Giroux takes Disney's responsibilities too seriously; for example, when he brings up the argument by Wiener that Disneyland "fictionalizes and trivializes" history by not including an accurate portrayal of the lower class by excluding tenements (68). Disneyland is a kids park, and that is what it claims to be. It does not parade as a historical representation of life in America so it is not obligated to show that.
A section of Giroux's article that I enjoy is when he dives into the undertones of Disney films. His examination of men as a source of empowerment for Disney Princesses is certainly a topic that other critics have latched onto. Finally, Giroux starts making some sense and moves away from his repetitive demand for examining the implications and towards actually proving why this "political necessity" exists (70). He examines how Disney misleads the viewer to believe The Little Mermaid will be about a struggle for a young girl's independence, but actually turns out to teach that "desire, choice, and empowerment are closely linked to catching and loving handsome men" (71). This observation of the misleading message is often overlooked and was a good catch by Giroux.
He also does a good job of tying Beauty and the Beast into this theme of women only being useful as a prize for men. Giroux writes, "In the end, Belle simply becomes another woman whose life is valued for solving a man's problem" (71). Again, we see Disney superficially teaching the lesson to reject hyper-masculinity, but really the theme of women as useful only in regards to men peaks through.
I appreciate Giroux's analysis of women in Disney films and I agree that I have certainly been influenced by these anti-feminist themes; however, Giroux underestimates the power of other influences. I haven't grown up wishing to be a housewife- I understand that my value as a woman extends farther than any man. Giroux might say that this is because I am not a child anymore; however, I am a child that has grown up. Children outgrow silly beliefs they had when they were young. Who's to say that believing in the objectification of women when I was young is any different than believing in the Tooth Fairy. I outgrew both beliefs so why is one more provocative than the other? Giroux's demand for examination of Disney is excessive, but as a suggestion, it isn't such a bad idea.
Minnie & Mickey: Real Life Lovers
My friend sent me a snapchat news story that the voices of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse are married in real life... I had to investigate. That's when I found this cute article:
12 Mickey and Minnie Mouse Facts That Will Make You Believe in Love Forever
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
How has Disney shaped me?
Every little kid loves being sick. They get to stay home from school and watch cartoons all day. Disney Channel was part of my sick day tradition with my mom who would let me sit in her bed and watch cartoons like Winnie the Pooh all day. She didn't even mind the occasional puking on her bed, or worry about getting sick herself.
I've always loved Disney movies and tv shows for their simplicity. The theme is always straight-forward and easy enough for a kid to understand, while the end always leaves the viewer with a cozy and heartwarming feeling- at least thats how I watched them as a child. When you're a kid you aren't looking for a meaning you just want to watch the heartwarming story with the cute animals, but subconsciously Disney is engraining values in those little kids. Movies are similar to religions in that both provide a code of ethics to live by. They both teach kids the difference between right and wrong and give people role models to look up to; for example, Jesus Christ or Mulan.
Watching Disney movies now, we are able to clearly see the main idea of the movie and we can choose to reject this theme by removing it from the warm and fuzzy storyline and adorable and funny characters and evaluating it for its intrinsic message. The Disney princesses have always been a controversial topic of discussion because their male love interests are usually attracted to them by appearance. The Disney princesses have had an impact on me, as I'm sure they have on many other little girls. They made me dream of my own fairytale in which a prince comes and saves the day; however, Disney has now moved away from this theme, trying to create strong heroine, such as in the movie Brave, to teach young girls to be their own saviors.
When I went to see The Jungle Book with my friends, one of them insisted that Mowgli was the villain and Shere Khan was the hero. He took away a different main idea than the one that Disney was trying to teach- not to judge (in this case by species). He came away with the message that humans do not belong in nature. He argued in defense of Shere Khan that the little boy caused the destruction of the forest and should never have been there in the first place. If we were little kids watching this movie, the farthest our conversation would go is to which character was the funniest. As young adults we are able to view Disney movies with the same analytical skills we could for a novel.
When I went to see The Jungle Book with my friends, one of them insisted that Mowgli was the villain and Shere Khan was the hero. He took away a different main idea than the one that Disney was trying to teach- not to judge (in this case by species). He came away with the message that humans do not belong in nature. He argued in defense of Shere Khan that the little boy caused the destruction of the forest and should never have been there in the first place. If we were little kids watching this movie, the farthest our conversation would go is to which character was the funniest. As young adults we are able to view Disney movies with the same analytical skills we could for a novel.
Disney has shaped me in other ways than just through the movies and shows themselves. Disney World is the place to go for families. Although I don't remember my two different trips I can still enjoy the cute pictures of my family with the characters. Disney brings families together and seeing the many movies in which one parent is killed off, such as Cinderella, made me much more appreciative of what I had.
Here is my family during my second trip to Disney World with Tigger. I look pretty old in this picture(I'm in the pink)- you would think I would remember this trip but sadly I have a terrible memory.
Here are my dad and I on a ride during my first trip to Disney world- I am clearly too young to remember this one.
This picture shows my mom, my older sister, and me on a dumbo ride in Disney World.
Even though I don't remember taking these pictures, or the trips at all for the most part, I still smile looking through these pictures and feel that warmth that I don't know if I would feel if Disney had never been part of my childhood. I might have felt a hole in my life if Walt Disney had never brought me all of the memories that have shaped who I am now.
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Introduction- Why Decoding Disney?
Welcome to my Disney blog! I am very excited to be in this Writing 101 class-probably more so than other students-but not for the reasons you would expect. I was in the second pool for registration, so you're probably wondering how I even got into this class. When I was looking through the Writing 101 topic selections page, I had almost every single class starred. There were so many interesting topics and it hadn't occurred to me that all of them could possibly be taken by the time I was able to enroll in classes. Sure enough, when I logged into (what was then called) ACES, there were only three options left!
I knew I never had a shot of getting into Decoding Disney so it came as no surprise to me when that disappeared, but to only have three topics left was appalling. However, I wasn't too worried because one of the topics happened to be one of the many I had starred. I still had hope so I chose Literature in the Age of Mass Reproduction as quickly as possible and headed to the enroll page. That is where I ran into trouble- I couldn't find the enroll button! I frantically searched for the next 15 minutes until I finally figured out how to navigate the convoluted website, and by that time the course was full.
The only two topics that remained were Women's Memoirs and Memory and Trauma in Latin American Cinema. I believe these are the only two Writing 101 courses that are still not filled. I reluctantly chose Women's Memoirs (no offense intended, this course simply did not catch my interest) and emailed my academic advisor hoping to find a way to change my fate. He instructed me to keep checking ACES to see if a spot opened up in another class. I looked every day and to no avail. The registration window closed and I knew I was stuck until registration opened back up in late August.
Finally the window reopened and I checked every day hoping a class would open up. I would quickly skim through the different themes looking for an "open" written underneath the class. I couldn't believe my luck when I saw Decoding Disney had one spot left. Confusion overcame me. Who would drop Decoding Disney? I suddenly felt extremely anxious as I frantically dropped my writing and economy classes to make room for Decoding Disney. I felt a wave of relief when the little green check popped up enrolling me in the Writing 101 class almost every freshman desired. Although the timing of the class was a bit early for my erratic sleeping schedule, I was, and still am, determined to compromise my Monday and Wednesday mornings for the most interesting Writing 101 class Duke has to offer.
While I haven't either seen or remember seeing all of the Disney classic movies, and I cannot recall my trip to Disney world, I certainly know I watched Disney Channel 24/7 until an embarrassing age. I love pixar movies like Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc., The Incredibles, WALL-E, and Inside out, as well as Disney Channel movies. My favorite is High School Musical and I know the entire soundtrack to all three movies. My favorite Pixar movie is the Incredibles because it is my mom's favorite movie of all time and I always loved comparing the super family to my own family of five, deciding which character best suited each of us. I constantly complain to my parents that I have such a big age difference between me and my siblings because I don't remember all of the fun family adventure we went on when I was a baby, such as Disney world. Even so, I am still forever appreciative of Walt Disney for creating the company that shaped my childhood.
Beyond having an utmost reverence for Walt Disney, I took this course because of my passion for analysis. I was first intrigued by name of the course and to in fact "decode" the intentions of Disney movie creators. Seeing how the movies actually impact the world is definitely a topic I am ready to dive into and explore. I hope to make connections between why Disney portrays certain villains the way it does- based on gender or other societal factors. The question of if Disney is a villain itself catches my interest. I had only thought about how Disney creates heroes and role models. I had never considered the fact that they also created the evil that frightened us as children and gave us nightmares.
I knew I never had a shot of getting into Decoding Disney so it came as no surprise to me when that disappeared, but to only have three topics left was appalling. However, I wasn't too worried because one of the topics happened to be one of the many I had starred. I still had hope so I chose Literature in the Age of Mass Reproduction as quickly as possible and headed to the enroll page. That is where I ran into trouble- I couldn't find the enroll button! I frantically searched for the next 15 minutes until I finally figured out how to navigate the convoluted website, and by that time the course was full.
The only two topics that remained were Women's Memoirs and Memory and Trauma in Latin American Cinema. I believe these are the only two Writing 101 courses that are still not filled. I reluctantly chose Women's Memoirs (no offense intended, this course simply did not catch my interest) and emailed my academic advisor hoping to find a way to change my fate. He instructed me to keep checking ACES to see if a spot opened up in another class. I looked every day and to no avail. The registration window closed and I knew I was stuck until registration opened back up in late August.
Finally the window reopened and I checked every day hoping a class would open up. I would quickly skim through the different themes looking for an "open" written underneath the class. I couldn't believe my luck when I saw Decoding Disney had one spot left. Confusion overcame me. Who would drop Decoding Disney? I suddenly felt extremely anxious as I frantically dropped my writing and economy classes to make room for Decoding Disney. I felt a wave of relief when the little green check popped up enrolling me in the Writing 101 class almost every freshman desired. Although the timing of the class was a bit early for my erratic sleeping schedule, I was, and still am, determined to compromise my Monday and Wednesday mornings for the most interesting Writing 101 class Duke has to offer.
While I haven't either seen or remember seeing all of the Disney classic movies, and I cannot recall my trip to Disney world, I certainly know I watched Disney Channel 24/7 until an embarrassing age. I love pixar movies like Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc., The Incredibles, WALL-E, and Inside out, as well as Disney Channel movies. My favorite is High School Musical and I know the entire soundtrack to all three movies. My favorite Pixar movie is the Incredibles because it is my mom's favorite movie of all time and I always loved comparing the super family to my own family of five, deciding which character best suited each of us. I constantly complain to my parents that I have such a big age difference between me and my siblings because I don't remember all of the fun family adventure we went on when I was a baby, such as Disney world. Even so, I am still forever appreciative of Walt Disney for creating the company that shaped my childhood.
Beyond having an utmost reverence for Walt Disney, I took this course because of my passion for analysis. I was first intrigued by name of the course and to in fact "decode" the intentions of Disney movie creators. Seeing how the movies actually impact the world is definitely a topic I am ready to dive into and explore. I hope to make connections between why Disney portrays certain villains the way it does- based on gender or other societal factors. The question of if Disney is a villain itself catches my interest. I had only thought about how Disney creates heroes and role models. I had never considered the fact that they also created the evil that frightened us as children and gave us nightmares.
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