Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Disney World
It is mind amazing to think that Disney world was once 24 thousand acres of orange groves and swamps (pg. 271). According to Hiaasen it is now "the world's largest and most artificial entertainment complex." Yes, Disney World is made up of make believe but I think it is important for people to go there to escape from their everyday lives. I get a kick of just watching the children eyes light up when they get to meet their favorite Disney character for the first time. We took my step daughter two years ago to Disney and Animal Kingdom and it was so much fun!!! I felt like a child all over again and wished I could be a kid again to appreciate it even more.
Kidd's viewpoints on Animal Kingdom
There are two points that Kidd made in his article that I thought were interesting...
The first point is that Kidd discusses that Disney's Animal Kingdom sends conservation messages and has several agencies and organizations to make contributions. (page 277) However, when Kidd asked cast members about the contributions and where the money was going, none of them knew anything about it. This surprised me because if people are contributing to these organizations in hopes to save the wildlife, Disney should have a clear cut answer as to how the money is allocated. If Disney is not using the money to save the environment like they say, then Disney should be ashamed to promote such a thing and then use the money dishonestly.
The second point that I found interesting was in Kidd's notes on his article on page 287. He makes comparisons between Busch Gardens and Animal Kingdom stating that Busch Gardens separates the animal exhibits from the rides & other attractions whereas Animal Kingdom intertwines everything and mostly focuses on its rides & entertainment. I found this interesting because it seems that Kidd is not entirely opposed to parks and zoos as he says in his article. I think he just feels that the Animal Kingdom overly popularizes the rides & other attractions rather than the wildlife itself.
The first point is that Kidd discusses that Disney's Animal Kingdom sends conservation messages and has several agencies and organizations to make contributions. (page 277) However, when Kidd asked cast members about the contributions and where the money was going, none of them knew anything about it. This surprised me because if people are contributing to these organizations in hopes to save the wildlife, Disney should have a clear cut answer as to how the money is allocated. If Disney is not using the money to save the environment like they say, then Disney should be ashamed to promote such a thing and then use the money dishonestly.
The second point that I found interesting was in Kidd's notes on his article on page 287. He makes comparisons between Busch Gardens and Animal Kingdom stating that Busch Gardens separates the animal exhibits from the rides & other attractions whereas Animal Kingdom intertwines everything and mostly focuses on its rides & entertainment. I found this interesting because it seems that Kidd is not entirely opposed to parks and zoos as he says in his article. I think he just feels that the Animal Kingdom overly popularizes the rides & other attractions rather than the wildlife itself.
The Tree of Life
The tree of life in Animal Kingdom is the parks centerpiece like that of the Cinderella's Castle in Disney World (pg273). When I visited Animal Kingdom a few years ago I found the Tree of Life to be a work of art. The height of the tree alone is (145 feet). It is amazing to see all the different faces of animals that are carved into the tree as you are riding across the Savanna in the bumpy safari jeep. Animal Kingdom is a zoo that has a lot of different animals for the public to see and it also offers a nice ride for people to relax and enjoy themselves through the park.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Animal Kingdom
The zoo is a relaxing place to go and visit but why is it a relaxing place to visit? Is it because we are at peace with the animals that we are looking at. Maybe the animals at the zoo remind us of ourselves. Dobrin and Kidd (pg 279) state the following, "We human animals apparently perfer to look at animals that seem childlike- warm, fuzzy and funny. Favorite features include prominent eyes and foreheads, a rounded body, short extremities, and vertical posture."
Disney's Vision of Planet Earth
The following videos discuss Disney's views on nature...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owpbYmxtEJo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE03z5zw1ek&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owpbYmxtEJo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE03z5zw1ek&feature=related
It's Animal Kingdom Not Nature's Playground
Yes we took our daughter to Animal Kingdom recently and in fact stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and loved every second. We didn't go to Animal Kingdom looking for an authentic nature experience but rather to experience fantasy and imagination. It almost made me sad to read Kidd's essay
which drained the childhood excitement out of Disney. We mostly went to Disney for fun but there were also educational moments for sure. We also make sure to expose our daughter to nature at its purest. I attached some pictures of Nature's Playground which just opened in Westport. We had so much fun playing on the equipment made out of only things found in the open space of this park. Below you will find a photo of my daughter playing at the tea party made from slices of wood, a climbing apparatus from trees, and a play house from saplings. So I think it is important these days to expose our children/students to a healthy balance of nature and man made learning experiences.
which drained the childhood excitement out of Disney. We mostly went to Disney for fun but there were also educational moments for sure. We also make sure to expose our daughter to nature at its purest. I attached some pictures of Nature's Playground which just opened in Westport. We had so much fun playing on the equipment made out of only things found in the open space of this park. Below you will find a photo of my daughter playing at the tea party made from slices of wood, a climbing apparatus from trees, and a play house from saplings. So I think it is important these days to expose our children/students to a healthy balance of nature and man made learning experiences.
Disney Has Displaced Natural Florida
Kenneth B. Kidd writes of animal poaching, destruction of orange groves, and manufactured childhoods in his article, Disney of Orlando's Animal Kingdom. A quote from Disney CEO Michael Eisner's corporate autobiography, Work in Progress states "The Animal Kingdom takes us full circle. Thirty years ago, all you could find on our Orlando property was vast herds of grazing animals, and some rather intimidating reptiles. Today, after billions of dollars, we have unveiled our most original concept yet: vast herds of grazing animals, and some rather intimidating reptiles." (274). Kidd suggests that Eisner considers this to be a fair and legitimate trade. He mentions that Disney has destroyed thousands of acres of orange groves and swamps, thus displacing natural habitats. Kidd also goes on to say that visitors visit Animal Kingdom in place of an "authentic experience" (270). I agree with Kidd on many of his points, to me, the natural Forida has been displaced, and Disney seems to feel they've compensated the area with make believe trees, and displaced animals. However, in defense of Disney, I would like to argue that the "safari" could be a valuable learning experience both for children and adults. When I visited the Kilimanjaro Safari with my family, we were able to view animals we might not ever have had a chance to see. I realize it wasn't a "real" safari, but my chances of visiting Africa are quite slim. From a teaching perspective, wouldn't it be more beneficial to view live animals rather than view them on television?
In conclusion, Kidd makes valid points about the Florida ecosystem, but seems to imply that the public doesn't have the intelligence to understand that Disney is a simulated experience.
In conclusion, Kidd makes valid points about the Florida ecosystem, but seems to imply that the public doesn't have the intelligence to understand that Disney is a simulated experience.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Effects of creating unnatural habitats
...and we wonder why these kinds of things happen...
Privatizing the civic zoo
On page 268 of S&K, Kenneth B. Kidd quotes Susan G. Davis' highlights of : "the problem of the public space in an era of advancing corporate privatization...with the problem of the representation of nature and the environment in the contemporary mass media." When I think of Disney World or Sea World, I am brought back to my childhood, filled with memories or Shamu's tricks, or swimming with the dolphins. I never thought of these "wonderful" places as misrepresentations of the Animal Kingdom as it truly is. However, they have in fact taken the natural ecosystems of our world and turned them into themed, idealized versions of animal life. Furthermore, they have become part of an advertising ploy to to profit large organizations who care very little about accurate representation of the Animal Kingdom.
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