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.
I love your conclusion! I would hope most people understand that going to Animal Kingdom does not replace real world experiences.
ReplyDeleteI would agree, and would have to admit that when I was a child, I was so mesmerized by these theme parks that I never once thought about how they contort reality. It's good to have a different perspective on the reality of what's going on here!
ReplyDeleteI love this post. I agree... I think in today's modern society, it would be difficult for people to see many of these different kinds of animals in the wild or in natural settings. Although i do agree with Kidd and he makes valid points that these parks seem superficial, I think people learn more by seeing them in these settings rather than in books or on tv. Its like a catch 22..
ReplyDeleteGreat comments!! Yes, some orange groves and swamps may have been jeapordized, but it is a fair trade for what Animal Kingdom has brought to the ecosystem as well as bringing animals back from near extinction.
ReplyDeleteSince the park's opening in 1998, the resident elephant herd has produced four calves. In 2008 alone, the park's giraffe herd produced four newborns, raising the total number of giraffe births since opening to eleven.
In 1999, one of the park's white rhinos gave birth to a female calf. In 2006, Nande and Hasani, another of the park's rhinos, were transferred to Uganda's Ziwa animal sanctuary, in the first attempt to re-introduce white rhinos to the country. Due to civil strife, the white rhinoceros had become extinct in the area. In June 2009, Nande gave birth to a male calf, the first such birth in Uganda in over 25 years.In January 2010, the success of the Rhino breeding program was highlighted with the news that eight white rhinos have been born at Animal Kingdom since the parks opening, the newest calf having been born to another Animal Kingdom born mother.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney's_Animal_Kingdom)
Hmmm.... I think that's worth losing some swamp land!!