Dazzling lights, bustling crowds, and a magical atmosphere; A Disney Resorts is a place to embrace the magic of a fictional world that has been in the works since 1923. Today, there are a total of 12 Disney theme parks around the world, which make up six total Disney Resorts. There are two resorts in the United States, a resort in Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Although the first park was created in California in 1955, one that was way closer to home opened in 1971. Walt Disney World, the resort located in Florida, covers almost 25,000 acres and contains four different theme parks, being home to the biggest theme park Disney has; Animal Kingdom. It was the second Disney Resort to be opened and was originally designed to supplement Disneyland in California, which was limited in how much it could expand.
Recently, a group of students from Pennridge High School journeyed to Disney World in Florida, as part of a planned adventure on behalf of the music department Christa Schimitsch, a chaperone and music teacher at Pennridge, explained that she hoped the kids on the trip would learn “to enjoy the magic of music in a more holistic sense, responsibility, and independence.” She later explained that “Disney is ridiculously exciting, and it’s a magical experience.” When asked what her favorite part of the trip was, Jamie Keogh explained that she enjoyed the memories she was making and all of the history she was learning. For example, Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park features Liberty Square, an entire section that discusses the history of America. The history and lore “are all really fun to learn about,” she said.
Parker Ferguson, a senior at Pennridge High School, agrees that memories commonly sprout at Disney World. “The lights are pretty, and the fireworks are really nice,” they said, reminiscing about the many times they have gone to Disney Resorts. Schimitsch and Keogh both stated that if given the opportunity, they would love to go to Disney Paris, although Keogh mentioned that she feels “like they’re all kind of equal.” Although many people hold the same belief as Keogh, there are many ways to differentiate the six Disney Resorts; for example, each destination features a unique castle in one of its parks; in both Florida and Tokyo, Cinderella’s Castle can be found, while California, Hong Kong, and Paris each have their own version of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. Lastly, Shanghai features a completely unique castle, the largest Disney has built to date, called the Enchanted Storybook Castle.
Besides the different design elements, rides, and buildings that can be found, each resort has differences in themes and culture surrounding guest traditions, holidays, and merchandise. In the United States parks, Halloween is celebrated to the extreme, while many other Disney resorts don’t focus on the holiday in the same ways. The Disney resort in Shanghai, for example, celebrates the Chinese New Year from January 18 – February 24, 2024, and features Disney characters dressed in Chinese-style costumes and special fireworks to celebrate. Although each resort can be considered unique to the area, each destination is home to powerful tools of inspiration and imagination, bringing joy to all kinds of different people around the world, including our own Pennridge Rams.
Sources;
https://magicguides.com/disney-world-history/
https://disneyconnect.com/how-many-disney-parks-are-there/
https://www.businessinsider.com/differences-between-disney-parks-around-world-2018-10#every-park-has-an-iconic-castle-but-they-arent-all-the-same-2
https://educationpossible.com/studying-history-visiting-magic-kingdom/
https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202402/12/WS65c9c28ba3104efcbdaeab60.html
