Walt's Utopia

Disneyland and American Mythmaking

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by Priscilla Hobbs

Type: Studies
Subject: Studio > Disney Studios
Keywords: Disney, sociology
Publishing date: 2024 (September 18, 2024)
Publisher: McFarland & Co; 2nd edition
Language: English

Relative size

Physical desc.

Paperback • 220 pages
6 x 9 inches (15 x 23 cm)

ISBN

978-1-4766-9335-4

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Book Presentation:
The “Happiest Place on Earth” opened in 1955 during a trying time in American life—the Cold War. Disneyland was envisioned as a utopian resort where families could play together and escape the tension of the “real world.” Since its construction, the park has continually been updated to reflect changing American culture. The park’s themed features are based on familiar Disney stories and American history and folklore. They reflect the hopes of a society trying to understand itself in the wake of World War II. This second edition expands its perspective in response to, among other things, the cultural shifts brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. New and updated chapters endeavor to hold Disney accountable: not accountability for misdeeds, but its accountability to include everyone, as American mythmakers and cultural titans.

About the Author:
Priscilla Hobbs is a senior associate dean at Southern New Hampshire University. She actively researches Disney, American popular culture, and utopianism.

See the publisher website: McFarland & Co

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