3 Things We Can Learn From Disneyland

By Ryan Chipperfield

I have been fortunate enough in my lifetime to have been able to visit Disneyland, those who know me well, know I am actually a little obsessed and have spent over 12 days in the two parks in California across 6 different trips! Perfectly marketed as ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’. Disneyland is special because you cannot pinpoint exactly why you are enjoying yourself so much, but it is just an overall feeling that comes over you and it is driven from their exceptional eye for detail. Disney is a 180-billion-dollar company. Amazingly, despite all the major blockbuster movies and merchandise, the parks division comprises over 33% of the company’s revenue annually. It just shows the importance of the ‘experience’ and how we are all talking still about the move to online, better yet one of the biggest businesses in the world is showing us that the real time experience matters more than ever.  

The ‘experience’ is what I am trying to build my business around. Blue Chip Talent is an experience business, because without our Talent’s happiness, matched by the brands we serve and their happiness we don’t have an experience at all. That is what a service business is like, a consistent battle between taking care of people in the way you want them to be treated, all whilst trying to earn your keep in the process.

So, what else can we learn from Disneyland? How can I apply this to my own business?

The word ‘staff’ does not exist within Disneyland

Disney refer to their team as a ‘Cast’. They believe that everyone contributes to the overall production and they want that production group to feel like they are part of it all. Each day thousands of cast members are transported for free from their cast parking on the free cast shuttle bus to be part of the show. It doesn’t matter if you are the cleaner or the actress playing Cinderella – you are a cast member. 

Disneyland wants every single person to get on their favourite attraction at least once 

Disney invented a ‘Fast Pass’ which essentially eliminates the pressure of the line-up system. Everyone knows how waiting in theme park lines can be debilitating. The Fast Pass is a free service included in your ticket price which allows you to pre-book the ride you want and jump the cue at your nominated return time. You truly can get on every ride at least once by using this effective tool. The parallel in business to this feature is by making sure you address the customer’s needs and give them what they want. Too many brands tell the customers what they want and not look at the analytics to see what the actual behaviour of the customer is. 

Think retail is dead? Head to Downtown Disneyland’s merchandise store 

Every week I read more and more about the slow death of brick and mortar retail. Brands blaming the economy for the lack of adaption to what was changing in front of their eyes. Yet relevant, modern brands are selling better than ever. Content is king, not only for social media but for your merchandise. Disney makes high quality apparel with graphics people want to see and it literally is flying off the shelves. Try make a sharp turn in a Disney store, it is impossible. The place is packed from 9am in the morning to midnight with people who have just had the best day of their year and want to commemorate that experience with something they can keep. If you make something of quality, keep it in the realms of normal pricing, give people an experience to remember and make it accessible to everyone – it will sell, no matter the economy.