Dubai: Walter Elias Disney believed that laughter could be the best American product to export. And surely, the innovative animator succeeded in attaining his goal.
Today, his near nine-decade-old business has crossed all geographical and cultural boundaries to become one of the best known entertainment companies in the world with some of the most amazing parks for families in East and West.
Disney, who created the famous cartoon character, Mickey Mouse, actually built an economic empire. Its criterion is the ability to imagine, and the target is the family.
Commenting on the factors leading to Disney’s success, Salem Bin Dasmal, former CEO of Dubailand and a business developer at present, said: “It is difficult to point one thing – one of the most important things is [Walter] Disney himself, followed by his passion for entertainment, bringing joy to people, and to establish a place where families can have fun,” he told Gulf News.
Walt Disney Company is currently involved in a wide range of entertainment work stretching from Hollywood to Broadway. Then, there are several theme parks around the world including the original Disney land in Anaheim in California, and multi-park located in Orlando, Florida. Outside the US, there are parks in Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, with plans underway to open one in Shanghai, China.
“As Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, said during the most recent earnings report, our continued success is driven by our long-term strategy, the strength of our brands and businesses, our high-quality family entertainment and, of course, the exceptional Disney team around the world,” said Julien Munoz, International Sales and Marketing Director for Disneyland Paris, Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line.
According to the company’s financial report for the first quarter of the financial year 2013, which stretches from October 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012, the revenues of parks and resort increased 7 per cent to $3.4 billion and segment operating income increased 4 per cent to $577 million. While studio entertainment revenues decreased 5 per cent to reach $1.5 billion, the consumer products revenues increased by 7 per cent to reach $1 billion, and the interactive (social games) increased 4 per cent to reach $291 million.
Focusing on the family entertainment, according to Disney’s staff, is among the main reasons behind the continuous success of the business.
“Disneyland isn’t designed just for children. When does a person stop being a child? Can you say that a child is ever entirely eliminated from an adult?,” Disney was quoted saying this in his biography written by Bob Thomas.
He added: “I believe that the right kind of entertainment can appeal to all persons, young or old. I want Disney land to be a place where parents can bring their children – or come by themselves and still have a good time.”
Asked about their future plans, Munoz said: “It all started with a mouse when Walt Disney created Mickey Mouse. Since then, our goal is to make dreams come true every single day in our Disney Parks and Resorts.”
He added: “Walt Disney himself stated when he opened Disneyland in 1955: ‘Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world’.”
