Disney's magical road to success

Walt Disney, when we think about him, image of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and other characters come in to the picture. Many people think of him as an animator; however Walt Disney was an entrepreneur, who proved that “dreams do come true”.

When conceiving the idea to build Disneyland, Walt Disney established a simple philosophical approach to his theme park business, based on the quality, service and show. The design, character, layout and magic of Disneyland grew out of Walt’s successful experience in the film industry. As a true entrepreneur, with Disneyland he saw an opportunity to create a whole new form of entertainment: a three-dimensional live show. This is evidence that a true entrepreneur can gain a success in the field (or at least related to) he/she has experience at. At first, many doubted the financial success of Disneyland, predicting its failure in few years, Walt Disney proved them all wrong, however it was not easy and Walt Disney personally experienced many difficult times and set backs on the road to success. In his own words: “all the adversity I have had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles have strengthened me... You may not realise it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth is the best thing in the world for you."

But what actually made Disney brand so successful, what is its secret to success? The secret of its success lies not only in concept of creating a new type of experience, but mainly in its service model.

So, what is Disney’s service model? The main concept of its service model is that Disney ‘has guests, not customers and cast members, not employees. These terms set the expectations for how guests will be served and cared for while at the park or resort. This commitment to service means:

·         Clear understanding of  Disney products and the meaning of the brand

·         Look at the business from guests’ perspective

·         Creation of an unforgettable experience for every visitor, once entered Disneyland’s gates’(John R. Walker,2009, p.25-27)

What Disney story of success can teach young entrepreneurs?

Firstly, it illustrates that you have to really believe in success of your new venture even if the whole world around you do not. Secondly, concentrations on providing good services, control over customers’ perception and personal involvement in the process in order to better understanding of what should be improved are essential tasks that an entrepreneur should perform. Lastly, action always triumphs inaction, as Walt once said, ‘'I always say well done is better than well said. Quit planning and start practising; a plan is good, a good plan is even better. But if that plan isn't put into action, it's useless.''

 

 

 

For further details please refer to:

John R. Walker,2009,5^th ed. Introduction to Hospitality, Pearson Prentice Hall

www.justdisney.com