The Wonderful Web

"So what did you do today?" This is a common question each of us have not only asked but have also been asked.  A majority of the time we say something like "oh nothing." Well in reality, most of us spent our day roaming the Internet.  According to The New York Times, as of January 2010, people age 8-18 spend on average 7.5 hours, doing just that on numerous devices.  Because of this astonishing fact, companies, including Disney, use the Internet as a way to interact with their customers.  Not only is there a main site, but they also offer numerous other sites, geared to things from health tips to online games. 

You can look up information on their numerous movies, TV shows, and even go shopping.  Disney's site is filled with click able icons, leading you to even more fun. 

When just focusing on their shows, Disney has a separate site dedicated to providing more information.  The page is covered in icons leading to each show, clips from shows, a TV guide, online games, and even full length episodes. The site is visibly dedicated to informing anyone who reads it; ads are very limited. 

 Aside from just using their personal website to not just inform but entertain, Disney also takes full advantage of social networking sites.  Searching Disney on Twitter will produce a handful of certified Disney pages, all of which are filled with news, behind-the-scene posts, and other little tidbits about the company.  Searches on Facebook will also result in numerous groups and pages solely produced and centered around all things Disney.

While there are numerous online options Disney uses, I will admit that I'm not the biggest fan.  While their main webpage provides a vast amount of information and is aesthetically pleasing, I found it a little overwhelming to navigate through.  There was a lot going on and could only imagine how difficult it could be for a younger child to navigate through.  I also do feel as though I'm quite good at navigating through social networking sites, but I did find that Disney didn't seem to have one single Facebook homepage.  Everyone and their mother (seriously, my mother has a Facebook) has a page and look at it numerous times a day.  I feel that if you are looking to reach a significant amount of people and do it in a convenient way, Facebook is how to do it.  A little update on someone's news feed or even those little, sometimes annoying, reminders on the right side would be a great way to catch someone's attention about a new movie, TV show, product, or even a sale.  I mean overall though, Disney is doing a great job getting themselves out there and creating things that have the fun Disney feel that is guaranteed to get people to check back again.

So much more then a wonderland...

Every little kid dreams of the magical world that is Disney World.  They think of the castle and all of the smiling and friendly characters.  I was one of these children.  It wasn't until I was older though that I became aware that this 'wonderland' was actually just a piece of a huge and widely successful company, which has stood the test of time. 

While I was correct as a child to think of Disney as a prime travel company, having numerous parks as well as cruise lines, Disney also produces movies, TV shows, as well as numerous products.  They are known for going above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to customer service as well as product standards.  They push the boundaries in every aspect of the company, keeping up with the newest technology and entertainment.  It is with this work ethic that the company has such a great reputation among families.

Through this blog, I hope to analyze the many factors which have created such a successful and well rounded company and see, as impossible as it may seem, any ways to improve the legacy that is the Disney company.