The Walt Disney Company takes up a lot of entertainment news for a reason. Despite their recent self-inflicted financial and creative follies, they are still an American institution with a 100-year legacy that continues to inspire generation after generation. Disney may have started off solely as a production company known for their standard of excellence in animation, but that changed on July 17, 1955 with the opening of Disneyland.
The Disneyland Resort was a visionary endeavor that brought to life Disney properties through well-crafted atmosphere, attractions and characters. More importantly it was an affordable place where loved ones could share unforgettable memories. This Resort and every other Disney Park has become the ultimate destination for immersive escapism meets technological and creative innovation.
While Disneyland may be the Happiest Place on Earth, it is not the most attainable. Especially for California residents, Disney has been a right of passage that must be completed. A popular Tiktoker named ‘juixxe’ is a Disney enthusiast who wanted to make a difference in his community by giving working class Californians that have never been to the Parks, an opportunity to live out a dream they thought was unreachable.
This undertaking to bring a day of happiness to unsuspecting workaholics would go viral. It gained so much notoriety that viewers would donate to the cause so that juixxe (aka Jesús) could treat more and more deserving Disney lovers. Here is the latest magical moment:
@juixxe Sunday Funday with some hard workers 🙂
Jesús and his team’s altruism is inspiring and their videos’ popularity is undeniable when one witnesses the look of pure joy on the faces of these Disneyland newbies. However, this selfless act makes it more apparent that the juggernaut of family entertainment has no longer made their entertainment affordable for most families.
Disney CEO Bob Iger even expressed in March that, “In [Disney’s] zeal to grow profits, [they] may have been a little bit too aggressive about some of [their] pricing.” Iger’s earnest acknowledgment has yet to be changed company-wide and chances are it will not happen any time soon. Disney has seen better days lately as they are expected to lose $11 billion this year. Most of their losses have come from the loss of Disney+ subscribers and the use of password sharing. This financial hemorrhaging will force Disney to raise subscription fees and most likely increase the cost of Disney Park prices yet again.
The company is not expected to solve the current economic inflation crisis. However, since their business model to be more socially conscious has become paramount, making the Parks more accessible should be a priority. The recent low attendance at Walt Disney World may be the catalyst for a positive change. Until then, the world will need more selfless people like ‘juixee’ to pass the love of Disney forward to those that deserve it most.
Have you seen these videos before? When was your first trip to Disney?