Disneyfication VS Disneyzation
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There is a difference between Disneyfication and Disneyzation. Disneyfication is normally related to the cultural products of the Disney company. It means to translate or turn an item into something superficial and even simplistic. On the other hand, Disneyzation is not about the influence of Disney but about the spread of the principles that its theme park demonstrates (Bryman, 2004). The four main principles that Disneyzation is concern about is theming, hybrid consumption, merchandising and performance labour.
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Theming
Theming is the application of stories which are external in terms of space, time, sphere or any mixture of these on establishments or sites. Objects would seem more appealing and fascinating by instilling meanings in them through theming. It involves the physical appearance of the place, sounds, the feel of the items in the place and the way the staffs are performing their service to match the theme. Sources of themes include history, politics, arts, fashion, popular culture and many more.
An example of theming would definitely be a theme park. When I was in Taiwan, I visited the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village at the Nantou County which is a theme park consisting of 3 themes, namely the Aboriginal Village, the Amusement Isle and the European Garden. Within the aboriginal village, everything is related to the indigenous groups from the outdoor tribal exhibits to the design of the rest areas. While European garden is designed in an European way with a European building as a backdrop to bring out the theme.
Entrance of the culture village
Admission Ticket
They have a aboriginal dance segment
Handicrafts merchandise which is on par to the theme of the traditional Aboriginal village
The Amusement Isle with outdoor and indoor rides
Lastly is the European Garden with an english styled building as its background
Besides theme parks, the food and beverage industry are churning out more themed restaurants which sounds, lights and the visual of the food to create the atmosphere of the theme. It is one of the key factors to differentiate their restaurants from their competitors.
In Taiwan, I found 3 creative themed restaurants and in my opinion the 3rd is the D.S. Music Restaurant in Taipei. This is a hospital themed restaurant despite the name giving a different imagination of the restaurant. Waitresses are clad in white nurse uniform topped with rabbit ears serving customers seating around hospital beds with clutches, wheelchairs, IV drips added and the toilet called as the emergency room to enhance the atmosphere.
2nd is THE JAIL in Taichung which is exactly what the name implies. Service staffs are dressed in black and white striped prison uniform and escorts the guest by handcuffing them to their own cell. The interiors are furnished with rusty iron bars with sliding prison doors. However prison food is not served at this restaurant, instead they serve a wide variety of Chinese cuisine.
The last and the best would be the Modern Toilet dinner in Taipei. This restaurant brings theming into a great extend that the customers are to sit on toilet bowls, use toilet paper to wipe their hands and eat from mini toilet bowls with chocolate faeces shaped ice-creams. Themes used by the restaurants are used to attract customer’s curiosity to create awareness and to gain more customers. With these restaurants being successful due to its uniqueness, they would have the potential to expand locally and internationally. Globalisation has led to the increased of themed restaurants in Taiwan such as the Hard Rock Cafe which focuses on music before it closed down.
Since its a specially themed restaurant, they do sell their own merchandise, thus it shows that theming can be linked to merchandising which is discussed in part 2.
Zoos such as the Taipei zoo use theming excessively. The zoo is internally categorised into bird, animal, reptile and insects. Then animals are further classified according to different climates such as African, Australian, desert and tropical. The whole of the zoo is also themed as a corporate form by publicising and rationalizing themselves not as a place to stare at animals but an organization devoted to conservation, education, research, and recreation.
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