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Walt's Utopia: Disneyland and American Mythmaking

by Priscilla Hobbs (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 10 ratings
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The "Happiest Place on Earth" opened in 1955 during a trying time in American life--the Cold War. Disneyland was envisioned as a utopian resort where families could play together and escape the tension of the "real world." Since its construction, the park has continually been updated to reflect changing American culture.

The park's themed features are based on familiar Disney stories and American history and folklore. They reflect the hopes of a society trying to understand itself in the wake of World War II. This book takes a fresh look at the park, analyzing its cultural narrative by looking beyond consumerism and corporate marketing to how Disney helped America cope during the Cold War and beyond.

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  1. ISBN-10
    0786498366
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0786498369
  3. Publisher
    McFarland & Company
  4. Publication date
    July 2, 2015
  5. Language
    English
  6. Dimensions
    6 x 0.46 x 9 inches
  7. Print length
    232 pages
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There is a newer edition of this item:

Walt's Utopia: Disneyland and American Mythmaking, 2d ed.
Walt's Utopia: Disneyland and American Mythmaking, 2d ed.
$39.95
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Priscilla Hobbs is a senior associate dean at Southern New Hampshire University. She actively researches Disney, American popular culture, and utopianism.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ McFarland & Company (July 2, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 232 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0786498366
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0786498369
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.46 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 10 ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Dorene Santos
    5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite part of this research on Disneyland is the way ...
    Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2017
    As a fellow mythologist and Disney scholar, I am consistently impressed by Dr. Hobbs' thinking about myth. My favorite part of this research on Disneyland is the way she discusses the park as a map of the American soul. When she connects the shadow (that is, the part of our soul that is unconscious) with the way America projects identity on the city of New Orleans, for example, she shows us how the lack of attention to the shadow can be dangerous. Instead of projecting fear of the unknown, we should cultivate self awareness by embracing the history of New Orleans, protecting it, and preserving its culture. Self awareness of our mythic underpinnings is of vital significance in this time of global transformation. Dr. Hobbs offers a unique perspective to help Americans understand how Disney reflects our national identity. I believe that understanding ourselves in this way will help us become better citizens, both nationally and globally. A fine and important read!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Publius
    2.0 out of 5 stars Well-intentioned But Flawed
    Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2018
    This well-intentioned, thought-provoking book reads like an excellent undergrad term paper or masters thesis. But Ms. Hobbs, an adjunct instructor at Southern New Hampshire University, is a grown-up, and her text needed a few more rewrite sessions before it was set in type. That may explain why it did not appear under the imprint of a major commercial or academic publisher.

    Her notion of Disneyland as a kind of American utopia is well worth pursuing. Too bad she looked too little into More, the guy who wrote the original "Utopia." Too bad, too, that her writing is spoiled by pretentious jargon (e.g., "hyperreality," "avatar," "liminality," Greek terms like "pothos") and the unnecessary citation of an intellectual fraud like Jean Baudrillard, who has absolutely no clue as to what makes America tick, who Walt Disney really was, or what he was up to with Disneyland.

    One other point: Ms. Hobbs smartly points out how Main Street, Disney's wondrous evocation of small town America, circa 1900, has no church. However, she goes on to say that the "Main Street Cinema poses as the closest thing to a church within the park." Really?

    Hmmm.

    At Disneyland, it's Sleeping Beauty Castle with its monumental medieval turrets and towers that functions as the architectural focal point, at the very heart of the park, like the steeple of a Protestant church in the heart of a small New England or Midwestern town. Planned or unplanned (by Walt), the castle does double-duty because it epitomizes the secular American Dream of the Pursuit of Happiness, nowadays, alas, deformed where girls and young women are concerned, into the godawful Disney Princess Syndrome, which, one can only hope, finally hit rock bottom with the film "Frozen," featuring not one but two narcissistic Disney Princesses.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Marina Dawson
    5.0 out of 5 stars This was an excellent, excellent book
    Reviewed in Canada on August 12, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This was an excellent, excellent book. I really enjoyed learning some of the historical facts that I wasn't previously aware of, and I loved how the book was separated into the different lands. I only wish it could have been longer with even more information! If you are a Disney fan or if you have an interest in American history & myth, this book is a must read.
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