This is how they spend them in one of the Disney developments, Golden Oak
The thing could go even further: maybe you also wanted movie costumes, themed barbies, VHS, audiobooks, the Disney Channel and even learn languages with Magic English. I mean, it is not our fault that our childhood (and therefore our imaginary) is inevitably linked to the entertainment giant: There have been many mornings putting Aladdin on loop while we waited for our parents to get up on Saturdays, and that marks.
Our dream? Obviously, go to Disneyland. Thanks to the advertising that appeared in the videos, our parents took it upon themselves to teach us that Florida was too far away before even we knew the name of the capital of Spain, but with Paris we did not lose hope. Especially since, sometimes, someone would come to the schoolyard with padded Mickey paws and we knew that that damned was living the childhood longing of several generations (or, at least, we intuited it).
Those of us who grew up without going wanted to make amends years later, like Peter Pan. Let's say... at twenty. Or at thirty. Or... Anyway, this thing about the stuck thorns is what it has, one cannot judge. And it is precisely because of all this nostalgic-materialistic hodgepodge, doubts arise: Should we judge those who live in one of the two neighborhoods that Disney has in the world? Just us, who have been screaming fans of the world's largest children's conglomerate? Is it not envy that makes us suspect people who pay millions to live in suburbs as perfect as a set from The Truman Show? Think about it, its inhabitants are making a wish come true that you yourself had for a long time: live (eat, go to work, sleep) INSIDE Disney.
Oh, childhood dream... and not so much childhood!
The matter of get into the kitchen in the Disney way of life It began to take shape a long, long time ago. Specifically, in the sixties, a few years before good old Walt died. He, always visionary , he devised the perfect city, one that could undo the wrongs that the present, or in other words, reality, was creating: disorganization, filth, continual rushing, an ever-increasing crime rate... This was nothing like the peaceful and orderly life she lived in his fairy tale compound, nor to the world that he wanted to leave to his grandchildren, so he decided to start EPCOT: The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.
In this community (because he did not want to create a place to sleep, but a whole way of life) they would carry out the greatest urban modernizations of the time . Walt, always so American Way of Life, thus offered a real city in which companies could test their progress , with which he intended to encourage them to come up with new ideas to improve the day-to-day life of their inhabitants.
The schedule included a circle design, that would contain in its center areas with themed shops and restaurants such as different cultural areas of the world , in addition to a hotel with a large tower, which would be the tallest building in the city. In addition, it would have a green belt (near which the houses would be found), an industrial park in which to develop the advances for the area and a innovative monorail transport system, that he had already introduced in the park in 1959 and that works like the typical trains that take you from one place to another in large airports. It would never stop working and would connect the entire city, and avoiding the use of the car by the neighbors. In fact, the few who used it would do so underground, since the entire upper part would be for pedestrians, as was the case at Disney World itself. If you have 25 minutes, Walt himself explains it to you in this video.
One of the EPCOT prototypes
Of course, everyone had to work (either in the park, or in the city facilities, among which it was planned to include even an airport) . Retirees and unemployed people were not accepted, and nobody could buy the houses, Well, Walt reserved the right to change them as he wanted according to the advances that were incorporated.
These very innovative ideas, however, they never saw the light just as their theoretician thought of them (because he died shortly after detailing them), but they did evolve into current projects. Thus, ** EPCOT continues to exist under that name **, only without the housing part. Now it's a amusement park crossed with a kind of universal exposition , and is dedicated to "the celebration of human achievement , either through technological innovation or international culture". For this reason, since it opened its doors in 1982, the space has maintained or the cultural areas differentiated from their origin , as well as its desire for modernity, thus managing to become the sixth most visited theme park in the world , and the third in North America.
This is EPCOT today
However, as you can imagine, the idea was not lost. ** At Disney they are very into recycling concepts, and in 1994 they gave life to Celebration **, a kind of typical New England town. The thing is it is not in New England -but in Florida-, nor is it a town, because it has a category of urbanization, and therefore, it does not have the right to elect its own mayor or to hold any type of elections. But for the inhabitants of this peaceful town, once sold as " the destiny that your soul has been searching for" , that is the least.
They manage themselves thanks to some kind of patrols (before Disney, since 2004 from a new company that maintains everything as they would do it themselves). These ensure the cleanliness and perfection of the enclave, to the point that some bushes out of place or a dirty wall give rise to official interventions : everything must always be as perfect as... an amusement park.
The appearance, therefore, stays exactly the same that when Celebration was created, with the difference that now there are more stores inside. At first, even These and their respective corporate images were designed by Disney ; now they only have to maintain an image that matches the atmosphere of "warm familiarity" of the rest of the environment, a feeling that was created using a traditional aesthetic, somewhat fifties, which is reflected from the signs on the paths of the parks even on manhole covers.
This is what Celebration has always looked like, and still looks like today.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, was left to chance: the houses, of different cute styles (Victorian, colonial...) are organized in "villas" and line up perfectly around a compact center, full of buildings designed by some of the most important architects in the world ; the idea of making everything accessible to take the car as little as possible was maintained; there are good schools many public spaces, large green areas... But that's not the best.
The most amazing thing of all is what makes it truly Disney . In autumn, for example, to give that feeling of home warmth, there is a system that makes Leaves seem to be falling from the trees (If they let nature take its course, little brown would they see in Florida). In winter, following this same train of thought, it "snows" every night. And at Christmas, hidden speakers play Christmas carols by Bing Crosby 24/7. . Isn't it magical?
Of course, for many this display of perfect lawns and perpetual crooners is a bit creepy , all the more when it is appreciated that the prefabricated place -and its prices- has prevented the community, for example, from being multicultural (it is 40% less than the area). In the end, Walt, even from beyond the grave, got away with it, and without even imposing a job on all its inhabitants, he has managed to avoid the ghettos. In fact, the place is so quiet that there is only **one known murder in the entire history of the city.**
Miracle, it snows in Florida!
But now we leave Celebration behind, which is located just eight kilometers from Disney World, to stop at **Disney's newest real estate project, baptized Golden Oak ** (after the name of the ranch that Walt had on those same lands). from this you can go to the park directly on foot , and while maintaining Celebration's community feel and targeting families, his vibe is much, much more luxurious. Come on, the cheapest house that can be purchased here worth two million dollars (and no, there is nothing that can be rented).
Again, the place is organized in "villas", and you can choose between sumptuous constructions of Tuscan style, "Spanish Revival", Venetian , Italian, Colonial Dutch and Colonial Islander. Inside you can make some modifications (such as choosing have Mickey ears hidden around the house -let's say, on the furniture or wallpaper, as in Finding Wally-), but on the outside they have to be as dictated by the style book. And of course, without blemish
Seriously, how many people could live there?
Other characteristics of this urbanization -which intends to maintain the feeling of "resort where the family gathers on special dates" , but in which many people live all year round - is once again the pedestrian prevalence and low speeds (maximum, 25 kilometers per hour) . Transportation by golf cart is allowed, probably the most practiced sport in the area. Of course, the inhabitants have their own private country club -in which the most exclusive cast of Disney World works-, a concierge who even helps them with Disney decorations for the holidays , and advantages in the luxury Four Seasons that has just opened in the area (use of the spa, privileged use of its rooms for birthday celebrations and the like...)
I'm sure you took the annual passes for the park for granted (especially considering that only in maintenance, each house must contribute 25,000 dollars a year ), but once inside this world of illusion, they also have VIP passes to avoid queuing, private guides and transport, the possibility of celebrate weddings or birthdays next to Cinderella's palace... The list of privileges is almost endless, but that of extravagance is more so. And it is precisely in this that these lost children -and terribly rich- keep Walt's spirit intact, while we keep putting on moderately nervous when we enter a Disney store . For nostalgia, yes, but above all, for the prices.
Starting at two million dollars? I'll take it!
*You may also like...
- How to survive Disneyland Paris (and even enjoy it) - Disney locations: fairytale landscapes - Places to visit before you stop being a child - The best theme parks in the world - This is true luxury: eight experiences you should live - The most expensive trips in the world - The most expensive hotels in the world - All articles by Marta Sader