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Narrative Paradigm in the Magic Kingdom: the Story of Entering a Whole New World

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Narrative Paradigm in the Magic Kingdom: the Story of Entering a Whole New World NARRATIVE PARADIGM IN THE MAGIC KINGDOM: THE STORY OF ENTERING A WHOLE NEW WORLD By Louise Nuar A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Communications Austin Peay State University December 2018 Thesis Committee: Dr. Pamela Gray, Committee Chair Dr. Robert Baron Karen Bullis, MFA, MS NARRATIVE PARADIGM IN THE MAGIC KINGDOM ii STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO USE In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at Austin Peay State University, I agree that the library shall make it available to borrowers under the rules of the library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Permissions for extensive quotation or reproduction of this thesis may be granted by my major professor, or in his/her absence, by the Head of the Interlibrary Services when, in the opinion of either, the proposed use of the material is for scholarly purposes. Any copying or use of the material in this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Louise Nuar 12/30/2018 NARRATIVE PARADIGM IN THE MAGIC KINGDOM iii This research is dedicated to Clay—the Flynn to my Rapunzel, Anakin to my Padmé, Carl to my Ellie—whose astute insights and observations begat most of the decent ideas contained herein. NARRATIVE PARADIGM IN THE MAGIC KINGDOM iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many thanks to all those who supported and encouraged me throughout this process. In particular, Dr. Gray provided invaluable support, patience, and wise guidance. Clarity and direction (and, yes, “e-media smarts”) from Dr. Baron kept me on track. Karen Bullis provided vital insights into the worlds of filmmaking and architecture. Enthusiastic cheerleading from Katy Blasingame helped me stay focused and optimistic. Yet again, I must thank Clay for his support, insightful analysis, and world-class editing. NARRATIVE PARADIGM IN THE MAGIC KINGDOM v ABSTRACT Immersive entertainment is a relatively new storytelling medium that has been gaining academic interest over the last several decades. Theme parks represent the first widespread commercial foray into this burgeoning art form, presenting an implicit narrative in which guests temporarily escape the “real world” and enter a separate plane of reality. However, the theme park medium has historically received little scholarly attention from a narrative perspective. This research proposes Walter Fisher’s narrative paradigm, a classic communication research theory, as a baseline framework for the assessment and analysis of the storytelling techniques used in theme parks. Using Walt Disney World and its Magic Kingdom park as subjects for a pilot case study, this research applies the narrative paradigm framework to explore the storytelling techniques used in theme parks. This study is intended to shed some light on the popularity and success of the test subjects, focusing on their ability to present a cohesive narrative that immerses guests in the “story” of leaving their everyday realities behind. Keywords: immersive entertainment, theme parks, narrative paradigm NARRATIVE PARADIGM IN THE MAGIC KINGDOM vi TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO USE ....................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iv ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ v Chapter 1: Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 1.1: Overview ............................................................................................................... 1 1.2: Research Goals ...................................................................................................... 4 1.3: Document Roadmap .............................................................................................. 6 Chapter 2: Background ...................................................................................................... 9 2.1: Immersive Entertainment ...................................................................................... 9 2.2: Theme Parks ........................................................................................................ 12 Chapter 3: The Theme Park as a Communications Medium ........................................... 15 3.1: Theme Parks as Narrative Texts .......................................................................... 15 3.2: Theme Parks as Rhetorical Artifacts ................................................................... 17 3.3: Previous Research on Theme Parks as Communications Media ......................... 18 Chapter 4: The Narrative Paradigm as an Analytical Framework ................................... 23 4.1: Introduction to the Narrative Paradigm ............................................................... 23 4.2: Applications of the Narrative Paradigm .............................................................. 24 4.3: Proposed Case Study ........................................................................................... 26 Chapter 5: The Multifaceted Narratives of WDW and the Magic Kingdom ................... 29 5.1: Overarching Narrative of Transportation and Transformation ............................ 29 5.2: WDW’s Nested Narrative Structure .................................................................... 30 5.3: The Story of the “World of Disney” .................................................................... 32 5.4: Themed Lands in the Magic Kingdom ................................................................ 34 Chapter 6: Narrative Probability: Entering a New Reality .............................................. 36 6.1: Creating a Sense of Transportation ..................................................................... 36 6.2: Setting the Stage via Place Branding ................................................................... 37 NARRATIVE PARADIGM IN THE MAGIC KINGDOM vii 6.3: Making the Journey ............................................................................................. 38 Chapter 7: Narrative Probability: Maintaining the Illusion ............................................. 42 7.1: Consistent Theming ............................................................................................. 42 7.2: Transmedia Storytelling ...................................................................................... 43 7.3: Visual and Multisensory Design.......................................................................... 45 7.4: Storybook/Cinematic Structure ........................................................................... 53 Chapter 8: Narrative Fidelity in a Fantasy Realm ........................................................... 59 8.1: Applicability of Narrative Fidelity in a Theme Park Setting............................... 59 8.2: Fidelity to Fantasy World Expectations .............................................................. 60 8.3: Fidelity to Personal and Cultural Beliefs, Values, and Ideals ............................. 63 Chapter 9: Interplay Between Fidelity and Probability ................................................... 70 9.1: Breaking the Illusion ........................................................................................... 70 9.2: Conflict Between Narrative Probability and Narrative Fidelity .......................... 72 9.3: Conflict Resolution via Narrative Synergy ......................................................... 74 Chapter 10: Discussion and Conclusion .......................................................................... 76 10.1: Summary of Findings and Practical Applications ............................................ 76 10.2: Limitations of the Current Study ...................................................................... 77 10.3: Future Directions .............................................................................................. 79 References ......................................................................................................................... 83 NARRATIVE PARADIGM IN THE MAGIC KINGDOM viii LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Worlds and Sub-Worlds in the Magic Kingdom ................................................ 35 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: The Hero’s Journey ........................................................................................... 16 Figure 2: Nested Layers of Narrative within WDW ......................................................... 31 Figure 3: Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom .......................................................... 46 Figure 4: Examples of Mickey Logo in WDW ................................................................. 49 Figure 5: Magic Kingdom Progression ............................................................................. 54 Figure 6: Disney’s Peter Pan vs. Original Illustration ...................................................... 62 Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1: Overview Immersive entertainment is a centuries-old art form that has been rapidly increasing in popularity since the latter half of the 20th century. Over the past decade, the discipline has experienced a surge in critical and academic interest as new technologies continue to foster innovative developments in this
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