Discussion Questions:
1. What were the major similarities and/or differences between Coney Island and Disneyland? Refer to the readings as well as the videos in your answer.
2. Disney World and Disneyland are among the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. Clearly, many visitors enjoy spending their vacations in these theme parks–and a significant proportion of tourists return year after year. On the other hand, many criticize these Disney locations for a variety of reasons, and William T. Borrie in “Disneyland and Disney World: Constructing the Environment, Designing the Visitor Experience” (1999) presents many of these criticisms. What aspects of these two parks does Borrie find troubling?
Comment on the following statements, drawing upon the material in the Readings and Resources folder on the world’s fairs of 1893, 1904 and 1939:
1. An examination of U.S. world’s fairs helps us to understand prevailing attitudes toward race and ethnicity.
2. U.S. world’s fairs celebrated American commerce and technology and reflected a belief in progress.
https://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2014/06/1964-the-new-york-worlds-fair/100749/
https://exhibits.slpl.org/lpe/states.asp
https://www.cfc.umt.edu/personnel/borrie/papers/disney/
https://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA96/WCE/title.html
https://www.ultimatehistoryproject.com/coney-island.html