Disney Stereotypes

If you reminisce upon your childhood, you might remember “Sunday nights with the Wonderful World of Disney” (Disney History) long before Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears starred on the Mickey Mouse Club in the 1990s. Walt Disney’s empire has come a long way since then. From Mickey and Minnie Mouse’s first appearance in the 1920’s cartoon, Steamboat Willie, to the countless animated films still produced to this day, as well as major motion pictures, The Walt Disney Company has established its position as an entertainment conglomerate. Today, Disney runs eleven theme parks, forty-four resorts, and four Disney cruise ships. In addition, the Disney label owns multiple producing studios and more than three hundred fifty stores worldwide. Finally,

The large empire produces and promotes an unbelievable amount of products every year, and its newest product is Disney English. This program entails teaching young children in China the English language through classic Disney films. While most focus on the movies and the storylines, other aspects come into play. This project exhibits how Disney is able to deliver messages in many ways. These messages have wide appeal around the world, but suggest questionable subtexts embodied within them. The skewed views of American cultural stereotypes have been thrust upon the Chinese due to the proliferation of Disney’s English based lessons. The Walt Disney Company’s Disney English distorts important lessons by teaching through its films by disseminating subliminal Walt Disney themes. Disney can be seen as a subliminal educator forming children’s moral vision, teaching them cultural stereotypes, which crosses a line regarding morality and

The leading international brand continues to grow and expand its position in the global market with theme parks, resorts, multicultural movies and shows, and teaching English in China with its Disney English program. The global agenda allows countries in all regions of the world to experience and learn from the magic from Walt Disney, and due to the family oriented entertainment, all ages are able to enjoy. The major motion pictures and classic animated films promote multicultural awareness, following your heart, and striving to achieve goals. The unique themes behind Disney’s products demonstrate why the corporation deserves the title as one of the few, leading, international family entertainment and media enterprises. However, Disney’s access to communicate on a global scale does have a negative impact, especially on the students of the Disney English program. Films such as Mulan, The Lion King, and Aladdin promote sexist, racist, and gender stereotypes such as accents and appearances that today’s modern world does not tolerate. The physical distinction between heroes and villains illustrated in the films subliminally teaches kids to see abnormalities as unacceptable. Disney’s moral lesson to disregard the opinions of others in order to “follow your dreams” lies under every storyline but essentially goes against the morals of foreign cultures such as