What makes Disney magical?

Disney kicks off its 100 year celebration on January 27, 2023... I have grown up on this brand have always loved it... today with Star Wars it continues to be very close to my heart... so this piece is dedicated to Disney and I will use #behaviourscience to explain how it created #100yearsofwonder... I have focussed on the Disney parks for my narrative, so be ready for an over doze of happiness...

I have looked at ten behaviour biases which I feel have made it impossible for us to do anything but love Disney... have a look:

1. Story Bias

Story bias is the tendency to interpret information as part of a story. Stories are easier to remember than other types of information, which is why we rely on them far more than facts.

 

Now, how does this make sense in the context of Disney?? Right from the various worlds within Disneyland to the walk through Main Street. It's like walking in a wonderland. And each of these individual worlds have a story in them. The rides have a backstory to them. The restaurants are themed. The walkways are themed. You have little statues along the way, with a story attached to them. Why if you pick up the old phone on Main Street, you can hear a conversation from a gazillion years ago. All of these add to the experience of a story. And we all know that Disney itself is one big story which all started with one little mouse. So, if behavioural science says we like stories, is it a surprise that we love Disneyland?

 

2. Peak-end rule

 

The peak-end rule is a psychological heuristic that changes the way we recall past events. We remember a memory or judge an experience based on how they felt at the peak moments, as well as how they felt at the end.

 

Now let's look at it in the context of Disney. We all know how the visit to Disneyland ends. If you're leaving in the evening, you're going to see the parade last. And if you are staying till after dark… not only do you get the night parade, which is absolutely fabulous, but you may also be privy to the fireworks. You have just ended on an amazing high and behavioural science tells us what that does. 

 

And just in case that wasn't enough for you. Your Disneyland visit is sure to be full of peaks. You can choose if it's coming down this roller coaster in an unbelievable ride, or meeting your favourite Disney character or watching Darth Vader walk to the Imperial March. For me, it was my little son getting trained to be a Jedi by none other than the great Sith himself.

 

3. Priming 

 

Priming is a phenomenon whereby exposure to one stimulus influences a response to a subsequent stimulus, without conscious guidance or intention

 

Now what does this priming bias do for us in context of Disneyland? Picture this, you wake up at the Disneyland Resort Hotel you put on the TV, and you have Mickey and Donald playing on the on the television. Then you step out for breakfast. What do you land up eating? Mickey Mouse waffles, Mickey Mouse pancakes and you're probably meeting Minnie or Goofy at breakfast. What does this do to you? You are in a complete state of euphoria. Happy, cheerful… Then as you step out and take the shuttle to the park. You have wonderful Disney music playing in the bus on the way…even before you enter the park you have this beautiful fountain of Mickey Mouse where he's bobbing on a fountain atop a whale’s head. Think about it. You're getting happier and happier and happier. And you’ve not even set foot in the park. What do you think happens once you entered the park? Well, you are primed to have a wonderful day.

 

4. Suggestibility Bias

 

Suggestibility refers to how susceptible we are to altering our behavior based on the suggestions of others.

 

You know, the easiest way to understand the suggestibility bias is by a yawn. I'm sure we've all experienced it. Somebody yawns in a group and everybody yawns thereafter. 

 

How does this work in the context of Disney? A lot of happy people make a lot of more happy people. And if that wasn't quite enough, I don't know how you can contain your happiness when Goofy comes running to you or when Chip and Dale are fighting amongst themselves. Now that is suggestibility, they are happy they make you happy. You make someone else happy. And then you've just got the happiest place on earth. Yes, exactly what Disney calls itself. 

 

5. Paradox of Choice 

 

The tendency for people to get overwhelmed when they are presented with a large number of options.

 

Now, don't worry I know there's a hell of a lot to choose from at Disneyland. But they know their behavioural science and they have not got you overwhelmed with the choice. They have neatly divided it for you into smaller worlds. As you go into those smaller worlds. They have looked at the rides and given you a background, so you can choose more easily which one you want to go into. And if that isn't enough, there is a route map so you. Move seamlessly from one world to the next.

 

6. Picture Superiority Effect

 

The picture superiority effect refers to the phenomenon in which pictures and images are more likely to be remembered than are words.

 

When you think of Disney… there are a million pictures that come to your mind. That just makes the experience even more special. That's not where it ends. We all know the number of opportunities to take photographs at Disney. Whether it's your own selfies… or you buy the PhotoPass… or you stand next to Minnie Mouse in Main Street… or you take a picture with the characters who you wait in line to meet… or of course you're going to click that Mickey waffle the first time you see it. Everything's a picture Disneyland. You don’t stand a chance.

 

7. Framing 

The framing effect is when our decisions are influenced by the way information is presented. Equivalent information can be more or less attractive depending on what features are highlighted.

 

How is Disney handled framing? Well, if this is such a magical world, is it created by magicians? Well, almost except they're called Imagineers. And when you're an imagineer, you're not engineering a park, you're Imagineering a park. So, with just a little behaviour science and framing, the good folks at Disney have got those creative juices flowing. And thanks to that we're all having a blast at Disneyland. 

 

8. Familiarity Bias

 

The tendency for individuals to prefer what is familiar and to seek to avoid the unknown.

 

The familiarity bias with Disney is easy to see. Whether it was Mickey and Donald cartoons that we grew up on or the tons of Disney merchandise we see everywhere from bags and water bottle to T-shirts and caps. Disney is an unmistaken part of our lives which makes us ever so familiar with it.

 

9. Action Bias

 

The action bias describes our tendency to favour action over inaction.

 

And what happens at Disneyland? Well, you have the opportunity to act at literally every step. Let’s even leave out the rides… there are shops, eateries, kiosks, photo points, parades, coin machines, street shows, street artists, yeah the list is literally endless. And when you are kept so busy… surprise, surprise… you love it...

 

10. Bundling Bias

 

The bundling bias describes our tendency to value the items we buy in a bundle less than those we buy individually

 

The bundling bias with Disney is obvious. Everything's a package. You go to buy a ticket and you could buy the pack for a week or for the year even. You want to visit the park…you could get the hotel bundled in… and then there is dining… don’t forget the park with photographs option. It's all bundled, especially for you. And you can choose the bundle of your choice. And if you think you're going to walk on that site, with just a single park entry think again my friend, think again. 

 

So sure, there's a whole lot of behavioural biases that Disney has very smartly used in its favour but knowing all of them, I'm still crazy about Disney…what about you?