Abstract
STEAM education is a comprehensive approach to addressing content in the classroom. By using STEAM, educators present material utilizing multiple-intelligences. This chapter is geared towards high school and uses students' familiarity with Disney as a hook to address STEAM. Critical analysis is applied to the exterior and line-queue design of a famous attraction at Disney parks. Ride-layout is critiqued and improved upon via student collaboration. Students use their ability to analyze design to engineer a 2-D scale model that fits a particular purpose.
TopLiterature Review
Walt Disney World: The New Standard
Even though most envision the famous, magical Walt Disney World theme parks at the mention of Walt Disney’s name, the global powerhouse of a company that is Disney got its start in animation. The most iconic and famous creation of the Walt Disney Company is Mickey Mouse (Figure 1). By using Mickey Mouse as the mascot for his company, Walt Disney was able to convey messages and illicit emotions from audiences around the world. Disney’s transition from animation to theme park was inspired by a family trip to a carnival. While his daughters rode the carousel, Disney reflected on the grounds that surrounded him. He noted the poor conditions and the lack of family-friendly entertainment. These observations sparked the ideas that would manifest as California’s Disneyland.
As Disney’s animators continued to pioneer music, film, and television, Walt Disney himself was exploring other avenues. He wanted to provide safe, wholesome family entertainment to all ages. Upon completing Disneyland, Disney continued to seek a better design for his “land of make believe.” His restless pursuit of perfection gave rise to one of the most remarkable destinations on Earth. An article from Frommers.com (2016) explains that:
In 1964, Walt Disney began secretly buying millions of dollars’ worth of Central Florida farmland. Some thought it was Howard Hughes; others, the space program. Speculation was rife almost to the very day, November 15, 1965, when Uncle Walt arrived in town and announced his plans to build the world's most spectacular theme park. In a 2-year construction effort, Disney employed 9,000 people. The total cost of the project by its October 1971 opening was $400 million. Mickey Mouse escorted the first visitor into the Magic Kingdom, and numerous celebrities, from Bob Hope to Julie Andrews, took part in the opening ceremonies. In Walt Disney World's first 2 years, the attraction drew 20 million visitors and employed 13,000 people. The sleepy citrus-growing town of Orlando had become the “Action Center of Florida,” and the fastest-growing city in the state. (Para. 1).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Aesthetic: Beauty to the designer.
Modeling: A scaled representation of an actual object.
Line-Queue: Space for people waiting to board.
Play-Testing: When individuals interactive with a prototype for the purpose of error spotting.
MARS: Planet in the Milky Way Galaxy that is fourth closest to the Earth’s sun.
Bottleneck: Narrowing of a region.
Attraction: Something that brings attention to itself.
Imagineering: Term coined by Walt Disney that combines imagination and engineering.
Pitch: The act of presenting an idea.
Theme Park: Area designed to replicate a specific place and/or time.
Reflect: Looking back at something from a different viewpoint.