Article Title
Abstract
This essay discusses a qualitative investigation we conducted with fans of the Disney parks and resorts during the summer of 2020 regarding the company’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, 22 people responded to open-ended questions from an online survey to discuss their views of the closures and planned reopenings of the Disney parks and resorts amid the early days of the pandemic. Using social identity theory (Tajfel, 1978) and the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1991), we discuss how fans react to and cope with the temporary loss of a favorite activity and how companies in the themed entertainment industry can work to engage customers during such times. Along with implications for practitioners working in themed entertainment, we also introduce areas of future investigation important to further understanding of fan behavior amid uncertainty.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Havard, Cody; Baker, Carissa A.; Wann, Daniel L.; and Grieve, Rick
(2022)
"When the magic closes: Examining how Disney fans coped with theme park and resort closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic,"
Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies: Vol. 2:
Iss.
1, Article 9.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/jteas/vol2/iss1/9
Included in
Environmental Design Commons, Interactive Arts Commons, Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons, Theatre and Performance Studies Commons
