Thoughts on Entertainment
In general, people seek out something to divert them from their daily tasks. Even if only briefly, this diversion (more often than not) will take on some form of entertainment.
One definition of that word? Something affording pleasure, diversion, or amusement, especially a performance of some kind.
Loyal readers of this space may recall that I have delved into something of an exploration of the shared experience in entertainment. Everything from theme parks to sporting events to motion pictures and more… all managing to offer something in a group setting.
Occasionally, we do get a new way to share an experience. And on occasion, the form of sharing manages to become ingrained. One such example was home entertainment. You can go back to that first storyteller sharing a tale for those gathered around a fire, expanding the reach of the tale through oral tradition.
Performances of oral traditions became yet another form. Theatrical manifestations brought people together to watch actors at work putting their own spins onto tales. From the theater, sprang motion pictures as another method of sharing performances; all leading up to the big blockbusters of today and tomorrow.
The printed word took things a step further as stories were shared through everything on a printed page. Books, magazines, pulp novels, and more; all allowed portability and sharing in homes, through lending libraries or retail outlets, or commercial endeavors.
Home entertainment really exploded in the 20th Century. Radio brought wireless communication with news and performances of all kinds from around the world. The ability to listen to prerecorded performances came with the phonograph. And you could repeat that experience over and over again with no limitations; other than the sanity of those around you. Television brought the expansion of radio with images now broadcast as well as sound right into your domicile. Some thought of it as a fad that wouldn’t last. Yet here we are almost 100 years later with more information and entertainment than we know what to do with. All at our beck and call, waiting to divert us in one way or another.
This expansion has opened yet another door as we now see participatory entertainment becoming more and more available. Everything from online gaming to live-action role-playing offers participants opportunities to place themselves within environments to interact with one another; often taking on a persona much different from the one they fulfill every day to make ends meet and keep the bills paid.
Recently, it was announced that Disney is ending the operations of its Galactic Starcruiser later this year at Walt Disney World in Florida. Many people have mislabeled this as a hotel rather than an experience. While a themed hotel would appeal to one audience of Star Wars enthusiasts, the Galactic Starcruiser was designed to attract those who fully wanted to immerse themselves from start to finish in the galaxy, far, far away. Your adventure began by being shuttled from the Earthside starport to the Starcruiser for your two-night trip aboard, complete with an off-ship excursion to the Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Baatu. It wasn’t just checking in at the front desk and being escorted by the bellman to your hotel suite. Your role as a passenger aboard the Starcruiser offered you the opportunity to get involved and play a part in the story that was about to unfold.
While I have not taken this voyage or played a part in one, I have seen and heard from plenty of folks who have done just that. The people who were most invested in playing got the most out of the experience. And from what they shared afterward, they felt they got entertainment worth the cost. Which was considerable for a two-night, three-day adventure in the range of $5000 for two persons, if you chose that package.
The more you chose to play or participate, the more you got out of the experience.
On my recent visit to Disneyland (which will be shared in greater detail here), I got a taste of this during my first visit to the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge area. Those guests who chose to visit the Black Spire Outpost and participate with the inhabitants in the experience can do so at an advanced level. Simply by dressing in apparel that approximates the costumes worn by Cast Members and adopting the local customs – “Bright suns!” -, these guests take their entertainment to a higher level than those who simply ride the attractions and shop the various establishments. There is nothing wrong with a shared experience in which the participants are passive. But actively participating offers a different experience, which appeals to a growing number of guests.
I don’t think it will be fair to call the Galactic Starcruiser a failure. Again, from what I have seen and heard, the Cast Members working on this experience all did a great job. Each one has a role in the story, and they played them well. As to food and beverages, plenty of hotels or cruises have had adjustments in offerings as guest tastes were refined. Overall, I think that on the whole, guests at Walt Disney World opt for a more traditional theme park experience matched with a hotel stay. This kind of immersive entertainment will not end, but the lessons learned from the operation will help as Disney looks for new ways to entertain guests in years to come.