[Postponed] Lecture – The Worlds of Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Fantasy: Digital Storytelling at the Disney Parks (Sasha Coles, Founder and Chief Historian, Enchanted Archives)

POSTPONED – When Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California, in July 1955, Walt Disney told guests, “Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America.” Disney was on to something. The food, rides, designs, and characters at Disney theme parks have rich historical roots, but the company that manages these sites of entertainment does little to interpret these histories. In 2017, Sasha Coles created the Enchanted Archives (EnchantedArchives.com) to do just that. The mobile-friendly website uses GIS technology to offer a new layer of storytelling, one that identifies and explores the histories that are embedded in the Disney park experience. Sasha’s remarks will describe the development of the project over the last two years and how she has managed the traditionally fraught relationship between professional historians and Disney’s products.