Samland Goes To College

From the beginning, one of the primary objectives for Samland was a good excuse to combine my need to practice my writing with my overly indulgent hobby focused on the Disney theme parks. I did not appreciate just how positive the response would be and I would like to thank all of you for your support.

So one day I get this email with an offer I, frankly, could not refuse. It came shortly after I made an appearance on the world-famous WDW Today podcast. Dave Zanolla of the Communications Department at Western Illinois University is teaching and honors class and they would be doing part of the class at Walt Disney World in March 2010. Would I be in the area?

The class is focused on how Disney effectively communicates through a variety of media including the built environment. How architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, and imagination are combined to convey complex storylines. The class will discuss three main areas of communication including nonverbal, organizational, and computer-mediated.

I will be presenting two tours. The first will be an exploration of the west side of the Magic Kingdom including Liberty Square, Fronterland, and Adventureland. The second tour will focus on the resorts with tours of various lobbies and the messages that they are trying to convey.

The course helps to fulfill the student’s General Education Humanities requirement and will consist of 8 weeks of classroom experience, the trip, then two weeks of follow up class work. You have to be cleared with the Honors program to be able to go.

To say I am honored is an understatement. Working with these students and Dave will be an absolute delight. My tours will be on March 11 and 14. The lectures will become content for Samland’s Disney Adventure in the upcoming months.