College in the Kingdom
A chronicle of David Zanolla's advanced honors course, Communication Around the "World", including interviews, class reports, trip reports, and student essays.
MAR 21David Zanolla has returned with his students from their learning trip to Disney World, and now the class must end: no more lessons or lectures from David, but instead projects from each of his students, excerpts of which he requires them to publish here.
David Zanolla teaches in the happiest place on earth
MAR 14
We arrived on Wednesday afternoon, and I'm just now getting time to sit down and write. So far, the first half of our trip has been a whirlwind. We've had a tour of the Disney University, met with an EPCOT executive, and toured EPCOT with Jeff Kober and Disney's Hollywood Studios with historian/author Jim Korkis. I also may...
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David Zanolla wraps up loose ends prior to leaving for Disney World
MAR 6
As the travel portion of our class approaches (we leave March 9), I'm racing to teach new content to the students. The last seven weeks have flown by, so it came down to me asking myself the question, "What are the key ideas and concepts that I want every student to know before we arrive in Orlando?" After thinking...
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David Zanolla zeroes in on the Disney World guest experience
FEB 27
With the travel portion of our class quickly approaching, the students are starting to get antsy (and so am I). I've been making it a point to expose them to other views on Walt Disney World and Disney design than simply those that toe the 'party line'. That said, while reading the transcript of a recent speech by...
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David Zanolla debates Disney magic and spreads Disney contagion
FEB 20
Our second item of discussion briefly focused on Jeff Kober's idea that some of Disney World's customer service practices become 'contagious', specifically the motto 'everyone picks up trash'. Fortunately, I was able to experience this firsthand at EPCOT during last year's class. A WDW executive was walking...
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Meet the keynote speaker for Communication Around the "World"
FEB 13
I've been to the top of the Tower of Terror and to the bottom of the Living Seas. I was at Disney's Animal Kingdom a year before it opened, and at the Magic Kingdom in the middle of the night hours before it opened for its 25th Anniversary celebration. Working for Disney was the greatest experience of my life. But...
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David Zanolla recounts events from the first three class meetings
FEB 6
My class of seven students has met three times thus far, with the first meeting primarily covering details about the travel program to Orlando and, as one student keeps asking, "Will anyone be forced to go on the Tower of Terror?" (The answer: It will depend on my mood at the moment - a mood easily altered by...
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Bob McLain interviews David about his Disney honors course
JAN 30
When I went to college, they had nothing like this: an advanced honors course called 'Communication Around the "World"' that culminates in a trip to Disney World itself where students will attend seminars hosted by Disney experts Jeff Kober and Jim Korkis, participate in Disney-run events, and...
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