Key Concepts in Theme Park Studies: Understanding Tourism and Leisure Spaces

Preface: An Experiment
Contents
List of Contributors
List of Figures
List of Tables
Introduction: Defining Theme Parks and Assessing Theme Park Studies
1 Introduction
2 About Theme Parks
3 About Theme Park Studies
4 About This Book
References
Antecedents, Origins, and Developments: A History of Theme Parks from Antiquity to the Twenty-First Century
1 The Question of Origins and Development
2 Western Antecedents from Antiquity to the Eighteenth Century
2.1 Antiquity and the Middle Ages
2.2 The Evolution of Garden Architecture
2.3 The Redoute Chinoise in Paris
3 Eastern Antecedents
4 Western Antecedents in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries
4.1 The Sublime and the Picturesque
4.2 European Amusement Parks
4.3 Pageants and Spectaculars
4.4 Panoramas and Dioramas
4.5 Ethnographic Exhibitions, Zoos, and Living History Museums
4.6 Country Fairs, Agricultural Fairs, World Fairs
4.7 Coney Island and Film Studios
5 The Evolution of Theme Parks in North America and the West since 1955
5.1 Destination Parks and Regional Parks in the U.S.
5.2 The Development in Europe
5.3 General Trends
6 The Evolution of Theme Parks in Eastern Asia
6.1 Japanese Theme Parks
6.2 The People’s Republic of China
References
Attractions: How Rides, Retail, Dining, and Entertainment Structure the Theme Park
1 Introduction
2 Attractions Mix
3 Changing the Attractions Mix
4 Rides
5 Merchandise and Retail
6 Themed and Character Dining
7 Park Entertainment
8 Conclusion
References
Authenticity: Theme Parks between Museological, Performative, and Emergent Authenticity
1 Introduction
2 From Authenticity to Authenticities
3 Authenticities in Theme Parks
3.1 Marketing
3.2 Design and Performance
3.3 Emergent Authenticities
4 Conclusion
References
Economic Strategy: Conceptual, Customer-Based, and Environmental, Social, and Governance Strategies in the Theme Park Economy
1 Introduction
2 Conceptual Strategies
3 Customer-Based Strategies
4 Environmental, Social, and Governance Strategies
5 Conclusion
References
Immersion: Immersivity, Narrativity, and Bodily Affect in Theme Parks
1 Immersion Versus Immersivity
2 Immersivity and the Role of Narratives
2.1 Theme Parks as Fiction
2.2 Immersive Narratives
3 Immersivity and the Role of Bodily Affect
4 From Immersivity to Immersion
References
Inclusion and Exclusion: Marginalization in Theme Parks
1 Introduction
2 Racialized-Turned-Economic Exclusion
3 Between Exclusion and Integration
4 Symbolic Exclusion: Dealing with Representation
5 Visitors Reacting to and Participating in In- and Exclusion
References
Industry: Global Trends, Players, and Networks in the Theme Park Industry
1 Defining the Field
2 Business Typologies and Corporate Developments
2.1 Theme Park Types and Characteristics
2.2 Industry Development Trends and Players Worldwide
3 Theme Park Clusters and Networks
References
Labor: Working Conditions, Employment Trends, and the Job Market in the Theme Park Industry
1 Introduction
2 Theme Parks as Labor Environments: Internal Organizational Principles
2.1 Contexts of Labor
2.2 Casting and Training
2.3 Informal Organization and Worker Interactions
3 Theme Parks, Labor, and Society: Parks Within Their Broader Environment
3.1 Impact of Theme Parks on the Labor Market and Local Economies
3.2 Artists’ Contracts
3.3 Labor Organizations and Collective Bargaining
3.4 Migration Patterns: Domestic and International Dynamics
4 Audience Labor
5 Conclusion
References
Media and Mediality in Theme Parks
1 Introduction
2 Media Ecologies and the Development of the Theme Park
3 Plurimediality
4 Remediations
5 Transmediality and Convergence Culture
6 Conclusion
References
Methods: Facing the Challenges of Studying Theme Parks
1 Introduction
2 Queer Academia
3 Failed Projects
4 History and Archaeology
5 Working with Archives
6 Working with Databases
7 Quantitative Research
8 Private and Public Space
9 Reflexivity
10 Phenomenological Approaches
11 Landscape Analysis
12 Participant Observation
13 Publishing
References
Paratexts and Reception: Images of Theme Parks in Art, Popular Culture, and Discourse
1 Introduction
2 Theme Park Paratexts: Mediated Landscapes
3 Theme Park Texts: Theme Parks in Popular Culture and the Arts
4 The Theme Park as Metaphor
5 Conclusion
References
Space: Representing, Producing, and Experiencing Space in Theme Parks
1 Introduction
2 The Doubling of Space: Themed and Theming Space
3 Designing and Mapping Theme Park Space
4 The Experience of Space in Theme Parks
5 Conclusion
References
Theming: Modes of Representation in Theme Parks and Themed Environments
1 Introduction
2 Theming: A Definition
3 Externality
4 Recognizability
5 A Wide Range of Themes
6 Theming Beyond the Parks
7 The Limits of Theming
8 A Glimpse into the Future
References
Time: Represented, Experienced, and Managed Temporalities in Theme Parks
1 Introduction
2 Represented Time
3 Experienced Time
4 Managed Time
5 External Time
6 In the Rhythm of the Theme Park
References
Visitors: The Roles of Guests as Customers, Pilgrims, Fans, Performers, and Bodies in the Theme Park
1 Introduction
2 Visitors as Customers
3 Visitors as Pilgrims
4 Visitors as Fans
5 Visitors as Performers
6 Visitors as Bodies
7 Conclusion
References
Worldviews and Ideologies: Nationalism, Regionalism, Capitalism, Religion, and Other Weltanschauungen in Theme Parks
1 Introduction
2 Types of Worldviews in Theme Parks
2.1 Cultural Imperialism
2.2 Nationalism
2.3 Regionalism
2.4 Capitalism
2.5 Religion
2.6 Environmentalism
3 Disseminating Worldviews
4 Conclusion
References