If I was any doubt of the growing influence of British mum bloggers (which – let’s face it – I wasn’t) then a recent trip to America left no room for doubt.
Along with Lulu of Family Affairs and Other Matters, Jenography was part of a UK media contingent attending the launch of the Disney Dream cruise ship. Our group also included journalists writing for the Independent, News of the World, The Telegraph and cruise experts shooting video and writing for sites.
The entire cruise was packed with media from North America, photographers, videographers and broadcasters, and we kept running into celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg and John Stamos (sooo much dishier in real life than he looks on TV). There were tours of the fancy restaurants and gee-whiz techno advances on board. (You can see our individual blogging coverage via the links below.) (Update: I was remiss in not mentioning the host of bloggers Disney has previously worked with, who helped forged the great working relationship between the company and British bloggers. They were also avid supporters of this trip. See links below!)
Getting our picture taken with Mickey on Disney’s private island Castaway Cay (above) was pretty exciting. But getting the pictures below taken was way better than that.
The most exciting moment wasn’t the stars, the characters or the Disney hospitality – it was our one-to-one with Walt Disney Company President and CEO Bob Iger and Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. (Right: Me and Bob. I’m not copping a feel; that’s his lower arm you see between us.)
To put this in perspective, Iger runs the whole of the vast Walt Disney organisation – mention that you’re meeting him and employees swoon, journalists salivate. He wasn’t spending the day doing media rounds with one and all. We were told he was meeting bloggers only.
That’s how Lulu and I came to be seated at a table in the special “concierge” area of the ship with Bob and two American bloggers talking about how the Mouse plans to work with bloggers and up its social media game.
Dressed casually in a blue t-shirt, khakis and penny loafers, Bob described how Disney is working to engage and remain relevant to families, including sceptical, slightly jaded British ones. (The UK is “one of [Disney’s] most important markets in the world,” he said.)
“We don’t have to be edgier. We just have to be good,” Bob said, citing the examples of High School Musical and Pirates of the Caribbean as examples of Disney’s focus on quality and emotional relevancy while avoiding the sex and drugs…although rock and roll does get a look-in.
He described how Disney aims to use technology not only to entertain but to make the “Disney experience” more customisable. On the ship, for example, in the Animator’s Palate restaurant, a cartoon Crush from Nemo addresses diners by name. In the Oceaneer Club for children, a big screen on the floor features games that allow kids play in a group, using individually controlled floor panels.
Disney’s drive to work with bloggers is driven by the essential question “what is a trusted source?”. The company gets that blogs’ authenticity and personal voices are their biggest selling points.
After Bob said goodbye, Tom Staggs (left, with Lulu) sat down for a quick chat about how Disney cruises are tailoring the experiences to better appeal to both families as a whole and to family members individually.
That’s why you have not only a dazzling kids’ club but also a groovy no-adults-allowed teen club (with teen-only sundeck) and upscale restaurant and clubs for grown-up afterhours fun. “It’s gotta be a great fun vacation but let’s not treat the family as a single unit,” he explains.
Our session in the Concierge Lounge on Deck 12 (we passed both Whoopi and John Stamos on the way in; excuse us, guys!) was less John Humphries-style grilling, more love fest.
Naturally there are a reasons to like and admire one of America’s charismatic, most highly paid CEOs – the man who’s leading the premier family entertainment brand in the Western world and who speaks emphatically about the advantages of clean-cut amusements that “touch the heart”.
Yet it looks like Disney is also clued-up to the reasons why it should like British parent bloggers like us too.
— Jennifer Howze (Jenography.net)
Read Lulu’s Disney Dream cruise review from Family Affairs
Read Jen’s review on Jenography
Lulu and Jen were guests of Disney and Virgin Holidays
More great posts from blogger/Disney projects
Dulwich Divorcee’s Happy Ever After
EnglishMum’s Disney parks part 1 and part 2
Little Mummy’s 26 tips for families at DisneyWorld
Are We Nearly There Yet’s reports of the “Disney 7”
You’ve Got Your Hands Full talks about mum bloggers hitting Disney
Diary of a Desperate Exmoor Woman – reality bites after Disney
Jane Alexander’s picky parents’ guide to Walt Disney World
Have a Lovely Time’s coverage of mum bloggers hitting Disney in 2009
I’m sure we’ve missed loads more so post them below!
About Jennifer Howze
Jennifer Howze is the Creative Director and co-founder of BritMums. She blogs about family travel at Jenography.net, tweets at @JHowze and Instagrams at @JHowze. Previously, she wrote the Alpha Mummy blog at The Times and as a journalist has contributed to The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Wall Street Journal, Travel & Leisure, Budget Travel, CNN.com, Allure, SELF and Premiere, among others. She won The Maggie Award from the Planned Parenthood Federation of America for a health article in Seventeen magazine.
Jennifer Howze
Wednesday 9th of February 2011
Aw, it would have been great to meet up. Hopefully there will be a next time.
Jennifer James
Wednesday 9th of February 2011
It's too bad I didn't see you on the trip, Jennifer. It would have been nice to run into one another. Glad to hear you had a wonderful time!
Mari
Monday 7th of February 2011
I wrote recently about cruise ships and ocean liners and how it is my dream to go on one but of course with two little ones in tow, it's a dream that gets pushed to the bottom of the pile - one day, one day. This sounds like the perfect solution, what a fabulous idea.
Jennifer Howze
Thursday 3rd of February 2011
Another Stamos fan? We should hold regular viewing parties/tequila slammer nights.
MumVersusKids
Thursday 3rd of February 2011
Oh Liz, i remember that Prince of Persia outing - I had been to see the sneak preview at Disney in Hammersmith, sans Jake :( I think the other thing they do well is that they make it remarkably easy to write about them - all the info and assets (images etc) are easily accessible, and every one of their staff has been very approachable and helpful, and quick to respond to queries. In fact they always look like they're having a great time too - makes me wonder whether I should pack it all in and go get a proper job working for them!