The Mouse and the Myth

Book excerpt: Upholds “a Disney vacation as a religious experience . . . [offers] insightful arguments relating to the nature of play as well as Nietzschean philosophy” (Reading Religion). Rituals mark significant moments in our lives—perhaps none more significant than moments of lightheartedness, joy, and play. Rituals of play are among the most sacred of any of the rites in which humanity may engage. Although we may fail to recognize them, they are always present in culture, providing a kind of psychological release for their participants, child and adult alike. Disneyland is an example of the kind of container necessary for the construction of rituals of play. This work explores the original Disney theme park in Anaheim as a temple cult. It challenges the disciplines of mythological studies, religious studies, film studies, and depth psychology to broaden traditional definitions of the kind of cultural apparatus that constitute temple culture and ritual. It does so by suggesting that Hollywood’s entertainment industry has developed a platform for mythic ritual. After setting the ritualized “stage,” this book turns to the practices in Disneyland proper, analyzing the patron’s traditions within the framework of the park and beyond. It explores Disneyland’s spectacles, through selected shows and parades, and concludes with an exploration of the park’s participation in ritual renewal. “There is much to commend in Koehler’s study . . . Surely, her work should encourage others to examine myth construction and sacred-secular rituals in popular culture.”—H-Celebration