Walt Disney Enterprises - The celebration chronicles: life, liberty and the pursuit of property values in Disneys New Town

[A] FINE-GRAINED, NUANCED BOOK

[Ross] has brought his theories to the heartland and tested them against the ever surprising realities of the ongoing American experiment.

U.S. News & World Report

Fascinating Ross is self-deprecating and funny, but also respectful of the dreams of the Celebrationites.

San Diego Union-Tribune

Ross does a great job explaining Disneys concept behind Celebration, the residents motivations in moving there, the controversy around the experimental school, the conflict with the builders over shoddy building practices, and the media spotlight under which the town developed. He not only tells the story of the town, but also gives a tour of many of the issues confronting modern American society.

Rocky Mountain News

Informative thoughtful analyses Fluid, well written

Chicago Tribune

Ross plunges into the whole-wheat Wonder Bread communitarianism of the place. [He] is a likable and an entertaining observer of the social ecology.

The New Yorker

Fascinating Excellent analyses[An] enduring summation of what Celebration may mean for the future of America. [An] expansive portrait of late-twentieth-century American values.

Portland Oregonian

Ross is at his best. His observations about Celebrations dating scene and forced pageantry are hilarious.

Time Out New York

Ross [is an] intrepid investigator [who] describes the inner working of Disney and the Celebration Company in telling anecdotes that speak volumes about the Disney ethos.

The Orlando Weekly

Also by Andrew Ross

Real Love

The Chicago Gangster Theory of Life

Strange Weather

No Respect

The Failure of Modernism

No Sweat (editor)

Science Wars (editor)

Microphone Fiends (editor, with T. Rose)

Technoculture (coeditor, with C. Penley)

Universal Abandon? (editor)

A Ballantine Book
Published by The Ballantine Publishing Group

Copyright 1999 by Andrew Ross, Ph.D.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by The Ballantine Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.

Ballantine and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

www.randomhouse.com/BB/

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 00-105827

eISBN: 978-0-307-78846-7

v3.1

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

T his book chronicles a year I spent in residence in Celebration from September 1997 to August 1998, in addition to several visits before and after that period. During that time, I participated fully in the community life of Celebration, and conducted six or seven hundred hours of interviews, primarily with town residents, company employees, and area inhabitants. Unless otherwise cited, quotations in the book are from these interviews, or from comments made in public meetings and in semi-public settings. The Celebration Chronicles is primarily based on the stories of the people I talked to. Some of the names of residents have been altered to protect their privacy.

I had no association with the Walt Disney Company, but Ann-Marie Matthews, Ralph Kline, and Marilyn Waters, each of whom served as communications officers of The Celebration Company, responded promptly to my requests for information and for interviews with Disney employees.

My special gratitude goes to Dave Eaton, Brian Haas, and Diane Polsen-Haas, who showed particular kindness and generosity during my residence.

There were many others in Celebration whose help and hospitality I enjoyed. Among them were:

Christine Herzog, Larry Rosen, Brent Herrington, Dawn Thomas, Ron Dickson, Jackson and Sarah Mumey, Lenny Savino, Scott Biehler, Sarai Cowin, Donald and Joan Jones, Carolyn Hopp, Melissa Rodriguez, Donna Leinsing, Charmaine Gabel, Jackie Flanigan, Bob Shinn, Jim Whelan, Marty Treu, Margo Schwartz, Charlie Rogers, Leonard Timm, Robin Delaney, Pam and Bob Morris, Debbie Lehman, Charles Adams, Perry Reeder, Tom Dunn, Karen and Tom Zirbes, Beulah Farquarson, Larry Haber, Jeff La Mendola, Debbie Delevan, Joseph Palacios, Peter Rummell, Paul and Iris Kraft, Alex Morton, Tom Vitale, Heather Krawsczyk, Ron Clifton, Ray and Debbie Chiaramonte, Andy Carson, Dot Davis, Rachel Binns, Sarah Fields, Kennedy Donofrio, Peg and Rod Owens, John Arcuri, Joe Barnes, Todd Mansfield, Dee Stevens, Kathy Johnson, Gregory Ross, Jim and Shirley Bailey, Melie Ablang, Don Killoren, David Pace, Lise and Ron Juneman, Wanda Wade, David and Jo Ann Tennant, Al and Judy Ziffer, Bob Stern, Andres Duany, Betty and Roger Popp, Patrick Wrisley, Rodney and Debbie Jones, Mike and Lorraine Turner, Tom Lewis, Lance and Karin Boyer, Raffaello, Lisa, Max and Caitlin Sessoms, and Fred and Darlene Rapanotti.

All the best to the Honeysuckle Potluckers and the Montessori Initiative!

Thanks to John Hayt, who was kind enough to take some photographs for me.

A big shout-out to my cronies in Orlando, especially to Lisa Stokes and Michael Hoover, whose fulsome comradeship knew no bounds. All hail to the deathless ninja soul of Tyler Stokes! To Wendy Brandon, I owe many thanks for the culinary wisdom, and the vibe from that white Porsche. And to Kevin Meehanlet us salute the rockin memory of the Shirtless Wonder.

Jeff Truesdell, editor of the Orlando Weekly, and Rick Bernhardt, at the City of Orlando Planning Department, were both helpful and gracious.

Constance Penley first introduced me to the people and landscapes of Central Florida through family visits.

Many thanks to my colleagues at NYUGeorge Yudice, Lisa Duggan, Nikhil Pal Singh, and Philip Brian Harperwho all filled in for me during my years sabbatical, and my students, who either respected my leave, or, better still, who came to visit, like Mabel Wilson, Alondra Nelson, Kitty Krupat, and Nichole Rustin.

Lisa Maya Knauer, Robyn Dutra, and Alison Reddick all provided essential research assistance, early and late.

Faye Ginsburg read a manuscript draft and offered valuable suggestions, and Emily Grayson, at Ballantine, provided crucial help.

A deep debt lies with Katherine Silberger, who never lived there, but who lived with Celebration each day of the year that I did.

Peter Borland, my unflappable editor at Ballantine, and Elyse Cheney, my unstoppable agent at Sanford Greenburger, cooked up this assignment for me over a portentous lunch. Peter kept me on track, while Elyse was an energy source of ideas and inspirations. I am very grateful for all of their attention, support, and hard work.