Introduction

The creation of Disney has made a clear impact on our society.  Regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or any other factor, most people in our generation are familiar with Disney.  As soon as I was aware that Decoding Disney was an option for my freshmen 101 writing class, I was intrigued.  Disney has been a part of my life since I was young, but I never expected to be studying it as a freshman in college.  Just like any other young girl, I loved the Disney princesses when I was a kid.  Growing up The Little Mermaid was my favorite Disney movie and I wanted to be just like Ariel.  Although I loved the princesses, Winnie the Pooh has always been my favorite Disney character.  I had the whole book collection, as well as every Winnie the Pooh themed stuffed animal that was made.  In addition, I loved watching Disney channel and all the new series that would come out.  Although it is a soft spot, I have still never been to Disney World or Disney Land.  Hopefully one day soon I will go, but my parents never wanted to wait in the lines.  Often young kids have the most exposure to Disney themed products, however, the more I think about it the more I realize how present Disney still is in my life as a 18 year old.  The amount of Disney merchandise I see around is astounding.  Since the beginning of Writing 101, I have already noticed aspects of Disney in many more places.  As an example, I have noticed that I have Disney Princess band aids in my dorm room and my roommate has a cereal box with Disney characters on it.  From Disney band aids, to clothes, to stuffed animals, it is hard to think of a product that doesn’t have a Disney themed version.