Author Rachel Chang discusses her love of Disney and the way the park is making her really feel extra understood now than ever earlier than with significant storytelling—plus, Din Tai Fung soup dumplings and boba.
Whereas some children develop up listening to fairy tales about faraway lands, I grew up with tales a few magical place that is a few five-hour drive from my California hometown of San José: Disneyland. We had a youngsters’s e book in regards to the “It’s a Small World” trip and my mother at all times likes to muse on how the attraction is “simply so peaceable,” like “heaven on earth.”
Because the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, I usually felt like I used to be leaping rope between the 2 sides of my Asian American identification. However our visits to Disney at all times felt just like the prototypical all-American expertise. We might not have been outwardly cognizant of it on the time, however maybe we felt a connection because it was the one place the place we noticed characters that appeared like us being represented.
A long time later, we launched into a multigenerational household journey to the park in 2017 with my dad and mom and two younger nieces. This journey simply occurred to happen days earlier than Lunar New Yr, and I used to be shocked to see an archway studying “Lunar New Yr” close to Disney California Journey decked out in conventional red-and-gold lanterns and tassels below an Asian-inspired, Mickey-shaped brand.
Seems, it was a part of the park’s annual Lunar New Yr festivities, which initially began in 2012 as a week-long occasion, however has since expanded into a virtually month-long celebration. We noticed menu objects from Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese language cuisines, and there have been even Mickey and Minnie characters wearing conventional outfits. To see a park that felt so “American” embrace Asian traditions went past simply feeling seen, however like actually being embraced and understood. It felt particularly poignant throughout my nieces’ first go to—understanding they’ll develop up in a extra inclusive society.
Richard Harbaugh/Disneyland Resort
It wasn’t till final month that I used to be lured again to a Disney once more, visiting Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, to take part within the Run Disney Springtime Shock Weekend’s 5K run. And I I started recognizing Asian American influences everywhere in the park: first a mahjong desk within the foyer of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and I later noticed collectible pins of characters on Asian-style followers and boba drinks.
Early this month, I visited Disneyland for its seventieth Anniversary Celebration. And as a substitute of trying to find hidden Mickeys, I went on a hunt for Asian American influences on the park.
I started my search in Disney California Journey in San Fransokyo Sq., a hybrid of San Francisco and Tokyo impressed by the film “Large Hero 6.” This part was once referred to as Pacific Wharf, and I used to be instantly blown away by the redressing. There have been indicators written with Japanese and Chinese language characters, and tons of conventional Asian motifs, like gold cash, dragons, fortunate cats, and lanterns. It was all definitive proof that Disneyland is making a significant funding in range. It particularly is sensible in California, the place 7.1 million individuals (that is about 18 p.c) determine as Asian, based on knowledge from the Pew Analysis Middle.
However nothing impressed me greater than the menus. Fortunate Fortune Cookery served up honey walnut shrimp wraps, potstickers, karaage-inspired hen sandwiches, yaki udon, and its buzzed-about beef birria ramen. Aunt Cass Café had soba noodle salad, California roll sandwich, and—my obsession—San Fransokyo Clam Chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. Flavored with white miso, it was all a far cry from the burgers and scorching canines I had anticipated as theme park fare.
However the Asian American-inspired choices weren’t restricted to San Fransokyo Sq.. Whereas watching the Higher Collectively: A Pixar Buddies Celebration parade (which is returning to Disney California Journey via subsequent summer season), I used to be stunned that the opening float featured Pink Panda Mei, together with different characters from “Turning Pink.”
Later, I stood with a honey lemonade with popping bubbles from Aunt Cass’ on the Disneyland Have a good time Glad Cavalcade, bemused by the very fact I used to be watching a Disney parade with a boba drink in hand, one thing I by no means may have imagined throughout my childhood visits.
Wandering down Disneyland’s Essential Road U.S.A., I observed that one of many window shows at Emporium, was devoted to Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. However that wasn’t the one homage to AAPI month. I additionally noticed indicators for particular menu objects across the park, together with ardour fruit-orange-guava punch and inexperienced tea lager at Fortunate Fortune Cookery.
Throughout Could, the park’s Disney PhotoPass featured themed MagicShots, with pictures superimposed with Asian Disney characters together with Russell from “Up,” Panda Mei from “Turning Pink,” and the rings from “Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings.” There was even a sketch pad prop choice showcasing work by Tyrus Wong, a Chinese language American animator who was the lead artist behind “Bambi.”
There have been additionally particular occasions in Could together with autograph signings with Asian Disney artists Stacy Aoyama and Eric Tan, drawing classes with Russell and Mei, film nights showings of “Moana” and “Turning Pink,” and dance classes with Tahitian, Polynesian, Japanese, Indian, and Filipino instructors.
However maybe essentially the most important everlasting Asian addition is the brand new Din Tai Fung, which opened July 2024 at Downtown Disney. Visiting the restaurant’s authentic location in Taipei was at all times a significant a part of my journeys to Taiwan, and it was completely mind-boggling that it was now the anchor restaurant at a significant American theme park. As I loved my favourite spicy wontons and sesame xiao lengthy baos, I used to be tickled to study the restaurant even had a restricted pin set to rejoice the park’s seventieth anniversary.
Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort
Stumbling upon all these significant Asian American parts sprinkled all through the half was no accident, however the work of Compass, the park’s Asian American Pacific Islander worker group. Compass “strives to teach our Forged with a higher understanding and appreciation of our AAPI tradition” and “helps advise on tradition consciousness for Disneyland Resort choices,” the group’s co-chair Allie Kawamoto, lodge expertise integration supervisor at Disneyland Resort, tells Journey + Leisure.
Kawamoto was born in Anaheim and has at all times cherished Disney. However now she’s paying it ahead to the following technology, and was behind the Emporium’s AAPI show. “Seeing this window come to life and with the ability to share the window with my son was a second I used to be very pleased with,” she says.
Like my family, she provides that she’s at all times been a fan of “It’s a Small World,” which has been up to date via the years to incorporate “Lilo and Sew” in its Pacific Islands part, and most just lately, “Coco'”s Miguel and Dante within the Mexico portion.
“I simply really feel glad as I trip via and see numerous cultures represented,” Kawamoto says. “We’ve visitors that go to from all over the world, and I feel nearly everybody can see a mirrored image of their tradition.”