Discussion Journal #10

          This week in class (Nov 11-15) we learned about the differences in the PRT industry than those in service industries. We were shown why our industries are actually experience industries. Professor Wells stressed to us the importance of having both the Technical performance skills as well as the Artistic performance skills to create the correct atmosphere and provide each customer a great experience. She stressed to us that in order to provide the great experiences we want, we first must set up a great setting as the backdrop for our great experiences.
          It was while we were discussing settings that I became very interested. Professor Wells spoke about ensuring that when setting up an area you attempt to engage all of the senses sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. She spoke about how engaging each of these will help make the event more memorable as an example she showed us a clip from a U2 that was performed on a roof top saying that the people seeing them up on the roof, hearing them in the street, feeling the crowd grow around them, smelling the air as the wind blew. She pointed out that each of the people viewing probably talked about being there for weeks and remember it for the rest of their lives. We had also read about much of the same ideas in our reading "Be our guest"  in the reading they talk about how Disney focuses on each area. With sight he focused not only what you can see but what you can't see, by building a burm to block out the sight of the surrounding city. The reading was fascinating and informative.
        Based on what I have learned this week, I believe that when I begin to create and update the programs during my career I will pay more attention to all of the details. Even things I never thought of before such as smell. I have realized the areas that are often missed or left out of programming. Hopefully in the future all of the information that I am learning will contribute to the creating of better programming and better experiences for the guests visiting the parks I work in.