Theme Park Landscapes

The prevalence and influence of “theming” increased so dramatically during the 1990s that theme parks have become a metaphor for postmodern urban life. In particular, critics apply the term “Disneyfication” to any landscape developed to communicate with several audiences, especially when that communication is an attempt to stimulate and direct consumption. While scholars have prepared numerous explorations of this phenomenon, few scholarly studies focus on the landscapes in theme parks. This volume’s authors examine current and past, public and private, obviously and subtly themed landscapes in Asia, Europe, and North America in response to this worldwide development.