An Interview with Disneyland Resort President Cynthia Harriss - Part One
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Harriss with former baseball player Cal Ripkin at
Cal Ripkin Day at DCA
Cynthia Harriss was named to the top position at Disneyland and given the title of Executive Vice President in January 1999. In December 1999 she was promoted to President of the Disneyland Resort. Since that time she's overseen the expansion of the Disneyland Resort including Disney's California Adventure.
LaughingPlace.com editor Doobie Moseley had the opportunity to interview Harriss in her office on September 13th (prior to the opening of a bug's land and Haunted Mansion Holiday and prior to Paul Pressler's leaving Disney) about a number of subjects related to the Disneyland Resort. The first half of this interview is shown below. Part two is also now available.
Note: LaughingPlace.com first interviewed Harriss two years ago (click here to read) which includes much more background information on Harriss' career.
LaughingPlace.com: Lets start with the big thing coming up. Tell me about Fliks Fun Fair.
Cynthia Harriss: First of all, its a bug's land. Fliks Fun Fair is a part of a bug's land. And were thrilled. Actually this weekend were doing our Cast previews and cant wait to see the land filled with all the little guys because weve been having such a good time bringing it to life. Essentially have you seen it yet?.
LP: No.
CH: Are you going to go out and see it today?
LP: Yes.
CH: Oh great. Because what you will see immediately is why were so enthused about it. This is truly a Disney experience and the bug's land is exactly what youd expect of us in that you're being totally immersed. Theres actually a few things youre not going to see that are getting finalized over the next couple of weeks.
Essentially Fliks Fun Fair is where we can celebrate the Pixar/Disney favorite characters from a bugs life. And in it we have five attractions. All of them are geared for the whole family but probably will be most intriguing for those guests that are a little shorter - little kids - and theyre just fabulous. So I think thats what youll see. Theres Dots Puddle Park. There is Heimlichs which actually I think is going to be the favorite to tell you the truth. Yesterday I was out there with the attractions Cast Members who are going to be the opening team. Theyre all competing with who can do the Heimlich voice the best. So therere so many funny things in it. Weve got Tuck and Roll, Francis the Ladybug and Fliks Fliers. But more importantly this is where you are immersed in the land. Its where you become a bug. Everything is gigantic in size so that youre bug size. In the entrance to Fliks Fun Fair you walk through a cereal box and everything is themed. The restrooms are a Kleenex box - its fabulous. But its also given us an opportunity to really highlight a bugs life by having its own land. What well do in the farm, what youll see over the next couple of weeks, is some more buggy, really cool additions to it.
LP: Why the decision to make California Adventure first big expansion something geared towards youngsters.
CH: First and foremost its what the guests ask for. Youve been here from opening day - well,. youve been here from dig the dirt with us - and just like with all our new parks what we do is open them with a full array of entertainment but then immediately go out and poll our guests about what additional things they want. And overwhelmingly people said they wanted more Disney and more things for their little ones to do. Theres lots for the whole family to do in Disneys California Adventure. But just like what we have in Disneyland where theres a Toontown and a Fantasyland, this is a land thats really geared towards the little guys. And theres just that dynamic. There are a lot of things to do and if youre six years old you can just run from one to the next and are close by. Its just a lot of fun. Thats why we put that focus.