Here’s How I Experienced Asian American Culture at Disney

When some children grow up to hear fairy tales about remote lands, I have grown up with stories about a magical space, which is five hours away from Disneyland, my hometown of California. We had a children’s book about “this is a small world” and my mother always likes to keep an eye on that “heaven on earth” is “just so peaceful”.

As the daughter of Taiwan immigrants, I often felt as if I had jumping ropes between the two sides of my Asian American identity. But our tours of Disney always felt like a prototypel all -American experience. We may not be apparently aware of it at the moment, but maybe we felt a link because it was the place where we saw the roles that we saw representing us.

After decades, we started a multi -faceted family journey in the park in 2017 with our parents and two young nephews. The journey took place a few days before the lunar New Year, and I was surprised to see the “lunar New Year” near Disney California, decorated in traditional red and gold lanterns and testers under an Asian -hit, Mickey -shaped logo.

It turns out, it was a part of the park’s annual lunar New Year festivals, which initially began as a week -long program in 2012, but after that it has almost extended a month’s event. We saw menu items from Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine, and even Mickey and Money roles were dressed in traditional organizations. To see a park that felt that “American” hugs Asian traditions, but it was overcome, but as it really is embraced and understood. It felt particularly violent during my first visit to my nieces – knowing that they would grow up in a more comprehensive society.

Until last month, it was not that I was attracted to Disney again, visited Walt Disney World in Lake Buna Vista, Florida, to participate in the 5K runs of run Disney Spring Times surprise Week and 5k runs. And II began to look for Asian American influences throughout the park: First a mahjong table in the lobby of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and later I saw the collective pins of roles on Asian -style fans and Boba drinks.

Earlier this month, I visited Disneyland to celebrate his 70th birthday. And instead of hunting hidden mickeys, I went to the park looking for US influence.

I started my search at a hybrid in San Francisco and Disney California adventure in San Francisco Square in Tokyo, the movie “Big Hero 6.” Inspired by. This section was known as the Pacific Warf, and immediately to solve me. It was blown away. Signs were written with Japanese and Chinese characters, and tons of traditional Asian maps, such as gold coins, dragons, Lucky cats and lantern. It was all definite evidence that Disneyland was making a meaningful investment in diversity. According to the Pew Research Center data, this is especially meaningful in California, where 7.1 million people (which are about 18 %) identify as Asian..

But did not impress me more than the menus. Lucky Fortune Cocherry served honey walnut shrimp, stickers, chicken sandwichs affected by Kraji, Yaki Adon, and her resonant beef Brewer Ramen. At Auntie Cas Cafe, Soba Nodal Salad, California Roll Sandwich, and – My Madness – San Francisco Klem was in a bowl of bread. Flavor with white smashes, it was remote by burgers and hot dogs I expected as the theme park rent.

But the Asian -American affected offerings were not limited to San Francisco Square. While watching together: A Pixar Paulus Celebration Parade (which is returning to Disney California adventure next summer), I was surprised that the opening float includes Red Panda May, as well as other roles of “Reading Red”.

Later, I was standing with the lemonade of honey with poping bubbles from Auntie Cas in Disneyland, celebrating the happiness of the caulkade, was surprised by the fact that I was watching a Disney parade that with a Boba drink with drinking in my hand, I never thought during my childhood tours.

Walking around the Main Street America of Disneyland, I noticed that one of the window in Emporium, is dedicated to the Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. But this was not the only tribute in the month of AAPI. I have also seen signs for special menu items around the park, including Lucky Fortune Cocaine Fruit Orange-Gava Cartoon and Green Tea Lagar.

During May, the Park’s Disney Photopas included the themes, which included pictures with the characters of Asian Disney, including “Up,” Panda Mei. And “Shang Chi and ten rings.” Even here there was a sketch pad propsion in which a Chinese American Inmerator Tyrosis Wang was exhibited, which was the main artist behind “Bambi”.

In May, Asian Disney artists included autograph signatures with Stesey Evima and Eric Tan, with lessons with Russell and May, showing and showing the film’s “Moana” and “Turning Red” film nights, Polynesian, Japanese, Indian, and Filipino instructors.

But perhaps the most important Asian increase is New Dan Tai Fung, which was opened in the city of Disney in July 2024. Visiting the original place of the restaurant in Taipei was always a large part of my tours of Taiwan, and it was quite in mind that he was now anchor restaurant at a major American theme park. Since I enjoyed my favorite spicy Wonton and Telzo Long Baus, I was tickled to learn the restaurant, even had a limited pin set to celebrate the park’s 70th anniversary.

To stumble all the meaningful Asian American elements that were sprinkled all over, there was no accident, but the Park’s Asian American Pacific Islander Employee Group, Compass. The compass, Eli Kamoto, co -chair of the group at Disneyland Resort, said that the compass “tries to educate our cast with maximum understanding and appreciation of our API culture” Travel + leisure.

Kamovato was born in Anahim and always love Disney. But now she is sending it forward to the next generation, and was behind the AAPI display of Emporium. She says, “It was a moment to look at this window and to share the window with my son, which I was very proud of.”

Like my own family, he adds that he has always been a fan of “this small world”, which has been updated over the years to add “Lilo and Stitch” to the Pacific islands, and recently, the Mexico section has been added to “Coco” and dental.

“I just feel happy when I represent and see countless cultures,” says Kamovato. “We have guests who come from all over the world, and I think everyone can see a reflection of their culture.”