Welcome to Disney Youth Education Series Field Trips
Hosted by Glenna Johnson
Disney Youth Programs are valuable learning experiences that harness the power of Disney storytelling and the magic of Disney parks.
The courses currently offered at the Disneyland Resort are:
Designing a Disney Story
Grades 3-12
Get an inside look at how Disney animators create full-length animated features. Learn the history of the art form, develop storytelling skills and practice techniques used to bring some of the most beloved characters of all time to life.
Program Overview
Learn about the complex components that work together to bring favorite Disney characters and stories to the big screen. In this 3-hour program, students will study Disney’s role in the history and processes used to create early animated features, as well as the innovative animation techniques used to bring the visions of modern storytellers to life. Students will explore their own storytelling skills by planning and designing a storyboard and creating a kineograph.Key Learning Points
During this interactive field study, students will:- Articulate various elements of Walt Disney’s animation pipeline
- Describe Walt Disney’s contributions to the field of animation
- Understand the history and progression of animation from hand-drawn to computer
- Draw a Disney character using simple geometric shapes
- Demonstrate storyboarding
- Create a kineograph
- Create a thaumatrope
- Articulate the physical process of the theory of persistence of vision
- Calculate the number of frames needed in a 60-minute animated film
Energy and Waves Physics Lab 101
Grades 3-6
Experience Disneyland Park through the eyes of a physicist! Explore how the energies of light and sound come together to create unforgettable attraction experiences.
Program Overview
Students discover light and sound as forms of energy and how to use them in practical application. In this 2.5-hour academic adventure, students see first-hand how these elements are a vital part of creating world-class attractions and how Disney uses these physical properties to entertain and amaze guests from all over the world.Key Learning Points
During this interactive field study, students will:- Define energy, work, and waves
- Describe different forms of energy and the Law of Conservation of Energy
- Demonstrate the properties of a compression wave in a medium
- Describe binaural hearing
- Articulate the relationship between light’s wavelength and color
- Demonstrate how light is refracted in glass
- Discuss different historical figures and order events chronologically
- Realize that science is a powerful tool for creating enjoyable experiences
Energy and Waves Physics Lab 201
Grades 6-12
See Disney California Adventure Park through the eyes of a physicist! Experience park attractions as you explore how magnetism, light and sound are applied to achieve dazzling outcomes.
Program Overview
Witness physics principles at work in creating true-to-form Disney attractions. With hands-on experiments and demonstrations, students come to understand the fundamentals of acoustics and optics, in addition to the different mediums that affect the transmission of light and sound waves during this 3-hour field study.Key Learning Points
During this interactive field study, students will:- Design a Disney attraction concept
- Define and demonstrate wavelengths, frequency, and speed
- Articulate what binaural hearing is
- Describe a compression wave and its medium
- Discuss acoustics
- Describe different applications of magnetism
- Articulate the relationship between color and wavelength
- Demonstrate how light can be affected by objects like mirrors, prisms, and lenses
- Articulate the relationship between electricity and magnetism
- Distinguish the difference between permanent magnets and electromagnets
Properties of Motion Physics Lab
Grades 6-12
Head to Disney California Adventure Park to experience physics principles like kinetic energy and speed at work. Learn the role science plays in engineering our most thrilling attractions.
Program Overview
During this 3-hour interactive learning experience, students will learn the role of mechanical physics at Disney California Adventure Park. Students will study Newton’s laws of motion and use the scientific method to explore the practical uses of magnetism, friction, gravity and different forms of energy. With the park as their learning lab, students will perform hands-on experiments to see and test the relationship between physics and their favorite Disney attractions.Key Learning Points
During this interactive field study, students will:- Brainstorm and design concepts for a Disney attraction
- Describe various forms of energy
- Define speed, velocity, acceleration, inertia, force, and friction
- Discuss and measure g-forces
- State and illustrate the Law of Conservation of Energy
- State Newton’s First and Third Laws of Motion
- Compare and contrast traditional propulsion systems to linear induction motors
- Articulate factors that may influence the attraction design process
- Discuss various careers associated with the study of physics
Exploring the Golden State
Grades 3-6
Delve into the rich history of California’s people, places and events at Disney California Adventure Park—from the gold rush to the redwood forests and beyond.
Program Overview
Students act as early settlers as they travel through the park to explore the 4 regions of California, Native American culture, the gold rush and California missions. During this 3-hour program students will learn about the state’s rich history, including the influential events and people that shaped the Golden State like Chuck Yeager, Amelia Earhart, Howard Hughes, John Muir and Walt Disney. They will also learn of the obstacles early Californians had to overcome to fulfill their dreams.Key Learning Points
During this interactive field study, students will:- Articulate the importance of community and citizenship
- Discuss famous figures from California history
- Point out the four regions of California on a map
- Compare and contrast immigration and migration
- Discuss four Native American tribes of California
- Describe the California missions and the Gold Rush
- Practice water and nature conservation
- Prepare for earthquakes
- Explore and share their hopes and dreams
Creating a Leadership Legacy
Grades 6-12
Students learn how to develop their own leadership legacy to become confident in their ability to accomplish goals and be motivated to achieve the impossible.
Program Overview
Creating a Leadership Legacy, is a 3-hour leadership experience through Disney California Adventure Park that enables anyone age 12 and up to discover Walt Disney’s secret to making dreams come true. Students learn how to develop their own leadership legacy, become confident in their ability to accomplish goals and be motivated to achieve the impossible. They are challenged to discover their personal brand, develop core values, have the courage to step out of their comfort zones and understand the importance of diversity as they explore the park and experience exciting attractions.Key Learning Points
After completing Creating a Leadership Legacy, students will be able to:- Identify and apply their core values
- Understand the importance of personal branding and integrity
- Develop interpersonal communication and career skills
- Understand the difference between verbal and non-verbal communication
- Learn from past leaders and build upon their skills
- Understand the importance of risk-taking
- Developing their self-esteem
- Discuss the importance of personal ownership
- Identify and apply techniques to overcome obstacles
- Find the courage and determination to accomplish goals and believe in their dreams
Disney's Approach to Leadership and Teamwork
Grades 6-12
Learn from Walt Disney’s leadership strategies and apply them to achieve stronger collaboration skills, increase confidence and set a course for success.
Program Overview
Discover the Disney way of working and the management skills used to lead a Cast of thousands. Students will practice overcoming obstacles by working as a team and thinking creatively to develop solutions during this 3-hour program. Exercises designed to reinforce courage, curiosity and constancy aim to give students the confidence to set goals and accomplish their dreams.Key Learning Points
During this interactive field study, students will:- Understand their personal leadership skills and how to apply them to a team setting
- Discuss the importance of diversity
- Brainstorm for creative ideas and solutions
- Learn the importance of communication, trust, and problem solving in a team setting
- Apply different ideas to a project
- Explore and approach a project from different perspectives
- Gain the confidence to overcome obstacles
- Find the courage and determination to accomplish goals and believe in their dreams
- Lead a project to completing while maintaining a positive attitude
Marketing the Story of Your Visual Brand
Grades 6-12
Students learn how to tell their story and develop a unique brand by employing the same marketing strategies and design choices utilized by the Walt Disney Company on a daily basis.
Program Overview
Using Disneyland Park as a backdrop, this 3-hour adventure exposes students to a hands-on marketing campaign, select attractions and photography concepts. Iconic environments provide teams with a landscape to create their own stories as they apply the principles of photography to narrative and learn how to communicate and market their stories to the world.Key Learning Points
After completing Marketing the Story of Your Visual Brand, students will:- Understand the importance of personal branding
- Be familiar with the key elements of effective storytelling
- Define and discuss the impact of social media
- Grasp the history of photography and how it is an ever-expanding frontier
- Apply photographic techniques to produce images with impact
- Use comparative analysis to determine which photos are the most effective
- Observe how Disney engages the 5 senses to create immersive experiences for Guests
- Discuss the importance of captioning and editing
- Understand how Disney employs public relations and social media to tell the story of an ever-evolving brand
- Utilize their existing and newfound knowledge of social media to share their stories
I schedule group classes several times a year, typically when I’m going to be in Anaheim.
My son has enjoyed the Disney YES classes, so this gives me the ability to enroll him in more classes.
Please contact me with any comments or to request that I schedule a specific class that your child(ren) would enjoy!
Note that this is *NOT* the class signup form.
Please click on the link above to register your student(s) for an upcoming class (if any are currently scheduled).