Crisis Communications Review: Disney's Grand Floridian Resort

On June 14, 2016, two-year-old Lane Graves was dragged into the lagoon at Walt Disney World's Grand Floridian Resort while on the beach with his family. After an 18-hour search, the body of Lane Graves was found 15 miles offshore. This devastating incident presented a reputational and financial problem for Disney World, a place branded as exceptionally safe and the "happiest place on earth."

While Disney did not directly accept responsibility for the incident through its communications, it did so with its corrective action steps. Liability played a minor, if any role, in how Disney responded to the crisis. The park's first statement was not concerned with legal liability, only with the tragedy of losing a child. Further, the motivation behind the new protective measures was Disney's genuine intent to prevent an incident like this from happening again for its guests' safety and to avoid further reputational damage.

Who and what Disney was protecting in its response shifted throughout the crisis's duration. Before the crisis, Disney protected its reputation by not warning guests of alligator encounters' inherent risk on or near its properties. After the incident, Disney continued to protect its reputation by releasing authentic, heartfelt statements from the brand's executives. However, Disney shifted from protecting its reputation to protecting its guests when it installed new signs and fencing, which sent the message that this was preventable had the necessary precautions been taken sooner. In the end, Disney shifted back to protecting its reputation, helping to establish the Lane Graves Foundation, and taking other corrective actions.

While Disney's initial response — the media statements and new protective measures — were enough at the moment, because of the likelihood of an event like this occurring and Disney's failure to take proactive steps to prevent it, the park's response to the crisis as a whole was not enough. Despite the abysmal response, the Disney brand could sustain the negative impact because of its well-established reputation as "the happiest place on earth," its long-established relationships with the media and public, and established capital.

During the crisis, Disney successfully employed multiple Strategic Crisis Communication steps as it built reputational currency, established relationships, and was content ready and format agnostic in its response. Disney built reputational currency through the establishment of the Lane Graves Foundation and a $1 million donation to help those affected by the Orlando mass shooting. Disney’s long-established relationships with the media, Florida Fish and Wildlife, and the public were beneficial in the handling of the crisis and Disney’s willingness to stand up and be a part of the discussion.

However, Disney did not plan for the unexpected, was wavering in its commitment to what it was protecting, and failed to form a crisis team or establish internal communication channels. Considering its location and the previous alligator sightings and encounters, Disney should have expected an incident like this could occur and taken the necessary precautions to warn and protect its guests, before not after such a devastating accident. As mentioned, throughout its crisis response, Disney wavered between protecting its reputation and protecting its guests, perhaps due to its failure to form a crisis team. Disney also failed to establish internal communication channels as employee videos and stories contradicting its narrative began to emerge on social media amid the crisis.

All four guiding principles (regret, resolution, reform, restitution) were evident in Disney's action during the crisis. Disney was authentic and personalized in communicating and expressing its remorse for the incident. The park took steps to resolve the issue when on June 17, it put guest's safety over personal branding and installed new signs and fencing around the lagoon's perimeter. Although Disney failed to anticipate the unexpected, once it happened, it listened to its stakeholders and assured them it would take the necessary reformative actions to prevent it from happening again. Disney also made restitution to the Graves family. A year after the accident, the park unveiled a lighthouse memorial to help spread awareness of the Lane Thomas Foundation, established after the accident in place of a lawsuit.