Educators and activists have been motivated by the successful campaign against Disney's America since before it even ended. We hope that our film can be a resource to inform and inspire about how a dedicated group can combine diverse skills and backgrounds into a creative, multifaceted campaign against a common challenge. If you're facing a Disney-sized foe, we hope our film might help you follow the lead of a group of 'simple Virginians' and prevail. 

Here are some resources to use the film as a teaching tool and discussion-starter. Please use these as much or as little as you see fit, and feel free to reach out via our contact page if you have any questions. 

  • General Discussion Guide - This guide gives you our preferred introduction to the film, and then provides seven multifaceted discussion questions to get a class or room full of activists thinking about why and how the campaign against Disney's America was successful.
  • Timecode Discussion Guide - This guide also starts with the introduction, but then goes through the film section-by-section, breaking down what's happening in each part and providing specific discussion questions for each subsequent piece of the film.
  • Guide for Screening with Farming Films - Prince Charitable Trusts has also produced a series of short films about farming in Virginia's Piedmont, a rich legacy that would have been heavily degraded by Disney's America. These films provide unique perspectives on Virginia's tradition of farming, and make interesting companion pieces to When Mickey Came to Town for audiences interested in food and farming. This guide gives you more information about how to use all of the films together. 

To ensure a smooth viewing experience, download the films prior to your screening (internet connection necessary). Click on the download button on the film’s Vimeo page (above the description) and choose “HD 1080p” for the highest quality version. If downloading the films is not an option, you can stream them directly from Vimeo with a reliable internet connection.

To find out more about the organizations that were involved in the successful campaign against Disney's America, or those that were formed in the wake of the campaign, please visit our Partners page. To learn more about why the theme park would have been such a bad idea for the region, please read our Frequently Asked Questions.