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I Toured Walt Disney Imagineering – New Technologies & Park Plans Revealed

From the exterior of 1401 Flower Street, it's difficult to comprehend the magic that's made inside. This building is one of many located in Glendale, California that house Disney's theme park wizards who lead the design of Disney's theme parks, cruise ships, and resorts around the world.

The people who work at Walt Disney Imagineering have training in over 140 disciplines that range from model making to writing to computer engineering to financial planning. This group was originally created by Walt Disney himself when he brought some of his favorite artists from the film studio into a special group to focus on creating his first theme park, Disneyland. Originally called WED for Walter Elias Disney, the group's name was shifted to Imagineering combining “Imagination” and “Engineering” – two skill sets required to develop any Disney project.

Recently I had the opportunity to join a rare media tour of Walt Disney Imagineering where they pulled back the curtain to reveal amazing aspects of the facilities I have only ever seen in my now dog-eared copies of the Walt Disney Imagineering coffee table books . I have visited this location before, but have never been permitted to visit anything beyond a blank-walled conference room when I interviewed ( now Disney Legend ) Joe Rohde. So, it was a longtime wish fulfillment to get to go inside and the day didn't disappoint.

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Surprise Guests Before Our Imagineering Tour

Before our media tour of Walt Disney Imagineering could begin, we sat down in a decked-out conference room featuring aerial photos of Disney Parks around the world and photos of the Imagineering process.

We settled in for the presentation and thankfully I ended up in a seat in the front row. Moments later one of the public relations people introduced the Disney executive leadership and CEO Bob Iger and Parks Chairman Josh D'Amaro came out to present to the twenty or so media in attendance. You could tell that the entire room was shocked to see the two of them – Iger in particular who was joining us the day before the contested shareholder board vote – kicking off this day for us.

Via the Disney Shareholders Meeting webcast.

Iger expressed how the time he spends at Walt Disney Imagineering is some of the time he enjoys most in his work as CEO and how excited he is for the future of the parks. He expressed that if he could, he'd spend all of his time at Imagineering which he called one of his favorite places.

He talked about how much time he and Josh are spending at Imagineering as the company shifts their focus to the $60 billion turbocharge investment for the Disney theme parks . Iger shared that he is extremely optimistic about the parks and, with ease, explained some of the reasoning around why they are now ready to ramp up investment in the expansion of the theme parks.

Reflecting on something that former Disney Animation and Pixar Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter – a name I haven't heard mentioned by anyone at the company for a long time – shared with him, Iger talked about the magic of marrying technological advancement with artistry. He said that the artists create new ideas that push the technologists and the technologists create new ideas that then further art. Their intermingling leads to the magic of the Disney theme parks and films.

Then D'Amaro shared similar remarks we have heard from him previously about his excitement for the expansion of the parks. He emphasized that this day touring Imagineering was meant to reflect his previous efforts to pull back the curtain on what they are working on while on stage at D23.

After D'Amaro spoke, Iger jumped back in with additional context that we hadn't heard put as plainly before. In essence, he said that Disney Parks are a good business with a great return on investment for Disney and that there is strong demand among guests for more experiences. He also addressed the key concern around all of the expansion news. He said something along the lines of, “We know all the fans would like to know everything we are building, but if we flushed out the full decade then we wouldn't be able to nimbly react to a Frozen-sized hit a couple of years from now”. The positive takeaways from these comments are that Iger has a great sense of the sentiment in the community right now, believes in investments in the theme parks, and wants to bring in new franchises to the parks as they happen.

That unprompted comment from Iger alone signals that he understands that Disney fans are waiting with bated breath for a big set of announcements from Disney.

I have been fortunate to see both of these leaders speak several times at different functions and every time I am blown away by the way they hold the entire room's attention. Iger has a certain magnetic quality about him. He spoke off the cuff but with a complete grasp of every detail of the expansion plan for the parks. It felt almost as if there was a teleprompter in the room.

Then the two leaders turned it over to the Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Imagineering, Bruce Vaughn. He briefly shared his story of how he previously spent many years at Imagineering, eventually rising to president, and then left the company to focus on family. He came back to Imagineering a little over a year ago. He has a stellar background of leading teams at Imagineering during periods of growth and it was exciting to see his confidence in what they are developing right now.

After Vaughn spoke, the Imagineering leads for Walt Disney World shared new concept artwork for the Tropical Americas area coming to Animal Kingdom and that a new permit would be filed to begin work on the area “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain” in Magic Kingdom. They again teased that there would be many more announcements at the D23 Expo .

Our Imagineering Tour

We weren't even allowed to take a picture of this sign. I had to go find it in the Imagineering Story trailer .

Then, it was time for our tour of Imagineering. We were hosted by Jonathan Friday, who is a Senior Creative Director who most recently led Mickey's Toontown at Disneyland . Friday led us through different sections of Imagineering giving us a general look at some of the creative process and how new technology pushes the envelope for the parks.

Our first stop on the tour was a walk through a very cool monorail hallway that flashes graphics from Disney destinations around the world through the windows of a monorail.

Then we walked down a “graffiti” hallway that's now dedicated to John Hench, one of Disney's most famed artists. There were funny caricatures and artwork here that poked fun at the concept of corporate theme park ownership and general corporate life at Imagineering. Definitely no photos allowed here!

Next was our stop at the model shop. We learned how models at Imagineering are a tool and not something meant to last forever. They are used to allow executives and cross-functional teams to understand what scenes and structures will look like before they are built. Models start very small and then increase in size to serve different purposes. For instance, some of the bigger models actually end up in the field to assist rockwork carvers as a guide to how the rockwork should look.

We were able to photograph some of the models on display, many of which were previously exhibited in the Imagineering pavilion at the D23 Expo in 2022. Models included looks at Mickey's Toontown, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, an unbuilt version of a Frozen land that eventually became Fantasy Springs , a model of the Pirates of the Caribbean changing skull to pirate figure that was added at Disneyland, a car from Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind , and more.

You can spot the room that I reference below in the background of this shot of Disney Legend Bob Gurr from this video .

From here we went into an amazing room that houses maquettes and miniature sculptures used for the design of Audio-Animatronics and other characters at the parks. This room was lined with glass cabinets that were stuffed with all sort of designs including the heads of presidents for the Hall of Presidents, figures modeling how the costumed characters at the parks work, and creatures that have made appearances throughout the parks. It also had the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs figures which were gifted to Walt Disney. Replicas of these are positioned at the wishing well in Disneyland.

We learned about the sculpting process from the Imagineer who sculpted the Walt Disney statue that was added to Hong Kong Disneyland. He shared with me that when you are sculpting something you are considering the final form of the sculpture. For instance when he was sculpting what would become a metal statue of Walt Disney he tried to bring in as much fluidity and motion to the statue as he could.

Then we journeyed on to the part of the tour that was the most newsworthy and earned a separate blog article where we looked at Disney's Impressive Audio-Animatronics For It's Newest Ride . We got to see many of the new figures coming to Tiana's Bayou Adventure which was just incredible.

Before seeing those figures we also wandered through the main Audio-Animatronics workshop where Imagineers work on figures headed to parks around the world. Here we spotted some fun classic figures decorating the halls like the baby elephant from the end of Jungle Cruise and a bird from the Tiki Room Under New Management. On one desk we also spotted a model of The Candle Man from the Museum of the Weird concept. Perhaps this is destined for the new Haunted Mansion Bar on the Disney Cruise Line ?

I would urge you to take a look at the Audio-Animatronics coming to Tiana's Bayou Adventure . Be sure to check out that separate article that shows off those figures and some thoughts from Imagineers that worked on them.

From here we headed to the Research and Development building. This was super cool. Earlier this year we shared the story of Lanny Smoot, the second Disney employee ever besides Walt Disney himself, to be welcomed into the National Inventor's Hall of Fame .

Lanny joined the tour to introduce us to his HoloTile technology. This is a modular treadmill floor that keeps one or multiple people walking on the floor regardless of the direction they are walking. Using LIDAR technology the floor reacts to movements to create a kind of stay-in-place treadmill.

The invention could eventually be used for VR and gaming or some applications in the theme parks. Smoot emphasized that it could be coming to a stage sometime soon to be used by actors, performers, or even props. Seeing the floor in person was impressive though it is very loud.

They continued to impress when multiple Imagineers went on the HoloTile floor and walked on it without intercepting. It was amazing to see all the monitors tracking the complex motions that then allowed for the treadmill-style experience.

Before we moved on from that room we also got to see how one of the coolest props Disney has built in recent years. They pulled out their “working” lightsaber which comes fully out of the hilt the way a saber does in the movies. While I wasn't one of the three people who got to try the saber, they shared that it felt emotional to have that childhood Luke Skywalker dream realized. The prop appeared pretty fragile which is why we probably haven't seen anything like this put on sale anywhere.

We first saw these lightsabers used in front of guests at the now closed Star Wars Starcruiser Hotel .

Next, we got to spend time with the BD-X droids that are headed to Disneyland for a limited time . These droids are super cute and really impressive. Read here more about the droids coming to the parks soon .

Finally, we viewed the Duke Weaselton figure that was shown off during the opening ceremony of the Shanghai Disney Zootopia area . This figure is super impressive as it isn't attached to any base and moves freely. The figure first appears to be “pushing” a rolling base that is fitted to look like a roaming vendor stand and then it holds on to a rope to get pulled up from the ground level to stand on the top of the moving stand. The figure detaches and reattaches. The Imagineers shared that the stand and the figure actually two separate moving devices and the combination of the two creates the illusion that the figure is pushing the stand. The figuring jumping up uses strong magnets that “catch” the figure when it gets pulled up.

Here's a video featuring some of the Imagineers and the figure so that you can get a better sense of how it works.

This same team also designed the stuntronic figure that allows Spider-Man to fly in Avengers Campus and a dynamic Judy Hopps figure that moved around on roller skates and could be picked up and put on someone's shoulders.

Of course we ended the day with some more fun photos and I spotted an easter egg that I just had to share.

They have an old Heimlich train car, a spinner from Bug's Land, and an old skyway bucket.

How cool are those! I am still not completely over the fact that Heimlich didn't stick around in some form when Bug's Land was switched over to Avengers Campus.

My visit to Walt Disney Imagineering brought me the same sense of joy that I found as a kid opening up my Imagineerig coffee table books and thinking that maybe someday I could become one of these magic makers. Today I'll settle for this look behind the curtains.

Seeing the campus bustling with life and creative energy gives me the same great optimism about the future of Walt Disney Imagineering that radiated off of Bob Iger. After a frustrating attempt to force a relocation of Imagineers to Florida that led to a mass exodus, it feels like Imagineering is finding its footing again.

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About Gavin Doyle

Gavin Doyle is a best-selling author and founder of Mickey Visit. He is an expert on helping families save money and experience more at Disney, Universal, and beyond. He has been featured in Forbes, ABC7, Travel+Leisure, the OC Register, Orange County Register, LA Times, Yahoo! News, and more.

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I Went Inside Imagineering

“I wish I could be here every day,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger to kick off an Imagineering presentation I attended. He was joined at the front of the small conference room by Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro, who shared that he actually had been spending a lot more time in WDI’s Glendale offices lately and that it’s one of his favorite places in the world.

Both spoke of the ‘turbocharged’ plans for growth at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and $60 billion investment earmarked for Parks & Resorts. They discussed the genesis of this next Disney Decade, with what to expect in the near-term and longer-term as new additions enter various phases of development and construction at every destination around the globe.

Following up both was the head of Walt Disney Imagineering, Bruce Vaughn. He discussed his time away from Imagineering, how Iger and D’Amaro convinced him to return to the helm, and his optimism for the future. Vaughn had led Imagineering during a massive development phase previously–through the opening of Shanghai Disneyland–but was convinced the parks were on the precipice of something even bigger.

Then came presentations by portfolio executives from Florida who provided new details about the plans for Tropical Americas in Animal Kingdom and Beyond Big Thunder at Magic Kingdom . This was the meatiest portion of the presentation, with new substantive details about the Dino-Rama replacement featuring Indiana Jones, Encanto, and Coco plus brand-new concept art for the area.

No specifics were shared about what’s made the cut for Beyond Big Thunder ( hopefully villains! ), but the big news there was the sharing of an upcoming water management permit that will be filed in the next week or two. This is the first step in developing that area, and is somewhat similar to what was filed for Tropical Americas last month. Although there are no official timelines for the construction (much less opening years or dates), these are the next two major projects in the pipeline for Walt Disney World.

Much of what Vaughn and D’Amaro said was an unscripted version of their presentation at Destination D23 last fall ( photo below is from then, not now ). They were candid about the nuts and bolts of how expansion investments have been crystalizing, but it was a familiar story. As before, there was a sense of guarded excitement as they discussed plans for the future, while being hesitant to share specifics beyond what’s (mostly) already public knowledge.

It was Bob Iger who had the most interesting things to say. That’s in large part because we haven’t heard from Iger in a specifically Parks & Resorts context since his return. Iger wasn’t at Destination D23 (no Disney CEO has ever appeared at that event) and the last D23 Expo was at the end of the Chapek reign.

Sure, Iger has done CNBC interviews and earnings calls where the topic comes up, but those are usually 95% putting out fires and assuaging fears about streaming/studios/linear/etc., with 5% at the end being (more or less) that Parks & Resorts continues to do great. Not to mix metaphors, but the squeaky wheel gets the grease and the golden goose gets ignored.

In any case, Iger spoke at Imagineering exclusively about Parks and Resorts. I don’t recall hearing the words “streaming” “linear” or “ESPN” once. Mercifully . The first half of his remarks focused on the creative side, with one foot in the past and one in the future. For me, it wasn’t so much what he said, but how he said it. Imbued with a sense of optimism and excitement, along with understanding of what Imagineering does and why it’s so important to the legacy of the company that bears Walt Disney’s name.

Some of the sentiment Iger expressed you’ve probably heard before. Way back in Chapek Did Not “Get” Disney , we distinguished between the two CEOs on the basis of their involvement in the creative process and respect for the people who make Disney, Disney . That should be abundantly clear from what’s come out since about the relationship breakdown between the two.

It’s also obvious with Imagineers like Vaughn and Rohde returning to Disney, while other ex-WDI employees ( hopefully not “ex” for much longer as WDI starts to staff back up! ) have expressed more optimism for the direction of the company. In interviews before streaming/linear/ESPN sucked up all the oxygen, Iger often highlighted Disney’s creative legacy and talked up Imagineering. So not exactly breaking news, but still nice to hear Iger reiterate his respect for WDI.

What I found more interesting was that, after D’Amaro spoke, Iger wanted to say a bit more. Here’s where he put a finer point on things, explaining things in terms that would normally be reserved for earnings calls. That they have reviewed performance of various divisions of the company, and it just made sense for the sake of shareholders , to invest more in Parks & Resorts. That they had the space, stories to tell, and there was guest appetite for expansion. The only thing they didn’t have, until this year, was the free cash flow.

Implicit in this seemed to be an acknowledgement that fans have taken an “I’ll believe it when I see it” viewpoint. Iger was indirectly ‘responding’ to that by pointing out the company has every reason to move full steam ahead on Parks & Resorts because that’s its best business. That the stars have aligned, so to speak, and the fans are about to get what they’ve been wanting.

This was especially significant, as was Iger’s presence at Imagineering in the first place, given that it was on the eve of the annual shareholders meeting. It’s safe to assume that Disney’s CEO is normally pretty busy, but especially so ahead of that–and in a year with a bitterly contested proxy battle. Against that backdrop, Iger’s being at Walt Disney Imagineering felt even more symbolically significant; it reflected where the CEO’s priorities are at that important moment in time.

A couple of days later, and Iger has won his battle for the boardroom. He has made clear that Disney’s strategic transformation is over, and it’s time to build and grow. Streaming isn’t hemorrhaging money; there’s a plan for ESPN and Hulu; cash flow has improved. The proxy fight is over. The feud with Florida is finished. DisneylandForward is going to be rubber stamped later this month. There are no more obstacles or excuses.

We’ve been fairly forgiving of Disney’s non-announcement announcements for its theme parks over the course of the past two years. This started at the last D23 Expo, while Chapek was still at the helm. It continued with more Blue Sky sessions at last year’s Destination D23. We’ve been cautiously optimistic in spite of this because we knew there was a real desire–internally and externally–to bet big on theme parks. It was just a matter of timing with the fires that needed to be put out elsewhere in the company. In the coming weeks and months, it’s time for Disney to share really-for-real announcements and specifics. Finally. 

There are no longer any reasons, at least good ones, for Disney declining to go all-in on Parks & Resorts with substantive news rather than vague teases of things that could, maybe, happen in the future ( perhaps ). Thankfully, plans are starting to coalesce and it truly does appear that Parks & Resorts is entering a new ‘Disney Decade’ of ambitious investment and growth. It’ll be fun to watch this unfold, and we hope our optimism in the future of Parks & Resorts is well-founded. It should be patently obvious one way or the other by Saturday, August 10, 2024 at around 10 p.m. Pacific… give or take .

The rest of this particular day was a showcase or open house, of sorts, with tours of various buildings and departments at Imagineering and what they’re working on. If I had to ascribe a “theme” to the day, it would be part “here’s a look at technology coming to the Walt Disney World and Disneyland that had previously only been in the international parks” and part “here’s a look at innovations that are actually going to make their way to the parks for more than just playtests.”

There was a final part that was just simply, “here’s a look at really cool stuff we’re working on that has possible future uses, but no designated destination.” The last part was undeniably awesome to see up close and in person–the kind of stuff fans only normally see in videos–but it’s the first two categories that have me most excited, since it’s stuff we’ll all be able to see in-person starting this month. I have separate posts covering the main highlights:

• First Look at Imagineering’s Innovative Audio Animatronics in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
• BDX Droids Coming to Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge
• First Look at Imagineering’s Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom Progress
• ‘Beyond Big Thunder’ Magic Kingdom Expansion Project Starts Soon

Finally, here are a couple of the cool innovations from the Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development Lab…

The first innovation I saw is the HoloTile floor, which you might recall from the profile of prolific Inventor Imagineer, Lanny Smoot . HoloTile is the world’s first and only multi-person, omni-directional, modular, expandable, treadmill floor, where any number of people can have a shared virtual reality experience, walk an unlimited distance in any direction, but never collide or walk off its surface.

According to Smoot, the HoloTile floor has potential applications in VR and gaming, theme parks, and music or theater stages. It allows performers to move and dance in new ways, or stage props and structures could move around or appear to set themselves up.

This was cool in the video Disney previously released , but seeing it up close and in-action was awesome. Watching the modular floor adjust in real-time while also seeing the displays was mindblowing. I’m not sure what I expected given that I could not (and still cannot) even conceive of how this works, but the monitors in tandem with the floor in tandem with Lanny Smoot’s actions were like a technological symphony, for lack of a better term. The end result seems simple, but achieving that simple result is unbelievably complex.

Another highlight was also in the research and development lab, where Imagineers demonstrated the latest iteration of their robotic technology. There have been various evolutions of this over the last couple of years, with WDI R&D entering its Zootopia era (my words, not theirs) last year at the South By Southwest conference. Disney Imagineers unveiled an untethered, dynamic Judy Hopps bunny robot on skates that could climb out of a box, tumble, steady itself, and perform a somersault.

For this presentation, Imagineers showcased the follow-up to that, a Duke Weaselton character created for the opening of Shanghai Disneyland ( video ). They indicated that the parks team there had no use for a rabbit that could climb out of a box, but an interrupting weasel was just the ticket.

Unsurprisingly, this was also very technically impressive. The robots’ (plural as both Duke and the kiosk are robots) have the ability to perform dynamic maneuvers and make adjustments, and to see them work in tandem to create a seamless ‘show’ was incredible. It doesn’t seem like this technology is that far off from being used in a stage show in the parks or even a dark ride–in addition to trackless ride vehicles, we could have dynamic show scenes.

As cool as Duke Weaselton was, I actually liked the Star Wars BDX Droids more. They didn’t wow in the same way, objectively, but the movements and mannerisms were more relatable. Those adorable ‘duckling’ droids just do a bit better of a job at generating emotional connections than the sarcastic weasel. But obviously, the goals with each robotic character are different–and both are varying degrees of mind-blowingly awesome.

Ultimately, it was really cool to tour Walt Disney Imagineering and see a showcase of old and new technologies in those hallowed halls. You can see the reverence for the creative legacy on full display as Imagineers preserve and proudly display pieces from the past. Walking around felt like a veritable Easter Egg hunt, as every corner is packed with nods to past, present, and work-in-progress projects.

As I’ve said before, these presentations–whether they’ve been via video or now in-person–are the kind of thing that makes me proud to be a Disney fan. The creativity of Imagineering is endlessly inspiring, and this type of innovation is proof positive that they’re good stewards of Walt Disney’s legacy. Seeing the Imagineers flex their creative muscles is awesome.

That WDI is on the bleeding edge of these developments is, in and of itself, pretty cool. While I loved the stuff mentioned here that’s simply innovation for innovation’s sake (an important part of the R&D process), what I really appreciated was that this visit was a mix of that and technology that will soon be at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. As I keep saying, I’m optimistic about the next generation of additions–stuff like this is a big reason why!

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YOUR THOUGHTS

What do you think of this look inside Imagineering? Pleased that Bob Iger and Josh D’Amaro are seemingly focused on what Imagineers are working on? Any of the innovations mentioned here really wow you? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!

Written by Tom Bricker

You deserved to go to that event. You have a nice way about you and present a fair assessment of what you see, do, and experience at Walt Disney parks, resorts, restaurants, and their other offerings. I get the feeling that while you have met and got to know many insiders, you still call it the way you see it and I respect that. Thanks for the news, updates, and your witty humor.

Congratulations, Tom! You deserve this and we are happy for you!

Tom, I am so glad you got the invite! You deserved to be there. There are times that I believe you connect more with Disney stakeholders than Disney does. I’m not sure what is behind the disconnect. I hold a trifecta status with Disney (AP, DVC, and D23). I don’t live in Florida, but I’m at WDW 4 to 5 times a year, Disneyland once a year with family and work associates. I’m tired I’ve delayed and strung out projects, big plans and little results, slow to bring back pre-Covid attractions, uninspiring movies and TV releases, crown management tech (Genie+) that doesn’t do anything for guests, on and on. It’s really disappointing. Universal in Florida is nailing it by keeping things simple — large projects delivered on time that are amazing, a tiered ticketing system that is simple and easy to navigate. I’m a Disney fan and I’m glad that the vote went in the favor of Bob Iger and the current board, but I sincerely hope they take this as a wake-up call to focus on the things that matter for Disney fans.

“I’m not sure what is behind the disconnect.”

A combination of the following: too many cooks in the kitchen, one hand not knowing what the other is doing, internal “competition”, the forcing of bad decisions to compensate for losses elsewhere, or the people who care being ignored. Probably more to it than that, but those are the big ones that immediately come to mind.

There are a ton of people who “get” Disney who work for the company, both at the corporate level and on the ground in Florida. They’re just often ignored, forced to make decisions they know are bad, and everything else above. I know this because I know a lot of them–and they’re fighting the good fight…just not always winning it.

I echo other readers’ sentiments – great article, but my primary feeling is one of being psyched that you got to do this because it really seems like a dream opportunity for you! One of the strengths of this site is that it’s a quirky mix of consistent, relevant coverage of new developments and strategy, combined with commentary that comes from real people, who are passionate about the subject. I appreciate your “teach a man to fish…” approach to helping people learn about strategies for successfully navigating the ever-more-complicated Disney park vacation. But what also make the site special is the fact that you’ve let us readers into your lives (or at least the parts that aren’t too personal, and relate to Disney!) and it’s as if we all (readers, commenters, you and Sarah) are on a journey together, trying to find the best in something we all connected to, now or in the past! I know I’m not articulating this as I’d like to, but since I’m on mobile I’m not going to take the time to edit – TL;DR keep doing what you guys do and I’m glad this aspect of your working life brought you this opportunity! #Figment1.0forever!

Thanks for the kind words! You’re articulating it just as well as one of my commentaries trying to assess and analyze decisions or changes.

Interpret that how you will. 😉 (Joking aside, I get what you’re saying–it’s completely clear.)

Wohoo! Thrilled that you got the invite. This proves Disney really is a smart company!

So cool. Glad you are recognized and got the invite. Your coverage of all things Disney is superb. Much deserved!

So very cool. I’m sure you’ve watched “Behind the Attraction” on Disney+. I love seeing moments (perhaps apocryphal moments that make for better storytelling) that show how one part of Imagineering had a ride/system/story problem and they found the solution within a different wing of Imagineering itself. I love that there are people whose jobs are to come up with cool techie stuff, and they have absolutely no idea how it will be implemented. There’s something so Disney, so hopeful about that!

Great article! The Disney web needs more journalistic pieces like this that focus on being truly informative, and (largely) neutral while offering a taste of “behind-the-scenes” to entice a reader to beg for just one more bite!

Thanks for the kind words. I’m not sure whether this (or anything I do, for that matter) actually qualifies as journalism, though. I try as hard as possible to be fair, but at the end of the day, I am a Disney fan. I am biased. I want them to succeed and am cheering them on–even when I’m being critical. I have absolutely zero desire to see Disney fail.

Fascinating! Thank you for sharing! Was this an event for media? Your ability to convey event experiences while critically analyzing them is what makes your blog so good. How exciting for you to do this.

Yeah, it was a group of about 20 media members–about half of whom were mainstream reporters and the other half were Disney-centric outlets.

Tom, this quote is awesome: “Yeah, it was a group of about 20 media members–about half of whom were mainstream reporters and the other half were Disney-centric outlets.” I am now amusing myself with wondering exactly who makes up the elite cabal of “Disney-centric outlets.” I feel like we’ll start seeing people wearing those “insider knowledge” t-shirts that say “Tom & Sarah…AJ…Lou…Deb…& Len…” lol! You’ve definitely made your mark in this space, and deserved to be there!!

Tom, of those Disney-centric outlets, you are by far the best one! No disrespect to the others (whoever they were), but there is no other Disney site that equals yours. Intelligent, insightful, thoughtful commentary, combined with flat out enthusiasm and fandom for Disney. In the words of Carly (Simon) “Nobody does it better…” So pleased for you that you were included in this event; definitely shows Disney recognizes quality when they see it! Well deserved!

It feels like Disney is starting little drips of information to get us hyped about the D23 announcements, do you agree?? Also I am really looking forward to your parks panel predictions post and of course the panel itself.

I think it’s equal parts wanting to promote the new YouTube WDI series, knowing they have something special with the TBA AAs, and wanting to tie up loose ends from the last D23 events so fans have less of a “I’ll believe it when I see it” attitude towards future announcements or anytime Iger or D’Amaro says the word “turbocharged.”

I would anticipate more along these lines between now and August. Not actual new-new announcements (those will largely be reserved for D23), but things that make it crystal-clear they’re actually doing things now.

What an amazing experience! Not gonna lie, I’m jealous — but I’m so glad you were able to go and therefore share it with us.

So glad you were chosen to be part of this! I can’t think of another Disney fan that is more deserving and can share the information with nuance, honesty, and your own views! Thank you, Tom, and thank you, Disney, for inviting him!

THIS! Tom is the most underrated Disney blogger out there so I’m happy to see him get the recognition from the company for his thoughtful and nuanced take on things.

Also, I had a chance to visit WDI as a young parks cast member 20 years ago – and it’s still a life highlight for me!

Thanks for the kind words–hope the write-up was a worthwhile read!

I’d be super jealous, but I cannot imagine another person better to suited to giving a clear-eyed report on such an experience! That holotile floor absolutely amazes me, and I love it even more for being Lanny Smoot’s brain child. (This is a safe environment for admitting that I have personal favorite Disney Imagineers, right? Still waiting for the trading cards to debut…)

how exciting!

Honestly, you’re far more knowledgeable than, even, the most dedicated Disney fan, as I think of myself. I’m excited that you’re excited! Thank you for the update.

We love Imagineering updates! If you’d been to a Prince concert in his later years (so sad) you’d like rising & motion platforms

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Peek into the Mouse Hole at Disney Imagineering

Arthur Levine.

It was a surreal moment in a day filled with surreal moments. Rounding a corner in the room containing Walt Disney Imagineering's art history archives, there it was: the famous 1950s concept drawing of Disneyland that designer Herb Ryman completed in one weekend with Walt Disney standing over his shoulder.

This wasn't a reproduction; it was the actual legendary piece. Casually propped up on a pallet (it was either arriving from or en route to an exhibit), Ryman's drawing sat among some of the other 80,000 pieces of artwork that Disney Imagineers, as the band of creative gurus charged with designing the company's theme parks have come to be known, subsequently created through the years. “It was all started by a mouse,” Walt Disney once famously said. With deference to Mickey, Disneyland and the very idea of a “theme park” really all began with that drawing.

So how was it that I came to be ogling Ryman's historical drawing and roaming the hallowed halls of Imagineering in Glendale, California? Among the industry professionals who read my articles was Jon Georges, director of Blue Sky Development at Walt Disney Imagineering. In 2007, he invited me to speak to a group of Imagineers as part of the organization's Insight Out speaker series.

(When my wife learned that I was going to be making a presentation to the Imagineers, she said, incredulously, "So let me get this straight. You are going to talk to them about the theme park industry?" Admittedly, the notion seemed a bit nuts, but the Imagineers were a wonderful audience, and we had a lively exchange about parks and themed entertainment.) After my presentation, I was treated to an extensive tour of the sprawling campus.

While I did get to peer behind the scenes, I wasn't granted unfettered access. There were plenty of hush-hush projects and Imagineers secreted away in their workshop lairs. This article isn't meant to be a comprehensive overview of Imagineering; rather, it's a casual review of some of my observations that day—a geek's ramblings, if you will.

Imagineers Get Goofy

It was surprising to discover that the folks who design iconic castles and grandiose geodesic domes conduct their work in distinctly bland and nondescript buildings. There wasn't even a sign, modest or otherwise, to indicate Imagineering's headquarters. Driving down Flower Street in Glendale, it would have been impossible to locate the campus without knowing its street address. Inside, however, there were characteristic traces of Imagineering whimsy everywhere.

In the courtyard outside the commissary, for example, gondolas from Disneyland's defunct Skyway served as makeshift picnic tables. The Environmental Design and Engineering building, which houses architects, engineers, and interior designers, was once a bowling center that was open to the public. Remnants of its kitsch past remained, including a conference room with a maple table fashioned out of the lanes' floorboards and a podium that looked like a score table.

One hallway in the main building is known as the John Hench Graffiti Gallery. An influential and beloved artist and designer, Hench worked at the Disney company for over 60 years and was senior vice president for Imagineering. The hallway was lined with lively portraits, sketches, montages, and other displays contributed by Imagineers in homage to Hench, who died in 2004. (For more on John Hench and Imagineering, consider reading his wonderful book, " Designing Disney: Imagineering and the Art of the Show ." )

Perhaps the oddest (and geekiest?) experience I had at Imagineering came about midway through my tour. My guide escorted me into the sculpture studio and left me by myself for a few moments to wander the musty room and gaze at plaster busts of highly expressive pirates from Pirates of the Caribbean, Hollywood celebrities from The Great Movie Ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and lots of other Disney statuary. In one corner of the room, the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs figures that once delighted guests at Disneyland laid in state. It was both eerie to be alone with all of the silent figures and a tad overwhelming to see so much theme park history.

Cataloguing Yesterland

History is important at Imagineering. The art history archives are part of a wing devoted to preserving the parks' past. There is also a slide library with over 2 million actual and digitized images of attractions as well as the research that went into developing them. For example, Diane Scoglio, who oversees the slide library, said that there were many photos of Africa chronicling the trips that Joe Rohde and other Imagineers took as they were designing Disney's Animal Kingdom.

A separate show documentation library included a dossier of information for each Disney attraction with things like color samples, design references, and unusual items such as Tiki Bird feathers and fur patterns from the Yeti who resides inside the  Expedition Everest  coaster. There were even undergarments worn by the animatronic characters (who knew?) stored here.

Georges pointed out some color swatches of bright paints and said that they were for one of the dark rides that incorporated black light effects. "We include samples of what the paint looks like in natural light and how it appears under black lights," he noted. "Black light painting is becoming a lost art."

Georges said that the libraries, particularly the show documentation library, help Imagineering and the Disney parks maintain the attractions. It's known as "show quality standards," or SQS in Disney-speak. I guess when it's time to trade out Richard Nixon's undergarments in the Hall of Presidents, it helps to have a record of what size and brand he wears.

From Blue Sky to Gray Patio

Of course, the libraries aren't used to exclusively focus on the past. Imagineers frequent them to explore new concepts and do research for attractions under development as well. Georges used another hallway display to take me through Imagineering's development process. The walls were filled with photos, illustrations, and text depicting the stages, including: blue sky (the department that Georges oversees), which provides the seeds that evolve into attractions; concept development and feasibility, where ideas take shape in the form of two- and three-dimensional renderings as well as computer-generated models; design and production, during which capital is approved, play-testing is conducted, and systems are developed; construction and installation, where all of the Imagineering disciplines work collaboratively to build the actual attraction; test and adjust, to tweak the attraction; grand opening; and patio party, when the team members celebrate the completion of the project (and doubtless hang out in the old Skyway vehicles).

I didn't get a lot of information about parks or attractions that may be in the Disney pipeline, but I did get the feeling that great things are brewing. There is a palpable sense of optimism and creativity emanating from the nondescript Glendale buildings. "Disneyland will never be completed...as long as there is imagination left in the world," is another famous Walt-ism. Thankfully, there appears to be plenty of imagination to go around among today's Imagineers.

Returning to the Hallowed Halls

Since my original visit, I've had the opportunity to return to Walt Disney Imagineering a few times. (It's one of the wonderful perks of being a theme park journalist.) One time, I got to experience play-testing by participating in a mockup of the Toy Story Mania attraction while it was still under development. For the record, I trounced the other participants in the 3-D game.

In 2019, I visited Imagineering as part of a preview of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge , the over-the-top lands at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios. During the visit, I attended a series of panels presented by Imagineers, Walt Disney Parks executives, and folks from Lucasfilm. I also was part of a tour that included a sneak peek of animatronic characters in the design shop that were headed to Galaxy's Edge and a look at the how Imagineers programmed the trackless vehicle used in the attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

By the way, you can now visit Walt Disney Imagineering.  Adventures by Disney , a guided tour company, includes a stop on its Disneyland Resort and Southern California Escape itinerary.

The Complete Guide to Disney's Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

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We Toured Disney's Secretive Imagineering Offices In Glendale. Here's What We Saw

Disney's Imagineering team is like the black ops of childlike wonder, designing everything you see at their theme parks. They've been pulling back the curtain on their usually secretive practices through The Imagineering Story docuseries on Disney+, and this week they gave journalists a tour showing off both their history and what's next.

The Imagineering offices sit on a nondescript street in Glendale, part of Disney's Grand Central Creative Campus . That's where they house all the offices there's no room for on their Burbank studio lot.

Being the creative space it is, art lines the halls all over the building. Walt Disney himself walked some of those halls.

Here's what they let us bring back for you, from state-of-the-art modeling of new lands to robot characters that freely roam the parks interacting with visitors, and more.

( And if you want to become an Imagineer yourself, read our previous piece, How To Become An Imagineer, According To The Director Of Disney+'s 'The Imagineering Story' . )

THE JOHN HENCH GRAFFITI HALLWAY

Before you can appreciate where Imagineering is going, you first have to understand its past, and the group's offices are full of history.

John Hench holds a hallowed position as one of the first Imagineers, and one of Imagineering's central hallways pays tribute to him. It was originally a space used to hold meetings, with the Imagineers often doodling on the white walls.

After Hench died in 2004, they decided to clean it up and use it to honor him. The walls feature original Imagineering art paying tribute to both Hench and fellow Imagineering legend Marty Sklar , who passed away in 2017.

Because Hench was considered Imagineering's color guru, they use his favorite color purple in some of the key art on the walls. He was also the official portrait artist for another legend: Mickey Mouse, depicting Mickey at major milestones, so there's plenty of our favorite mouse in this hallway too.

THE BLAINE GIBSON SCULPTURE STUDIO

Blaine Gibson was an Imagineer who sculpted many of the busts used in creating the animatronics that fill Disney parks. The sculpture studio is named in his honor, and it's where they store those small models and busts -- 80 percent of the items here are believed to have been sculpted by Gibson himself.

That includes iconic figures from the Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, the Hall of Presidents, and the Great Movie Ride ( rest in peace ). Those busts were all crafted by hand, getting each little detail just right.

The studio also features the original statues of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs from the Snow White Grotto at Disneyland . The story told by Imagineer John Hench throughout his life was that they were a gift by an anonymous Italian sculptor -- but after Hench's death, his personal correspondence revealed that Hench had actually commissioned those statues for Disneyland. The Snow White isn't proportional to the dwarfs, because Hench's five in "58 inches" was misread, leading to a 38-inch statue -- and Hench likely knew that this coming out would cost him his job. But he used force perspective to make it work.

In the early 2000s, Imagineering shifted from handcrafted modeling to digital scans and 3D printing to create the busts used for animatronics. The specific printer they use is known as a stereolithography machine -- Disney Managing Story Editor Dave Fisher joked that the difference between this machine and a 3D printer is about $250,000.

Fisher showed off one of the first heads created using that machine: Captain Jack Sparrow, using a scan of Johnny Depp's head made during the second Pirates movie to add characters from the modern films into the ride.

The animatronics Disney uses are their signature technology, according to Fisher, along with some of the unique ride systems used on some of their most popular attractions. He showed off models for some of their latest animatronic characters, including Hondo Ohnaka from the Millennium Falcon attraction at Galaxy's Edge.

THE MODEL SHOP

How did Disney figure out how to make people feel like they stepped into Star Wars? One of those ways was by using incredibly detailed models. The models made by Disney's dimensional designers can run from one one-thousandth scale all the way up to full size.

The models aren't just showpieces for visitors -- they bring models like the ones they made of Galaxy's Edge out into the field to help show everyone on site exactly what they're trying to build.

"Yes, the models often look like 'Oh, they're cute, those are neat, those are pretty -- they're like little fun toys.' No ," dimensional designer Todd Neubrand said. "They have a purpose. When we use them correctly, they're all going to go to the field."

The models are created using everything from 3D printers to robotic arms, along with hand sculpting. They create different types of models, used to show everything from the interior of an attraction to the rockwork outside.

Neubrand said that models can be particularly helpful when working internationally -- they help communicate things that even great translators can't get across. While pictures may be worth a thousand words, Neubrand says that models are worth a thousand pictures.

Sometimes there aren't enough models to go around for everyone, so they also create those models digitally. But sometimes that's not exactly where it starts. Neubrand used a large scanner rig connected with a computer to show how, by taking photographic scans of the physical model, the computer can digitize them into a 3D model. Go around the real-world model taking more pictures, and the computer can fill in more of the details, creating something that all the teams can work with at once.

THE R&D DEPARTMENT

Our tour included a stop in a small showroom, displaying three of Imagineering's most recent technological achievements. One of those items, which has been tested inside the parks, is a new robot character -- instead of being bolted to one spot, it can go out and interact with visitors.

"This isn't going to be Westworld -- our figures are not going to attack the guests," Fisher joked.

They've been working on ways to help these automated characters handle any situation they might face with a guest -- like people who want to hug or climb on them. They can also switch these robots into different characters.

The robot has even more sensors than a self-driving car, R&D Imagineer manager Ashley Girdich said, because he needs to avoid running over people, or running over a small child's toes.

Along with characters that roll around, they're also developing characters that move around on two and four legs -- so get ready for the day when Pluto isn't just someone in a suit.

Another of their recent achievements: the Na'vi Shaman of Songs, as seen at Disney World's Animal Kingdom in the Na'vi River Journey . It's one of the more complex animatronics -- we saw her with her skin off, revealing just the robotic systems interacting underneath. The face has 42 different functions to help give guests an immersive experience.

"People don't need to come out of a ride saying 'Wow, that was a really impressive robot' -- they need to say, 'How did they do that?'" Imagineering mechanical engineer Robert Lyle said.

The shaman is one of the most expressive animatronics they've created, according to Imagineer Amanda Ross. Imagineers noted that she's been running well -- and that she also gets her own maintenance bay to keep her running.

The last piece of technology the Imagineers wanted to show off was a Tron lightcycle, used first at Shanghai Disneyland and now coming to Disney World (sorry, SoCal Disney fans). It's their fastest coaster, going up to 60 miles per hour -- California Adventure's Incredicoaster tops out at 55.

THE MARTY SKLAR SCREENING ROOM

We entered a screening room named for one of the all-time Imagineering greats to watch the final episode of The Imagineering Story , along with hearing from the Imagineers themselves. No major spoilers, but that final part covers the creation of Shanghai Disney, along with new properties joining the Disney parks like Avatar, Star Wars, and Marvel.

Imagineering President Bob Weis shared his excitement that the group is finally going more public after spending years doing work that they sometimes felt they couldn't even share with their families. And this tour was a little bit of that, too.

MICKEY'S OF GLENDALE

What would a tour be without a stop at the gift shop? Largely servicing Disney employees, along with their friends and family, the store rarely opens up to the public.

Inside, you'll find some of the kind of Disney merchandise you'd expect -- they're currently in holiday mode, so there's plenty of Christmas and Hanukkah decorations -- but you also get exclusive merchandise that's hard to find elsewhere. That includes Imagineering mugs and notebooks, as well as sneak peek merch from upcoming attractions like the forthcoming Marvel lands.

There were plenty more areas of Imagineering that we didn't see, from curtained-off portions to the offices where they're working on the real secret stuff. But the veil's starting to be lifted... just a bit. The final episode of The Imagineering Story premieres on Disney+ this Friday.

Go behind the scenes with Disney's Imagineering tours and see how the magic gets made

Apr 9, 2020 • 2 min read

Walt Disney Imagineering's virtual tours offer a behind-the-scenes look at the company's creative headquarters. Here, Imagineers sculpt maquettes for Jessie’s Critter Carousel, an attraction that opened last year at Disney California Adventure park © Aaron Poole/Disneyland Resort

Disney’s theme parks may be closed worldwide , but the company is giving its fans an online treat instead, welcoming remote visitors for virtual tours of the rarely seen Imagineering HQ. 

The series is designed to show off “some of the unique spaces where innovation and storytelling combine to bring Disney stories, characters and worlds to life,” the Disney Parks Blog reports . While the release schedule isn’t publicly available yet, at this point it looks like the series will comprise just a handful of videos. The first debuted on March 31 and introduced the general public to Walt Disney Imagineering – “the only think tank created by Walt Disney himself,” according to the blog post. 

The second episode premiered this week , with host Jonathan Friday giving a quick peek inside the Sculpture Studio, a space once overseen by Blaine Gibson, the legendary sculptor and animator responsible for some of the studio’s most iconic pieces, from the Haunted Mansion’s ghosts to the statue of Walt and Mickey Mouse that greets guests at some of the parks. It’s where Gibson’s pieces are stored to this day, as well as more recent work from the Imagineers.

No word yet on what subjects the rest of the series will cover, but for those in search of a more hands-on experience, there’s also a free online course called Imagineering in a Box , an interactive deep-dive into design and engineering that teaches participants to create their own theme park experience. The comprehensive program features 32 videos to show them the ropes, and it’s suitable for all ages. 

“When I was growing up, I would visit the Disney Parks with my family and ask, ‘how did they do that!?’” creative development exec Josh Gorin wrote in mid-March. “I watched Disney’s behind-the-scenes TV specials and realized that Imagineering was an actual ‘job’ — it inspired what I studied in school and ultimately led to my current role… We are so excited to share with learners of all ages the unique ways that science, technology, engineering, and math can be combined with creativity and design to create larger-than-life entertainment for millions all around the world.”

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Wish Granting Returns to Walt Disney Imagineering

by Shelby Grasser , Manager - Corporate Citizenship, Disney Experiences

Thousands of children fighting critical illnesses have wished to visit the happiest places on earth – our Disney Parks . But occasionally, a child’s one true wish is to dig a little deeper and learn how the magic is made by the brilliant minds at Walt Disney Imagineering. Just last month, Make-A-Wish kid Bella’s one true wish came true – to meet a Disney Imagineer.

“I’ve always been very interested and passionate about Disney’s creative process,” Bella shared. “They’re at the forefront of a lot of technology that’s being created right now, but a lot of people don’t realize that.”

Over the pandemic, Bella, who was born in Walt’s home state of Missouri and has a heart condition, watched “ The Imagineering Story ” on Disney+. She was inspired by the eclectic group of creative people whose imagination and technical know-how are combined to make dreams come true. And in classic Imagineering style – her wish trip was so much more than she could have imagined. 

Tours of Walt Disney Imagineering are rare. A creative force, a historical treasure, a dream factory and a hub of science and technology, Walt Disney Imagineering is a place of legend. It’s the only think tank created by Walt Disney himself. Bella was invited to step in and meet the people who make the magic and take a peek at how they make dreams come true.

“My favorite part of the experience has been watching Bella smile. All the wonderful Imagineers have been so generous and kind with their information and stories,” shared wish mom Shelley.

Bella’s wish journey may be complete … but her Disney dream continues on. The week after her wish was granted, she received her first nametag and is now “earning her ears” here as a Disney intern. Imagineers represent more than 140 disciplines, from artists to architects, engineers, show producers, planners and project managers – so maybe someday, Bella will join them!

Disney and Make-A-Wish have worked together to make more than 145,000 wishes come true, including the very first official wish, which took place at  Disneyland Resort .  And while these past few years have been challenging for everyone – wish granters included – we are so excited that wish-granting at Walt Disney Imagineering has returned.  

This creative wish continues the recent, powerful momentum of returning offerings across Disney parks and resorts. During the past two years, we’ve taken a very gradual, intentional approach to  health and safety protocols.  Recent trends and guidance have provided opportunities for us to bring back some of our most beloved magic, such as wish granting. While not all wishes can be granted immediately, we are continuing to gradually ramp up our wish-granting efforts over the course of the coming months.

Congratulations to Bella and to all the Imagineers for building the perfect wish for Bella! And stay tuned for even more magical Make-A-Wish stories on the Disney Parks Blog.

If you remember a couple of yrs ago a little boy named Sawyer Clark who had a inoperable brain tumor on top of his brain was granted a trip there at WDW. I found out about him and felt like I had to do something. Well I was able to get some things for him with help by some CM’s which I got to him. He passed away a couple of weeks after he got them but his dad said that it made him happy. Gary

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Tour of Walt Disney Imagineering Headquarters

In the Spring of 2014, I conducted a few interviews about the creation of Disneyland Paris’ new attraction “Ratatouille: L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy” at the Walt Disney Imagineering Headquarters in Glendale, California, USA.

It was my first visit to the campus and left a very profound impression on me. While I can imagine that you might be interested in learning how the Walt Disney Imagineering Headquarters look like from the inside, I decided to write down and share my experiences.

Standing in front of the Walt Disney Imagineering Headquarters gave me an extraordinary feeling. For people walking by, this was just an ordinary set of buildings. But for me, it wasn’t! After all, this is the place were legendary Disney theme park attractions such as Big Thunder Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean were born. It left me wondering if Glendale’s local residents realize that the magic that creates happiness for millions of people is made just at their doorstep.

The Imagineering campus in Glendale consists of various buildings. The main structure houses (among other things) a reception desk, offices, conference rooms, a restaurant, a sound studio, the special effects department, the model shop and the sculpture department. The “Digital Immersive Showroom”, the Walt Disney Imagineering Library and the employee-only store called “Mickey’s of Glendale” are located in smaller structures scattered around it.

After registering at the reception desk, I was ushered to a conference room in the heart of the main building. The logo of Walt Disney Imagineering and photos of artists at work line the walls of the lobby. The corridors of the main building are decorated with colorful murals (that often pay tribute to legendary Imagineers like mister John Hench) and beautiful pieces of concept art.

At noon, I had lunch at the campus. The canteen is open, light and airy and has a contemporary décor with stylish wood and chrome iron accents. The outdoor patio in front of the restaurant features colorful chairs and tables, fountains, the famous Disney Parks signpost and a statue of Sorcerer Mickey. After lunch, I went shopping for WDI merchandise at “Mickey’s of Glendale”.

At the end of the interviews, the Walt Disney Imagineers invited me for a tour of the campus. First we went over to the “Digital Immersive Showroom”. This facility features a 360-degree, wrap-around 3D screen equipped with high-tech head tracking virtual reality technology that allows Imagineers to check all visual aspects of new projects long before these actually get built.

“The Dish” is a powerful tool! After spending about ten minutes in the virtual worlds it creates, my mind was tricked into believing that the footage I saw was real. I really felt the sensation of speed when I took a simulated ride aboard Magic Kingdom’s new “Seven Dwarfs Mine Train” attraction or through the refrigerator scene of Disneyland Paris’ new “Ratatouille” attraction.

The next stop on my tour was the Walt Disney Imagineering Library, a building filled with thousands of books for Imagineers to consult when working on projects. Its vault stores iconic pieces of concept art such as the maps of Disneyland by Herb Ryman and Peter Ellenshaw or the paintings by Dan Goozee that served as the basis for the Disneyland Paris Plaza Gardens Restaurant murals. The art of “Ratatouille: L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy” was recently added to the collection as well. I never felt so close to Disney theme park history as I did when I was admiring these masterpieces.

In the Special Effects Department, I met the Imagineers who developed the “blinking eyes” or the “flickering candle” effects that can be seen inside Disneyland Paris’ new “Ratatouille” attraction. They demonstrated some special effects under development of which one was so convincing that I didn’t realize that it was an illusion until someone told me at the end of the day.

With hundreds of loudspeakers encircling the entire room, The Walt Disney Imagineering Sound Studio is a technological and historical marvel in itself. It was here that the programming was done for circle-vision theaters constructed in Disney Theme Parks across the globe. During my visit, the Imagineers let me hear an early WDI sound experiment featuring the fictitious sounds a new employee of The Walt Disney Company might hear during its first day at work.

The next stop on my tour was the Model Shop. Visiting this part of the campus was special to me since many photos of Walt were made in there. In the Model Shop, elaborate models of “Ratatouille: L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy” were on display.

To conclude we visited the Sculpture Department. These rooms are stowed with sculptures of which a (larger) replica can be found in the Parks, like the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs figures standing next to the wishing well in Disneyland. In the Sculpture Department, the beautiful fountain of “La Place de Rémy” was designed.

At the end of the tour, I had a cup of coffee (brewed by the on campus Starbucks Coffee location) and thought back to all the people I had met earlier that day. It occurred to me that just like some of Glendale’s local residents might not realize that the magic that creates happiness for millions of people around the world is made just at their doorstep, I wasn’t fully aware of the fact that this magic is made by so many different people active in so many disciplines. There are Lighting Designers, Graphic Designers, Landscape Architects, Character Painters...

While most of their names might be unknown to me, each and everyone in Glendale and at Walt Disney Imagineering’s field offices (in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai) is playing a crucial role in bringing the magic to live. It’s their daily effort, dedication and determination that leads to the creation of the immersive Disney theme park environments that have been enchanting me for almost twenty years now. And that’s why I’m grateful to every single one of them.

Thank you for making me smile… and Walt proud!

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Disney offers Virtual Tour of its Imagineering Offices – Watch Part 1

• by John Frost
• April 1, 2020 April 1, 2020

The Walt Disney Imagineering campus is rarely open for outsiders to visit. Which makes sense since Imagineers are busy dreaming up the future of Disney’s global theme parks and resorts in there. 

But the Imagineering buildings also serve as something of a living museum documenting the history of Disney’s theme park development, so a chance to visit, even virtually, is pretty exciting. That’s why we’re excited to hear that Disney Parks has released a virtual tour of Imagineering’s campus.

The virtual tour appears to be an update to a video made about 6 or 7 years ago. It features Ann Myers, who was at the time a Creative Design Studio member at Imagineering, as our host.  

Part one of the tour is now available. We like how features the ‘welcome to Imagineering’ video, which is a take on 1950s documentary videos with stiff, but slightly humorous narration.. 

Alas, part one is not so much a tour of the building, but a look at exactly how Imagineering is organized. There is one cool section of the building at the end, the ‘Monorail Hallway,’ which looks like a cross between Star Trek and a travel brochure. 

Walt Disney Imagineering evolved out of Walt’s need for a skunkworks lab where he could test ideas for his concept of a little park where adults and children could enjoy attractions and entertainment in a safe, clean environment. That core group of Imagineers invented an entirely new artform — 4D experiential themed spaces.

Even though the original team of Imagineers was housed on the studios lot in Burbank, Walt actually formed “Walt Disney, Inc” in December of 1952 which later became “WED Enterprises” as a separate company from his studio operation. As the team grew larger and needed more space to explore Walt’s ideas for growing Disneyland, they moved to a small campus located on the former Grand Central airport in Glendale, CA (about 10 minutes away down Riverside Drive) in 1961 eventually taking over a number of buildings including a former Bowling Alley.

The name “Walt Disney Imagineering” didn’t become official until 1986. 

A tour of the Walt Disney Imagineering facilities is pretty rare. But if you want to visit in person your best bet is to book one of the Adventures by Disney experiences that includes a visit. We also recommend Leslie Iwerks’ terrific “the Imagineering Story” documentary on Disney+.

Previously : Try free “Imagineering in a box” online course and learn the process of making Disney’s Magic .

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Tour of Walt Disney Imagineering Lab on the Disney Wish – Disney’s Oceaneer Club (Photos, Video)

Hi everyone!

During our Disney Wish media preview cruise, we stopped by Disney’s Oceaneer Club to check out some of the spaces for kids aged 3-12 – especially the new Walt Disney Imagineering Lab, which is a brand-new location where kids will engage in hands-on activities and learn about Imagineering. It is just one of a number of themed areas. Here are photos and video from the tour we took through the Walt Disney Imagineering Lab!

Artwork of various Disney characters is on the wall that says “Walt Disney Imagineering Lab”.

Here is our full video tour with Walt Disney Imagineer Lauren.

The Walt Disney Imagineering logo with Sorcerer Mickey is above the hand washing machines. I am not sure why Disney hasn’t put these hand washing machines all over the ship (it’s like a spa for the hands).

The Walt Disney Imagineering lab is spacious with desks and chairs, along with real props and more around the room. Lauren said that it is the “First-ever celebration of Walt Disney Imagineering for kids aboard a cruise ship”. She said that kids will experience what it is like to be an Imagineer, and “hopefully get interested in some STEM fields”.

There is a 3D model of Cinderella Castle in the case.

There is also artwork and more.

These are authentic safety vests and hard hats. Lauren explained that the brown hard hat started when a contractor provided a wooden hard hat to an Imagineer with their name on top. “And it became a badge of honor. Now every Imagineer receives the brown hard hat and it’s a sign that you’ve arrived as an Imagineer”.

There are hardhats from Imagineers in Hong Kong Disneyland.

There are other hard hats and books.

On the wall, artwork and more that have to do with the Disney Wish are here.

Lauren told us that these are authentic props from creations of attractions. I did ask how they will keep everything in place, and apparently the items are secured very well.

This is from Ratatouille: L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy at Walt Disney Studios Park in Disneyland Paris as well as Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at EPCOT (the latter opened in 2021).

This cage is the same butterfly effect as in Journey Into Imagination With Figment at EPCOT.  It is really cool to see it close up.

TRON: Lightycle Run is coming to the Magic Kingdom (the same attraction as Shanghai Disneyland).

A “Toy Story” alien is nearby.

There is a small Partners statue.

The Barker Bird from “Pirates of the Caribbean”.

A Mystic Manor music box.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind opened at EPCOT in May.

Hollywood Tower Hotel.

There is a Big Thunder Iron Works sign.

These are “authentic gems” from Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

This is a real 3D printer but we were told that it isn’t going to be used.

There are drawings and maquettes for Toy Story Splash Zone on the Disney Wish.

The stool bottoms look like the end of paintbrushes.

Lauren showed us where kids can design their own roller coaster.

Once kids design their coaster, they can sit in this vehicle and see what they’ve created.

Nearby is the Walt Disney Imagineering Prop Shop with real props.

Here are a few photos inside.

And also there are some fun stickers displayed.

This model was made officially of the Disney Wish.

Blue hard hats were used in Germany. There are various samples here as well.

A maquette of Cinderella can be seen here along with artwork. She is in the Grand Hall, which is the atrium of the Disney Wish.

This is an amazing area for kids (aged 3-12) to delve into the world of Walt Disney Imagineering. And it is just one of a number of themed areas in Disney’s Oceaneer Club on the Disney Wish.

We will have much more to come in the upcoming days and weeks about the Disney Wish (and after our cruise next month).

Disney invited us for this media preview, all views are ours.

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Wish Granting Returns to Walt Disney Imagineering

Thousands of children fighting critical illnesses have wished to visit the happiest places on earth – our Disney parks. But occasionally, a child’s one true wish is to dig a little deeper and learn how the magic is made by the brilliant minds at Walt Disney Imagineering. Just last month, Make-A-Wish kid Bella’s one true wish came true – to meet a Disney Imagineer.

“I’ve always been very interested and passionate about Disney’s creative process,” Bella shared. “They’re at the forefront of a lot of technology that’s being created right now, but a lot of people don’t realize that.”

Over the pandemic, Bella, who was born in Walt’s home state of Missouri and has a heart condition, watched “The Imagineering Story” on Disney+. She was inspired by the eclectic group of creative people whose imagination and technical know-how are combined to make dreams come true. And in classic Imagineering style – her wish trip was so much more than she could have imagined.

Tours of Walt Disney Imagineering are rare. A creative force, a historical treasure, a dream factory, and a hub of science and technology, Walt Disney Imagineering is a place of legend. It’s the only think tank created by Walt Disney himself. Bella was invited to step in and meet the people who make the magic and take a peek at how they make dreams come true.

“My favorite part of the experience has been watching Bella smile. All the wonderful Imagineers have been so generous and kind with their information and stories,” shared wish mom Shelley.

Bella’s wish journey may be complete… but her Disney dream continues on. The week after her wish was granted, she received her first nametag and is now “earning her ears” here as a Disney intern. Imagineers represent more than 140 disciplines, from artists to architects, engineers, show producers, planners, and project managers – so Bella will have a chance to see many of these roles in action!

Disney and Make-A-Wish have worked together to make more than 145,000 wishes come true, including the very first official wish, which took place at  Disneyland Resort .  And while these past few years have been challenging for everyone – wish granters included – we are so excited that wish-granting at Walt Disney Imagineering has returned.

This creative wish continues the recent, powerful momentum of returning offerings across Disney parks and resorts. During the past two years, we’ve taken a very gradual, intentional approach to  health and safety protocols. Recent trends and guidance have provided opportunities for us to bring back some of our most beloved magic, such as wish-granting. While not all wishes can be granted immediately, we are continuing to gradually ramp up our wish-granting efforts over the course of the coming months.

Congratulations to Bella and to all the Imagineers for building the perfect wish for Bella! And stay tuned for even more magical Make-A-Wish stories on the Disney Parks Blog .

by Shelby Grasser , Manager – Corporate Citizenship, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products

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See How Disney Imagineering Made Audio Animatronics for Tiana's Bayou Adventure

See how disney imagineering made audio animatronics for tiana's bayou adventure, the princess and the frog story continues at disney parks with tiana's own attraction..

Here’s what it’s like to go behind the scenes at Walt Disney Imagineering for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure .

io9 went on a tour of Walt Disney Imagineering at the Glendale, CA creative campus, where all the Disney Parks magic comes to life . While we weren’t able to take photos of the work in progress you’ll soon see on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, Imagineering has released images and videos of what we saw while being guided by Ted Robledo, the executive creative director on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure , who shared insight on the making on the upcoming attraction.

Here’s what you need to know about how Imagineering has created a new story inspired by Walt Disney Pictures’ The Princess and The Frog , for an attraction that will give us a new chapter in Princess Tiana’s New Orleans story.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure - It’s now Princess Tiana’s world

From the jump, one of the standout things in the tour was the visual confirmation of how the beloved characters seen in The Princess and The Frog have seamlessly jumped from 2D animation to 3D audio animatronics without projected faces. Robledo explained, “In this case we wanted to really again have the figures feel as real as possible. We thought to ourselves, ‘You know what? For this type of environment, for this type of rendering it makes more sense to do a real [over a] projected face.”

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure - No projection faces here

He continued. “So it’s a case [of a] world that we can kind of relate to... it is still fantasy, but it feels like our world. That makes sense for this latest attraction [as opposed to] Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway —that’s a very stylized world. Maybe the right way to go with some of those things is to utilize some of the different methodologies for that world and how that’s rendered versus Tiana’s world.”  

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure - Mama Odie

Everything from costumes and technology is meticulously designed to work together and exists in a shared space where you can walk from a fabric table to an animatronic testing station. For Disney, it was all hands on deck to insure Tiana would be as accurate to her world as possible. “This has been a long time in the making. We talk about costumes but this really is [about] something that sort of speaks to the era, speaks to who they are as characters. And we really wanted to kind of elevate that,” Robledo shared. “One thing that’s really special about these characters is that they come from the 2D world. The last project I worked on was The Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast in Tokyo, and that was the first time where those 2D characters were realized as 3D animated characters.”

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure - Juju!

Robledo added, “Walt Disney Animation Studios created those models for us. And you know, who better to arbitrate what those characters should look like in three dimensions—so they came back again, helped us with these characters as well.”

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure - Tiana’s guiding you

The heart of the attraction is, of course, Tiana herself. There are a number of audio animatronics of her that park guests encounter as she guides them into the bayou—and immersing visitors into the story is one of the main goals of the attraction. “One of the things that the team has worked really hard to accomplish here is to make sure that we connect with her, and she connects with us because she’s speaking directly to us,” Robledo shared. He explained that the Tiana figures are stationed in such a way that enhances the flow of the storytelling. “She’s looking at us straight in the eye, so our animators have to see her from [that] vantage point. A lot of work goes into bringing up that very complicated figure up there of Tiana—that’s what we have to do to kind of make sure she performs and she connects with us in the way that we need her to. So [there’s] lots of Tianas. But we also have a lot of friends like Mama Odie and Juju.”

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure - Charlotte and Eudora

It was so exciting to see Lottie and Eudora from behind the curtain too. Here they’re seen waving in Mardi Gras celebration attire, which we’re guessing may come later in the attraction, but nevertheless they’re lifelike in their interaction. “From looking at Eudora and Charlotte, there’s definitely levels of complexity the designer designs for the performance. So Mama Odie may have more complexity to her versus, say, Charlotte or Eudora. But as you can see they still feel like they’re alive,” Robledo said.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure - The voices are where it begins

A huge part of bringing the movie’s world to life is having the original voice cast return: “We bring the actors in first, they provide the performance. And that’s what our animators animate to.”   Anika Noni Rose (Tiana), Jennifer Lewis (Mama Odie), and Micheal Leon-Wooley (Louis the Gator) are all set to be featured on the ride.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure - Imagineering is all in the details

Robledo discussed how the magic all comes together thanks to the Imagineers. “This is a milestone. It’s the first time we’ve seen these characters realized in three dimensions, and so much care is included from the finishing group into the hair, the texture of the hair and color of the hair, the materials themselves, and the fact that they can do this 18 hours a day, all day long is amazing,” he said. “ And that really is the credit of the care design from who’s going to build these things, be able to perform all day long.”

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure - Meet Ralphie

A minor character from the film gets to appear on the ride as a fun highlight. Ralphie, brother of Prince Naveen (who we did get to see in a fancy flashy outfit—alas we don’t have an image to share), pops up as part of the band. “The inspiration from that came from a Golden Book from Disney Publishing, which I think it was called [ Tiana Is My Babysitter ]. And as it turns out, Ralphie learning to play the drums was in it,” Robledo revealed about the character finding a place on the attraction. “[It was] perfect: we’ll have Ralphie join the band.”

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure - Critters!

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens this summer at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and later this year at Disneyland.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel , Star Wars , and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV , and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who .

Hear about a Walt Disney Imagineering creative director’s career journey, April 9

April 8, 2024 (Last updated: April 8, 2024 )

Join ASU’s Theme Park Engineering and Design Club, or TPEAD, for their last talk of the school year.

TPEAD will be joined by Jonathan Friday, senior creative director for Walt Disney Imagineering, as he shares the story of getting into Imagineering and his ongoing 14-year career.

Join the event in-person or via Zoom.

Over his 14 year career at Walt Disney Imagineering, Jonathan has been able to work on a wide range of projects, from both domestic and international Disney parks to designing experiences for Disney Cruise Line and beyond. Most recently, he’s worked on projects like Happy Ride with Baymax and Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast at Tokyo Disneyland, as well as Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at the Disneyland Resort.

As always, make sure to follow @asu.tpead on Instagram and join the club on SunDevilSync.

Theme Park Engineering and Design Club talk: Jonathan Friday Tuesday, April 9, 2024 7–8 p.m. Memorial Union (MU) 226, Tempe campus [ map ] Watch online via Zoom

Disney: Star Tours rolls out fresh scenes, new characters

U pdates have been installed at the Star Tours attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and some of the new scenes and faces may have been seen in your living room.

Characters from Disney+ streaming series now appear in the simulator ride, which shuffles through multiple scenarios to create a multitude of story options. “The Mandalorian,” “Andor” and “Ahsoka” series are now in the mix.

Visitors may see Ahsoka Tano, Cassian Andor or Din Djarin with Grogu, the character fans sometimes refer to as “baby Yoda.”

“There’s one new scene with purrgil on the planet of Seatos, which everyone loves – the space whales, as they call them,” said Clint Gamache, owner of ThrillGeek, a theme park website.

“I think it was the right addition. Not everybody’s going to get it … but the ‘Star Wars’ fan base, I think, will enjoy it for what it is,” he said.

Star Tours was Disney’s first “Star Wars” attraction, predating the company’s acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012. The motion simulator opened at Disney World in 1989. It was upgraded in 2011 with characters such as Princess Leia and Chewbacca and destinations such as Hoth and Tatooine.

Concerned about misuse, Disney World changes disability passes

There also have been additions to go with “The Rise of Skywalker” and other films, plus Batuu, the planet from the park’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which opened in 2019. The contents of the attraction’s video are not randomly selected, but there’s also no way of knowing which story (or planets) you’re walking into.

There are Star Tours attractions at Disneyland in California, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris.

“Star Tours is a classic attraction, so it’s great to see Disney continuing to update it with new additions for everybody to enjoy,” Gamache said.

Attractions tidbits

• Walt Disney Imagineering has launched a YouTube series named “We Call It Imagineering.” First up: advances in animatronics, particularly ones that will be seen in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, set to debut at Magic Kingdom this summer. Link: youtube.com/waltdisneyimagineering

• With Merlin Entertainments Group taking over the Orlando Eye observation wheel, the Great Florida Road Trip game has been discontinued. New experiences are being planned for that space. More info: iconparkorlando.com

• Gatorland is offering a $20 discount on its Screamin’ Gator Zipline. The price, through May 31, is $49.99 and includes Gatorland admission for the day. More info: gatorland.com

• Orlando Science Center’s Kids Night at the Museum – which includes exhibits, STEM activities, pizza dinner – is set for Saturday. Price: $85 for first child, $65 per sibling. More info: OSC.org

• Recent baby animal arrivals at ZooTampa: a 10-pound pygmy hippopotamus (mother is Zsa Zsa) and an endangered Malayan tapir calf (mom is named Ubi). More info: Zootampa.org

Email me at [email protected] . Threads account: @dbevil . X account: @themeparks . Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters .

©2024 Orlando Sentinel. Visit orlandosentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Screen Rant

5 disneyland rides to go to first when the park opens.

Disneyland Park guests should prioritize rides such as Rise of the Resistance, Peter Pan's Flight, and Indiana Jones Adventure due to long wait times.

• Disneyland visitors should prioritize popular rides like Peter Pan's Flight, Matterhorn Bobsleds, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
• Visitors can utilize Disney's app to check wait times and may consider purchasing Lightning Lane passes.
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is a must-visit in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, but visitors should prepare for potentially long wait times.

When Disneyland in Anaheim first opens its gates every day at eight in the morning, there are a few rides visitors should make a beeline for if they don't want to be standing in line for hours. Since it debuted in 1955, Disneyland has boasted many popular rides and other experiences that capture the magic of the company's extensive list of films and shows, primarily of the fantasy and adventure genres. Some of the rides that have been there since the beginning remain incredibly popular and are sure to have long lines every day of the year.

On the other hand, new franchises have led the Disney Imagineering team to design new rides based on these popular stories. Every day at Disneyland is a game of making the most of one's time; the Disney app provides visitors with wait times for all the attractions from anywhere in the park, while Lightning Lane entry passes are also available for purchase (and Disneyland does have free Wi-Fi ). Nonethless, having a sense of what rides are most likely to have a long wait and where they are will help Disney tourists plan their day strategically.

Disneyland Tickets: Prices, Tiers & Where To Buy

5 peter pan's flight, located in fantasyland.

Peter Pan's Flight's status as a staple attraction of Disneyland has endured throughout its almost 70 years in operation.

Peter's Pan Flight is an original Disneyland ride, present when the park first opened and redesigned in 1983. It is based on the characters and settings of Disney's 1953 animated adaptation of J. M. Barrie's story. The slower but decent pace and small drops from the safety of a pirate ship make it a great ride for all ages. Additionally, some of the designs within the ride are simply breathtaking, such as the blacked-out, star-dotted sky when visitors fly over and around Neverland.

Peter Pan's Flight is a good first ride because it is as close to the entrance as one can get. Fantasyland is generally a good place to start because it is home to classic rides such as the Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. After going through the main gates, visitors need only walk straight down Main Street (at a brisk pace) and go through Sleeping Beauty's Castle to get to Fantasyland, where Peter Pan is the first ride on the right.

However, even running, there is likely to be a wait when visitors get there. Peter Pan's Flight's status as a staple attraction of Disneyland has endured throughout its almost 70 years in operation. It also has wider appeal because it is geared at kids and there is no height requirement. While the queue of pirate ship vehicles moves fast, the staff can only let two or three people on the ride at a time. Additionally, guests of the Disneyland hotels get to enter the park 30 minutes early and may also have Peter Pan in mind as their first stop.

4 Matterhorn Bobsleds

Matterhorn Bobsleds opened in 1959 and was the first roller coaster at Disneyland. The ride is inspired by its real-life counterpart; Walt Disney traveled to Switzerland to film Third Man on the Mountain and set out to create a fantastical version of the landmark. Visitors board a bobsled of six people and are brought to the top of the mountain, before making a high-speed, twisting descent, occasionally encountering the Abominable Snowman — who can be heard roaring at other parts of the ride.

Disneyland's Matterhorn is 100 times smaller than the real mountain, and the snowfall is heavier on the north-facing side, just like it is in real life. Matterhorn Bobsleds is also located in Fantasyland, and it is possible to get there relatively quickly from the front gates. When visitors reach Sleeping Beauty's Castle, they should take the pathway off to the right instead of going through the castle's archway. The recreation of the Matterhorn mountain will be visible from this location in the park, so finding it should be no trouble.

Despite having a height requirement of 42", Matterhorn Bobsleds has one of the most consistent waits in the park, which can reach a couple of hours. It is ideally positioned in the line of sight of the entry, so people who want to prioritize their favorite roller coasters can dash there. Even then, the single-person wide sleds only seat six people and there are only two tracks. Disneyland.disney.go.com notes that the staff may choose to only have one track in operation during slower periods. After enjoying Matterhorn Bobsleds, visitors are ideally located to go on more rides in Fantasyland or venture into Tomorrowland.

3 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Located in frontierland.

The runaway train roller coaster known as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad became a signature attraction of Disneyland in 1979. Mine Train through Nature's Wonderland was the forerunner of this ride, although this was a much slower train ride where the main entertainment was animatronic animals and forest facades. Mine Train through Nature's Wonderland operated in Disneyland from 1960 to 1977, when it was closed to make way for the rising demand for more high-speed rides. Some elements of Thunder Mountain appear to be derived from this previous attraction.

While there are some additional paths to navigate, Frontierland also branches off Main Street and is easy to access. While visitors will find Tomorrowland to the right, Frontierland is to the left. Frontierland is also located next to other subsections of the park, including Adventureland, New Orleans Square, and Critter Country. These areas include famous rides such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and Tiana's Bayou Adventure (previously Splash Mountain; opening date unconfirmed at the time of writing).

Thunder Mountain typically does not have the biggest turnout of all the attractions in Disneyland Park, but it does have the potential to get busy. People who are hoping for a shorter wait for other nearby rides might end up at Thunder Mountain. It is a classic roller coaster with an interesting design and is unsurprisingly popular. However, if visitors go there first, the wait will probably be short as everyone else will be trying for another ride. Furthermore, Thunder Mountain is not inspired by any particular Disney movie, but Disney is now working on a Big Thunder Mountain movie .

10 Movies Disney Would've Made If Pirates Of The Caribbean Came Out 10 Years Later

2 indiana jones adventure, located in adventureland.

The Indiana Jones Adventure ride has a notoriously long wait. The ride's construction is somewhat deceiving since most of the line is concealed from view within the mountain itself. Yet determined visitors endure this wait year after year to get on the unique roller coaster. The vehicles are styled as jeeps and everyone is in for a bumpy ride, encountering terrors such as snakes, traps, and the famous boulder that Indy successfully avoids at the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark .

Disneyland's Indiana Jones attraction opened in 1995, long predating Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm. Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm also negotiated rights and collaborated on other attractions, such as Star Tours in Tomorrowland. Indiana Jones Adventure might not have the broadest appeal since it is darker and louder, therefore more likely to frighten children. However, the wait time for the ride remains high, likely due to a limited number of vehicles and passengers per vehicle.

Indiana Jones Adventure is also more difficult to get to than the Fantasyland rides, since it is tucked back into the corner of Adventureland, wedged between Jungle Cruise and New Orleans Square. To get there, take a sharp left at the first pathway off of Main Street and walk past Jungle Cruise and Tarzan's Tree House. Visitors should consult a map to be completely sure of where they are going if they want to get to Indiana Jones first. However, after this long wait, New Orleans Square is an ideal place for breakfast, serving Mickey Mouse-shaped beignets.

1 Rise Of The Resistance

Located at star wars: galaxy's edge.

Galaxy's Edge is perhaps more interactive than anywhere else in Disneyland, including workshops for designing lightsabers and droids. The rides themselves comprise different narrative experiences.

Since it opened in 2019, replacing Big Thunder Ranch, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge has been one of the most popular spots in Disneyland. The design and construction are truly spectacular, including a life-size Millennium Falcon. Connections to the expanding Star Wars canon appear in Galaxy's Edge, like nods to Darth Vader and Thrawn's shared backstory . The flagship ride Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run could easily have a wait time of more than two hours. The new and even better ride, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, is the same situation.

Galaxy's Edge is perhaps more interactive than anywhere else in Disneyland, including workshops for designing lightsabers and droids. The rides themselves comprise different narrative experiences. For instance, Smuggler's Run puts visitors in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, with everyone having a different task, such as piloting, operating the ship's guns, and lifting goods. Alternatively, in Rise of the Resistance, visitors board "Resistance transports" (and later get off them) and go on an adventure to escape the First Order, accompanied by Finn, Rey, and BB-8. They also run across Kylo Ren and General Hux.

The potentially hours-long wait time is daunting, especially since Galaxy's Edge is at the back of the park. However, while the rest of the park opens at eight, Star Wars Land opens at nine, giving visitors more time to get there. There is still an early entry for some guests. After enjoying the rides, Galaxy's Edge has many interesting businesses to explore, including Oga's Cantina. The Star Wars rides pose the biggest challenge when it comes to achieving a decent wait time. However, with a little bit of research, going on popular rides throughout Disneyland Park will hopefully not be too exhausting.

Source: Disneyland.disney.go.com

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What’s Next for Jane Goodall? An Immersive Spectacle in Tanzania.

“Dr. Jane’s Dream” is going up in East Africa, where visitors can experience the primatologist’s scientific breakthroughs (complete with termite mound).

By Ralph Blumenthal

Are you ready for the Jane Goodall Experience?

It’s getting ready for you.

“Dr. Jane’s Dream,” an immersive spectacle by former Walt Disney Imagineers and African artisans celebrating the groundbreaking English primatologist and environmental activist, is taking form in a cultural complex in Tanzania.

Its debut, in the safari gateway of Arusha, between Mount Kilimanjaro and Serengeti National Park , is planned around World Chimpanzee Day, July 14, 2025 — 65 years since Goodall, then a 26-year-old novice researcher chaperoned by her mother, landed at the Gombe forest reserve to begin her field work for the anthropologist Louis Leakey .

Within months she upended scientific doctrine by observing an adult male chimp she called David Greybeard raid a termite mound, stripping leaves from a hollow branch to extract and eat the insects. The making and using of tools was long thought a hallmark of humans.

Since then, the nonstop Goodall, who turned 90 on April 3 during a typically exhausting American tour, has been lionized (or aped) in books and movies. She’s a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire and a United Nations Messenger of Peace. And champion of a global crusade of young people and celebrities from Prince Harry to Leonardo DiCaprio fighting deforestation, climate change, pollution and factory farming.

Her nonprofit Jane Goodall Institute in the U.S. is projected to raise $30 million this year, with additional millions raised by the other 25 chapters worldwide, a spokesman said. Her youth movement, Roots and Shoots, is operating in 70 countries.

But she has never been presented like this — in an immersive tribute by African artists and Disney veterans. Disney has called Imagineering the “blending of creative imagination with technical know-how.” But “Dr. Jane’s Dream” is not a Disney project; rather, it taps into storytelling techniques by some of its former innovators.

At “Dr. Jane’s Dream,” Goodall said in New York last week, “There’s a tent where my mom and I were and two little peepholes looking out into the world of the chimps.” Visitors will be challenged. “They go into this dream world and are going to have to investigate. It’s like an adventure.”

Goodall is now on one of her globe-circling jaunts that keep her on the road some 300 days a year. She flew in from the West Coast at the end of March and after Canada and a few days back home in her native Bournemouth on the English Channel, she is booked to Europe, Africa, Australia, South America and Asia.

Since Jan. 12, she calculated, she has slept in her own bed five nights.

On April 2, Goodall was on East 54th Street at the Hotel Elysée with its Monkey Bar — a coincidence, she insisted — along with the fact that her top floor suite had been the last abode of the playwright Tennessee Williams, who died there in 1983 at 71, choking on the cap of a bottle of barbiturates.

Her latest project, “Dr. Jane’s Dream,” is unfolding at the Arusha Cultural Heritage Center, opened in 1994 by Saifudin Khanbhai, whose great-grandfather from India established a trading outpost in British colonial Tanganyika in the 1800s.

Khanbhai offered Goodall a location on the five-acre heritage site, amid a complex of half a dozen buildings and four huts displaying the work of some 3,000 artists and jewelers and showcasing the region’s unique blue gemstone, Tanzanite.

“We just connected so well,” Khanbhai said in an interview. “I’m a man of chemistry. If it works it works.”

Her building’s shell of round drumlike forms is already up, with the interior exhibits coming over the next year.

“Basically, she is getting the deep storytelling, design and immersiveness of Disney Imagineering because — well, we adore Jane,” said Tom Acomb, an architect with his own firm, AOA, and a former Imagineer who teamed up with colleagues including Joe Rohde , creator of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park in Florida, to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars of free design services for “Dr. Jane’s Dream.”

But Acomb said, “Disney has nothing to do with the project, nor is any technology of theirs deployed in any way. What is in the mix is a process — the process that was unique to Disney Imagineering’s ability to tell a story.” He said they still did support work for Disney when called upon.

The idea, Rohde explained, was to create “much more of an experience center than an expository center.”

“What we’re trying to do,” he added, “is sort of take all the feelings and emotions that made Jane Goodall Jane Goodall and transfer that into a series of objects and encounters.”

It was not so much “about” Goodall, he noted, as “feeling her.”

He said it would feature a kiosk with a recording of Goodall translating chimp cries into English; a ceiling of 800 leaflike tiles painted by various African artists, models of animals wrapped in information about them (requiring close study by visitors, just as Goodall had to closely study her subjects); and elaborately carved and painted tree trunks in a style of artmaking called Makonde .

And, of course, the famous termite mound.

“Rather than just telling people that this is the way chimps fish for food,” Rohde said, “we want to compel people to do something like what the chimps do — use these little probes to stimulate something within the termite mound. You’re not learning about what chimps do — you’re learning what they do.

“It’s a very Jane Goodall thing.”

To keep “Dr. Jane’s Dream" maintainable locally, it will limit fancy technology, and allow for improvisation, Rohde said.

“It’s going to be what it becomes as the artists make it.”

Born in London in 1934, Goodall grew up cherishing animals, even, as a not-yet-2-year-old, taking earthworms to bed with her. Her mother, Vanne, convinced her that the worms would do better in the ground. At 4½ she lost herself in the henhouse trying to figure out where eggs came from.

Her parents separated when she was little and, amid Nazi bombings, she relocated with her mother and younger sister to her grandmother’s home in Bournemouth. The first book she read was “The Story of Dr. Dolittle,” about a country physician who talks to the animals. Another early book, “Tarzan of the Apes” left her jealous, she remembers: “He marries the wrong Jane.”

Set on visiting Africa, Goodall saved her waitressing money and, at 23 in 1957, sailed to Kenya where, though lacking a college degree, she sought out Leakey who with his wife, Mary, was excavating early human fossils in Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania.

One day at the site, out walking with another assistant, Gillian Trace, and the Leakeys’ two protective Dalmatians, Toots and Bottom-Biter, Goodall noticed they were being trailed by a young male lion. The dogs, off leash, were busy chasing a mouse.

“Gillian wanted to hide in the vegetation at the bottom of the gorge,” she recalled last week. “I said no, the lion would know where we are, we won’t know where the lion is. We have to climb up on the plains so the lion could see us. I had this firm belief that animals wouldn’t hurt us if we are not a threat to them.”

Goodall said she was less worried about the lion than coming back to Mary Leakey without the Dalmatians.

Afterward, Louis Leakey, impressed, offered her a job studying chimpanzees for clues to man’s earliest ancestors. She became one of his three ape mentees, “the trimates,” who also included Dian Fossey on gorillas and Birutė Galdikas on orangutans. Fossey would be murdered in Rwanda in 1985.

Goodall returned to England but sailed back to Africa with her mother in 1960 to begin her research in Gombe, on Lake Tanganyika.

Alone in the jungle with only their cook, both were felled by malaria. Her mother nearly died. “We just lay in our beds and handed the thermometer back and forth,” Goodall recalled. Somehow, without quinine, they recovered.

She tried repeatedly to make contact with the chimps but they remained aloof, as recorded by an old movie camera she propped up in a tree fork.

Until, after nearly four months, David Greybeard let her get close enough as he made his tool of the tree branch.

“It was held in the left hand, poked into the ground, and then removed coated with termites,” she recorded in her field book. “The straw was then raised to the mouth and the insects picked off with the lips, along the length of the straw, starting in the middle.”

Goodall said she knew immediately that her breakthrough would thrill Leakey. He cabled back: “Now we must redefine ‘tool,’ redefine ‘man’ or accept chimpanzees as human.”

But Goodall also observed the primates in warfare and cannibalism — along with manifestations of empathy and communal rearing of offspring orphaned by poachers. At a waterfall, she observed chimps dancing as if in religious awe.

Sergio Almécija , senior research scientist in primates and human evolution at the American Museum of Natural History, said Goodall revolutionized the way we understand primates and other animals — “like the transition from radio to color TV.”

Starting in 1961, Goodall returned periodically to Cambridge for what became four years of doctoral studies in ethology. “I was told you must focus on feeding behavior or maternal behavior, but not everything,” she recalled.

She focused on everything. She also rejected complaints that she was giving names, not just numbers, to her chimp subjects and recognizing their humanlike traits.

When National Geographic sent a renowned Dutch wildlife photographer, Baron Hugo van Lawick, to Gombe in 1962 to document an irresistible story — a young Englishwoman among the apes — a romance blossomed. They married in London in 1964 and had a child, Hugo Eric Louis, nicknamed Grub. (Now a house builder in Africa and Latin America, he has two sons and a daughter, Goodall’s grandchildren, who work on some of her projects.)

A slowdown in assignments sent van Lawick in search of work in the Serengeti and he and Goodall divorced in 1974. A year later she married the Tanzanian national parks director, Derek Bryceson . He died of cancer in 1980, when Goodall was 46.

In 1986, she helped organize a conference in Chicago, and was shocked to learn how deforestation and pollution were decimating animal populations.

“I went to the conference as a scientist and I left as an activist,” she said.

After revelations of terrible conditions at the Brazzaville zoo in the Republic of Congo, she persuaded the American oil company Conoco to help build a chimp sanctuary in that country. She convinced leading research laboratories like Harvard’s that chimps, after all, made poor models for medical experimentation to benefit humans. Many long-captive animals were released to sanctuaries (though ape-trafficking remained rampant).

She widened her focus to human behavior as well, and became a vegan. “How can we even save the precious chimpanzees,” she asked, “when people all around are struggling to survive?”

Some of her favorite stuffed animals that she carries around in her hand luggage sat last week on a mantle in her New York hotel room: Mr. H, a monkey from a blinded United States Marine, Gary Haun, who became a proficient magician, skier and sky diver; Pigcasso, a South African pig taught to create artworks with a paintbrush in her mouth; an octopus from the movie “My Octopus Teacher”; and Rattie, an African pouched rat trained to detect land mines.

Two other items were away on display at a National Geographic Museum traveling exhibition called “Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall” — a piece of the Berlin Wall and a limestone rock from Nelson Mandela’s Robben Island prison.

All symbols, Goodall says, of her mantra — hope.

“I’m seeing humanity as at the mouth of a very long dark tunnel,” she said, “and right at the end is a little star — that’s hope. But in order to get there we’ve got to roll up our sleeves and climb under and crawl over all the obstacles that lie in the path, like climate change, and loss of biodiversity. And a very important one is poverty. We must alleviate poverty because really poor people destroy the environment to survive.”

In her hotel suite, the living room lights and brass chandelier were lit. A photo of Tennessee Williams glistened in a vitrine.

Goodall was in a bedroom, resting her eyes from her travels and lectures into the spotlights. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, the chandelier began to sway.

Goodall didn’t seem surprised to hear of it. Once, she said, staying in another suite on the same floor, she had seen an apparition.

Did she believe in a hereafter?

There’s either nothing or there’s something, she said. Finding out the answer would be “the next great adventure.”

Want to own a piece of Disney's Fort Wilderness history? It can be yours ... for a price

Now you can quite literally bring a piece of Disney home with you. Just make sure you have space for it.

Disney is making some changes to the Fort Wilderness area at Disney World in Orlando.

New "cabins" are part of the renovations and the old cabins are being sold by Dream Life Mobile Homes , which listed the cabins on its  website  and  Facebook Marketplace .

What could they be used for? They would make a "great investment property option for Airbnb, Vrbo, tiny home resort or rental," according to Orlando Resort Cabin's website.

Here's what you should know, whether you're interested in a cabin or just feeling nostalgic.

First thing first: How much do the old Fort Wilderness cabins cost?

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The cabins are being sold for $49,900 , sight unseen.

"The price is firm and no volume discounts are available," according to Orlando Resort Cabin's website.

There currently are a limited number of units available for purchase.

"Cabins will be delivered to buyers as they are removed from the resort and may not be viewed nor inspected in advance."

The Orlando Resort Cabin project is a partnership between JCQ Services Inc. and Friedrich Watkins Co. in Orlando, which describes its mission as helping local resorts minimize waste during construction. The project helps to remove and relocate log cabins, with sales going through the brokerage firm Dream Life Mobile Homes.

Fort Wilderness cabins being sold. Here are the details

Just in case it's been a while, or maybe you had a few too many s'mores with Chip ‘n’ Dale at the Campfire Sing-Along, here are the details about the cabins you may have forgotten, according to Orlando Resort Cabins:

➤ Take a virtual tour of a cabin

• Built between 1998-2001 and "have been renovated over the years in keeping with the resort’s quality standards."
• Approximately 500 square feet; overall dimensions are 12 feet by 42 feet.
• One bedroom, one bathroom.
• Sleeps six.
• Offered with all the original furniture. Also included are the appliances, water heater and an air conditioner unit.
• The exterior deck, stairs and side skirting are not included.
• The cabins are being sold "as is" and without any form of warranty.
• Interested? Email [email protected] .
• There are no financing options available.

Once sold, Fort Wilderness cabins will need to be relocated

A set amount of cabins will be available each month, which started in March.

The cabins are located in Orlando and will need to be moved to the buyers' property, according to Orlando Resort Cabins .

Local delivery is included with the sale within 25 miles of the cabin’s original location in Orlando.

Outside of 25 miles, delivery fees will apply. These cabins are considered oversized loads and will require rigs and permits for delivery. Buyers are responsible for researching zoning and permits before purchase, Orlando Resort Cabins said.

Changes coming to Fort Wilderness in 2024

Walt Disney World announced in 2023 that it planned to refresh the cabin hideaways at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. The company said it would replace the existing cabins at the resort with 350 new cabins.

The new cabins are part of several projects at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, including improvements at the pool and walking trail. The resort campground first opened in 1971.

The new Fort Wilderness cabins were designed by Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney World’s Facility Asset Management team.

When will the new cabins be available at Fort Wilderness?

The first loop of cabins will open July 1, with more loops opening in phases throughout the year, according to Disney Parks.

Reservations for the cabins opened on March 19 for Disney Vacation Club members, to Walt Disney World Annual Passholders on March 20, and to all guests on March 21.

Make reservations either online  or by calling 407-934-7639.

Features of new cabins coming to Fort Wilderness

The new cabins — which feature floor-to-ceiling windows — will sleep up to six people and some can accommodate dogs, according to Disney Vacation Club's website.

➤ Take a virtual tour of the new cabins

There are two types of cabins , according to Disney's website. We checked online and found costs ranged from $504 to $655 for two adults, depending on dates:

The one-bedroom cabin

• The one-bedroom cabin features one queen bed, a queen-size pull-down bed and a bunk bed. It sleeps up to six adults.
• Fully equipped kitchen with a fridge, microwave and full-size oven/range, and a patio deck.
• A large convertible seating and sleeping area with a comfy sofa and a fold-down, queen-size Inova bed.
• Available for stays beginning Sept. 27.
• Wheelchair and hearing-accessible cabins available.

The wilderness cabin

• The wilderness cabin features one queen bed, a double-size sleeper sofa, and a bunk bed.
• Features include a kitchen with two countertop burners, a fridge and microwave, and a patio.