A reader of the blog submits this optimistic look at early roots of Imagineering that still exist at Disneyland today.  Literal and symbolic layers have been added to Disneyland over the decades.  It’s nice to be reminded that a lot of these early “layers” still play a part in Disney park experience.   I only hope that future layers can reflect the wonder and marvel of these first layers and not be layers of pure tackiness that we’ve seen in recent years.  Just sayin’.   -Admin

------------------------------

Whenever I think about Disneyland, and how it grew, literally, from an Orange grove in Anaheim, California, I am continually amazed at how its roots were planted, and even after all these years since its groundbreaking, those roots still exist; the roots of imagineering.

 Walt Disney has been quoted as saying that Disneyland will always evolve and change - never to be static. It was designed from the beginning to set sights on the future and pay homage to the past.

But, even as time moves on, and new 'layers' are added onto the existing structure of the park itself, I hold on to the memories of those that first set in stone, the 1st layers of Imagineering. When visiting Disneyland, one feels a sense of the original Imagineers there in the park as though they are always present, watching over the park and guiding its visions for today’s Imagineering and the art of Illusioneering.

"X" Atencio, Marc Davis, Claude Coats, "Rolly" Crump, Harriet Burns, Blaine Gibson, just to mention a few, these men and women were, in a sense, tasked by Walt Disney, to move imagineering from the 2D world into the 3D world. They began what really became a science in creating illusions; one that allows the viewer to be transported to another place and time. Disneyland Park is a living, breathing 3 - dimensional entity in and of itself. From the moment when you walk onto Main Street, one may not realize that each building is designed to have forced perspective. Each floor above the 1st is reduced in height, to create a sense of even taller buildings. And, one may not know that even the color and values of the foliage are placed in such a way as to create more depth and perceived space throughout the park. That … is what lives on. That … is part of their legacy; the 1st Imagineers.

One of my fascinations in the park is with Audio Animatronics. This is truly where the legacy of Disney art moved from 2D to 3D. The Imagineers that created the Abraham Lincoln exhibit for the 1964 New York World's Fair may not have known that they were setting a standard for future park innovations, and even creating technologies that even today, are being expanded upon, not only in the entertainment field but even medical as well.

The choreography of artistry is amazing throughout Disneyland. Even the audio tracks leave a lasting impression. My favorite voice talent, Paul Frees, is heard all over the park, and when you look back at previous attractions such as Adventures Through Inner Space, you can still hear his unique voice echoing in the park from times gone by. And speaking of voices - lets not forget about Jack Wagner. He welcomed us and then thanked us for visiting Disneyland. Those are just a few of the memorable voices throughout the park.

I also have an appreciation of the colors used on the attractions. Deep blues into colorful purples seem to be a major theme throughout the park's history and even in the animated films as well. Mary Blair's unique designs are unforgettable. I see that as one of the most important contributions that the original Imagineers set forth for generations to come.

So maybe Walt himself is still looking over Disneyland from his small apartment above the Fire station, making sure that past innovations live on and to ensure that new innovations more forward in that space. A space that will always change and will always be watched over by the original "cast."

Times will change and technologies will progress but I will never forget those 1st "layers" of Imagineering that shine through to this very day.

-Monte E. Ross

Article submitted by -Joe Stitt 

“A vista into a world of wondrous ideas, signifying man’s achievements….a step into the future, with predictions of constructive things to come. Tomorrow offers new frontiers in science, adventure, and ideals: The Atomic Age, the challenge of outer space, and the hope for a peaceful and unified world.”

-Walt Disney
July 17, 1955 

      That was the dedication given by Walt himself to Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. When compared to what we have today in Disney World, it makes me wonder how things could go so terribly wrong. To me, Tomorrowland as we have it today is one of most inexcusable offenses committed by WDI in the Magic Kingdom; second only to the unholy mess in the Enchanted Tiki Room. But unlike their poor tropical friends, I believe the citizens of Tomorrowland can rebuild their city of tomorrow to regain its former glory.

      Step one in the rebuilding phase is a complete overhaul of its crown jewel, Space Mountain. While this little refurbishment the Suits allowed is nice, in order for it to become great again a whole new Space Mountain is needed. The improvements should include new cars with the much longed-for onboard speaker system, a brand new track to reduce the roughness of the ride, and a new lift hill, pre-show, and post-show to totally bring the ride out of the 1980s and reflect a more advanced view of space and space travel. During this construction time, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority can also receive some TLC. The story on the ride can be greatly improved by updating the scenes you pass through on the ride. A more creative view of the other TTA lines can be presented based on upcoming transportation systems.  Some cars that are more pleasing to the eye wouldn’t hurt either since the current trains are pretty bland. These improvements would be a step in the right direction, but they aren’t the only rides pleading for help in Tomorrowland.

      One of Walt’s favorite attractions, the Carrousel of Progress, has been allowed to slowly fade into oblivion. To me, this is unacceptable.  Yes there is a bit of a nostalgic factor to this beloved attraction, but that does not mean that it doesn’t have a solid story. It is quite possibly one of the greatest audio-animatronics shows ever created. I believe this show can be brought back to life with more life-like audio-animatronics and an updated last scene. Somewhere around 2050 should be a good estimate. Even though it would a big jump story-wise, I believe people could let that slide since it would provide a glimpse into their own future. Next, we head from a small suburban home to the headquarters of Star Command.

      While I don’t believe any Pixar or other name-brand characters belong in Tomorrowland, I believe Buzz Lightyear can be an exception to that rule. Even though characters should be in Fantasyland, he gives the little kids a fun adventure in our world of tomorrow. But like every other attraction, a little touch of paint and some new effects couldn’t hurt it.  Now if only Buzz can stay, that means we say goodbye to Stitch and our Monsters Inc. friends.

      Let’s start with re-modeling the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. First of all, the Tomorrowland Interplanetary Convention Center needs to be brought back. I always liked the way it fit in the Tomorrowland storyline. As far as the new attraction to go in the convention center goes, you can’t fantasize about the future without time travel, can you? I picture a galaxy-wide convention on time travel, where we as Tomorrowland citizens are allowed to be the lucky test subjects for a new time travel vehicle. Instead of traveling one minute into the future as planned, a malfunction occurs, and we are taken on a journey through some of the greatest milestones in science. Our trip would end with a scenic view of Tomorrowland in the year 3000. And since this would be a simulator type ride, it would be possible to update the movie every few years to keep the experience fresh. This takes care of one problem, but we still have that fury little troublemaker across the street.

      As if Stitch wasn’t stuffed down our throats enough by Disney, he even got his own attraction in Tomorrowland. I don’t necessarily have a problem with Stitch being in Tomorrowland as much as I just feel like the ride was a poor effort by the Imagineers; they simply shoe-horned Stitch into a pre-existing attraction that was already successful. I believe that some more thrill needs to be put into Tomorrowland. Even better, what if we were able to put some education back into the parks? The attraction I picture for this area involves the most popular innovation of our time, the Internet. I know Tomorrowland is supposed to be based on future innovations, but not only is the Internet a new frontier, it is also growing and constantly changing. The ride would be a wild mouse style spinning rollercoaster that took guests on a high-speed adventure on the information superhighway. The pre-show could slowly take guests inside a computer, through the circuits and hard drives, and eventually to their destination of the Ethernet cable. The post show would provide the newest information on the Internet. It would showcase the newest innovations and have interactive games that taught lessons on how the internet works and how to properly use it. Done well, I believe it could be a new E-Ticket for Tomorrowland.

      All of these changes are just a start. There is so much that could be done with the extra space available, the vacant Tomorrowland stages, and even the scenery in the area. However, I believe that this would be a step in the right direction on the long road to rebuilding Tomorrowland. The important thing to remember is that there is always room for change in Tomorrowland. It should be a headquarters for innovative new rides and a breeding ground for new ideas.  A beloved extinct attraction said it best, “If we can dream it, then we can do it”.

-Joe Stitt 

Have a topic you want to discuss?  Submit articles to Imagineering.Disney@gmail.com or click here.

You do not have to be an experienced or polished writer.  You just have to have entertaining Disney or Disney theme park-related opinions.  Once submitted, we’ll review your article and if selected, you get great exposure.

Here are some sample article titles to get the old creative juices flowing [feel free to rip off any or all of these for your articles]: 

 

“Why Do I Cry When I Watch 8mm Disneyland Films? “ 

“My Favorite People Are All Animatronics”  

“It Took One Year For Seven People to Create ‘it’s a small world’ From Scratch and 3 Years for 40 People to Ruin It”

“So Long, Mickey’s Toon Town Fair… You Will Not Be Missed” 

"Horizons... You Will Never Be Forgotten" 

“California Adventure: The Little Brother Disneyland Never Wanted” 

“According to Today’s Tomorrowland, the Future is Covered in Tacky” 

“Remember When Tour Guides Were All Cute Girls?” 

“Matterhorn, Don’t Ever Change” 

“Mutoscope Movies: The Best Penny You’ll Ever Spend”

“Jack Skellington, Knott’s Scary Farm is Right Down the Road. Go There” 

“Hidden Mickeys are Stupid so Let’s Stop Looking for Them”

“Ever Notice There are Things Other Than Three Little Circles You Can Look For?”

“Happy 27^th Anniversary, Epcot”

“Let’s Go to What’s Left of River Country!”

“Does Anyone Else’s Wife Not Want Animatronic Tiki Room Birds in Their Living Room?”

 

Why do Disney executives do the things they do?  Is it a lack of knowledge and experience?  Enjoy accounts of first-hand encounters with the most clueless of clueless Disney management.
 

 

More than one Imagineer has recently been given the boot from Walt Disney Imagineering.  Two of the more shocking to bet let go are Tim Delaney, a Vice President and Executive Designer and Valerie Edwards, WDI's head sculptor.

I figure there's not time like the present to share a few of my thoughts related to this topic: Uneducated and foolish decisions made by Disney upper management.  Let me begin by saying that I do not personally know either of these two artists.  I enjoy most of their work and have heard great things about both people.

-----------------------------------------
Tim Delaney- Imagineer since 1976.  He is know for his extensive work with the creation of Disneyland Paris.  Further back, he helped design Epcot's Living Seas (pre-Nemo, of course).  His critics blame him for giving us the often-hated Paradise Pier at Disney's California Adventure.  He is also criticized for portions of Tomorrowland 98.  Regardless, I always found his concept art quite stunning- especially the Epcot stuff.

Valerie Edwards- 21 years with Imagineering.  She is the daughter of Sleeping Beauty animator, George Edwards.  She states she was mentored by Imagineer John Hench for 17 years.  Her work includes character sculpts for the parks and cruise ships.  Recently she sculpted the bust of Barack Obama for The Hall of Presidents- quite the intimidating task of following in the footsteps of retired genius, Blaine Gibson.
-----------------------------------------

Why were they fired?

We know not.  The details are fuzzy at best.  Did they demand perfection more than was tolerable to the bean counting executives?  Did their less-popular projects eventually catch up to them?  Did Lasseter have anything to do with it?  Fear not, if speculation is what you seek, there is PLENTY of that across the web.  As for real answers, I have found none.  Since we don't know the specifics of these recent events, I'd like to share some observations of my own concerning sketchy decision-making amongst Disney leadership.  I worked as a Disney artist among other roles for a number of years.  WARNING:  The following accounts are real and may be terribly uncomfortable to read.

Oh how I wish I had a recording device

I wish I had a recording device handy during some of my many many conversations with good old Disney theme park execs.  Although some of these people are top-notch in my book, the bulk should never have reached such heights in my opinion- not by a long shot.  The top-notchers are those who have been visiting and experiencing the parks as guests for years.  They know the history.  They appreciate the history.  They don't consider the legacies of Walt and the other Greats to be inconvenient road blocks that occasionally slow them down on their journey through self-serving, career-building, pension-earning destruction of the very brand that employs them.

There are top execs who cannot name ten attractions.

No joke.  There are many who have never been on a Disney attraction if not with an entourage and camera men.  Not even kidding. I don't even want to know how many of their spouses have never been to the parks.  There are many who don't know that Pixar was not Disney until the acquisition.  In James Stewart's “Disney War” Michael Eisner himself is quoted that if they had asked him questions about Snow White and Disneyland and other Disney films in his hiring interview, he would not have been offered the job because he knew nothing of the answers.  


Speaking up- not a pretty site

Try saying in a board room full of management something like, “I don't think this fits the original vision of this company,” or, “that really goes against what we've always stood for.”  Talk about crickets and a lot of funny looks.  Talk about a conversation-killer inevitably followed by comments like, “well did you even look at your printout with all the numbers on it?”  I wish I were kidding.  These are the people making the decisions.  More than once I was pulled aside after a meeting to be told “you see, things cost a lot of money to maintain” (as if I thought it were free to maintain Disney rides).  One time, “you need to learn to act like the ideas of the higher-ups are good ideas even if they are not, and eventually you need to learn to believe that these ideas really are good- that's how you'll get ahead.”  I'll never forget the executive who couldn't seem to remember the names of those darn Magic Kingdom lands. “Jungleland, the Future Place, Western Area”.  Oh how I wish this was fictional- it is not.  “I have not made it to Animal Kingdom yet other than for that one backstage meeting.  I keep meaning to go but haven't had time during these first four years with the company”  These are THEME PARK executives.  Not Disney Store people or ESPN employees in Connecticut.  They have offices behind the parks and in Team Disney buildings and can see rides from their office windows yet some cannot name what they see.  Sorry, not naming names, too many to list.

My favorite conversation about the future of the parks goes something like this:  “There are boys ages 9 to 13 who are first-time Disney guests who say they are disappointed that Disneyland was not more like Six Flags.  These kids love Gameboys and the Wii and such.  How can we make the parks more relatable to them?  If they don't get what we are about, we need to change what it is that we are 'about'.”  One of many heated debates over Epcot's El Rio de Tiempo goes like this:  “Kids don't get it but they get the characters.”  I'd of course say, “WHAT'S NOT TO GET?  You are in Mexico on a little boat seeing things that don't happen in your home town.  It's great.”  “Yeah but the characters make them feel more comfortable in 'foreign' environments.”  Ummmmm.

Is there hope?

Will the 'New Golden Age of Imagineering' be what we all hope it will be?  Will John Lasseter and company be able to revive the long-lost culture of “quality first”?  I once asked John about how in the world he can juggle Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios, AND Imagineering... his reply (with a half-smile on his face), “There's not enough hours in the day.  There's just not enough hours in the day.”

 

I often ponder what I'd do with the good old Magic Kingdom of Walt Disney World if I were calling the shots.  Here are a few of those things:

1]  Mickey’s Toon Town Fair. First things first. Tear it out right away. It’s not very toony, it’s not much of a town, and where's the fair?  Aren’t we supposed to have fun at theme parks? There is one exception to the lack-of-fun, poorly executed, once said to be temporary, pathetic excuse for a Magic Kingdom land: The Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacre Farm.  It’s fun for anyone who doesn’t mind a mild roller coaster.  But this certainly does not make up for the rest of the mess.  “Toon Town makes lots of money selling autograph books”, you say?  Come on!  Is that enough of a reason to keep this thing going? Nope. Let people buy their autograph books in any of the dozens of other merchandise locations. So yes, on day-one in my little fantasy, we put up an unmarked wall at the narrow entrance near the tea cups, bring in the wrecking crew, and we never look back.  As for this prime park real estate, we’ll absolutely get into that on another occasion.

2]  The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management).  Once remembered as the Tropical Serenade show, this was the crowning jewel of the Sunshine Pavilion.  The what?  Yes, few people know any of this, but don’t worry, everyone is well aware of the plastic flying carpets blocking its view.  The addition of two cartoon birds (may I mention they are from two entirely different cartoons… can we stop the cross-overs already??) would be only semi-sacrilegious if a decent show was written around them.  Wait.  I take that back.  Just keep the near-perfect show like it was.  Not every non-character attraction needs the addition of characters to make it “relatable”.  Not at all.  This should be an easy-ish fix.  Take out what wasn’t there before, restore the old show, done.

3]  Rivers of America. So wonderful. So peaceful. Let’s not screw it up with Mickey and friends driving the Liberty Square Riverboat or some junk like that. For this one, all I’m suggesting is the return of the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes and the Mike Fink Keel Boats- a couple of the only Disney attractions not connected to a track, one of which (the canoes) you can take part in powering.  For anyone who uses the excuse of “they just weren’t that popular”, lets remember, not every attraction has to have the draw of the Space and Splash Mountains, nor should they.  We need the E-ticket rides, yes.  We also need these hidden-gem B and A-tickets.  One other thing just for fun… maybe an animatronic Old Yeller with a fish in his mouth, standing in the water somewhere.  Just somthin’ fun to look at as you float on down the river.

4]  Main Street, U.S.A.  I may just have to post an essay I once wrote called, A Few Simple Moves That Would Restore the Forgotten Wonder of Main Street, U.S.A.  The ideas expressed in the essay gained minimal traction with the Magic Kingdom management until they were ultimately… forgotten.  Allow me to quickly sum up the moves.  Take out merchandise in places that are not gift shops- namely The Firehouse and The Cinema.  Restore the unique, tiny experiences that made Main Street fun for more than just mothers shopping for t-shirts.  These experiences should definitely include the Magic Shop, the custom free-hand free embroidery of names on Mickey Mouse ear hats, and The Penny Arcade games (such as the one machine that shocked you more and more the longer your touched it until the timer went out).  Next, only characters that fit the atmosphere of a turn-of-the-century American town should be hanging out in this part of the park. Sorry Timone. One last thought for now (this goes for the entire Magic Kingdom). Certain merchandise should only exist in certain shops. Pirate stuff should not be sold in eight different locations on Main Street. Keep it in Caribbean Plaza.

5]  Nightlife of the Magic Kingdom.  There is something about being in the Magic Kingdom (or Disneyland) and night.  Walt Disney hosted a wonderful TV episode of Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color called Disneyland After Dark in 1962. Watch it on the Disney Treasures: Disneyland DVD. Fantastic in every way. It captures some of the marvel that is Disney at night.  So lets add live music to more places around the park.  Lets bring back the Electrical Parade.  Maybe nighttime dining can be more of an experience than it is now with the hamburgers and such.  Bring back the dancing… perhaps.  Maybe more twinkle lights on selective trees.  There’s always that good idea of encouraging guests to head over to Disney-owned nightclubs. Not.

I love the Magic Kingdom, boy do I ever. But shucks, let’s keep the ol’ list of priorities in the proper order. It’s my belief that with a few small changes in direction, the future of the Disney theme parks is, might I say, magical.