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Walt Disney Imagineering
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Walt Disney Imagineering was formed by entertainment mogul Walt Disney on December 16, 1952 as WED Enterprises (WED: Walter Elias Disney) to develop plans for a theme park and to manage Disney's personal assets. It was an independent, private company, owned by Walt Disney himself, but on February 3, 1965, was merged into Walt Disney Productions.
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Encyclopedia
Walt Disney Imagineering was formed by entertainment mogul Walt Disney on December 16, 1952 as WED Enterprises (WED: Walter Elias Disney) to develop plans for a theme park and to manage Disney's personal assets. It was an independent, private company, owned by Walt Disney himself, but on February 3, 1965, was merged into Walt Disney Productions. It is known as Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), Disney Imagineering, or simply Imagineering and occasionally does business as Theme Park Productions, Inc.
History
Ever since the founding of WED Enterprises, when Walt Disney's favorites at the Walt Disney Studios were handpicked to design an immersive themed experience now known as Disneyland, the company has been shrouded in mystery and its secrets are proudly guarded by Disney executives as senior as former CEO Michael Eisner, who had regular meetings with the Imagineers up until a few years before his departure.
In recent years, many of the research and development division have been laid off, until the point where a few hundred Imagineers were employed by Disney, to perform tasks at the theme parks. Much more recently, as Disney has publicly acknowledged the failures of Disney's California Adventure and the Walt Disney Studios Paris, and new management has been brought in throughout the company's different divisions, Imagineering has once again begun recruiting. The theme parks now have a new attraction either being developed or having just opened at each of the eleven parks around the world.
In April 2006, John Lasseter, the new Principal Creative Adviser, a position created through the acquisition of Pixar by Disney, has made his feelings known about getting back to basics with Imagineering, such as focusing on the story-telling and not the technology so much. In a move which surprised many, he even made it known he would like Walt Disney Imagineering to return to the WED Enterprises name, partly in homage to Walt Disney and partly to regain the spirit that many feel left Walt Disney Imagineering in the late 1990s. He also said at the Walt Disney Company shareholders meeting in March that he felt that developing attractions based on movies to open in time with the movie's opening was a crucial step in moving Imagineering forward.
WED Enterprises applied for a trademark for the term in 1967, claiming first use in 1962.
The company was formed separately from Walt Disney Productions to keep the affairs separate. Although, when WED was required to design and build sets for Walt Disney's live-action television shows, WED and the Walt Disney Studios got closer together. In 1952 when WED were asked to design and build Disneyland, Walt and his brother Roy O. Disney formed Disneyland, Inc. to build, design, and manage Disneyland and produce the Disneyland television show. Disneyland, Inc was absorbed into WED Enterprises and WED Enterprises became a division of Walt Disney Studios - itself a division of Walt Disney Productions, now named The Walt Disney Company.
Walt Disney Imagineering is now the research and development arm of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, no longer a division of Walt Disney Productions. Imagineering also includes Walt Disney Creative Entertainment, the company which utilizes Imagineering techniques among others to create shows, fireworks displays and parades at the Disney theme parks which are significant enough not to be developed by the entertainment studios at that theme park.
Employees
An Imagineer (officially known as a Walt Disney Imagineer), is an employee of Walt Disney Imagineering, or any other employee of The Walt Disney Company given that title. Nearly all Imagineers work at the headquarters in Glendale, California, developing ideas and attractions for Disney parks. During the construction of a major project, Imagineers sometimes are deployed to work on-site for six months to a year.
Imagineers may include artists, writers, architects, landscape architects, engineers, model builders, construction managers, technicians and designers. Past Imagineers include Alan Kay, Bran Ferren, Robert Swirsky, Lee Adams and Danny Hillis.
Theme park projects
Current theme park projects
Completed theme park projects
Walt Disney Imagineering is particularly known for designing and building the world-famous Walt Disney Parks and Resorts:
These include:
- The American Idol Experience - Disney's Hollywood Studios - February 14,2009
- It's a Small World Refurbishment - Disneyland - February 2009
- Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough -Disneyland - November 27, 2008
- The Art of Animation - Hong Kong Disneyland - August 16,2008
- The Enchanted Tiki Room: Stitch Presents Aloha e Komo Mai! - Tokyo Disneyland - July 25, 2008
- Toy Story Midway Mania! - Disney's California Adventure, June 17, 2008
- Toy Story Midway Mania! - Disney's Hollywood Studios, May 31, 2008
- Turtle Talk with Crush (Temporary) - Hong Kong Disneyland, May 31, 2008
- "it's a small world" - Hong Kong Disneyland - April, 28 2008
- Stitch Live! - Walt Disney Studios Park - March 2008
- Spaceship Earth Refurbishment - Epcot - February 15, 2008
- Hollywood Boulevard - Walt Disney Studios Park - January 2008
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror - Walt Disney Studios Park - December 22, 2007
- Haunted Mansion Refurbishment - Magic Kingdom - September 13, 2007
- Mickey's WaterWorks - Hong Kong Disneyland - July 14, 2007
- Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage - Disneyland Park - June 11, 2007
- Toon Studio - Walt Disney Studios Park - June 9, 2007
- Crush's Coaster - Walt Disney Studios Park - June 9, 2007
- Cars Quatre Roues Rallye (Cars Race Rally) - Walt Disney Studios Park - June 9, 2007
- Pirate's Lair - Disneyland - May 25, 2007
- Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor - Magic Kingdom - April 2, 2007
- Animation Academy - Hong Kong Disneyland - July 2007
- The Seas with Nemo and Friends - Epcot - 2006
- Tower of Terror - Tokyo DisneySea - September 2006
- Pirates of the Caribbean renovation - Disneyland & Magic Kingdom - July 2006
- Autopia - Hong Kong Disneyland - Summer 2006
- Stitch Encounter - Hong Kong Disneyland - Summer 2006
- Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast - Disneyland Park (Paris) - April 08, 2006
- Expedition Everest - Disney's Animal Kingdom - April 07, 2006
- Monsters, Inc.: Mike and Sully to the Rescue - Disney's California Adventure - January 23, 2006
- Happiest Homecoming On Earth - Walt Disney Parks and Resorts - May 05, 2005
Non-theme park projects
The Imagineers have been called on by many other divisions of the Walt Disney Company as well as being contracted by outside firms to design and build structures outside of the theme parks.
- The very first Disney Store opened in Glendale, California, near Imagineering headquarters, and was designed and constructed by a group of architectural Imagineers.
- Environmental and graphic design for The Disney Cruise Line and DCL's Castaway Cay
- Imagineering have co-operated with Walt Disney Consumer Products on four more occasions for Disney Stores. Firstly, WDI developed the Walt Disney Gallery at the Main Place Mall in Santa Ana, California (open for a short time in the 1990s, next to the still-operating Disney Store), and then a Roman themed Disney Store at The Forum Shops at Caesars in Las Vegas, Nevada. Two more themed Disney stores were opened in San Francisco, California, and New York City, New York - the latter having been developed into a World of Disney.
- After the purchase of the Disney Stores by The Children's Place in 2004, Disney developed a more exclusive chain of flagship Disney stores, called World of Disney (see above). Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida (at the Walt Disney World Resort), Anaheim, California (at the Disneyland Resort) and New York City. Each have been designed by Walt Disney Imagineering. A fourth incarnation of the "World of Disney" brand is due to arrive in Disney Village at Disneyland Resort Paris in 2008/2009.
- Former Senior Vice President of Imagineering John Hench designed the "Tower of Nations" for the opening and closing ceremony of the 1960 Winter Olympics, where Walt Disney was Pageantry Committee Chairman.
- Imagineering designed galleries and exhibitions for the Autry Museum of Western Heritage in Los Angeles, California.
- Imagineering developed the Encounter Restaurant, a science fiction themed redesign of the restaurant suspended at the top of the 135-foot parabolic arches of the Theme Building at the Los Angeles International Airport.
- Imagineering manufactured flight attendant uniforms for Northwest Airlines from Claude Montana designs in 1989 due in part to the fact that Northwest's then-CEO Al Checchi was also a member of The Walt Disney Company's board. The WDI-made uniforms only lasted until 1992.
- When Disney purchased ABC, the Imagineers remodeled the ABC Times Square Studios in New York City.
- Imagineering designed exhibits for the Port Discovery children's museum at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland.
- When Disney purchased the California Angels, they renamed the team to Anaheim Angels, and Walt Disney Imagineering and HOK Sport renovated the then-30-year-old Anaheim-owned Anaheim Stadium, adding modern amenities.
Corporate
Corporate locations
Since the 1960s, Imagineering's headquarters have been in Glendale, California, a short distance from Disney's corporate headquarters in Burbank.
There are two field offices at the Walt Disney World Resort, required for the sheer size of the resort. There are field offices located at;
Corporate structure
Walt Disney Imagineering
- Chief Creative Executive - Bruce Vaughn
- Chief Development and Delivery Executive - Craig Russell
- Principal Creative Adviser - John Lasseter
- Senior Vice President of Walt Disney Imagineering and Executive Designer - Joe Rohde
- Senior Vice President, Creative Development - Tony Baxter
- Senior Vice President, Creative Development - Eric Jacobson
- Executive Vice President, Senior Creative Executive - Tom Fitzgerald
- Executive Vice President, Master Planning and Development - Wing Chao
- Executive Vice President, New Ship Development - Frank de Heer
- Executive Vice President, Imagineering Ambassador - Marty Sklar
- Executive Vice President, Producer - Kathy Mangum
- Executive Vice President, - Bob Weiss
- Creative Vice President for Tokyo Disney Resort - Joe Lanzisero
- Senior Concept Writer - Kevin P. Rafferty
- Senior Show Producer/Director - Kathy Rogers
- Senior Concept Designer - John Gritz
- Senior Concept Writer Creative Development - Michael Sprout
- Senior Fabrication Designer - James George "Jim" Armagost
- Principal Plastics Technician - Michael Traxler
- Principal Concept Designer - Scot Drake
- Director and Chief of Sculpture - Valerie Edwards
- Show Writer Creative Development - David Fisher
- Associate Graphic Designer - Caroline May
- Prior to 2007, Walt Disney Imagineering was headed by a President. After a corparate shake up, It was decided that the President role would be dropped. Bruce Vaughn and Craig Russell now both head the division. All creative executives now directly report to Vaughn and Russell.
Walt Disney Creative Entertainment
- Creative Director and Vice President of Parades and Spectaculars - Steve Davison
Walt Disney Imagineering Legends
- Ken Anderson - Worked on most of the original Disneyland Fantasyland attractions
- Xavier Atencio - Works include Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion
- Mary Blair - Designed the overall style and sets for It's A Small World
- Roger E. Broggie - Oversaw development of the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad, the Disneyland Monorail, and the Matterhorn Bobsleds
- Harriet Burns - WDI's first female Imagineer; helped design Audio-Animatronics attractions like The Enchanted Tiki Room and designed The Plaza Inn
- Rolly Crump - Re-design of the Adventureland Bazzar, Tower of the Four Winds and Epcot
- Claude Coats - Designed the sets for Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion,Adventure Through Inner Space, If You Had Wings, and many other classic attractions
- Bill Cottrell - Known as 'Uncle Bill'. He was the First President of WDI and later became President of Retlaw
- Marc Davis - Designed most of the characters in The Jungle Cruise, The Enchanted Tiki Room, Pirates of the
Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Carousel of Progress, and many other classic attractions.
- Alice Estes Davis - Designed Costumes for Audio-Animatronics in many rides including It's A Small World and Flight to the Moon
- Bill Evans - WDI'S Chief of Landscape
- Joe Fowler - Helped build both Disneyland and Walt Disney World
- Blaine Gibson - Chief sculptor who created many Audio-Animatronics figures, including most in the Hall of Presidents
- Harper Goff - In charge for the Jungle Cruise. Help design the look of Disney's early live action flims.
- Yale Gracey - Best known for the Haunted Mansion and inventing new attraction technologies.
- Bob Gurr - Responsible for designing ride vehicles.
- John Hench - Most famous work is Space Mountain's exterior look. Worked on Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and Spaceship Earth and EPCOT Center in addition to multiple other projects.
- Richard F Irvine - Master of Planning and designing attractions.
- Bill Martin - Helped Design the Monorail, Fantasyland attractions, Pirates of the Caribbean and Walt Disney World.
- Sam McKim - Responsible for creating sketches of the early Disneyland attractions including Main Street, U.S.A.
- Wathel Rogers - Known for programming and designing Audio-Animatronics
- Herb Ryman - Most famous for his bird's-eye drawing of Disneyland. Did many conceptual drawings for WDI and contributed to numerous projects.
- Richard and Robert Sherman - Created musical scores such as There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow from the Carousel of Progress, It's A Small World after all and In the Tiki Tiki Tiki Room from Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room.
Books
- Hench, John, with Peggy Van Pelt. Designing Disney: Imagineering and the Art of the Show. Disney Editions, 2003, ISBN 0-7868-5406-5.
- Imagineers, The. Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look At Making the Magic Real. Disney Editions, 1996, ISBN 0-7868-6246-7 (hardcover); 1998, ISBN 0-7868-8372-3 (paperback).
- Imagineers, The. The Imagineering Way: Ideas to Ignite Your Creativity. Disney Editions, 2003, ISBN 0-7868-5401-4.
- Imagineers, The (as "The Disney Imagineers"). The Imagineering Workout: Exercises to Shape Your Creative Muscles. Disney Editions, 2005, ISBN 0-7868-5554-1.
- Imagineers, The. The Imagineering Field Guide to Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Disney Editions, 2007, ISBN-10: 1423103203, ISBN-13: 978-1423103202.
- Imagineers, The. The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World. Disney Editions, 2006, ISBN 0-7868-4886-3.
- Imagineers, The. The Imagineering Field Guide to Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Disney Editions, 2005, ISBN 0-7868-5553-3.
- Kurtti, Jeff. Walt Disney's Legends of Imagineering and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park. Disney Editions, 2006, ISBN 0-7868-5559-2.
- Alcorn, Steve and David Green. Building a Better Mouse: The Story of the Electronic Imagineers Who Designed Epcot. Themeperks Press, 2007, ISBN 0-9729777-3-2.
- Surrell, Jason. The Disney Mountains: Imagineering at Its Peak. Disney Editions, 2007, ISBN 1-4231-0155-3
- Ghez, Didier; Littaye, Alain; Translated into English by Cohn, Danielle. Disneyland Paris From Sketch To Reality. Nouveau Millénaire Editions, 2002, ISBN 2-9517883-1-2
Related pages
External links
- on disney.com
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- , Scott Kirsner, Wired Magazine vol 10.12, September 2002.
- , Associated Press, Sfgate (San Francisco Chronicle), 29 July 2008. Burns was the first female Imagineer.
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