Category — Imagineering

Today is “D Day” for hundreds of executives throughout The Walt Disney Company’s east coast and west coast divisions that support the parks and resorts (including Imagineering). Today’s the day they have to decide if they’ll take a severance package or risk future layoffs with severance that won’t be as generous. While Disney hasn’t mentioned how deep of cuts they want, it’s thought they want deep cuts in upper management where salaries are high so as to prevent layoffs in the parks where the guest experience might be directly affected.

I don’t envy anyone who has to make this decision for themselves and their family. But at the same time, I hope enough people opt to take the package and prevent even worse layoffs in the future. During the 1Q result conference call, Bob Iger made it clear that he wants to keep as minimal impact on the guest experience as possible during the recession. So cuts in management are likely to be deep.

(More at the Orlando Sentinel)

The Walt Disney Company has announced the creation of the Disney Memorial Pausch Fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University in recognition of the passion and energy Dr. Randy Pausch brought to his work at both Carnegie Mellon and Walt Disney Imagineering. Pausch is best known for his life-affirming “Last Lecture,” which he delivered to his students and colleagues a few weeks after learning he had just months to live. Intended as a roadmap for his three young children, the lecture included his insights on finding the good in other people, working hard to overcome obstacles and living generously.

“Randy Pausch lived his life inspiring his students, colleagues and co-workers. Now, the vitality and energy he brought to his classroom lives on and serves as an inspiration to millions of people he never had the chance to meet,” said Disney President and CEO Bob Iger. “We are proud to honor Randy’s passion by supporting the innovators and dreamers of tomorrow with these fellowships.”

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The BBC has a great story examining how two of the most recent attractions to open at Walt Disney World point the way toward future development from Walt Disney Imagineering. Disney sees current and future generations of youth who are already so inter-mediated with video games, texting, MP3s, video downloads, and 3-D movies (sometimes all at the same time) that they’re afraid standard attractions just won’t be enough to inspire repeat visits down the line.

“The emerging generation expects more immersive, personal and interactive experiences in every facet of their lives,” says Bruce Vaughn, chief creative executive of Walt Disney Imagineering.

The two attractions the article looks at are Toy Story Midway Mania and Kim Possible. TSMM takes the ‘video game’ experience and brings it into the parks in a very Disney way. While Kim Possible is one of the first examples of how Disney can build an attraction using overlay technology. No need to expand the footprint of the park, just intertwine the experience with what is already there.

Sure, WDI can continue to pump out the heart pumping thrill rides like Expedition Everest or new entertainment environments like The American Idol Experience, but really, so can anyone these days (usually with the help of laid off Imagineers). What will set Disney themed environments apart in the future are overlays (or an even more exciting technology called Total Immersion, but that’s coming well down the line).

Just about exactly 8 years ago, I wrote a short story for LaughingPlace.com (unfortunately, the second page of it appears to have gone missing, so I rescued it from the Internet Archive Wayback machine (woo hoo) and have included it in full below the cut) forecasting where this overlay technology might be heading in the future. If it seems familiar, that probably means you’ve used a Pal Mickey before. It also gives you an idea of how long these ideas percolate in Imagineering before making it into the parks. Additionally, I’m almost finished with a novel by Vernor Vinge called “Rainbows End” which takes this overlay concept to the umpteenth level and extends it worldwide via a combination of future social networking and an economy based on themed design and role play.

I think it’s important to remember that it all comes back to quality story telling with the type of rich detail that Disney knows how to intertwine with entertainment. If Disney keeps their eye on that, the technology is just another color on their canvas.

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ImagiNations is Walt Disney Imagineering’s annual contest to find a diverse cast of qualified interns to work alongside Disney’s Imagineers. If you think you could qualify, you must get your application to WDI by January 30th. You’ll then have all of February to submit your project.

Even if you can’t apply to this, it’s interesting to note that participants will be given FLIP cameras to document their projects. That should make for some interesting video blogs. I’m looking forward to it.

Over at the Disney and More blog Alain Littaye has been examining the amazing talent of Imagineer Hani El Masri. Today’s piece is a look at ‘Mickey’s Toonville’ the original cartoon inspired land designed for Tokyo Disneyland. Alas, when the original Disneyland opened its more rounded ToonTown, Tokyo Disneyland decided they wanted that version instead.

As it turns out Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom has a Fantasyland remake on the horizon, I wonder if those budget dollars could be stretched to include a retheming of Mickey’s ToonTown Fair into something like this. Most of the elements are there already.

With the Presidential election just days away, one fact not often overlooked by the Disney fan, is that this choice will make a difference as to who will be up on stage next year in Walt Disney World’s Hall of Presidents at the Magic Kingdom. Whomever the 44th President is, one thing is now known, the show will be different when it comes up from its latest rehab.

Not only will the attraction receive a technical upgrade, but General George Washington will be added to the list of animatronics who give a speech during the course of the show.There had been some rumors that the next elected President would not be asked to record a speech. But it appears that Disney will do their best to get a recording this year as well.

Another important tidbit, this will be the first President not to be sculpted by retired Disney artist Blaine Gibson. He’s 90 years old now and passing his legacy onto Imagineer Valerie Edwards.

(via the Orlando Sentinel)

There’s not a whole lot to this story in the Los Angeles Times that The Walt Disney Company is facing cuts.  But it is enough to scare those working for the mouse.  Staff writers Dawn C. Chmielewski and Meg James report.

Bracing for a worsening economy and further declines in ad spending, Walt Disney Co. executives have been meeting this week to prepare belt-tightening measures that could include job cuts, according to people familiar with the discussions.

I’ve been around long enough to remember that when the economy slows down, cuts at Disney can include delaying new theme park projects and renovations, reducing the scope of projects, or scrapping them entirely.  Just because something makes it into a preview center doesn’t mean it is going to happen, or end up quite like it was described when it was first announced.  If something can’t be build to original scope, here’s hoping it is built in a way that will allow “plussing” when the economy picks up again.

Last week, ABC News President David Westin asked his staff in a memo to be more frugal “to make sure that we have all the resources we need to cover the news.” The cost-saving measures include recommendations that executives should fly “one grade below what they’re entitled to,” and “stay in ‘B’ level hotels.” Holiday parties would be scrapped this year, and the news division will cancel newspaper and magazine subscriptions.

The people at the paper can feel the pain of Disney staffers, as the paper has been sending staff packing quite a bit lately.  Most newspapers have.

Speaking of cuts… my wife and I have reduced the rent for our Anaheim condo to well below market rates.  If you know someone who would like to rent a place that is a short drive away from the Disneyland Resort and otherwise conveniently located, check out this listing.  We recently moved to a house, and so now we need to rent out our condo.

Blaine Gibson, the Imagineer and Sculptor who has done the bust of every President, spoke with an art class about what it was like to work for Walt Disney.

Gibson’s first sculptures were made out of the mud and clay off his farm’s irrigation ditches. He said he could still remember how perfect the consistency was.

He began drawing as a young man, and his mother was an initial supporter. “You can draw as well as any of these guys, Blaine. Send in your drawings to Disney,” Gibson said, quoting his mother. “So I did.”

See more at The Channels Online from Santa Barbara.