While the parks are closed, former Walt Disney World executives are taking time to spill the beans on long-forgotten projects like the Tatooine-themed original concept for Star Wars Land (now Galaxy’s Edge) and probably one of the oldest rumors in the attraction mill: the Monsters, Inc. suspended-door roller coaster with roots as far back as … Read more
Joe Rohde, Imagineer and creative force behind Animal Kingdom, has been taking Disney fans on a digital tour through some of his favorite areas of the park. Today, we showcase his thoughts on the African portion of the park including Harambe village, the Kilimanjaro Safaris, and the Gorilla Falls Nature Trail. Be sure to check … Read more
Have you always wanted to learn how roller coasters work? Disney has just released a fascinating new video delving into the science and engineering behind one of the most thrilling attractions at Walt Disney World. For Disney Mechanical Engineers Angel and Josh, it was their curiosity at a young age in STEM-based subjects where they … Read more
Have you ever wanted a personal tour of a park with an Imagineer? Well, we’ve got the next best thing! If you’re a fan of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, then you know the mastermind behind much of its ethos was Imagineer Joe Rohde, and he’s recently taken to Instagram (as usual) to share his detailed thoughts … Read more
With Disney Parks around the world closed for the foreseeable future, WDWNT is dipping into our archives of vintage parks materials for a look back into parks history! Today, we’re heading back to before the beginning of EPCOT Center with an 1980 article from Orlando-land magazine! Note: This article will detail the magazine piece page … Read more
Disney Parks fans around the world have enjoyed their work. Soon, you’ll be able to read their stories. Disney Editions is set to release a new book, Women of Imagineering: 12 Careers, 12 Theme Parks, Countless Stories by Elisabete Erlandson, which celebrates some of the female Imagineers that have brought Disney magic to life. The … Read more
When he’s not making guest appearances on Pawn Stars or designing revolutionary new scooter mobility systems, what does Bob Gurr do in his spare time? Well, right now, he’s sheltering in place just like the rest of us––except he’s living his best life in his own Imagineer-esque way. The 88-year-old former Imagineer was awarded Disney Legend … Read more
Well, Walt Disney World has been closed for over an entire week now due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and we’re all in desperate need of a daily dose of enchantment! Throughout How Disney Magic Can Beat The Quarantine Blues – Part 1, we discussed everything from scrumptious copycat recipes, to crooning along to WDWNTunes, … Read more
Two new t-shirts celebrating Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios are designed by very special artists: the Imagineers that helped bring this new attraction to life. Both of these special shirts feature elements of the brand-new attraction. This dark gray t-shirt features art by Ryan Donoghue, who worked on the animation seen … Read more
I know this will be met with a chorus of “they never like anything”, but Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is honestly just OK. Even if it didn’t replace The Great Movie Ride, Runaway Railway is a series of projection rooms with oddly shaped “animatronics” and an incoherent storyline. If this is the best Mickey … Read more
So far on Batuu, we’ve seen build-your-own droids, Coke Droids, and plenty of droids on stand-by for photo ops, but one glaring omission still remains months after the land’s opening on both coasts: the roaming, interactive droids that were promised when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was first announced. For the first few months of the … Read more
Ready to head back into “The Imagineering Story”? The docu-series’ sixth and final episode, “To Infinity and Beyond,” premieres on Disney+ this Friday, December 13th. Here’s how Disney+ describes the final installment in the series: Bob Iger personally shepherds his labor of love, the Shanghai Disney Resort. The Imagineers customize an ambitious new theme park … Read more
Leave it up to the attraction based on wild and wacky new cartoons to bring animation physics to the big screen. When Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway opens on March 4th, 2020, guests will step through the movie screen and join Mickey, Minnie, and friends like never before––bursting into a world where mouse rules apply. And … Read more
Ready to head back into “The Imagineering Story”? The docu-series’ fifth episode, “A Carousel of Progress,” premieres on Disney+ this Friday, December 6th. Here’s how Disney+ describes the fifth installment in the series: Bob Iger returns Imagineering to the foundation of Disney DNA – quality wins out. He modernizes the formula. By strategically investing in … Read more
Ready to head back into “The Imagineering Story”? The docu-series’ fourth episode, “Hit or Miss,” premieres on Disney+ this Friday, November 29th. This fourth episode follows the trajectory of Michael Eisner after the sudden passing of Frank Wells, his right hand and key advisor. After a tragic downturn, Eisner steps back from creative stress and hires … Read more
An organizational shake-up has taken place over at Walt Disney Imagineering, leading to the creation of new roles and a swapping of creative leaders for individual parks and resorts. Kareem Daniel, the previous Executive Vice President of Global Business Operations at Walt Disney Imagineering, has now been promoted to the new role of “President, WDI … Read more