Imagineers Discuss Inclusion, Capacity, and Innovation
At Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), “it really does start with the story,” said Barbara Bouza, president of business management and design and development for the creative division. She was one of three Imagineers who participated in the presentation, “Elevating Story Driven Experiences,” as part of IAAPA Expo’s Amusement Park and Attractions Constituency Lunch.
Bouza focused on the ways WDI is developing more inclusive experiences and used “Harmonious,” the new nighttime show at Walt Disney World’s Epcot, as an example. The show features beloved songs from popular Disney films but reinterprets them by featuring an international, multilingual cast of artists and musicians. She also highlighted some of the attractions that WDI has refreshed or will be updating, such as the theme from “The Princess and the Frog” that will transform “Splash Mountain.”
“We’re removing negative cultural depictions,” Bouza noted. “As Walt [Disney] always said, we keep evolving our stories.”
With more people clamoring to visit the Disney parks, Mark Kohl, site portfolio executive for WDI, discussed efforts to efficiently and effectively accommodate bigger crowds. “Creating capacity experiences that appeal to all of our guests is a key priority for the Disney Company,” he said. Kohl noted that the recent introduction of the Disney Skyliner, aerial gondolas that connect some of the parks and hotels at Walt Disney World, added a lot of capacity to the resort’s transportation system.
He also said that the introduction of new on-property hotels and the expansion of existing ones is a response to increased demand. “What we’re being asked for is a complete Disney vacation experience because guests want to be kept in the fold,” Kohl said, adding that the development of new, high-volume attractions, such as “Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind” at Epcot, is another way that Imagineers help increase capacity. “We’re always looking at ways to enhance capacity and enhance the guest experience at the same time,” he said.
Addressing innovation and technology, Loyal Pyczynski, show systems studio vice president for WDI, stressed that while there may be some mind-boggling, high-tech wizardry behind the scenes, he and his colleagues work hard to keep the workings invisible. “We’re not just advancing technology for technology’s sake,” he said.
Pyczynski shared some of WDI’s recent breakthroughs, such as “Stuntronics,” the advanced robotics that allow Spider-Man to fly above Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure. He also cited the sophisticated gesture tracking system that Disney’s designers developed for the attraction “Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure” in the new Avengers land.
“Advanced technology is one of the most powerful tools we have to inspire our imagination and fill the world with magic,” Pyczynski said. “There should be a real sense of ‘how’d they do that?’ And [the use of technology] must always be rooted in support of storytelling.”
- Watch a highlight from WDI's presentation here with Show Daily TV:
