When you think about water at Disneyland, what comes to mind? Probably the castle moat, Paradise Bay, and maybe the Grizzly River Run? Well, it might surprise you to learn that the Disneyland Resort has a lot more than that going on, from massive rocky waterfalls to sneaky rivers winding beneath your feet. Let’s take […] Read more…
In the era of Disney blogs, podcasts, and YouTube channels, fans have access to more behind-the-scenes information than ever before. I’m loving the newfound excitement around celebrating Imagineering and celebrating contributions of particular Imagineers, which is why I started this “Imagineer Influence” series. Unfortunately, there are still tons of amazingly talented people that remain in […] Read more…
No matter the season, you’ll find an abundance of flowers beautifying the Disneyland resort. But one particular flower holds a special place in the group – a namesake specially cultivated for the mouse. Source: Disneyland Today The Disneyland rose is a rich pink and golden flower that is particular popular with butterflies. In the early […] Read more…
If you have any interest in Imagineering or the development of Disney Parks, you’re likely already familiar with Marty Sklar. He started working on Disney Parks before the first one ever opened, and left his mark on every single park that followed (until Shanghai, which opened after his death). Let’s get to know his story. Source: […] Read more…
Grizzly Peak towers of California Adventure. This mountain range forms the shape of a grizzly bear, growling up at the sky. In Walt Disney Imagineering lore, the early people inhabiting this land held grizzly bears in particularly high esteem, believing the native land embodied the bear’s traits: strength (from the granite hills), pride (from the […] Read more…
With the reopening of Mickey’s Toontown just days away, I thought it would be fun to look back at the concept art that shaped Disneyland’s wild child land. This redesign gives us two different eras of concept art to look through: the original, leading up to the grand opening in 1993, and the updated, teasing […] Read more…
The internet is mostly awesome. You have access to unlimited information, ALL of the time. But that also means a lot of nonsense gets circulated, ALL of the time. And that’s definitely true for Disneyland “facts” and tips. Most people that have visited the parks know tall tales when they read them, but there’s one […] Read more…
Disneyland cast members being underpaid is sadly nothing new. For decades, cast members and park fans alike have advocated for higher wages, better benefits, and employee support across different roles. In 1984, tensions boiled over and the largest cast member strike in history began. In the early 80s, Disneyland wanted to freeze cast member wages […] Read more…
If you’ve seen my previous posts on concept art, you know that design evolves over time. These images are not meant to be blueprints – they convey the look and feel of a land rather than exact imagery. In that spirit, Buena Vista Street‘s concept art is quite the mixed bag. Some images could be […] Read more…
Imagineers contribute to more than just the parks – and sometimes, they’re best known for their work outside of Disneyland. Meet Marc Davis, the designer behind some of Disney’s most instantly recognizable animated characters. Source: 50 Most Influential Disney Animators Marc didn’t start out in Hollywood. Born in 1913, his dad’s oil field development job […] Read more…
Imagineers leave traces of their artistry in everything they create. But one Imagineer left a special legacy behind: she shaped one of the most famous attraction characters ever to come out of the Disney parks…a character that was named after her. Let’s meet Leota Toombs Thomas. Source: Disney Parks Blog Thomas started her career at […] Read more…
Sometimes, finding concept art for Disneyland spaces can be really tricky, especially when they were designed more than 60 years ago. But other times, the art is so plentiful that it can feel overwhelming! And then…there’s Cars Land. Honestly, the best concept art for this space is the movie Cars itself. Imagineers really went as close […] Read more…
Imagineers undoubtedly pave the way for future theme park designers, often being the first to implement a new technology, style, or even standard that raises the industry bar. But sometimes, Imagineers themselves achieve firsts within Disney itself. Meet Harriet Burns, the first female Imagineer. Source: D23 A born and raised Texan, Burns and her family […] Read more…
Concept art is never an exact architectural plan for a land. Instead, it’s more like a stylized vision board conveying the land’s story, major elements, etc. Concept art brings the written and technical ideas to life in a visual way. I love looking through concept art to see how a land’s ideas eventually translate into […] Read more…