“Walt Disney Imagineering: Constructing the Impossible” Was An Insightful Session at IAAPA
Walt Disney Imagineers Sanne Worthing and Kristy Pron discussed how WDI integrates technology through digital tools and how they have unlocked more creative potential in the design process.
During the IAAPA Expo, we had the incredible opportunity to attend “Walt Disney Imagineering: Constructing the Impossible; Designing Fantasy Elements to Become Real Through Technology” session. Walt Disney Imagineers Sanne Worthing and Kristy Pron discussed how WDI integrates technology through digital tools and how they have unlocked more creative potential in the design process. The session looked at Imagineering’s evolving tech studio and workflows including a look at previsualization and stories from Walt Disney Imagineering’s The DISH.
When discussing the evolution of technology, the two Imagineers compared Pirates of the Caribbean of 1967 to Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure (Shanghai Disneyland) of 2016. They noted how the 1967 Pirates attraction is still a marvel, but they also went into how the 2016 version works with magnetic boats so they have more movement, not to mention the advancement in screen technology that fully immerses the environments.
In a section about the animation film pipeline versus attraction pipeline, their presentation showed a slew of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios films including Soul, Luca, Encanto, Elemental, Frozen, Toy Story, Cars, Inside Out, Monsters, Inc., and Tin Toy. Obviously, it was for the sake of the presentation but it caught my attention seeing newer films like Soul, Luca, Encanto, and Elemental being highlighted in a Walt Disney Imagineering presentation.
A big point of this presentation was how Walt Disney Imagineering uses various tools and previsualization to bring all these beloved projects to life. The previsualization is often used to review sightlines, examine the creative intent, and to see the animation and media elements in action. For example, they showed us a simulation of Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, and how much the previsualization helped them on that project. During that project they actually made physical port holes to see through during the previs process so it would be the exact view that the guest would experience.
The biggest previsualization tool that Walt Disney Imagineering utilizes is called The DISH (Digital Immersive Showroom). Essentially, Walt Disney Imagineering has been doing VR before VR was in style. The DISH helps Imagineering visualize projects and helps them solve creative and construction issues. Everything from creating exits for the Millennium Falcon to making sure that Disney kitchens are fully functional.
A fun tidbit about The DISH is that anytime an executive would come in to use it, the technology would fail. Imagineering started calling these encounters, “executive fail.” The DISH would only not work on the days the execs would come in. Thankfully in most instances, they were able to get it back up and running.
The one in Glendale is called the “Deep Dish,” then they have another Dish in Florida. The DISH has been used on almost every single Walt Disney Imagineering project in the modern era. The Imagineers pointed out the time that composer Danny Elfman visited The DISH when he was working on Mystic Manor. The DISH has even been used for projects such as the Disney Skyliner at Walt Disney World.
Another fun fact that I learned during this presentation was that Walt Disney Imagineering built its own interoperability tool. Interoperability means the ability for software to work together, and WDI’s various designs use Revit, Rhino, SolidWorks, Civil3D, Sketchup, and Maya. Talk about that type of compatibility!
An underrated aspect of the presentation was the fact we saw so much previsualization for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. We specifically saw the cannon scene and some scenes with the Kylo Ren audio-animatronic. It’s always cool to see the initial concepts after you’ve experienced the attraction in reality.
The Imagineers also answered a few questions. Obviously, most of these questions had a heavier educational focus due to the nature of this presentation — and because we were at IAAPA. So sadly we didn’t get any juicy scoops on the future of Imagineering, yet we learned a few more interesting tidbits.
For example, when asked if they had to make tweaks to Tron: Lightcycle Run from Shanghai Disneyland to Magic Kingdom. Kristy and Sanne mentioned that the canopy for the Florida version was completely re-engineered due to potential hurricanes.
The DISH was a big focal point of this presentation, so it was only natural when an audience member asked what software The DISH uses. The Imagineers noted that it used to be Panda 3D but now they use the Unreal Engine.
Then the final question was about artificial intelligence at Walt Disney Imagineering. Both Kristy and Sanne agreed that artificial intelligence at WDI would be explored to do tasks that humans may screw up on — for example like saving files — but they reiterated that something like WDI will always need the human touch, love, and perspective. So, in short, it seems like AI will only be used at WDI to help avoid human errors like saving files, repetitive tasks, etc.
It was an incredible and insightful session to attend, and it’s always amazing to hear from Imagineers.
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Zach Perilstein is the Editor-in-Chief of the Boardwalk Times
