If you could spend a WORKING day with the Imagineers

kcookiebaker · Post by **kcookiebaker** » Aug Wed 05, 2009 12:01 pm

and they were there to listen to your ideas and suggestions for the future, changes, developements, off the wall creative ideas, what would you want to share with them?

Future Guy · Post by **Future Guy** » Aug Wed 05, 2009 12:09 pm

The thing is, the Imagineers already have lots of great ideas. The suits just water them down and cheapen them. The annals of Disney theme park history are full of amazing concepts that never got built. Things would be better if the Imagineers were put in charge of things, and the MBAs were given jobs more closely related to their level of talent, like restroom attendant or turkey leg vendor.

kcookiebaker · Post by **kcookiebaker** » Aug Wed 05, 2009 2:10 pm

Future Guy wrote:The thing is, the Imagineers already have lots of great ideas. The suits just water them down and cheapen them. The annals of Disney theme park history are full of amazing concepts that never got built. Things would be better if the Imagineers were put in charge of things, and the MBAs were given jobs more closely related to their level of talent, like restroom attendant or turkey leg vendor.

Ouch, the MBAs at my school would take offense.

The red pencil pushers are the ones who figure out how to keep things going when the economy is tanking, when to offer the free food, how to fill the rooms, etc. They aren't an evil group.

I was asking to hear about other posters imaginings, surely there has been something, sometime, you wished you could have offered. Just think, you won a prize, a day with the creative side of Disney...please don't tell me you can't think of anything to share.

Future Guy · Post by **Future Guy** » Aug Thu 06, 2009 6:53 am

Honestly, I'd try to soak up all I could. I really doubt that I'd have much to add; those guys and gals are so talented and creative, any suggestion I'd have is probably something they would have already thought of. It'd be like hanging out with Donald Trump and presuming to give him suggestions about how to manage his finances better.

timekeeper · Post by **timekeeper** » Aug Thu 06, 2009 6:57 am

I think I would be just listening.... It would be amazing!

missynole · Post by **missynole** » Aug Thu 06, 2009 7:12 am

Future Guy wrote:The thing is, the Imagineers already have lots of great ideas. The suits just water them down and cheapen them. The annals of Disney theme park history are full of amazing concepts that never got built. Things would be better if the Imagineers were put in charge of things, and the MBAs were given jobs more closely related to their level of talent, like restroom attendant or turkey leg vendor.

I believe that any of the suggestions that we've posted on these forums would offer volumes to the Imagineers. Places we'd like to eat at, characters we'd like to spend time with, hotels we'd like built, etc. I mean, I've seen some awesome ideas on these posts...Villians Dining (that one was mine), Alice in Wonderland Themed Rooms, Peter Pan Character Meals with Swashbuckling. We have some creative people on this site and I think sharing those ideas with an Imagineer would be wonderful. I'm sure there are some of you out there who have ideas for new attractions. Think outside of the box! It's really fun!

MmeLeota · Post by **MmeLeota** » Aug Thu 06, 2009 11:35 am

Honestly, I think I would draw a blank. To be in the presence of greatness would make me speechless. I guess I should start a journal of my ideas...you know, just in case such a marvelous thing were to happen.

Captain Schnemo · Post by **Captain Schnemo** » Aug Thu 06, 2009 6:12 pm

If I got to choose the day, I'd probably choose one from the early '60s...or maybe one from around 1981. I'd just watch and learn, and probably give warnings of troubles on the way and how to avoid them.

If I'm stuck in the present, I'd need some time to prepare a complete lecture (trying to keep the foul language to a minimum), maybe with PowerPoint slides and a laser pointer, and I'd end my presentation with an assault on an Eisner-shaped piñata full of raspberry sorbet.

MmeLeota · Post by **MmeLeota** » Aug Thu 06, 2009 7:56 pm

I'd end my presentation with an assault on an Eisner-shaped piñata full of raspberry sorbet.

What a fabulous idea!

Post by **horizons1** » Aug Thu 06, 2009 10:14 pm

I'd probably talk them out of any more movie-based attractions

MmeLeota · Post by **MmeLeota** » Aug Fri 07, 2009 1:00 pm

I will probably be shunned for this, but it's my opinion...I know everybody dogs DCA, but I have to give the Imagineers props for some of the ideas. Going for the theme of California was a cool idea...the execution was where it went wrong. I have seen the comment before..."why would Californians want to go to a park about California?" Well, my response to that is...it's about the people who come from all over the world to visit, not the locals. I think the idea of combining all of the splendor of the state into one park was a fabulous idea, and I loved the fact that it was not swarmed with characters either. I remember the first time I went to EPCOT. I did not see one character, but it didn't make me like it any less, nor lose out on the magic. That was how I viewed DCA in it's early years. I know there were quite a few things that were done cheaply and it showed (SSL), but look at Soarin'...the idea for that was amazing, and the ride is to boot! I really admire Mr. Lasseter for the ideas he has come up with and I think with his leadership, the new DCA will be everything the original idea should have been. Fingers crossed that it will turn out as fabulous as the renderings look...good luck Mr. Lasseter!

kcookiebaker · Post by **kcookiebaker** » Aug Mon 10, 2009 1:58 pm

I think people are pre-disposed to like John Lasseter.
I am.

He comes with an attitude of confidence, he projects that he doesn't want tacky or quick fix solutions, and he seems to stand his ground.

Gee, how could you not like him.

OK, and some of the creative work, the characters, the themes, he has participated in developing, wholesome, lasting, character building, ... don't you wish you could be walking thru a park and there he'd be, and you could just walk over and say, "John, THANK YOU."

MmeLeota · Post by **MmeLeota** » Aug Mon 10, 2009 4:07 pm

don't you wish you could be walking thru a park and there he'd be, and you could just walk over and say, "John, THANK YOU."

YES! (but knowing me, I probably couldn't even put those three words together in order..."You, John thank" would probably be my quote...

)

disneydreamer58 · Post by **disneydreamer58** » Aug Tue 11, 2009 7:38 am

I would go back in time and work with Walts Nine Old Men.

cousininmiami · Post by **cousininmiami** » Aug Tue 11, 2009 8:36 am

I met Milt Kahl, one of the "nine old men" in 1986 whlie living in LA. He was a guest of a friend at our country club having dinner. I found out who he was, and they asked me to join them for dessert. He talked about the old classics and some of his favorite characters that he was in charge of. Then he drew a Dumbo on the back of a paper placemat and wrote it to me and signed it. I immediately had it framed and it still sits on my wall today.

So, I suppose what I would do if I could sit down with an imagineer today I would remind them of this story and the legacy of Walt and his "old men". I believe we should look back at the old ideas and use them. How about bringing back a new version of Monsanto's Future House???