The Tomorrow Society Podcast

There’s so much to cover from Disney’s rapid expansion during what Michael Eisner named “The Disney Decade”. Beginning in the late ’80s and progressing for more than 10 years, it was an exciting time for both fans and the people that created the parks.… Read more... The post 137. Disney Imagineer Chris Runco on Typhoon Lagoon and Grizzly River Run (Part 2) appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

When I think about factors that distinguish the best theme parks from the rest, background music ranks near the top. The best examples create the right sense of place and atmosphere. Some of my favorite places click because of the music.… Read more... The post 136. Russell Brower on the Innoventions Loop and Creating Music for Theme Parks appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios has changed a lot during its 32-year history. It’s basically an entirely different park than it was at the start in May 1989. In a time before DVD extras and streaming services, the park offered guests a chance to peek behind the curtain.… Read more... The post 135. Skipper Ben Rebstock on the Original Disney/MGM Studios appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

One of my favorite parts of doing this podcast is learning stories about the people that created Disney’s theme parks. Their paths to reach Walt Disney Imagineering are always so different. A perfect example is Chris Runco, who started as a portrait artist at Disneyland in 1970.… Read more... The post 134. Disney Imagineer Chris Runco on the Model Shop, Star Tours’ RX-24, and More appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

Tomorrowland has always been one of my favorite lands in any theme park. We grew up mostly visiting Walt Disney World, and I couldn’t get enough of this optimistic view of the “world on the move“. This vibrant atmosphere was everything in the original Tomorrowland in California.… Read more... The post 133. Improving Tomorrowland at Disneyland appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

When we think about our favorite attractions, it’s easy to just consider the concept designers. That’s just the first step to bring those ideas to life. It takes sculptors and other artists to create the places and attractions we enjoy. A perfect example is Valerie Edwards, who worked as the Director of Sculpture and Chief Sculptor at Walt Disney Imagineering for more than 20 years.… Read more... The post 132. Valerie Edwards, Director of Sculpture and Chief Sculptor at Walt Disney Imagineering appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

Much of the world of theme parks has stopped during the past year due to the pandemic. Exciting projects have been delayed or even shelved, and many parks remain closed. All the news isn’t sad, however. A remarkable trackless dark ride opened in September 2020 and wowed both guests and online fans.… Read more... The post 131. Disney Imagineer Jim Clark on the Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

As a theme park fan, I’ve often made assumptions about what it’s like to work as a Disney Imagineer. The role sounds amazing because it involves creating the attractions and places that I love so much. But what is it like to actually be an Imagineer?… Read more... The post 130. Imagineering Roundtable with Don Carson and Chris Merritt appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

When Disney first announced The Mandalorian series for Disney Plus, I wondered if it would capture the magic of Star Wars. Could this smaller frontier story connect with audiences? Obviously, those concerns were unwarranted, and the show has become a cultural phenomenon.… Read more... The post 129. Brian Jay Jones on The Mandalorian: Season Two appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

Brett Nachman of Notably Disney joins The Tomorrow Society Podcast to draft our top composers of music for attractions at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. The post 128. Disney Composers Draft with Brett Nachman of Notably Disney appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

©Disney Few Disney Imagineers take the same road to finding their careers. I’ve learned how many stumbled into their roles and discovered unexpected talents. The path was different for Daniel Joseph, who created haunted houses in his basement as a kid.… Read more... The post 127. Disney Imagineer Daniel Joseph on The Hatbox Ghost, Trader Sam’s, and Phantom Manor appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

It’s easy as theme park fans to just focus on the top players. Consistent news arrives daily from Disney and Universal about their latest updates, even during the pandemic. However, that approach does a disservice to other great parks around the world.… Read more... The post 126. Mary Kwiatkowski on Thrills and Charm at Busch Gardens Williamsburg appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

One of the longest-running Disney podcasts has been WDW Radio, which Lou Mongello started in 2007. He has produced more than 600 episodes about Walt Disney World and Disney history, including many interviews. Lou recently compiled 12 favorite conversations into The Disney Interviews: Volume 1.… Read more... The post 125. Lou Mongello on The Disney Interviews: Volume 1 appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

One of my favorite parts of visiting Walt Disney World as a kid was experiencing attractions that were unlike anything else out there. You couldn’t see a Circle-Vision film in St. Louis; there was nothing even close! Films transported us to another place across the world that was only in our imaginations.… Read more... The post 124. Filmmaker Jeff Blyth on Wonders of China and The Timekeeper appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

It’s been a different year for theme parks than anyone could have expected. Disneyland remains closed and will likely not open until sometime in 2021. Walt Disney World is open but facing restrictions on capacity. As Disney looks to the future, they won’t get too bold with changes beyond projects already in progress.… Read more... The post 123. Tim Grassey on Creative Ways to Enhance Walt Disney World appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

I grew up in the ’80s, and it was a different experience compared to what it’s like for kids now. We rode our bikes all over the city, explored foundations of houses under construction, and had few boundaries. Playgrounds were dangerous injury makers of concrete and metal.… Read more... The post 122. Seth Porges, Writer and Co-Director of Class Action Park appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

I’ve really enjoyed the chance to interview so many smart and interesting people on The Tomorrow Society Podcast. Whether I’m talking with former Disney Imagineers, authors, or fellow podcasters, they all have amazing stories. It’s fun to sometimes change up the format, however.… Read more... The post 121. A Listener Q&A Extravaganza appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

One of my favorite conversations on this podcast happened two years ago. My guest was Rick Harper, the director of Impressions de France at EPCOT Center. That incredible film was an opening day attraction in 1982 and still plays today.… Read more... The post 120. Rick Harper on Impressions de France and Working with Disney Legends appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

One of the big unknowns for many Disney fans involves Walt’s original ideas for EPCOT the city. Commonly known as Progress City, this community of the future never happened after Walt died in 1966. EPCOT Center ultimately arrived as an incredible theme park, but it was quite different from the original concept.… Read more... The post 119. Benjamin Lancaster on the Prototype World of Tomorrow appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

The theme park industry is facing serious challenges right now. Disney recently announced layoffs of 28,000 employees, which is a significant percentage of its workforce. Dan Cockerell was a leader at Disney in past difficult times including 9/11, and he has an interesting perspective.… Read more... The post 118. Dan Cockerell, How’s the Culture in Your Kingdom? appeared first on Tomorrow Society.