[Chat] Imagineering career

[Coolcats304]

Hey guys, Im currently doing much research for a career. Im going into the 11th grade and am trying to just get some information. I hope to do sound design for WDI. The sounds in the parks and attraction has always caught my attention and I've found great interest in it. I was wondering if anyone knows any information on college classes to take or maybe someone to contact. but really any information would be helpful. Thank you!

Coolcats304

[Disneytwins]

Re: Imagineering career

I think you should go into an art major. It would be even better if you get a little business in there too. Good Luck!

[MarkTwain]

Re: Imagineering career

I was in your shoes a few years ago when picking out my own career in high school. The thing to remember is this: people employed as full-time, long-term employees of Walt Disney Imagineering are increasingly rare. Although they keep several Imagineers in-house, those employees stick around for ever shorter stints (before going off to work for Universal or elsewhere). Increasingly, Imagineering just contracts the help they need for a single project, such as hiring specialized rock-sculptors for the six months they need them for Cars Land, since it wouldn't be profitable to keep a rock-sculpting department in-house for years at a time (this may not be true but it's just an example).

That being the case, you can't really leave high school and plan on "going into" Imagineering. What you need to do is find a craft that is both a stable career in this economy (easier said than done ), and is something that might someday be useful to Imagineering. Also, WDI usually wants their people experienced in their craft before they hire them, so you'll probably need to spend several years doing, say, lighting design for theater before WDI will hire you for lighting their attraction.

So that's my advice: find a craft and develop it, getting as best as you can at it, almost pushing Imagineering out of your mind for the time being. Disney's Imaginations Competition webpage keeps a good list of the kind of careers they look for (the competition itself is a great way to get into WDI, by the way). Understand that any kind of design in this economy requires an open mind and being willing to take on a diverse variety of projects, regardless of your career. Use your work to build a solid portfolio, and then someday, you might you have something to show Imagineering - or what is increasingly common, they'll have a reason to come and find you.

This is based on my own experience as an architecture graduate with an eye on Imagineering. Good luck!

[Disneytwins]

Re: Imagineering career

Well, the advice above is much much better advice than what I've told you. Find a major that would make good use outside of Imagineering so that you have at least something to do elsewhere while you're waiting for that position to open up. I definitely agree with the portfolio idea. It gives you something to show them. It's basically a "Hey, look what I've done" type of deal. If you have any ideas for what could change in the parks, write it down and draw it up. The time to start is now. Nothing is stopping you from building a portfolio.

It is a rare job, just like a job at the archives. Keep your eye on it and leave that possibility open. Keep being determined!

You do have a couple years left to decide which major you want to go though. A good amount of people get into college and decide to change paths during the first year, which is okay because that's when you're just taking the core classes. You won't really need to know which classes you take. You need to figure out more of what major you need to chose because your major determines the curriculum.

I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. I, myself am in my last year of college (which doesn't show in this grammar), and i remember how exciting it was to sign up and start college, because there's so much opportunity.