So, I was reading the thread on what Indy was like when it was new... and how it was so completely Kick-A$$ when it first opened, and how it has been neglected over the years. It got me to thinking about the daily routine of an Imagineer.
The general consensus is that Disney does not fix things unless it can be done with little effort, or if it can be marketed to he masses as new bling!
My question is.. WHAT THE HECK DO IMAGINEERS DO ON AN AVERAGE DAY??
If NEW E ticket attractions only come once every decade or more, and rehabs are being done in a minimalistic fashion, what do you think the imagineers are actually spending their time on? Certainly, they cant be designing Nemo-type attractions every day. Sadly, I also doubt they are working on cool new features for plussing existing attractions all the time.
As a teenager, I had always wanted to become an imagineer. I thought it would be a job where you dreamed up the most awesome rides and effects (with extra awesome) that you could. I imagined having access to endless tools and gadgets. You would use your engineering know-how -- along with good ol'-fashioned creativity -- to push the boundaries of awe-inspiring entertainment.
As an adult, I invision this much differently. I'm sure Imagineers get caught up plenty of corporate politics. (Drama over who gets to use the Red Swingline and such..
) There is probably far too much paper work going on for them, and too little creativity. The constant threat of out-sourcing to companies like Intamin. But, do they just push pencils or design a bunch of rides that never get made??
From the time an Imagineer gets out of bed, puts her shoes on and goes to work until the time she returns back home. WHAT THE HECK ARE THEY DOING???
(Side-note to Al or Dusty: It would be cool to get a Q&A article up with an actual Imagineer, either past or present. You could get questions from the chat groups ahead of time, and interview them yourselves with a the best selected questions. Imagineer anonimity would be fine too, if necessary.)
The general consensus is that Disney does not fix things unless it can be done with little effort, or if it can be marketed to he masses as new bling!
My question is.. WHAT THE HECK DO IMAGINEERS DO ON AN AVERAGE DAY??
If NEW E ticket attractions only come once every decade or more, and rehabs are being done in a minimalistic fashion, what do you think the imagineers are actually spending their time on? Certainly, they cant be designing Nemo-type attractions every day. Sadly, I also doubt they are working on cool new features for plussing existing attractions all the time.
As a teenager, I had always wanted to become an imagineer. I thought it would be a job where you dreamed up the most awesome rides and effects (with extra awesome) that you could. I imagined having access to endless tools and gadgets. You would use your engineering know-how -- along with good ol'-fashioned creativity -- to push the boundaries of awe-inspiring entertainment.
As an adult, I invision this much differently. I'm sure Imagineers get caught up plenty of corporate politics. (Drama over who gets to use the Red Swingline and such..

From the time an Imagineer gets out of bed, puts her shoes on and goes to work until the time she returns back home. WHAT THE HECK ARE THEY DOING???
(Side-note to Al or Dusty: It would be cool to get a Q&A article up with an actual Imagineer, either past or present. You could get questions from the chat groups ahead of time, and interview them yourselves with a the best selected questions. Imagineer anonimity would be fine too, if necessary.)
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