Disneyland and Walt Disney World are all the time in a state of changing into, with new points of interest all the time in growth, however on the identical time, they’re the properties to nostalgia for tens of millions of individuals. There are quite a few points of interest which might be so iconic, it’s tough to think about them ever being changed. For at the very least one member of Walt Disney Imagineering although, nothing is so sacred that it won’t get replaced someday, even when she can’t think about some issues ever altering.
I not too long ago had an opportunity to talk with Walt Disney Imagineering Vice President Jeanette Lomboy, who seems within the new season of the Disney Plus collection Behind the Attraction, and I requested her about that stability between the brand new and the nostalgic. As any individual who grew up going to Disneyland, I puzzled if there was something that she thought was too traditional to ever get replaced, and her reply was a easy “No” as a result of preserving issues the best way they’re was by no means what Disney Parks have been speculated to be about, even within the eyes of Walt Disney himself. She defined…
No. And why I say that’s, Walt by no means wished that anyway. Proper? Walt stated, ‘Disneyland was a dwelling, respiratory factor,’ and he meant that, proper?
Walt Disney typically stated Disneyland, the one park to open in his lifetime, would by no means be accomplished as a result of it could all the time be in a state of changing into. Whereas that has definitely been the case, there are some points of interest which have been there since Disneyland’s opening day, so it’s tough to think about them ever being gone.
Even Lomboy admitted there are elements of Disneyland that she personally couldn’t think about ever changing, however that’s not the identical as believing they may by no means get replaced. Even Disneyland’s iconic centerpiece, would possibly one have to make approach for one thing even larger. Lomboy continued…
I do not suppose we should always ever consider that something that we do is so treasured that it’s by no means touchable. However, as I say, that, you realize, like my private opinion? I may let you know right now, would I not wish to contact something like Sleeping Magnificence Fortress? I do not ever wish to contact that. However does that imply that I can not be visionary sufficient to consider, in 4 a long time or 5 a long time from now there is perhaps one thing even higher that Walt would himself have accepted of adjusting.
It’s tough to think about a Disneyland with out Sleeping Magnificence Fortress, or with out a number of the issues that got here later, like House Mountain or Pirates of the Caribbean. However we have seen common points of interest like The Nice Film Trip say goodbye, and the much-beloved Splash Mountain won’t ever be the identical once more. However Lomboy says that it’s essential to maintain an open thoughts with regards to being prepared to let common rides go, and he or she guarantees that when and if the day comes that one thing iconic should make approach for one thing new, the purpose will all the time be to make it higher. She stated…
I believe from that perspective you bought to be open-minded. Now we have to consider long-term view, and Walt all the time thought long-term. This second you would possibly say. ‘No, I will not do this,’ however I believe we’ve to have a long-term view of how we take into consideration our company’ experiences, and having the ability to proceed to push the envelope and reply to what company need. However I promise you our purpose is to all the time make it higher proper, make it higher than it was.
I definitely have these spots at Disneyland and Walt Disney World that I’d hate to see go, The Haunted Mansion has an unbelievable historical past and Pirates of the Caribbean is iconic, however I additionally do consider that if we make Disney Parks museums moderately than theme parks, we’ll be lacking out on an ideal deal. After watching Season 2 of Behind the Attraction, think about what we’d be lacking if Mine Prepare By way of Nature’s Wonderland didn’t grow to be Large Thunder Mountain Railroad, or if Indiana Jones had by no means come to Disney Parks.
