From College Student to Imagineer

[CPimagineer86]

I've been dealing with this for a few years now, but I am still completely lost as to what to major in. I am enrolled into civil engineering because I originally wanted to design rollercoasters. From my interest in rollercoasters, and a trip a few years ago, I fell in love with Disney and the way they imagine, design, and create everything in their parks. My problem comes from the face that I'm not sure in what to major in. I know that you can major in anything and chances are imagineering has a job in it, but I want to get into something that deals with the design, planning, and coming up with the actual ideas for the attractions. I have been debating between remaining in civil engineering or transfering into architecture, landscape architecture, or construction science and management. I know there will not be one right answer, but I would like to hear all of you opinions on the matter.

 

[manutdfan1]

Graphic Designing i think it is. I will make shure but you can go to www.disney.com and go to the link about the imagineering contest and they have different majors that you have to have to enter the contest. So just choose from one of those. But when i get in college i want to 2nd major in graphic designing so i can TRY to be an imagineer but i would have a backup plan if i were you(mine is biology so i can be either a pharmacists or a doctor, just thought i would inform you, im so excited about college).

 

[manutdfan1]

Ok throw out that previos post. I was looking here in my Imagineering field guide and here are a couple of ones, i dont know what you would major in for these but here i go:

Show/concept Design and illustration
show writing-these guys make up the stroys that go into the attactions
Possibly engineering

Hope this is help for ya!!!!

P.s.- Graphic designing is making like signs and brochures, i dont know what i was thinking.

 

[Rayray]

Civil engineering is probably a less popular field in imagineering. I would imagine that mechanical engineers make up the majority of imagineering engineers. I'm just guessing, though.

BTW, are you that interested in such unrelated fields? Art vs. Science? You might want to do a little soul searching before setting anything in stone. Do what you enjoy.:wave:

 

[coasterphil]

Make sure you'd be happy staying in that field even if you can't become an imagineer.

 

[it398]

hello fellow civil engineer!

i too am studying civil engineering, (at uni in the UK) i have been looking into what i can do with my degree in terms of Imagineering, related fields included construction management, project management, highway / infrastructure design, pipes / sewage.
all of these topics were / are employed by WDI or WDW.

as for roller coaster design firstly this is mostly mechanical engineering but civil's do design the supports for the coaster track and foundations etc.
Disney tends not to employe civil engineers for these rolls as they prefer to hire in outside companies to do the work for them.

for example the american bridge Co was the company who actually built the Epcot wand, Once upon a toy store and the facilities on castaway cay.

hope this helps

 

[makonyy15]

I'm entering college in a couple weeks, with a declared major in mechanical engineering. From what I've heard, if you're looking to get into roller coaster/ ride system design then mechanical engineering is the way you want to go. I'm hoping to get with imagineering as well, so I'm just waiting until my junior year to get into the design contest and possbily the college program.

 

[Rayray]

I'm entering college in a couple weeks, with a declared major in mechanical engineering. From what I've heard, if you're looking to get into roller coaster/ ride system design then mechanical engineering is the way you want to go. I'm hoping to get with imagineering as well, so I'm just waiting until my junior year to get into the design contest and possbily the college program.

You are correct about ride systems and mechanical engineers. Also, you must remember that when a problem arises, engineers are the ones to solve them. I'd say that the majority of problem solvers and thinkers at WDI are mechanical engineers (as far as specific systems are concerned). :wave:

I'm enrolled at the Bagley College of Engineering for the fall at Mississippi State. Guess what my major is .

 

[mousermerf]

I study theatre design, with an emphasis on scenic and lighting design. I plan to get my BFA in the next few years, then go into a stronger focus in grad school.

Through my major i'm learning CAD design, model making, scenic painting, prop design, and other areas of artistic interest. I'm considering a secondary in architecture or some sort of engineering.

 

[theTank524]

Thanks!

Im in High School (Junior in Sept.) and I was just about to make a similar thread about what I classes should I be taking and what to focus on. Im taking CAD 1 + 2 this year then CAD 3 next year, so I think im headed in the right direction so far.

 

[Laufschneller65]

Hey fellow dreamers!!! I too am seeking what you do. My major Includes THeater design and Tech, And Play writing. I figured everything at disney is a show. from the buildings being sets, the workers being actors, and the landscape being my medium. I hope to take my major and pick up architectual engineering so I can design the sets to the atractions and the buildings in the parks and the hotels. Ha ha mousemerf, we're on the same track. lol

 

[Madison]

As CoasterPhil mentioned, I think it's important that you think to yourself, "I'd love be an engineer at WDI," rather than "I'd love to work for WDI as an engineer." It seems that it's very rare these days that anyone have a career with WDI in the same vein as Tony Baxter has had, for example. The work is more sporadic and comes and goes with projects. If you become an engineer simply because you want to work for WDI and not because you want to be an engineer, you'll ultimately be unhappy -- if you manage to become an engineer at all.

 

[darthjohnny]

I will go into College in a couple of years and I want to study engineering as well. I have heard there are hundreds of jobs in Imagineering, and basically almost anyone in that division of the company is an imagineer, but I was wondering how to get into the job with actually coming up with ideas also.

 

[aka_emilicious]

I will go into College in a couple of years and I want to study engineering as well. I have heard there are hundreds of jobs in Imagineering, and basically almost anyone in that division of the company is an imagineer, but I was wondering how to get into the job with actually coming up with ideas also.

Imagineer is an extrememly broad term. You do not have to be an engineer to be an imagineer. More than likely you would want to be a show writer if you want to actually come up with the ideas. If you want to be the one to figure out to make those ideas a reality, then I suggest going into Engineering. I'm an Electrical Engineering major, I lean more towards the technical aspects.

 

[funky_shao]

I'm an Electrical Engineering major, I lean more towards the technical aspects.

Poor you. Not many wish to practice the dark arts of Electrical Engineering. But then, who likes things that are invisible!

PS. I did this too. It's fantastic!

 

[aka_emilicious]

Poor you. Not many wish to practice the dark arts of Electrical Engineering. But then, who likes things that are invisible!

C'mon the dark arts are awesome! Sure I don't know what I'm doing half the time. But I made a robotic car...somehow. Definitely couldn't repeat it.

 

[makonyy15]

As CoasterPhil mentioned, I think it's important that you think to yourself, "I'd love be an engineer at WDI," rather than "I'd love to work for WDI as an engineer." It seems that it's very rare these days that anyone have a career with WDI in the same vein as Tony Baxter has had, for example. The work is more sporadic and comes and goes with projects. If you become an engineer simply because you want to work for WDI and not because you want to be an engineer, you'll ultimately be unhappy -- if you manage to become an engineer at all.

I'd have to agree with this statement. When I was picking my major I didn't think, oh wow I NEED to work for WDI. The first thought in my mind was whoa, this mechanical engineering stuff is pretty cool, I can do tons of different things and it involves the things I love. Then, it wasn't until 6 months later where I thought, hey it'd be pretty cool to end up working for WDI. Being an imagineer is your goal, while establishing yourself as an engineer first is more of a backpack plan or 'parallel' plan if you will.

That's how I see it at least

 

[funky_shao]

C'mon the dark arts are awesome! Sure I don't know what I'm doing half the time. But I made a robotic car...somehow. Definitely couldn't repeat it.

Well, I'm sure you'll be alright. As long as your fundamentals are strong, you'll do well in this field. The only complex thing is that the very nature of engineering means it has both a knowledge and a skill requirement. Both of these combined develop into art!

Keep going! :wave: