Eddie Sotto's take on the current state of the parks

[Eddie Sotto]

Hi' Eddie I got the new WDI book (A behind the dreams look at making MORE magic real" and noticed a few interesting things about projects you were involved in including "A cluttered office in the Jungle Cruise queue with a custom printed scene-setting newspaper with headlines detailing shipping disasters" that I stupidly did not notice when I went to DL in 06. Also some really awsome stained glass work in the Main Street Emporium at DLP.

Wow. Have not seen it, but will have to check it out. Thanks! BTW- The structure of that stained glass dome was inspired by one of the Vanderbilt mansions in NY state.

 

[HMF]

Hi Eddie I was thinking about Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island and some of your 90s work and thought since the mill on the front of the island is now called Lafittes Tavern and is on the southern tip of the island While Fort Wilderness which is on the Northern half of the island and Fort Wilderness used to feature Andrew Jackson woudn't it be splendid if they brought a Andrew Jackson theme back to Fort Wilderness then you would have Lafitte and Andrew Jackson the two heroes of the battle of New Orleans anchoring opposite sides of the island. It would be an awesome thematic bridge between Frontierland and New Orleans Square and add another layer of backstory to the island.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Hi Eddie I was thinking about Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island and some of your 90s work and thought since the mill on the front of the island is now called Lafittes Tavern and is on the southern tip of the island While Fort Wilderness which is on the Northern half of the island and Fort Wilderness used to feature Andrew Jackson woudn't it be splendid if they brought a Andrew Jackson theme back to Fort Wilderness then you would have Lafitte and Andrew Jackson the two heroes of the battle of New Orleans anchoring opposite sides of the island. It would be an awesome thematic bridge between Frontierland and New Orleans Square and add another layer of backstory to the island.

That would be pretty cool, yes. History is an important ingredient in maintaining the fantasy of the parks. The right doses of the "real" help you buy the surreal that extends from it. If the fantasy is based on something without logic or a solid foundation, then it's a stretch. BTW- The US government reluctantly pardoned Lafitte as a hero and still treated him badly in spite of his efforts to help, but as time went on, the US and Spain became allies and Lafitte, hating Spain most of all, kept taking their ships, so in the end the US had to go after him and supposedly killed him in Galveston Bay. His disputed memoirs have him faking his death in Galveston and living out the rest of his life in seclusion on a ranch in Oklahoma.

I love this guy.. read it for yourself. Amazing stuff. You'll know why I pushed to have him in the Disney lexicon, he was the ultimate American.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Lafitte

http://www.amazon.com/Journal-Jean-Lafitte-Privateer-Patriots-Story/dp/0964684608

 

[PatriciaH]

My favorite book on WDW, was this black covered booklet on "The making of WDW Commemorative Edition". Pretty rare. I bought one on eBay recently ($30.) as I could not find my dogeared copy and it really gave me the sense of the "wow" that was and is WDW. You can see the vision behind the project in the way they describe the park and all of it's wonders. Many construction photos of things we take for granted today. It was unlike anything ever built on Earth, an extraordinary work. This booklet is a piece of history worth owning. I'd link to it on ebay but could not find one.

I love that book I asked my mother to buy it as my souvenir when we visited WDW for the 1st time (1978.) I was 7 and read that book a lot! I could not wait to see Epcot Center (the concept art was in the back.) I was also facinated with the pictures of things being transported to the park on flatbeds on the highway. I wanted to work with the people designing animals on the Jungle Cruise. :ROFLOL:

 

[HMF]

That would be pretty cool, yes. History is an important ingredient in maintaining the fantasy of the parks. The right doses of the "real" help you buy the surreal that extends from it. If the fantasy is based on something without logic or a solid foundation, then it's a stretch. BTW- The US government reluctantly pardoned Lafitte as a hero and still treated him badly in spite of his efforts to help, but as time went on, the US and Spain became allies and Lafitte, hating Spain most of all, kept taking their ships, so in the end the US had to go after him and supposedly killed him in Galveston Bay. His disputed memoirs have him faking his death in Galveston and living out the rest of his life in seclusion on a ranch in Oklahoma.

I love this guy.. read it for yourself. Amazing stuff. You'll know why I pushed to have him in the Disney lexicon, he was the ultimate American.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Lafitte

http://www.amazon.com/Journal-Jean-Lafitte-Privateer-Patriots-Story/dp/0964684608

It would be an interesting thing to do. of course you would be juggling several stories on the Island already between the Lafitte/Pirate thing the Andrew Jackson thing' the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and of course The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and now with the indian scouts and Davy Crockett and Mike Fink it would be an interesting challenge to make it work thematically.

 

[mickey2008.1]

Im fairly new to this thread. a couple of months. But has anyone outside of disney ever created an attraction other than george lucas? And im saying someone off the street who just had a wild idea that caught theit eyes.

 

[disneysroyal411]

I have a question. I am young and naive and at the age of 14 now. Since I was eight and before, I've always wanted a job at Disney, especially in designing it. When I was about ten, I learned of the fascinating thing called imagineering. It's something intangible to me because first off, everything there is mysterious if you don't work there. Also, I want to design the rides, design them and help make them what they are. My question is, what section of imagineering is that, and also, what should I do to try and add to the small chances of me getting there.

Don't worry I know that WDI is limited so I don't have super high hopes of getting in there, but if I could, and I dream as Walt wanted for people to do. So please help me out because I'm at a loss in this section.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

I have a question. I am young and naive and at the age of 14 now. Since I was eight and before, I've always wanted a job at Disney, especially in designing it. When I was about ten, I learned of the fascinating thing called imagineering. It's something intangible to me because first off, everything there is mysterious if you don't work there. Also, I want to design the rides, design them and help make them what they are. My question is, what section of imagineering is that, and also, what should I do to try and add to the small chances of me getting there.

Don't worry I know that WDI is limited so I don't have super high hopes of getting in there, but if I could, and I dream as Walt wanted for people to do. So please help me out because I'm at a loss in this section.

I was the same way! Don't feel dumb or anything. Here is my favorite site to teach you all you need to know about Imagineering and what to expect.

www.themedattraction.com

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Im fairly new to this thread. a couple of months. But has anyone outside of disney ever created an attraction other than george lucas? And im saying someone off the street who just had a wild idea that caught theit eyes.

Welcome to the thread! Lucas had the movies/stories and actually the Imagineers created his attractions with his participation and final approval. I was involved in brainstorming sessions with him on Tomorrowland and things like that. As far as I know, people don't bring ride concepts into Imagineering (other than to land a job or if you are Pixar) and if so they may get hired to do them under the Disney name.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

I love that book I asked my mother to buy it as my souvenir when we visited WDW for the 1st time (1978.) I was 7 and read that book a lot! I could not wait to see Epcot Center (the concept art was in the back.) I was also facinated with the pictures of things being transported to the park on flatbeds on the highway. I wanted to work with the people designing animals on the Jungle Cruise. :ROFLOL:

It was fun fantasizing about being those people in the photos having all that fun making things. Love the shot of the Submarine on the trailer. The book made it all look so important too. So brave and exciting!

 

[Eddie Sotto]

It would be an interesting thing to do. of course you would be juggling several stories on the Island already between the Lafitte/Pirate thing the Andrew Jackson thing' the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and of course The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and now with the indian scouts and Davy Crockett and Mike Fink it would be an interesting challenge to make it work thematically.

I think you'd have to do a bit of thematic "editing" if you went that route.

 

[HMF]

I think you'd have to do a bit of thematic "editing" if you went that route.

What do you mean?

 

[disneysroyal411]

I was the same way! Don't feel dumb or anything. Here is my favorite site to teach you all you need to know about Imagineering and what to expect.

www.themedattraction.com

Thank you very much! I hope that this site will help me understand somewhat. Another question/s, what college did you attend and also, what part of imagineering did you work for, at first and then continually?

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Thank you very much! I hope that this site will help me understand somewhat. Another question/s, what college did you attend and also, what part of imagineering did you work for, at first and then continually?

You're welcome. I didn't really go to any College, I was self taught and learned from many people including the first Generation Imagineers. I began 30 years ago at Knott's and ended up as SVP of Concept Design at WDI.

The whole 4 part interview/story begins at the link if you are so inclined.

http://www.themedattraction.com/sotto.htm

 

[disneysroyal411]

You're welcome. I didn't really go to any College, I was self taught and learned from many people including the first Generation Imagineers. I began 30 years ago at Knott's and ended up as SVP of Concept Design at WDI.

The whole 4 part interview/story begins at the link if you are so inclined.

http://www.themedattraction.com/sotto.htm

I think I will, thank you again. What were some of the blue sky projects while you were at WDI?

 

[HMF]

You're welcome. I didn't really go to any College, I was self taught and learned from many people including the first Generation Imagineers. I began 30 years ago at Knott's and ended up as SVP of Concept Design at WDI.

The whole 4 part interview/story begins at the link if you are so inclined.

http://www.themedattraction.com/sotto.htm

Well' if you can get into WDI just by learning about the job then I should get in easily. I have read almost every book on the subject 'been on these boards for a long time. Written a few Attraction scripts' even coincidentally came up with a name for an attraction that eventually Tony Baxter himself came up with the exact same name (Though it was a coincidence) and now I am creative lead on a Disney-themed Podcast. Hey WDI I want my application. All kidding aside' unlike Eddie I am not a kid from Southern California thus making it harder for me to get into WDI that easily and am going to take writing in College this Fall.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Well' if you can get into WDI just by learning about the job then I should get in easily.

It's not quite THAT easy, but go for it.

 

[HMF]

It's not quite THAT easy, but go for it.

I was making sort of a joke about it.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

I was making sort of a joke about it.

All kidding aside, there is some truth to having a deep knowledge of the Disney brand and the WDI culture as a positive quality in becoming an Imagineer. Knowing the storyboard process and how to lay out a ride in scenes helped me. The shorter the learning curve the better. After all, you are interpreting the brand from a movie or source material into a physical space, so you have to know the best practices of doing that. That is something we focus on here and in other places online and in books. All valuable.

The key of course, is what you bring to the Imagineering party since they already know the history, etc. It's that unique talent that you infuse into the culture that makes the team stronger and the project better.

 

[fyn]

All kidding aside, there is some truth to having a deep knowledge of the Disney brand and the WDI culture as a positive quality in becoming an Imagineer. Knowing the storyboard process and how to lay out a ride in scenes helped me. The shorter the learning curve the better. After all, you are interpreting the brand from a movie or source material into a physical space, so you have to know the best practices of doing that. That is something we focus on here and in other places online and in books. All valuable.

The key of course, is what you bring to the Imagineering party since they already know the history, etc. It's that unique talent that you infuse into the culture that makes the team stronger and the project better.

Eddie, sent you a quick PM.