Imagineers are now a flippin' joke

Magenta Panther

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
So I just watched something on YouTube called The Carpetbagger series. It's about a dude who visits roadside attractions, amusement parks, theme parks etc. And in one episode he went to WDW and rode the Tower of Terror. And sure enough - just like some on this site mentioned - the "Imagineers" replaced the screens of the vintage analog TV sets in the Library. Which means that, instead of the dark screens such TV sets actually had when turned off, they now display like a freaking blue COMPUTER SCREEN. Which kills the 1939 vintage vibe that's part of the Tower's charm and character!

Apparently it's not bad enough that the Imagineers are incapable of replacing/fixing something like the infamous Yeti in Everest. They have to "improve" (screw up) existing rides that were fine the way they were. What the hell is wrong with these people? They can't fix the Yeti, they can't resist effing up perfectly good existing rides, and they can't even sculpt new Presidents for the HoP that resemble their real-life counterparts. (The Carpetbagger also visited the HoP in an earlier episode - apparently this was during Obama's presidency. And oh my god, Obama's AA really is as laughably hideous as the Trump AA, just like I remembered it. Holy crap! You should see the thing in close-up. Again, what the hell is wrong with today's Imagineers?)
 

Bullseye1967

Is that who I am?
Premium Member
So I just watched something on YouTube called The Carpetbagger series. It's about a dude who visits roadside attractions, amusement parks, theme parks etc. And in one episode he went to WDW and rode the Tower of Terror. And sure enough - just like some on this site mentioned - the "Imagineers" replaced the screens of the vintage analog TV sets in the Library. Which means that, instead of the dark screens such TV sets actually had when turned off, they now display like a freaking blue COMPUTER SCREEN. Which kills the 1939 vintage vibe that's part of the Tower's charm and character!

Apparently it's not bad enough that the Imagineers are incapable of replacing/fixing something like the infamous Yeti in Everest. They have to "improve" (screw up) existing rides that were fine the way they were. What the hell is wrong with these people? They can't fix the Yeti, they can't resist effing up perfectly good existing rides, and they can't even sculpt new Presidents for the HoP that resemble their real-life counterparts. (The Carpetbagger also visited the HoP in an earlier episode - apparently this was during Obama's presidency. And oh my god, Obama's AA really is as laughably hideous as the Trump AA, just like I remembered it. Holy crap! You should see the thing in close-up. Again, what the hell is wrong with today's Imagineers?)
I love Carpetbagger he goes to so many unusual places!
 

cheezbat

Well-Known Member
I had been holding out hope for the Yeti to be fixed...but after Joe Rohde insisted it was going to happen and then recently announcing his retirement, I’ve given up on them. People bash Universal for what they do, but honestly WDI isn’t better than Universal Creative these days.
Sure, both have created amazing detailed lands(Pandora, Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, Galaxy’s Edge, Super Nintendo World), but aside from that, there have been so many small details missed - so many things that are clearly done just because it makes sense money-wise. They’re still some of the best in the biz, but instead of giving us original ideas and stuff we never know we wanted, we’re given stuff that’s created for synergy and selling merchandise.
 

danlb_2000

Premium Member
So I just watched something on YouTube called The Carpetbagger series. It's about a dude who visits roadside attractions, amusement parks, theme parks etc. And in one episode he went to WDW and rode the Tower of Terror. And sure enough - just like some on this site mentioned - the "Imagineers" replaced the screens of the vintage analog TV sets in the Library. Which means that, instead of the dark screens such TV sets actually had when turned off, they now display like a freaking blue COMPUTER SCREEN. Which kills the 1939 vintage vibe that's part of the Tower's charm and character!

Apparently it's not bad enough that the Imagineers are incapable of replacing/fixing something like the infamous Yeti in Everest. They have to "improve" (screw up) existing rides that were fine the way they were. What the hell is wrong with these people? They can't fix the Yeti, they can't resist effing up perfectly good existing rides, and they can't even sculpt new Presidents for the HoP that resemble their real-life counterparts. (The Carpetbagger also visited the HoP in an earlier episode - apparently this was during Obama's presidency. And oh my god, Obama's AA really is as laughably hideous as the Trump AA, just like I remembered it. Holy crap! You should see the thing in close-up. Again, what the hell is wrong with today's Imagineers?)

I am not sure if it's the Imagineers themselves or the upper management they have to answer to.
 

Magenta Panther

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
This.

They are only 'allowed' to do so much by the folks who hold the purse strings.
It is a never ending battle between Burbank and Glendale.

-

I stand corrected, and I'm sorry to read that the two factions are fighting each other. The loser in such a battle is ultimately the park guest...
 

StarshipDisney

Well-Known Member
So I just watched something on YouTube called The Carpetbagger series. It's about a dude who visits roadside attractions, amusement parks, theme parks etc. And in one episode he went to WDW and rode the Tower of Terror. And sure enough - just like some on this site mentioned - the "Imagineers" replaced the screens of the vintage analog TV sets in the Library. Which means that, instead of the dark screens such TV sets actually had when turned off, they now display like a freaking blue COMPUTER SCREEN. Which kills the 1939 vintage vibe that's part of the Tower's charm and character!

Apparently it's not bad enough that the Imagineers are incapable of replacing/fixing something like the infamous Yeti in Everest. They have to "improve" (screw up) existing rides that were fine the way they were. What the hell is wrong with these people? They can't fix the Yeti, they can't resist effing up perfectly good existing rides, and they can't even sculpt new Presidents for the HoP that resemble their real-life counterparts. (The Carpetbagger also visited the HoP in an earlier episode - apparently this was during Obama's presidency. And oh my god, Obama's AA really is as laughably hideous as the Trump AA, just like I remembered it. Holy crap! You should see the thing in close-up. Again, what the hell is wrong with today's Imagineers?)


I heard something awhile back to the effect that Disney effectively has gotten rid of most if not all the Imagineers and they now contract all that work out. Anyone else heard this?

Well, if you are stupid enough to try and contract out for talent then you get what Disney seems to be doing these days. You can be sure that...these days anyway...Disney will always take the lowest bidder.
 
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Fsunolekrw

Active Member
This.

They are only 'allowed' to do so much by the folks who hold the purse strings.
It is a never ending battle between Burbank and Glendale.

-
This x1000. They need more people with Walt’s philosophy, just like in The Imagineering Story when he was asking the woman to create the costumes for the animatronics in IASW. She replied, “it will be expensive.” Walt said, “I’ve got a building full of people who’s job is to find the money, don’t worry about that and just do whatever it takes.” (Or something along those lines) I doubt anyone has those kind of guts anymore though.
 

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
Whats wrong? Nothings different than any other time in Disneys history. The Imagineers can put forth their ideas, concepts, plans and designs and they have to be approved and the funds needed to go forward have to be allocated for projects. In tough times money isnt as available and projects get scaled back or cut completely. Often times the resulting attraction comes no where close to the original concept. Costly repairs and needed maintenance gets crimped back or put off as well. Back in Walts day he also bound the Imagineers hands due to the way he disapproved of parts of attractions they had planned and the costly price of adding them in.
With the state Disney is in right now, and how they are heading into the unknown future be glad anything is being done to keep the park running.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
And oh my god, Obama's AA really is as laughably hideous as the Trump AA, just like I remembered it. Holy crap! You should see the thing in close-up. Again, what the hell is wrong with today's Imagineers?)
Have you ever seen a stage actor up close in make-up? They look ridiculous. Everything is exaggerated and over done because the actor is under stage lighting and at a distance from the audience.
I am not sure if it's the Imagineers themselves or the upper management they have to answer to.
I’m not sure management really cares about the specific of equipment choices unless it means using something completely different than what is used elsewhere.
This.

They are only 'allowed' to do so much by the folks who hold the purse strings.
It is a never ending battle between Burbank and Glendale.

-
Walt Disney Imagineering is given ridiculously large sums to work with.
I heard something awhile back to the effect that Disney effectively has gotten rid of most if not all the Imagineers and they now contract all that work out out. Anyone else heard this?

Well, if you are stupid enough to try and contract out for talent then you get what Disney seems to be doing these days. You can be sure that...these days anyway...Disney will always take the lowest bidder.
Certain work is contracted out but that is also nothing new. There’s still a lot of full contracted work can also work, see Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmead as an example.
 

danlb_2000

Premium Member
Have you ever seen a stage actor up close in make-up? They look ridiculous. Everything is exaggerated and over done because the actor is under stage lighting and at a distance from the audience.

I’m not sure management really cares about the specific of equipment choices unless it means using something completely different than what is used elsewhere.

Unless it was a case of not getting the money to do it right.
 

WondersOfLife

Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
Imagineering is doing fine in this modern era. We’re all just holding on to things that we just need to move on from. It’s a new age. Just as it was in the 90s (for instance, I grew up with food rocks, under new management, and new fantasyland... and I love/loved all of it)

Things change. Sorry. You can cry over the past. But those sight lines at Epcot are going to be the new norm for the next generation. And if they end up removing those, that generation will probably scream as well.

oh well.
 

FettFan

Well-Known Member
So I just watched something on YouTube called The Carpetbagger series. It's about a dude who visits roadside attractions, amusement parks, theme parks etc. And in one episode he went to WDW and rode the Tower of Terror. And sure enough - just like some on this site mentioned - the "Imagineers" replaced the screens of the vintage analog TV sets in the Library. Which means that, instead of the dark screens such TV sets actually had when turned off, they now display like a freaking blue COMPUTER SCREEN. Which kills the 1939 vintage vibe that's part of the Tower's charm and character!

Apparently it's not bad enough that the Imagineers are incapable of replacing/fixing something like the infamous Yeti in Everest. They have to "improve" (screw up) existing rides that were fine the way they were. What the hell is wrong with these people? They can't fix the Yeti, they can't resist effing up perfectly good existing rides, and they can't even sculpt new Presidents for the HoP that resemble their real-life counterparts. (The Carpetbagger also visited the HoP in an earlier episode - apparently this was during Obama's presidency. And oh my god, Obama's AA really is as laughably hideous as the Trump AA, just like I remembered it. Holy crap! You should see the thing in close-up. Again, what the hell is wrong with today's Imagineers?)
Seems to me that the TOT television issue would be fixed with a polarized plastic filter over the digital screen. You know, the same stuff they make cheap Foster Grant sunglasses out of.

Total cost...maybe $50 per screen.

 

FettFan

Well-Known Member
Imagineering is doing fine in this modern era. We’re all just holding on to things that we just need to move on from. It’s a new age. Just as it was in the 90s (for instance, I grew up with food rocks, under new management, and new fantasyland... and I love/loved all of it)

Things change. Sorry. You can cry over the past. But those sight lines at Epcot are going to be the new norm for the next generation. And if they end up removing those, that generation will probably scream as well.

oh well

“Things change” is a sorry excuse for a blatant drop in quality.

That’s the same mindset that refused to renew Off Kilter’s contract and give us the tragically/hilariously awful Canadian Lumberjack Show.

and we all know how that went...
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
“Things change” is a sorry excuse for a blatant drop in quality.

That’s the same mindset that refused to renew Off Kilter’s contract and give us the tragically/hilariously awful Canadian Lumberjack Show.

and we all know how that went...
You just don’t understand today’s youth and their fondness for insulated metal panels.
 

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