Imagineers and Social Media

[sixbagelboy]

In today’s social media world, I’m certain Disney has a team who reviews different social media platforms. This site in particular has members who seem to be educated about the Disney Company and they give honest opinions and facts about what is going right and wrong (and they are brutally frank about what is wrong). However there are lots of comments with great ideas and recommendations on how rides should be improved, areas to be upgraded, and how to improve crowds control. Do you think there has ever been a time where Imagineers have read posts and took the ideas from the thread? Sometimes (most times) thread comments makes more sense than the what Disney is thinking.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Posting your idea publicly is probably the single greatest thing you can do to ensure it does not happen. Disney is incredibly concerned about being accused and sued for taking someone’s ideas which is why they don’t take unsolicited ideas.

 

[JIMINYCR]

As in any industry those who work in and know all the intricacies of the day to day job have a better idea of what works or doesn’t than a sometimes guest. They may read posts and see what’s being said but they aren’t going to think anyone on here knows better than they do.
It’s their job where they are the pro and admitting some person on a site would know better than them would be admitting they aren’t up to doing their job.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

The strangest moment was in 2010 when the HSM3 stage show was closing and they were bring in a new show..from the original news report..

High School Musical 3 to close October 2 to make way for new show based on Disney Channel hits

High School Musical 3 to close October 2 to make way for new show based on Disney Channel hits

www.wdwmagic.com

At the time there was no new title for the show when it was annouced...So I had made a post on the forum of guessing a name for the show..Found here...

Disney Studios replacing HSM3 for the new Disney Channel movie music show in Oct

Like Disneyland is? We are just going to miss it in Sept and would live to see it in Nov in Florida. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/07/new-show-coming-to-disney-parks-this-fall/

forums.wdwmagic.com

No sooner after it was posted.....This came up. With the new Name of the show...

New show to replace High School Musical is to be called 'Disney Channel Rocks!'

New show to replace High School Musical is to be called 'Disney Channel Rocks!'

www.wdwmagic.com

Now I'm not saying that it is possible they liked the name of it..But...

 

[McMickeyWorld]

A clear recent example is the issue with Zootopia in Animal Kingdom. Many complained about the idea of Moana and Zootopia, suggesting IPs like Encanto and Indiana. Some time later, the blue sky for Encanto was revealed.

 

[mkt]

Posting your idea publicly is probably the single greatest thing you can do to ensure it does not happen. Disney is incredibly concerned about being accused and sued for taking someone’s ideas which is why they don’t take unsolicited ideas.

Not just Disney, but this is a huge thing across corporate America.

Counting a few imagineers in my drinking group: yes, they see your posts. No, they don't act on them.

With how long Disney's development cycles can take, any idea you have and post, they likely already had it several years prior.

 

[lazyboy97o]

As in any industry those who work in and know all the intricacies of the day to day job have a better idea of what works or doesn’t than a sometimes guest. They may read posts and see what’s being said but they aren’t going to think anyone on here knows better than they do.
It’s their job where they are the pro and admitting some person on a site would know better than them would be admitting they aren’t up to doing their job.

That’s not really the issue. Some of the people online do know. Imagineering’s also consists of many disciplines, so an electrical engineer isn’t “admitting they aren’t up to doing their job” if they did think someone had a good idea for a building color scheme.

A clear recent example is the issue with Zootopia in Animal Kingdom. Many complained about the idea of Moana and Zootopia, suggesting IPs like Encanto and Indiana. Some time later, the blue sky for Encanto was revealed.

Indiana Jones Adventure replacing Dinosaur has been kicked around for years, well before the Zootopia idea came up.

 

[Brer Oswald]

Posting your idea publicly is probably the single greatest thing you can do to ensure it does not happen. Disney is incredibly concerned about being accused and sued for taking someone’s ideas which is why they don’t take unsolicited ideas.

I beg to differ. I posted this as a joke, but someone working on TBA must’ve thought it would be a good design for the new facade.

 

[Ayla]

As in any industry those who work in and know all the intricacies of the day to day job have a better idea of what works or doesn’t than a sometimes guest. They may read posts and see what’s being said but they aren’t going to think anyone on here knows better than they do.
It’s their job where they are the pro and admitting some person on a site would know better than them would be admitting they aren’t up to doing their job.

Imagineers aren't gods ~ they aren't all-knowing, though they apparently think they are.

They don't literally know everything about everything.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Imagineers aren't gods ~ they aren't all-knowing, though they apparently think they are.

They don't literally know everything about everything.

No they aren’t gods. But they are in their position for being creative and having the ability to do a job others can’t do. Do you really think an Imagineer is going to go to their supervisor and say I have no idea of how to do this so I think we should go with this idea off a post at WDW Magic? Their worth to the company would be worthless at that point. How secure would your job be if your ideas came from strangers on the internet.

 

[JIMINYCR]

That’s not really the issue. Some of the people online do know. Imagineering’s also consists of many disciplines, so an electrical engineer isn’t “admitting they aren’t up to doing their job” if they did think someone had a good idea for a building color scheme.


Indiana Jones Adventure replacing Dinosaur has been kicked around for years, well before the Zootopia idea came up.

An electrical engineer is not going to be deciding color schemes.

 

[lazyboy97o]

No they aren’t gods. But they are in their position for being creative and having the ability to do a job others can’t do. Do you really think an Imagineer is going to go to their supervisor and say I have no idea of how to do this so I think we should go with this idea off a post at WDW Magic? Their worth to the company would be worthless at that point. How secure would your job be if your ideas came from strangers on the internet.

That’s a problem because it is an unsolicited idea used without consent or compensation. Disney doesn’t want that liability. It has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the idea.

Walt Disney Imagineering constantly hires consultants for all sorts of work, including creative and design work.

 

[Phonedave]

No they aren’t gods. But they are in their position for being creative and having the ability to do a job others can’t do. Do you really think an Imagineer is going to go to their supervisor and say I have no idea of how to do this so I think we should go with this idea off a post at WDW Magic? Their worth to the company would be worthless at that point. How secure would your job be if your ideas came from strangers on the internet.

In my experience in engineering, not Imagineering, as well as in product development, customer feedback is very important, but very rarely is there an "oh my god, that is such an awesome idea, how did we not even think of it" moment.

Also, people who are not plugged into the process are very rarely aware of all of the factors that go into a decision. I run across this all of the time with people within my company. Comments such as "that was a stupid way to do that, a much better way would be to do it this way". Yeah, that is a better way, but it is also a better way to go to jail, get fined, totally hose up an existing process, or a host of other things people one step removed from the product are not aware of.

 

[mkt]

Walt Disney Imagineering constantly hires consultants for all sorts of work, including creative and design work.

I was called in for some of this work recently. Sadly it coincided too much with with stuff happening in my personal life, but it was nice to be considered.

 

[JIMINYCR]

That’s a problem because it is an unsolicited idea used without consent or compensation. Disney doesn’t want that liability. It has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the idea.

Walt Disney Imagineering constantly hires consultants for all sorts of work, including creative and design work.

I am not referring in any way to the quality of an idea on a fan site. Disney hires their people for their ability to come up with ideas not take them off a fan site. Their hiring comes from their ability to do the work themselves.
Consultants are used all across industries, but again for their expertise , not to search a fan site for ideas and solutions.

 

[McMickeyWorld]

That’s not really the issue. Some of the people online do know. Imagineering’s also consists of many disciplines, so an electrical engineer isn’t “admitting they aren’t up to doing their job” if they did think someone had a good idea for a building color scheme.


Indiana Jones Adventure replacing Dinosaur has been kicked around for years, well before the Zootopia idea came up.

True

 

[nikkipapadopulou]

The strangest moment was in 2010 when the HSM3 stage show was closing and they were bring in a new show..from the original news report..

High School Musical 3 to close October 2 to make way for new show based on Disney Channel hits

High School Musical 3 to close October 2 to make way for new show based on Disney Channel hits

www.wdwmagic.com

At the time there was no new title for the show when it was annouced...So I had made a post on the forum of guessing a name for the show..Found here...

Disney Studios replacing HSM3 for the new Disney Channel movie music show in Oct

Like Disneyland is? We are just going to miss it in Sept and would live to see it in Nov in Florida. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/07/new-show-coming-to-disney-parks-this-fall/

forums.wdwmagic.com

No sooner after it was posted.....This came up. With the new Name of the show...

New show to replace High School Musical is to be called 'Disney Channel Rocks!'

New show to replace High School Musical is to be called 'Disney Channel Rocks!'

www.wdwmagic.com

It’s super interesting seeing how Imagineers interact (or don’t) on social media—some really embrace it, others totally avoid the spotlight. Can’t blame them though, the line between personal and professional gets blurry fast. It kinda reminds me of the dating world, weirdly enough. I was reading some secretbenefits reviews recently, and a lot of people had strong opinions about how online personas don’t always match reality. Same deal here—whether it’s a designer or a date, people expect transparency but don’t always give it. Social media just adds another layer of pressure to keep up the “brand.”

Now I'm not saying that it is possible they liked the name of it..But...

This thread really got me thinking—I hadn’t considered how tricky the balance is for Imagineers on social media. On one hand, it’s amazing to get behind-the-scenes insight and passion directly from the creators, but I can also see how it might blur lines with NDA stuff or stir up unintended controversy.

 

[Comped]

This thread really got me thinking—I hadn’t considered how tricky the balance is for Imagineers on social media. On one hand, it’s amazing to get behind-the-scenes insight and passion directly from the creators, but I can also see how it might blur lines with NDA stuff or stir up unintended controversy.

As someone who has an NDA and is relentlessly hounded for info about stuff I really cannot say on the regular, albeit in a different industry (and with our yearly player count surpassing MK's yearly visitor count now - so not just some small fry kind of deal), the easiest way I find is to simply never mention anything close to what could be covered. Not event close. I've had to lie about some pretty high profile stuff in the past when directly asked, but I neveer really talk much about the behind-the-scenes stuff because I feel like I'd probably step over the line a little (even unknowlingly because it's a bloody broad NDA). From what I know from talking to folks I know who work for Imagineering (and Creative), it's much the same unless prompted (or they know they can talk about it).

 

[DisneyHead123]

It seems pretty rare for any idea to come totally “out of left field”. It’s usually an obvious potential addition (bring back a nighttime parade), based on an IP being really popular (Encanto ride) or grounded in an existing attraction (new Indy ride, Cars). I’m not sure the Overton Window on new attractions is wide enough to tell what came from where. Especially with the IP mandate.

It does seem like fan feedback can have an impact (Villains land, maybe?) If one post inspires many that really take hold in the fan community, sometimes those ideas seem to be considered.

 

[Eric Graham]

Would be oh so very wonderful to meet one or many of them. I often hold them in much regard as I've read many a book about the history of Disney. They really possess so much creative talent and ingenuity. I had wanted to have lunch with one of them at the Hollywood Brown Derby, but missed having that opportunity. I really hope they bring that back. At the opening day of Mickey and Minnie, I recall that Josh D'Amaro (not an imagineer but I really hold him in high regard). It would've been so great to meet him too!