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

[Eddie Sotto]

Staggs and Iger maybe but Jay Rasulo is completely clueless and I cannot be happier that he is no longer in charge of Parks & Resorts.

When I was there, we went through various management regimes. Some of these folks did not have a feel for the product or did not care about it the way us fans do. You end up just going through the motions with no feeling of wether you are doing the right thing. You are tolerated, not appreciated. I was fortunate to have more of the latter.

I remember Mickey Steinberg, a production head at WDI that had to get DLP built on time among other things. He LOVED seeing the finished product and appreciated anything we did. He told you so and made sure others knew how special the projects were. He was tough and scary at times, but in the end had a sincere soft spot for what we did and we all knew that. His pride was contagious. We would work extra hard to blow him away and that was the difference that you get with leaders who are believers. He taught me many things.

 

[Da Man]

That's kind of why I think it's his "legacy" project. Most radial plans are a mess but they look cool. Who wants to cross "the forest" to get to HR?

I guess it would depend on why you had to go to HR in the first place...
:ROFLOL:

 

[Eddie Sotto]

I guess it would depend on why you had to go to HR in the first place...
:ROFLOL:

To pick up your pink iSlip.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

I'd add a few other Imagineers to that list of folks who really sell it and believe it. Tony Baxter is one.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

Eddie, do you really think Tony will disappear from active Imagineering duty soon? I would think in light of the stiff competition from Uni and Harry Potter, Tony's eye for detail and overall expertise in building solid teams and delivering high end product would be just what the company needs.

 

[wedenterprises]

Not sure if anyone caught this but California Tourism did a bunch of interesting videos and one features Imagineer Kevin Rafferty.

I have always wanted to meet Rafferty, he seems like the real deal. Enjoy, this is one of the coolest videos about WDI or disney i've ever seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yleNlRh6cFs

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Not sure if anyone caught this but California Tourism did a bunch of interesting videos and one features Imagineer Kevin Rafferty.

I have always wanted to meet Rafferty, he seems like the real deal. Enjoy, this is one of the coolest videos about WDI or disney i've ever seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yleNlRh6cFs

You should try and meet Kevin if you can. You won't regret it. In addition to him being an Imagineering institution, he has a great attitude and is never too busy to answer questions or say hello. He has always had a ”can do” attitude. I believe he also writes TV animation in addition to his Imagineering duties. Kevin is the” voice” in many of the scripts that are written for the shows. He's a very fun person to work with.

 

[flavious27]

Yep agreed. Listening to Steve just makes me want to hand over the credit card as soon as possible! He's an unbelievable salesman, and what makes it even more special is that he can do this to the masses, not just tech and design geeks. I can't think of any other product or service that generates the sheer demand and "want" of Apple products. It must seriously kill the other manufacturers in Apple's space to see how people are fighting to get their hands on Apple products, but a release of their own equivalent products doesn't even cause a ripple.

I think it kills them that apple can and does charge whatever they want, and people will pay the going price.

steve has always been the marketer of the company, he knows how to market what woz made in the 70's and 80's and what ives has designed in the 90's and 00's.

 

[BlueLightningTN]

Eddie, I've seen you mention so many different people who were inspirational or contributive to your work as a designer / Imagineer, and I was just wondering:

If you had to name one person throughout your career, who would you say has had the most impact on you in regards to your style and methods? I'm just curious since you've had the opportunity to work with so many great minds.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Eddie, I've seen you mention so many different people who were inspirational or contributive to your work as a designer / Imagineer, and I was just wondering:

If you had to name one person throughout your career, who would you say has had the most impact on you in regards to your style and methods? I'm just curious since you've had the opportunity to work with so many great minds.

One? That's too hard. I was first inspired by visiting John DeCuir's "Hello Dolly!" set at age 12, so I guess you can say him. To be honest, it's more complicated.

"Style"- the what (design ethic, color sense and art style) would be John DeCuir Sr. and Herb Ryman.

"Methods" the how (theme design basics) would be Tony Baxter. As for "impact", he insisted on me being hired at WED and gave me as an entry position, Executive Designer/Show Producer (Main Street DLP) which was unheard of at the time for someone from the outside with no previous Disney experience, so that's big.

There are many more as you point out. I look at lots of Sam McKim for and Harry Johnson for illustration style too. Syd Mead is a inspiration for all things future. I learned so many things from different people as each is a specialist at something and you want to be the best of all worlds. They have all been incredibly generous to me by sharing all of their secrets. They didn't have to! I'm indebted to all of them very much!

 

[BlueLightningTN]

I didn't think you'd be able to answer with just one person =)

This entire thread has been really interesting to me because, from a very young age, I was always designing things on a massive scale. I remember when I was nine, my family went to Disney World, and once back at the condo, what was I doing? Drawing a map of my own theme park of course! I started playing video games when I was two years old, and by second grade I was creating my own on paper. Eventually that would lead to me working as an off-site consultant with 2K Sports on their NBA 2K and NFL 2K series. Now I've started a new project that may or may not end up being tremendously fruitful - writing a novel series and trying my hand at being an author.

One thing that never changed, however, was my love for the Walt Disney World Resort. At some point in my life, though it's unlikely, I'd love to work in the parks just to entertain people, make kids smile, or maybe even work in some designing facet.

Now my road to success will obviously be different than your's, and I am in no way asking this question because I want to emulate your path... but why did Tony Baxter put you in charge of Main Street DLP right out of the gates? What was it about you that made him go with that decision? And no, you don't have to be humble here. The question isn't really geared toward an equation for rocketing into an Imagineering role (that's not my goal), but rather, is there something you did that created that level of trust in an upstart, new guy, that might work in most other professions as well?

What made you special?

 

[KevinYee]

Eddie, can you help me find the tributes in Mission: Space mentioned earlier in the thread? (I think it had something to do with initials of Imagineers?)

The briefing rooms don't seem to have diagrams... were you referring to the back wall of the mission control room (the very end of the queue)?

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Eddie, can you help me find the tributes in Mission: Space mentioned earlier in the thread? (I think it had something to do with initials of Imagineers?)

The briefing rooms don't seem to have diagrams... were you referring to the back wall of the mission control room (the very end of the queue)?

I don't recall where the tributes are offhand. I'd have to look at some images to decode stuff. I quit before the ride was done, so I'm not well versed on that. You're sure we discussed it before? Nothing came up when I searched it..

 

[Eddie Sotto]

I didn't think you'd be able to answer with just one person =)

This entire thread has been really interesting to me because, from a very young age, I was always designing things on a massive scale. I remember when I was nine, my family went to Disney World, and once back at the condo, what was I doing? Drawing a map of my own theme park of course! I started playing video games when I was two years old, and by second grade I was creating my own on paper. Eventually that would lead to me working as an off-site consultant with 2K Sports on their NBA 2K and NFL 2K series. Now I've started a new project that may or may not end up being tremendously fruitful - writing a novel series and trying my hand at being an author.

One thing that never changed, however, was my love for the Walt Disney World Resort. At some point in my life, though it's unlikely, I'd love to work in the parks just to entertain people, make kids smile, or maybe even work in some designing facet.

Now my road to success will obviously be different than your's, and I am in no way asking this question because I want to emulate your path... but why did Tony Baxter put you in charge of Main Street DLP right out of the gates? What was it about you that made him go with that decision? And no, you don't have to be humble here. The question isn't really geared toward an equation for rocketing into an Imagineering role (that's not my goal), but rather, is there something you did that created that level of trust in an upstart, new guy, that might work in most other professions as well?

What made you special?

Not so much special as persistent. I think talent and evidence of your work plays into these decisions, but also marketing yourself. I was sending images of my work on a Jules Verne type themed project for Six Flags to Tony as it was similar in look to Discovery Bay. The Nemo/Rivet Steampunk look. I knew he liked that sort of thing (Submarines, etc) and would give them to his right hand man, Bruce Gordon. He liked what he saw when he visited the project. The project overall failed for a variety of reasons, but the work was pretty solid and he could see that. I was very fast, ambitious and a Disney traditionalist with 3 years at Knott's and another 4 at Landmark working for ex-Imagineer Gary Goddard. I was known for being able to quickly sketch ideas in meetings on-the-fly and present and pitch ideas with enthusiasm. It helped being an extrovert. Tony was considering me for the Nemo-esque Discoveryland until WED vet Tim Delaney jumped on it. Post hire, I got Main Street as a consolation prize, despite my audition of Vernian work in that genre. It's still my specialty. I had been in the field during installations and was qualified to design and install, so that led to getting a position at a higher level because I had experience.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Star Tours 2

BTW- I had a chance to ride the new Star Tours yesterday and it is really great.

So many nice enhancements to the queue, and of course the quality of everything in the show, 3D plus the clarity of the image made for a very immersive and fun experience. I know there are some that favor the less "Star Wars" content of the original ride, but in my book, seeing Darth Vader and the others made it really exciting (and isn't that the reason you pay Lucas?). the "branching" storyline finally gets its day and does so seamlessly. Along with the last Space Mountain upgrade, this sequel gets a big thumbs up (even with a 3 hour wait). Well done Tom Fitzgerald, ILM and the WDI team.

My only knit pick is that the store should be the end all for a Star Wars fan (display of every collectible back through time, props, etc) and did not go beyond being a Disney souvenir shop. The "Build your own Lightsaber" was cool (and a steal at 21 bucks), but even that could have been better as the merch folks are typically so out of touch with what obsessed guests want. They had sold out of the better FX ones at $149 that everyone is buying like crazy.Behind the counter too. They could have made the whole Star Trader shop just Star Wars stuff and had people come to the park just for that. There is no Flagship Star Wars store in the world right now, why not there? That is an attraction in of itself. Are they nuts? The same Tomorrowland stuff is sold everywhere else. Yes, Disney makes less on that stuff, but people want it. Forget Iron Man, you could take that Carousel Theater and make the whole thing the world of Star Wars (themed as a giant ship) and make it half museum and half store and there would be a line down the block. Missed opportunity. I still loved the ride!

Little Mermaid will have to wait till the line dies down.

 

[wizards8507]

Eddie,

I apologize if you've answered this already, but what made you decide to leave Disney? Any regrets? Have you ever considered going back?

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Eddie,

I apologize if you've answered this already, but what made you decide to leave Disney? Any regrets? Have you ever considered going back?

Sure. I have told this story before, so I'll try and tell it shorter and hopefully better. I was 40, my wife was about to have twins, and in that context I felt the urgent need to creatively "reinvent" myself as I had gone as far as I felt I could go at WDI (SVP Concept Design), and to me that still was not enough autonomy. As great a place as it was and is, the management at the time was not into "best in class" breakthrough stuff, it was about less (DCA quality). Not a good omen for guys like me. I was spending 80 percent of my time navigating the politics of getting things funded and built, instead of doing what I was best at. My portfolio was pretty rich, but heavy in theme parks, and to endure the next decade as a designer I felt that I had to be more versatile for the 21st Century. I had sold a pilot series concept to ABC TV and so television was a new frontier that looked appealing. An internet TV network offered me a creative director type position and was willing to buy me out of WDI. So you get seduced by the "cash is always greener" and the freedom. Looking back, the internet company lasted only 9 more months, but I have learned how to do everything from video production and web design, to designing and owning a modern restaurant. You get to do more in the real world faster than at WDI, so it was like a paid crash course. You also learn how to run a Disney quality (and beyond) design studio VERY EFFICIENTLY. It was tough at times and I miss the talent there and of course my WED ID card, but I've grown tenfold in experience and hopefully are a more valuable and well rounded designer. Over the years WDW and WDI have been our client, but not in the attraction area.

So it's fun to go there and visit your old friends and I think they are in better hands today than in the past. But WDI, is part of a giant corporation and has to respond in that way and lives in that culture, it's not the free wielding WED we chat about. I think it was an awesome experience (Very proud to have been a part of it) and for the right person with the proper expectation, it could still be.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Something to consider

We recently discussed the relationship between Imagineering and the park operators. Al Lutz in his column outlines some time ago mentioned the cultural disdain that exists sometimes between them.

I was directed to this recent article about the Indiana Jones Ride and how many people it takes to maintain it. This is sometimes what the parks are left with and have to budget to keep these things running. there is a statistic called "cast per guest carried" and rides like the Subs had the highest. On DLP we had to watch this closely. As a designer you wanted to think about the ongoing cost, not just the initial cost of a show. If it is too hard to fix it is shut off, like the Yeti. I'm not saying any of this is not worth it, but the parks become wary if too many "envelopes are pushed" and then they have to maintain them. Interesting thing to keep in mind as you design. A hard balance as you need to amaze and not copy yourself.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/disney-304005-ride-jones.html

 

[lazyboy97o]

Eddie, I was listening to some coverage of The Little Mermaid - Ariels's Undersea Adventure and I was thinking back to the all of the speculation over the catwalks possibly being a second level. What do you think is the source of the strong allure that makes people so excited at the idea of a multilevel dark ride? It just seems that people on the various message boards always get very excited when multiple floors on a dark ride is mentioned.

I was directed to this recent article about the Indiana Jones Ride and how many people it takes to maintain it. This is sometimes what the parks are left with and have to budget to keep these things running. there is a statistic called "cast per guest carried" and rides like the Subs had the highest. On DLP we had to watch this closely. As a designer you wanted to think about the ongoing cost, not just the initial cost of a show. If it is too hard to fix it is shut off, like the Yeti. I'm not saying any of this is not worth it, but the parks become wary if too many "envelopes are pushed" and then they have to maintain them. Interesting thing to keep in mind as you design. A hard balance as you need to amaze and not copy yourself.

And yet the most expensive attraction to maintain is a roller coaster that has been disowned by its builder!

 

[Missing20K]

When designing an attraction, did corporate ever say it needed to be operational for x number of years at x% reliability? Or is there a given number of years most theme park attractions are supposed to last, like a residential roof should last 20-25 years, an industry wide "standard" so to speak? How might one anticipate future problems with operability, reliability, guest satisfaction/safety? Are some things simply unforeseeable?

The new Apple Campus sounds too much like a utopian solution. I think at some point such a rigorous program will be insufficient and become a problem for its occupants. Just seems to be the course these grand, single solution building projects take.

I thought the same thing when I first read about it and saw renderings. Seems to be fitting the program to the design, rather than the other way around.

I think it kills them that apple can and does charge whatever they want, and people will pay the going price.

With a single day at $85 plus tax, discounts notwithstanding, WDW seems to have very inelastic prices as well, as anecdotal evidence suggests attendance continues to grow.