Who are some of the most impressive themed entertainment designers?

[Pizza Moon]

Tony Baxter was legitimately the best thing to happen to WDI after Walt’s “Nine Old Men”. Splash Mountain, Indiana Jones Adventure, Big Thunder Mountain, the original Imagination. What a banger record.

Joe Rhode designed AK, Expedition Everest, Pandora, and the ride experience for Mission: Breakout which are all ridiculously impressive, and outclassed many other projects done at the very same time by both Universal and Disney.

And of course Bob Weis worked magic on Cars Land and DCA’s redo, plus lots of Shanghai Disneyland I believe too. Easily the best of the 2010s to come out of Disney.

I’ve personally become very fimilar with all of them, including whatever political views they have, worldviews, art styles, design philosophies, and I respect all of them for any of their views. Why? Because they’re so extraordinary individuals even if I don’t see eye to eye, if I can follow their logic, I’m always going to be all ears. Just hearing Baxter’s views on AI recently or Rhode on how he’d describe Tropical Americas was so refreshing for me (Rhode rambling too is hilarious, love his passion). Exceptionally gifted people with exceptionally unique experiences to draw from, and just an overall genius you just have to respect. The world needs more people like them in my opinion, celebrating greatness and high-art, while never belittling people. They’ve cracked the approachable but still high-concept lacking from so many other creatives in many other industries, including their own.

If anyone has any other people worth noting at this level, there are many talented artists, but I’m more so talking about project heads and creatives that led their teams to deliver extraordinary projects, so please drop them here, I’d like to discover people I haven’t learned about!

Also, please suggest anyone working at Universal Creative, past and present, as they would make sense too as many people have worked or presently work for both simultaneously through contractors. The lead designers for Monsters Unchained deserve promotions and bonuses, for instance, especially if they’ve delivered projects like that multiple times. Land designers as a whole killed it too throughout the park, and looking back to Potter whoever spearheaded Hogsmeade was actually a genius. Diagon Alley I have to wonder if the ride and land designers were largely different because there seemed to be a huge mismatch there and it didn’t even seem like it was budget.

Stardust Racers I assume was designed by Mach Rides themselves, right, and they also do incredible work at land and ride design at Europa Park over in Germany. We probably need a second thread for the “best coaster designers in the business today,” though for that.

But it is almost like a brotherly good-faith rivalry has become a thing in Orlando like PepsiCo and Coca-Cola or a Ford and a Dodge instead of outright hostilities like between General Electric and the original Nikola Tesla. Disney and Universal are like a yin and yang and it’s so much better for us fans too.

But anyway, what other Imagineers, Universal Creatives, or even coaster designers deserve the “elite in another realm” for their influence on the themed entertainment industry and the art form as a whole?

Some others:​

• Pat Burke (DLP Frontierland)
• Kevin Rafferty (Cars Land)
• Thierry Coup (Splash Mountain and Tower of Terror, Potter Lands)
• Scott Trowbridge (Potter, Galaxy’s Edge)
• Marc Davis: Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and Jungle Cruise.
• Marty Sklar ()
• John Hench ()
• Herb Ryman()
  Bob Gurr ()
• Rolly Crump Small World, Tiki Room, Haunted Mansion
• X Atencio (Pirates/Haunted Mansion)
• Mary Blair Small World and artist
• Chris Tietz (Adventureland)
• Tom Morris (Fantasyland)
• Tim Delaney (Discoveryland)
• Eddie Sotto (Main Street)

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Kevin Rafferty should definitely be on that list. His book is so good - I got to meet him / hear him speak at the Carolwood Pacific meeting a few years ago.

He was the lead (or one of) for Cars Land, Winnie the pooh, philharmagic, midway mania, runaway railway, etc.

He also wrote the script for Tough to be a bug and I believe the current carousel of progress is his script…. Adapted from Marty’s original of course.

He’s also responsible for Sonny Eclipse *mic drop*

(And yes under new management was his as well. Less of a disaster than rocket rods and we still like Tony so we will let it pass!)

 

[Pizza Moon]

Kevin Rafferty should definitely be on that list. His book is so good - I got to meet him / hear him speak at the Carolwood Pacific meeting a few years ago.

He was the lead (or one of) for Cars Land, Winnie the pooh, philharmagic, midway mania, runaway railway, etc.

He also wrote the script for Tough to be a bug and I believe the current carousel of progress is his script…. Adapted from Marty’s original of course.

He’s also responsible for Sonny Eclipse *mic drop*

(And yes under new management was his as well. Less of a disaster than rocket rods and we still like Tony so we will let it pass!)

I actually preferred Under New Management to Tiki Room, never understood the hate even if it was imperfect.

Thanks for this, exactly the type of post I was hoping for!

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I actually preferred Under New Management to Tiki Room, never understood the hate even if it was imperfect.

I prefer the original but I didn’t understand the hate either. Anything that saves the bones of the original so it can potentially be brought back is a huge win.

Tarzan’s treehouse and country bears are another example.

 

[Mr. Engagement]

Are you mostly interested in living Imagineers? Because the ones who really helped me understand why Disney parks feel "magical” aren’t around anymore. They basically invented the "Disney" vibe:

• Marc Davis: "Sight Gag" Master. He’s the reason Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and Jungle Cruise are funny. He brought animation timing to real life.
• Rolly Crump: Whimsical Weirdo. He designed the trippy Small World clock, the Tiki Room gods, and the "Museum of the Weird" concepts that made HM one of the best attractions in history.
• X Atencio: A Storyteller. He wrote the scripts and lyrics that ring in your head after a day in the parks: "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)," "Grim Grinning Ghosts," etc.
• Mary Blair: The Color Queen. Her bold, mid-century style defined Small World and that massive 90-foot mosaic at the Contemporary.

And like you mentioned, Imagineers move between Disney to Universal. A couple who played key roles in the design and development of WWoHP were formerly a/Disney:

• Thierry Coup started at WDI (Splash Mountain and Tower of Terror), but was the creative force behind the Potter lands at Universal.
• Scott Trowbridge started at Universal (on Potter lands), and moved to WDI in 2007 and was the lead on Galaxy’s Edge.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Well now I have to mention Marty Sklar, John Hench and Herb Ryman!!!

Plus… let’s not forget the one and only Bob Gurr! (Especially since you love transportation Caleb!)

Oh yeah… and arguably the “first” imagineer - Roger Broggie. (He helped Walt build the Carolwood Pacific - which was kind of the first Disneyland in a way…)

 

[Mr. Engagement]

Well now I have to mention Marty Sklar, John Hench and Herb Ryman!!!

Plus… let’s not forget the one and only Bob Gurr! (Especially since you love transportation Caleb!)

Oh yeah… and arguably the “first” imagineer - Roger Broggie. (He helped Walt build the Carolwood Pacific - which was kind of the first Disneyland in a way…)

Excellent additions to the list!

Yes! Bob Gurr designed literally all of Disneyland’s classic and iconic ride vehicles. Several years ago, I was gifted a copy of his book from 1952, How to Draw Cars of Tomorrow. Here’s a PDF.

 

[Pizza Moon]

Are you mostly interested in living Imagineers? Because the ones who really helped me understand why Disney parks feel "magical” aren’t around anymore. They basically invented the "Disney" vibe:

• Marc Davis: "Sight Gag" Master. He’s the reason Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and Jungle Cruise are funny. He brought animation timing to real life.
• Rolly Crump: Whimsical Weirdo. He designed the trippy Small World clock, the Tiki Room gods, and the "Museum of the Weird" concepts that made HM one of the best attractions in history.
• X Atencio: A Storyteller. He wrote the scripts and lyrics that ring in your head after a day in the parks: "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)," "Grim Grinning Ghosts," etc.
• Mary Blair: The Color Queen. Her bold, mid-century style defined Small World and that massive 90-foot mosaic at the Contemporary.

And like you mentioned, Imagineers move between Disney to Universal. A couple who played key roles in the design and development of WWoHP were formerly a/Disney:

• Thierry Coup started at WDI (Splash Mountain and Tower of Terror), but was the creative force behind the Potter lands at Universal.
• Scott Trowbridge started at Universal (on Potter lands), and moved to WDI in 2007 and was the lead on Galaxy’s Edge.

Familiar with all the Disney ones they’re all incredible and admire them deeply, so thank you for mentioning and if you have any others feel free to add them.

I was more looking for today’s designers, so thank you for Thierry Coup, hadn’t heard of him, but I imagine he’s as talented as a Baxter.

I mean Splash, Tot, and the Potter lands? Come on.

Familiar with but don’t know enough on Scott, what’s your opinion on him clearly talented, but is he on the level of these other people? Galaxy’s Edge is incredible in many ways back lackluster in others, don’t know how much of it is his fault of Disney’s mandates, though.

I wonder who specifically headed Battle for the Sunken Treasure in Shanghai as well as Frontierland at Disneyland Paris.

How about land designers for the various Tokyo DisneySea lands or have they all left the industry cuz those lands were something else.

To me only Epic has truly matched Sea in scale and ambition. It’s great to see.

 

[Pizza Moon]

Excellent additions to the list!

Yes! Bob Gurr designed literally all of Disneyland’s classic and iconic ride vehicles. Several years ago, I was gifted a copy of his book from 1952, How to Draw Cars of Tomorrow. Here’s a PDF.

I’ll eventually update the original paragraph with an updated list of these legends.

I wonder if you’re familiar with any designers that have worked on Europa Park or Phantasialand?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

…there’s been about 20 books written on this…I can send ya some if you want?

It’s a bygone era..as the talent pool now is rather shallow..so no diving please?

 

[nickys]

Frontierland at Disneyland Paris.

I’m fairly sure that was Tony Baxter.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I’m fairly sure that was Tony Baxter.

I really wanted to ask Tony about the adventureland treehouse in Paris and how it resembles tree of life - and if the same people worked on both.

Time was short and didn’t get a chance as we chatted about Walt’s restaurant and details of St. Paul’s Cathedral Cathedral instead! Haha

 

[WaltWiz1901]

I’m fairly sure that was Tony Baxter.

nope - Pat Burke.

each land at DLP had a different project lead with Baxter as their supervisor (all of whom are worthy of mention in this regard):

• Adventureland was Chris Tietz
• Fantasyland was Tom Morris
• Discoveryland was Tim Delaney
• Main Street was Eddie Sotto

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Adventureland was Chris Tietz

Do you know if he worked on DAK as well?

Adventureland is truly remarkable in Paris - the framing and thought that went into that land specifically is probably the best I’ve ever seen.

 

[Pizza Moon]

Do you know if he worked on DAK as well?

Adventureland is truly remarkable in Paris - the framing and thought that went into that land specifically is probably the best I’ve ever seen.

Paris is great, I mean Fantasyland, Discoveryland, Main Street.

While park is god-tier.

But Frontierland’s Thunder Mesa half easily takes the cake for me in themed design. The way Big Thunder and Phantom Manor function as weenies I think is still Disney operating at its highest.

Gave me Hogsmeade vibes before I ever visited Universal.

 

[Pizza Moon]

nope - Pat Burke.

each land at DLP had a different project lead with Baxter as their supervisor (all of whom are worthy of mention in this regard):

• Adventureland was Chris Tietz
• Fantasyland was Tom Morris
• Discoveryland was Tim Delaney
• Main Street was Eddie Sotto

Thank you, this is another name I’ve been looking for!

Do you know who headed the park/lands at Shanghai? Or specifically the ride experience for Battle for the Sunkean Treausure? Whoever did Epic Universe and Monsters Unchained’s ride experience as a whole is a genius too.

Or the Disneyland Fantasyland Redo in the 80s (which came out glorious), the Disneyland and MK Tomorrowland expansions in the 60s/70s, the OG New Orleans Square, and the MK and Disneyland heads, or the EPCOT Center designers?

I know Susan Bonds was a big part of why Indiana Jones Adventure ended up how it did, and I’m pretty sure she was part of the team that worked on Tokyo Disneyland instead of EPCOT at the time too.