Hello, this is Tony Baxter of Walt Disney Imagineering. I’m happy to be here today to talk to our D23 Members, and I look forward to seeing some of you at Disneyland next Wednesday when we celebrate D23′s one-year anniversary. So, should we begin?
Travis: My life goal is to become a Walt Disney Imagineer, so having this opportunity to ask you a question is very meaningful. My desk is littered with my own concepts and ideas that I’ve quickly sketched out. However, all I hear is how hard it is to become an Imagineer, so I’m curious if you have any tips for someone like me on how to reach my goal of becoming an Imagineer?
Tony Baxter: Pick a skill that you excel at and for which you know you are better at than most everyone else. It could be writing, architecture, engineering, art, etc. Be able to use this skill to make OTHER people’s dreams come true. After awhile, your ability to do this will earn you the right to develop your own ideas.
Chuck: Is there a certain mix of attractions each land must/does have or is it as needed?
Tony Baxter: Ideally, every area of Disneyland appeals to a broad spectrum of the audience. Walt believed in entertaining adults as well as children, so our goal is to make sure there is something for everyone in everything we do.
Jennifer: Do you have any influence on the story behind the rides like with Big Thunder Mountain?
Tony Baxter: Story drives everything that we do. We begin with a story and combine it with ride systems and technology that are ideal for telling that story. So it’s that combination of great storytelling and fantastic experiences that makes Disney parks so magical.
Ryan-Philipp: When you started working for the Walt Disney Company (which if I recall, was working at Disneyland), did you ever imagine yourself getting to where you are today?
Tony Baxter: I was perfectly happy as a Disneyland ride operator, who planned to become a teacher and continue to work at the Park in the summer. I learned so much working at Disneyland that it gave me the courage to approach Imagineering.
David: Tony, can you perhaps give an example of how you made a particular attraction appeal to both children and grownups?
Tony Baxter: In Splash Mountain, we had a very thrilling ride with a long deep drop for the finale. This appealed to older children and adults. To make the attraction friendly for younger children, we combined that with the fabulous music and stories of Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Fox and B’rer Bear and the music highlighted by “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah,” almost a national anthem!
JenningsMouseterminds: After working on the original Journey Into Imagination, where did the inspiration for the characters Dreamfinder and Figment come from?
Tony Baxter: Dreamfinder was sort of a Professor Marvel from Wizard of Oz. Figment was a Dennis the Menace “kid” with no attention span. The name Figment came while watching an episode of Magnum P.I..
Matt: Is the new Lincoln better than before?
Tony Baxter: Obviously it has improved technically from before, but more importantly it appeals to our guests emotionally because of our enhanced storytelling!
David: Having worked in the park yourself, you obviously have a better understanding and appreciation of how it works on the front lines. Do you think all employees of Disney should have that same experience?
Tony Baxter: I think working at Disneyland was the most valuable part of my education during college, and I would highly recommend it to anyone planning to design attractions for the parks.
Theresa: How much of a typical day for you is spent in meetings?
Tony Baxter: Way too much!
Ryan-Philipp: Indiana Jones is my most favorite ride at Disneyland since I view it to be the most technologically advanced and most environmentally immersive ride in the park. To create this, I’m sure it took a lot of planning. Can you tell us some stories that you had while you were developing this attraction?
Tony Baxter: I dreamed of driving my Jeep Cherokee through the ride, but I never got a chance to do it. The most discussed story was finding the concept for the rolling ball illusion in a driving through car wash watching the machinery go back and forth around my car. I also had the pleasure of taking Michael Jackson, his family and his sister Janet on the ride one night after closing. He was in awe.
Deborah: With the return of Captain EO (HOORAY!) are there some things in the show that are new different from the original?
Tony Baxter: Obviously we were not able to duplicate all of the original effects. But I think if you come and visit you will be surprised by the enhanced motion of the theater and the incredible sound.
Max: What do you consider your greatest accomplishment at Disney?
Tony Baxter: Being able to inspire other Imagineers to create something more fantastic than I could ever conceive alone.
Helen: Mr. Baxter, what do you consider your most challenging project? Thank you!
Tony Baxter: Disneyland Paris. The challenge was coming up with a park that felt like it belonged to the Europeans as much as it felt American and Disney.
DisneyNinja: What’s your favorite non-attraction thing to do at Disney?
Tony Baxter: Watching guests enjoy the things that I’ve had a part in bringing to life.
Ryan-Philipp: What’s your favorite Disney attraction and why?
Tony Baxter: Indiana Jones. Because it was impossible to do and Walt always enjoyed doing the impossible!
Jd: Do you have a project (that you can discuss) that you consider the one that “got away” and still have hopes for someday if the timing was right?
Tony Baxter: Discovery Bay at Disneyland. And we have seen some of its elements come to life in Paris and Tokyo, but I would love to see the original concept come to life at Disneyland.
David: Do you get to work on DCA or are you only working on Disneyland?
Tony Baxter: I was involved in the original planning for DCA, and contributed the idea for Soarin‘ but I have not worked on it actively since that time.
Brian: What is your favorite memory with Bruce Gordon?
Tony Baxter: Splash Mountain. And the challenge was creating a flume ride that was unique in all the world. Bruce was instrumental in bringing that show to life.
AJ: Was there a specific reason for putting the caverns at the end of Pirates of the Caribbean in Paris?
Tony Baxter: It’s a long story but yes, at DLP we had a chance to correct what we felt was a problem with the original show. The caves at Disneyland filled leftover space. and at Paris, we were able to put the at the end where we all know Dead Men Tell No Tales. It didn’t hurt that Herb Ryman had created a painting years before showing the boats going up into the fort at the beginning of the ride.
Les: Congratulations on your role as Creative Director for Disneyland. It’s a thrill to get to submit questions to you, Mr. Baxter. Your journey from ice cream scooper to Creative Director is an inspiration. Your contributions over the years (Big Thunder and Splash Mountain, reawakening the Castle Walkthrough, reviving Captain EO) have kept Disneyland’s history vivid and relevant while ensuring the park continues to evolve dynamically. Your creative fingerprints are literally everywhere in the park.
My first question: As much as you are able to share, what can Guests expect in the near future re: aging and under-utilized attractions? For example, is Star Tours really getting a fresh reboot soon? Will “Honey” be replaced with a more contemporary 3D/4D experience after Captain EO ends its limited re-release at the Magic Eye Theater? What is planned for the huge theater portion of the Disney Princess Fantasy Faire?
My second question: Disney finds talented new Imagineers through the “ImagiNations” contest, which is open to — and limited to — students. It’s wonderful that Disney reaches out to students this way, but will there ever be a similar contest for those who have already completed college, a competitive forum for older people who are no longer students and have concepts for attractions/shows/hotels /eateries?
Tony Baxter: Yes, Star Tours is going to blow you away! As to the 3D theater plans are not firmed up at this time but there will be change ahead there also. As to finding talent for Imagineering we are always looking for exceptional talent. This week a young man from Holland joined the team. He had created amazing work over his native country at a park called Efteling.
Terry: Did you ever have an opportunity to work with Roy E. Disney? If so, what can you tell us about him? Thank you!
Tony Baxter: I never worked directly with him, but I knew him as a very close friend. He was a great admirer of Disneyland Paris and helped us to champion that project.
Fred: I’m really glad that you were able to get the sea serpent and mermaid references into the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. Do you have a favorite aspect of this refreshed ride?
Tony Baxter: Yes I did. It gave us the chance to work with the great animation talents at Pixar.
Tyler: You’ve probably worked with some remarkable and well known Imagineers and executives over the years. It would probably be tough to place a favorite, but do you care to share the names of any who are particularly memorable?
Tony Baxter: Claude Coats was my mentor. He taught me so much and he loved working with young people. He also was very humble and made sure everyone got credit for their accomplishments.
Jason: What is a typical day for you at work?
Tony Baxter: There is no typical day at Imagineering!
Kathy: What non-Disney books should be on the reading list of a hopeful Imagineer?
Tony Baxter: Any books that inspire the imagination are fabulous to launch your mind into possibilities. As a child, my favorite story was Charlotte’s Web. It would have been great if Disney had done the animation on it.
Amanda: If you had the opportunity to go back and change something you’ve done in your career, would you change anything?
Tony Baxter: You always look back at the things you’ve done and can see things that you could have done different or better. That’s what drives all of us at Imagineering.
AJ: Do Imagineers work all around the world, or just in Burbank?
Tony Baxter: All around the world!
DisneyNinja: What job would you have if you weren’t an Imagineer?
Tony Baxter: Teacher — Experiential Design.
Charissa: What is your favorite memory from a Disney theme park?
Tony Baxter: Disneyland 1959 with the opening of the Submarine ride, the Matterhorn and the Monorail and the introduction of the famous E-Ticket.
Tyler: You’ve seen many Disney parks open. What is your favorite and why?
Tony Baxter: Magic Kingdom is the most spectacular, Disneyland Paris is the most beautiful, Tokyo Disney Sea is the most intriguing and Disneyland (the original) is the most charming, and the only park Walt Disney ever saw.
Kyle: What should I do in my free time as an aspiring Imagineer?
Tony Baxter: I would travel all over the world and go see as many places that people love to visit as you can!
Chad: I love the mustache! Were you inspired by Walt? You resemble him in many ways. Thanks for the magic!
Tony Baxter: I looked 12. It was to make me look older. It must have worked!
Anthony-Armenia: What’s your favorite part of working for WDI?
Tony Baxter: Getting a chance to work with so many unique talents.
Robert: Do you have a favorite attraction that you did not work on?
Tony Baxter: Yes! Tower of Terror in Florida!
Alexandra: When is Star Tours II scheduled to be finished?
Tony Baxter: 2011, exact date still being determined.
Brian: How involved were you in Tokyo DisneySea? Any attractions or items have special or secret meanings?
Tony Baxter: We developed DisneySea for Long Beach, California and I was involved in that. And was happy to see much of what we designed for Long Beach come to life when we opened the park in Tokyo.
BostonChad: How many times do you go to Disneyland each month?
Tony Baxter: At least four times a month.
Matt: what was the first ride you worked on?
Tony Baxter: As a ride operator, the Autopia. And as a designer 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea for Walt Disney World.
Chad: Did you ever have to opportunity to meet Walt Disney personally? If so, can you describe the experience? If not, what is your favorite memory of Walt Disney?
Tony Baxter: Twice while I was a Disneyland ice cream scooper. He was very pleasant, but I was in awe and couldn’t think of anything intelligent to say. My first “sneak” ride on Pirates was on the day Walt died. My emotions were so at odds with what happened that day.
Tony Baxter: Thanks everyone for the chat. See you at the park!
