The Tomorrow Society Podcast

Tomorrowland has always been one of my favorite lands in any theme park. We grew up mostly visiting Walt Disney World, and I couldn’t get enough of this optimistic view of the “world on the move“. This vibrant atmosphere was everything in the original Tomorrowland in California.… Read more... The post 133. Improving Tomorrowland at Disneyland appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

When we think about our favorite attractions, it’s easy to just consider the concept designers. That’s just the first step to bring those ideas to life. It takes sculptors and other artists to create the places and attractions we enjoy. A perfect example is Valerie Edwards, who worked as the Director of Sculpture and Chief Sculptor at Walt Disney Imagineering for more than 20 years.… Read more... The post 132. Valerie Edwards, Director of Sculpture and Chief Sculptor at Walt Disney Imagineering appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

Much of the world of theme parks has stopped during the past year due to the pandemic. Exciting projects have been delayed or even shelved, and many parks remain closed. All the news isn’t sad, however. A remarkable trackless dark ride opened in September 2020 and wowed both guests and online fans.… Read more... The post 131. Disney Imagineer Jim Clark on the Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

As a theme park fan, I’ve often made assumptions about what it’s like to work as a Disney Imagineer. The role sounds amazing because it involves creating the attractions and places that I love so much. But what is it like to actually be an Imagineer?… Read more... The post 130. Imagineering Roundtable with Don Carson and Chris Merritt appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

When Disney first announced The Mandalorian series for Disney Plus, I wondered if it would capture the magic of Star Wars. Could this smaller frontier story connect with audiences? Obviously, those concerns were unwarranted, and the show has become a cultural phenomenon.… Read more... The post 129. Brian Jay Jones on The Mandalorian: Season Two appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

Brett Nachman of Notably Disney joins The Tomorrow Society Podcast to draft our top composers of music for attractions at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. The post 128. Disney Composers Draft with Brett Nachman of Notably Disney appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

©Disney Few Disney Imagineers take the same road to finding their careers. I’ve learned how many stumbled into their roles and discovered unexpected talents. The path was different for Daniel Joseph, who created haunted houses in his basement as a kid.… Read more... The post 127. Disney Imagineer Daniel Joseph on The Hatbox Ghost, Trader Sam’s, and Phantom Manor appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

It’s easy as theme park fans to just focus on the top players. Consistent news arrives daily from Disney and Universal about their latest updates, even during the pandemic. However, that approach does a disservice to other great parks around the world.… Read more... The post 126. Mary Kwiatkowski on Thrills and Charm at Busch Gardens Williamsburg appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

One of the longest-running Disney podcasts has been WDW Radio, which Lou Mongello started in 2007. He has produced more than 600 episodes about Walt Disney World and Disney history, including many interviews. Lou recently compiled 12 favorite conversations into The Disney Interviews: Volume 1.… Read more... The post 125. Lou Mongello on The Disney Interviews: Volume 1 appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

One of my favorite parts of visiting Walt Disney World as a kid was experiencing attractions that were unlike anything else out there. You couldn’t see a Circle-Vision film in St. Louis; there was nothing even close! Films transported us to another place across the world that was only in our imaginations.… Read more... The post 124. Filmmaker Jeff Blyth on Wonders of China and The Timekeeper appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

It’s been a different year for theme parks than anyone could have expected. Disneyland remains closed and will likely not open until sometime in 2021. Walt Disney World is open but facing restrictions on capacity. As Disney looks to the future, they won’t get too bold with changes beyond projects already in progress.… Read more... The post 123. Tim Grassey on Creative Ways to Enhance Walt Disney World appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

I grew up in the ’80s, and it was a different experience compared to what it’s like for kids now. We rode our bikes all over the city, explored foundations of houses under construction, and had few boundaries. Playgrounds were dangerous injury makers of concrete and metal.… Read more... The post 122. Seth Porges, Writer and Co-Director of Class Action Park appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

I’ve really enjoyed the chance to interview so many smart and interesting people on The Tomorrow Society Podcast. Whether I’m talking with former Disney Imagineers, authors, or fellow podcasters, they all have amazing stories. It’s fun to sometimes change up the format, however.… Read more... The post 121. A Listener Q&A Extravaganza appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

One of my favorite conversations on this podcast happened two years ago. My guest was Rick Harper, the director of Impressions de France at EPCOT Center. That incredible film was an opening day attraction in 1982 and still plays today.… Read more... The post 120. Rick Harper on Impressions de France and Working with Disney Legends appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

One of the big unknowns for many Disney fans involves Walt’s original ideas for EPCOT the city. Commonly known as Progress City, this community of the future never happened after Walt died in 1966. EPCOT Center ultimately arrived as an incredible theme park, but it was quite different from the original concept.… Read more... The post 119. Benjamin Lancaster on the Prototype World of Tomorrow appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

The theme park industry is facing serious challenges right now. Disney recently announced layoffs of 28,000 employees, which is a significant percentage of its workforce. Dan Cockerell was a leader at Disney in past difficult times including 9/11, and he has an interesting perspective.… Read more... The post 118. Dan Cockerell, How’s the Culture in Your Kingdom? appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

To put it mildly, it’s been a very different kind of year. Cases of COVID-19 remain high as we enter the last quarter of 2020. Even so, Walt Disney World was able to reopen in July and is starting to draw more guests.… Read more... The post 117. Carlye Wisel on Very Amusing and Experiencing Walt Disney World in 2020 appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

Possibly the greatest achievement at Walt Disney World during the Michael Eisner era was Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It’s a beautiful blend of a theme park and zoo that expands on both concepts. We can joke about the “NAHTAZU” ad campaign, but it’s also true!… Read more... The post 116. Zofia Kostyrko-Edwards on the Creation of Disney’s Animal Kingdom appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

It’s interesting to note how many theme park designers start with different ideas for their careers. They often work on movies, animation, or theater before taking an indirect route to the industry. A perfect example is Dave Cobb, who started on the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood.… Read more... The post 115. Dave Cobb on Men in Black: Alien Attack and Warner Bros. World appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

There are so many great stories about people working behind the scenes on theme parks. That’s been the focus of many episodes of this podcast. I also love the chance to talk about topics facing the industry. It’s the idea behind the Imagineering roundtable shows.… Read more... The post 114. Imagineering Roundtable with Andy Sinclair-Harris and Don Carson appeared first on Tomorrow Society.