Guests entered #SpaceMountain here in the 1980s on this speed ramp. A upper deck led into the building and to the ride-a copy of #Disneyland California. There was a nice view of the park back then.
Jim Shull Disney Journey
@jimshull.bsky.social
Jim Shull retired from Walt Disney Imagineering after a career of over three decades leading the creative design of rides, shows and attractions worldwide. Disney Journey is a video series where I share personal experiences and insights about the past, pr
In the 1980s this is the guest view of #SpaceMountain. Mostly a copy of #Disneyland it was the anchor of #Tomorrowland. #TokyoDisneyland maintains their version of the classic land.
If this is copied to replace #SpaceMountain at #MagicKingdom I will not complain. Looking forward to #D23 for news. More on YouTube.com/jimhshull
There wasn’t an official tour of the Disney Studios but there should have been. Smallest of the major studios the densest of the lot made it interesting.
#FastandFurious has ‘soft opened’ on the hillside of #UniversalHollywood. Once the lower lot was not part of the park, it was the studio guests could visit. Amazingly many of the buildings from then still remain.
#StarTours opened in #DisneylandParis #EuroDisneyland with a post show sponsored by #IBM. One experience was a human joy stick paired with a real time rendered game projected on glass for a 3D effect. Ahead of its time. More on YouTube.com/jimhshull @jimhshull
My theory is that the further away from Burbank you larger the risks that can be taken. The standard common CARS flat ride was the first to showcase that ride. My drawing reflected as much of the movie as possible in the small area available. More on YouTube.com/jimhshull
Project Creative is tricky sometimes. The Art of Animation building needed a roof mounted wall to hide the Toy Soldiers Tower. Deciding reason to build the wall was to ‘fix’ a park that had never delivered creatively.
Leading the WDI Creative Team is sometimes tricky such as when at the ‘last minute’ the decision was made to design & built a retail shop for #ToyStoryStoryLand in Paris. After a false start the shop opened after the land did. Lots of executive meetings followed.
16 years ago I was finishing up #ToyStoryLand. Before this was complete I met with the #HongKongDisneyland to begin building the second one. Then the third and the fourth. Toy Story Land hit the target (creative/investment/guest satisfaction). The WDI trifecta.
Disney often copies their popular rides, but that’s not the case with the Matterhorn. Maybe the ride is old and worn, but there’s a fix and its one Disney holds in the palm of their hand. It is to use the patent they have to build an all-new luge version of the classic ride. youtu.be/w-0J29c1ngc
Could Disneyland get a New Matterhorn?
YouTube video by Disney Journey with Jim Shull
youtu.be
Pizza Port features this animated figure and environment. I watched #SteveKirk the Imagineer who led the Creative team who delivered #TokyoDisneySea hand sculpt and hand build the model in the 1401 model shop. The Kirk brothers carried the design load for many classic projects.
#D23 made give Disney fans news about #TokyoDisneyland plans to rebuild #Adventureland. Following the news over at YouTube.com/jimhshull The new Adventureland may feature a ‘Dash Coaster’ and a ‘Up’ motion theater (like the one in #Efteling).
An Imagineer is home where he hangs his PPE. This was for a while my office which I made a name plate for a little bit of style.
The combination of signage communicates a set of mixed messages. Is it “Cooperation” or “No Talk”?
This is list of future #MarvelStudios films is a set of safe bets. Fan favorite characters, popular lead actors, a promise to simplify the overall universe. All good. Curious to see how this affects Marvel in the #DisneyParks.
Dirty water and bare dirt defined 1955 Disneyland. The building in the background exists only hidden behind lush landscaping. More at #jimhshull.com
Early Disneyland had open land available for new ideas and expansion. Holiday Hill/Lookout Mountain/Snow Hill sits between Fantasyland & Tomorrowland. The site would be home for the Matterhorn opening in 1959. More on YouTube.com/jimhshull
Nature’s Wonderland inspired me to become an #DisneyImagineer with its mix of environments, animated figures and special effects. The tunnel exits today! More on YouTube.com/jimhshull
The #TowerofTerror sign was the mark that you’ve arrived at #WaltDisneyWorld. It’s as classic as the “Fabulous Las Vegas” sign.
71 years ago Disneyland had vast open spaces where construction dirt could be piled. One pile was ‘Holiday Hill’, future home of the #Matterhorn since 1959, but could DLR build a new ride inside the mountain?
Credit: @WESH Work continues building the Monsters Door Coaster likely to open in late 2028, however the Monstropolis city portion will likely open earlier. More on YouTube.com/jimhshull
Credit: @WESH Rough grading continues building #VillainsLand pointing to a 2030s opening. After #WDW announces opening dates of any of the expansions then the dominions will start to land. YouTube.com/jimhshull
Credit: @WESH Construction of the earth bearing retaining walls point to complex construction. Result a likely 2029 opening for #CARSland in the #MagicKingdom
Credit: @WESH #TopicalAmerica construction progress suggests the land opening in phases with a grand opening happening later. Mid-late 2027 for start of phased openings. More on YouTube.com/jimhshull
The Backlot Tram Tour ‘featured’ movie props such as this one used in the movie “Pearl Harbor” 2001. Showing guests an airplane used in a film based on an event in the 1940s in Hawaii may not have connected.
The #ToyStory Playland model was stored in a metal unit which was a mistake. After the August break when the unit doors were opened the RC track had melted. This image is pre melt. More on YouTube.com/jimhshull
#Fornite and #DisneyParks are partners however so are #Comcast and #UniversalStudios. Fornite will be at #HolloweenHorrorNights with a scare zone in Orlando and Hollywood, while Epic and Disney are building a ‘digital universe’.
