The Imagineering Story: Episode One — The Happiest Place on Earth Review
“Imagineering is the blending of creative imagination with technical know-how.” – Marty Sklar
In a time before television, much less the internet, Walt Disney knew enough about the world to understand something simple. Anything that he wanted in this life, he’d have to create on his own. So, he started a cartoon series, formed a business, crafted a full-length animated feature film, opened a movie studio, and built a theme park.
Photo: https://dtcimedia.disney.com/
The last of these accomplishments forms the basis for The Imagineering Story, a new documentary television series exclusively available to Disney+ subscribers. Over the next few weeks, I will review each episode of this program, commenting on the parts that resonate the most to me while pointing out the details that should matter to all Disney fans.
The Happiest Place on Earth
The series begins with an introduction of Walt Disney as an individual and entrepreneur. The creator and director for the series, Leslie Iwerks, possesses an extraordinary level of knowledge on this topic. After all, her grandfather, Ub Iwerks, watched the story unfold personally.
Uncle Walt often stated that Iwerks was his oldest and closest friend, with their relationship dating back to 1919. It was Iwerks with whom Disney collaborated in the creation of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and, later, Mickey Mouse. Ub’s son/Leslie’s father, Don, would follow in his father’s footsteps and eventually become a Disney Legend as well.
Due to her family history, Leslie Iwerks legitimately qualifies as one of the most informed people in the world on the subject of Walt Disney’s history. With The Imagineering Story, she lovingly recounts the unlikely events that led to the creation of The Happiest Place on Earth, the focus (and title) of the first episode.
I should state in advance that the structure of this episode borders on uncomfortable for me. I’ve written a book entitled Disney Demystified that shares a similar structure to the series pilot.
Iwerks covers several of the same topics, such as the 1964 New York World’s Fair, the construction of Pirates of the Caribbean, and the opening day debacle at Disneyland. Clearly, Iwerks and I agree on the key moments that defined the early days of The Happiest Place on Earth. So, I may have some bias here.
“Creating Happiness Is Hard Work”
Narrator Angela Bassett aptly summarizes the pilot episode with that statement. The actress, who might have the best diction in the world, recounts all of the small moments that led to the big thing that is Disneyland.
The genesis of the modern theme park circles back to two factors. The first is that Walt Disney, a hard-working family man, wanted one simple thing during his downtime. He desired a place where parents and children could play together.
A pragmatist as well as a dreamer, Uncle Walt attempted to build such a place in the most convenient locale. He tried to construct a playground across the street from Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.
To Disney’s frustration, the Burbank City Council rejected the proposal. Humorously, Disneyland still struggles with the local city council to this day. Even at The Happiest Place on Earth, history repeats itself.
The second factor involves one of Disney’s hobbies. He fell in love with model trains and even constructed miniature ones that employees would ride around the studio. This obsession evolved into a desire to build full-fledged adult-sized attractions.
To fulfill his dream, Uncle Walt performed a casting search for his next project. He evaluated all of the workers at his studio to find the ones who “communicated visually and were innovative.”
From this search, Disney cast the first members of his fledgling group, WED Enterprises. He relocated current Disney workers into new positions. Without even knowing it, these employees had become the world’s first Imagineers.
“How Did Disney Do That?”
All that I’ve told you happens during the first ten minutes of a 67-minute episode. From there, Iwerks deftly covers all relevant topics about the early history of Disneyland. She has access to the Disney Vault, the real one that only archivists get to enter. She leverages this treasure trove for rare pictures and videos of various attractions.
At times, The Imagineering Story shows early mock-ups of famous rides and even the park itself. The high-quality 4K video and video restorations of old prints allow for unprecedented viewing of some of Disney’s most carefully guarded documents.
I must confess that I paused several times to study these images. The best of them displays Uncle Walt’s projections for Disneyland. Sections such as the Livery Stable, Lilliputian Land, and London Streets aren’t on any modern park map. Still, they were part of the earliest blueprints. Disney fanatics will adore this rare insight into a Disneyland that never came to be.
Several Imagineers perform interviews during the episode. They reveal Disney’s thinking for some of the park elements that we’ve taken for granted for decades. Viewers will learn about the utility of the hub-and-spokes park design as well as the importance of weenies in the appeal of individual themed lands.
The visuals are so lush that I had an epiphany while watching. I realized that Disney emphasized colors more during the earliest days of the park. Bold primary colors like red and blue drew attention to the most expensive park attractions. It’s caused me to question whether I take for granted that the parks still possess this trait or whether Disney has gradually moved away from this tactic.
“It Was a Complete Madhouse”
Throughout the pilot episode, Imagineers detail all of the ways that Walt Disney expected more out of them. Disney Legend Bob Gurr recounts the selection process for the cars of Autopia, while Mary Blair reveals why her boss dismissed her budgetary concerns and instead prioritized beauty.
Master horticulturist Bill Evans and Imagineer Harper Goff explain how the vegetation at the park and, especially, Jungle Cruise manipulate the senses. We also learn that the Disneyland team grabbed every tree they could get to populate the park with flora.
Throughout the episode, Imagineers reveal how Walt Disney almost went broke in building his dream project. Had the park failed, the world wouldn’t remember his name. And it recounts one of my favorite Disney stories to prove the point.
In my book, Disney Demystified, the first chapter is called The Disneyland Debacle, referencing the park’s opening day. It was such a disaster that cast members later referred to it as Black Sunday. This episode shows footage from this day while Imagineers discuss all the ways that Murphy’s Law took effect. It’s a humorous segment in an otherwise serious episode.
“Beyond Even Their Own Imagination”
Other stories are more triumphant. Disney famously dominated the 1964 New York World’s Fair. The Imagineers who made it all possible provide insights into how they achieved this shocking success.
I’ve always considered this event to be the genesis of the modern Disney theme park due to the creation of attractions with massive ride capacities. And it’s also where audio-animatronics became a Disney staple. So, this section is particularly enlightening.
Imagineers also detail the shocking decision to build a man-made mountain at Disneyland and other technological wonders. You’ll want to watch the episode to learn about the construction of Matterhorn Bobsleds, the monorail, and Pirates of the Caribbean. And a tender moment occurs when Bob Gurr finally signs the employee wall hidden inside Matterhorn Bobsleds, the attraction he’d constructed 50 years ago.
The underlying theme of The Happiest Place on Earth is a celebration of creativity. Walt Disney didn’t believe that doing something well was enough. He wanted guests to feel a sense of wonder in looking at various Imagineering tricks.
Thanks to Iwerks, Bassett, and the memories of the Imagineers who lived through the events, The Happiest Place on Earth will aid you in appreciating how Disney achieved in this endeavor. You’ll look at many iconic attractions and think, “Oh, I’d never noticed that before.” And that’s all Walt Disney would have wanted.
While the entire internet raves about The Mandalorian, I’m happily devouring every episode of The Imagineering Story. It’s a Disney lover’s dream come true. Episode One will be extremely hard to top, though.
