Former Imagineer Jim Shull Shares Blue Sky Project for Oswald & Ortensia Ride
A retired Disney Creative Director is letting fans in on one of his personal Blue Sky projects. Former Imagineer Jim Shull shares his idea for an Oswald & Ortensia ride!
Jim Shull
An Imagineer for 33 years, Jim Shull was Creative Director for projects in Paris, Orlando, California, and Shanghai. Although no longer part of Walt Disney Imagineering, he’s still involved in the theme park industry.
Photo: Jim Shull on Twitter
In addition to working as a design consultant, he also contributes to podcasts and does public speaking and writing. According to his website, he also enjoys drawing!
Recently, he tweeted about one of his Blue Sky projects while working for Disney. For those unaware, Blue Sky projects are ideas that haven’t been approved for construction.
Photo: Jim Shull on Twitter
He came up with this concept as a possible replacement for Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin at Disneyland. Located in Toontown, the ride opened on January 26, 1994.
Oswald & Ostensia Ride
Shull shares that the project would keep the facility and ride system as is, but change the theme to Oswald & Ortensia! In addition, projection mapping would be implemented, along with a unique paint job.
Photo: Ian Gecox
Featuring sets donning a 1920s black-and-white color scheme, it would be an affordable way to create a brand-new ride! So, who are Oswald & Ortensia? Let’s take a look at these two, classic, Disney characters!
Oswald & Ortensia
Before Mickey Mouse, there was Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Walt Disney’s “first major animated character,” he premiered in the short, Trolley Troubles in 1927.
Photo: Jim Shull
In 1928, Walt lost the rights to Oswald. This paved the way for him to create a new character that would be one of his greatest successes, Mickey Mouse!
Ortensia is Oswald’s girlfriend. She first appeared in The Banker’s Daughter, a short film debuting in 1927.
A personal Blue Sky project was to develop a Oswald & Ortensia ride to replace Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin. Keeping the facility and ride system. Use projection mapping and painting the sets in 1920s black and white style for low cost investment to deliver a unique ride. #WDW pic.twitter.com/pyfLArHjQj
— Jim Shull (@JimShull) January 30, 2023
Although Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin is beloved by Disneyland fans, an Oswald & Ortensia ride would’ve been a pretty cool replacement! What do you think?
