Walt Disney Imagineering Celebrates 72 Years of Making Magic
On this day in 1952, Walt Disney changed the course of history when he founded WED Enterprises.
Originally envisioned as Walt Disney’s personal engineering team, WED Enterprises was created to help Walt develop, design, and create Disneyland. The outfit was initially a separate enterprise from The Walt Disney Company. Because of this, WED Enterprises began with just a few individuals, including Harriet Burns, Fred Joerger, and Wathel Rogers.
Photo: D23
As Disneyland began to gain momentum, the ranks of WED Enterprises would swell. Eventually, such luminaries as John Hench, Bob Gurr, Claude Coats, Marc Davis, Roger Broggie, Ken Anderson, Yale Gracey, Al Bertino, Collin Cambell, Herb Ryman, and Mary Blair would join their ranks.
72 Years of Walt Disney Imagineering
Combining the creative talent of Walt Disney Productions with cutting-edge technologies, WED Enterprises would not only create Disneyland, but they would continue to expand their horizons.
After creating its small world, the Carousel of Progress, and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln for the 1964 World’s Fair, WED was finally integrated into Walt Disney Productions in 1965. From there, it was off to the races.
Photo: Disney
Over the next five decades, WED would create Walt Disney World and Disney Parks in Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Later, the organization would be instrumental in the launch of the Disney Cruise Line. While WED Enterprises was renamed Walt Disney Imagineering in 1986, its mission remains the same- to make magic happen.
Imagineering Commemorates the Milestone
To commemorate their anniversary, Walt Disney Imagineering took to Instagram today to share behind-the-scenes photos of legendary Imagineers and reflect on their 72-year journey.
“December 16, 1952, marked the beginning of a legacy: Walt Disney founded what is now Walt Disney Imagineering. Over 72 years, countless Imagineers have brought magic to life across @disneyparks and resorts, @disneycruiseline ships, and much more, crafting unforgettable experiences for guests around the world,” they captioned the post.
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“The storytelling and innovation of past Imagineers serve as the foundation for today’s Imagineers to keep moving forward ✨”
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