Nine Best Disney Innovations of 2024

The more things change, the more they stay the same at Walt Disney Imagineering.

After a turbulent few years, Disney righted the ship by restoring Bruce Vaughn as the head of Imagineering.

However, former boss Barbara Bouza deserves plenty of credit, too, as do the unsung heroes in the Imagineering offices.

Once again, they outdid themselves by creating more unprecedented technologies.

Here are the best Disney innovations of 2024.

HoloTile Floor

In January, Disney let fans in on a secret happening behind the scenes at Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI).

Lanny Smoot had done it again. Smoot earned an honorific in 2024, becoming a member of the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Smoot was only the second person in the company to gain such lofty recognition, and the first was…Walt Disney.

Even if you don’t know Smoot’s name, that fact alone should reinforce that he’s a genius, even by Imagineering standards.

In 2024, Smoot also revealed something many consider the culmination of his life’s work. It’s the HoloTile. Watch this:

Here’s influencer Marques Brownlee explaining a potential use case for this technology:

Yes, he just used The Force. Then, he took a video game controller and moved himself around via remote.

That’s HoloTile in a nutshell. During the 1960s, Disney innovated with the OmniMover.

The HoloTile takes a revolutionary step down that path. Disney can design attractions wherein experiences happen in tight spaces.

Alternatively, attraction designs can move guests in all directions via the de facto mini-treadmill.

The HoloTile allows you to stand on an omnidirectional treadmill that will move in tandem with your motions.

This is the biggest thing for Disney since trackless ride technology. Expect some expansion rides to use it one day soon.

Audio Animatronics on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Imagineers were so proud of the technologic leap in Audio-Animatronics (AAs) that the team started a new YouTube series.

Here’s a robot I’ve timestamped at the 3:59 mark:

The Hulk hand gives away what it’s going to be, but it’s almost irrelevant during the research and development (R&D) stage.

Disney can add a face, body, theme, and accurate movements to any potential character.

That’s the final yard of the drive. The slog occurs during the construction of thousands of moving parts.

Some of them are “smart” parts capable of receiving information, and Disney has enhanced their communication.

That’s how Disney has created the most realistic AAs ever, something you know if you’ve already ridden Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

The above video shows the natural movements of Tiana as she speaks with the audience.

Contrast them to those of Hondo Ohnaka on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance just five years ago.

You’ll instantly recognize how far Disney has come in a short period.

AAs have improved dramatically, something everyone will realize when the Walt Disney AA appears at Disneyland in May.

D23 on Fortnite and Other Strangeness

In February and August, I did some of my strangest reporting ever for a Disney site.

I actually wrote some for video game sites during the 2010s, but I never expected to do the same during a D23 park panel.

However, that’s exactly what happened due to the events in early February.

Disney announces a permanent collaboration with Epic Games, including the acquisition of a sizable stake in the Fortnite owner.

Simultaneously, Disney and Epic Games confirmed that an entire Disney universe would become an adjacent part of Fortnite.

Basically, there will be a Fortnite base game and a Fortnite-flavored experience starring your favorite Disney characters.

Disney teased this collaboration at D23, which led to this livestream video:

I can very accurately guess your age based on how much of this video you understand.

The gist is that Disney livestreamed part of the D23 park panel on Fortnite.

Those players didn’t fully understand why, but they’re notoriously willing to watch just about any event Epic Games highlights.

The innovation here is both Disney microtargeting people via Fortnite and the explicit promise that Disney-Fortnite is in the offing.

Since Disney has taken a stake in Epic Games, we can expect any number of other collaborations as well.

That’s vital to Disney’s future since Epic also owns the Unreal Engine technology, which Disney has used in some films and TV shows.

Disney Dreams that Soar

For the longest time, Disney has experimented with drones but stubbornly refused to use them at the American theme parks.

Instead, other parks like Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland have become the testing ground for this technology.

In 2024, Walt Disney World grew somewhat bold. No, we didn’t finally get a drone show at the parks.

The most often rumored one would be at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and that’s a less-than-ideal option.

However, Disney did create a limited-time show at Disney Springs.

Here’s Disney Dreams That Soar presented by AT&T:

That’s the next big thing in nighttime presentations, and you can easily understand why. Look how shiny it is!

With hundreds or sometimes even thousands of illuminated drones moving in unison, they can recreate any Disney visual.

I suspect that Disney Dreams That Soar worked as a field test for the concept at Walt Disney World.

While the show has already come and gone, I expect many more like it in the future, albeit in safe locations away from humans or animals.

The Central Florida area suffered an accident involving a drone crash the other day that is a cautionary tale about such shows.

Thankfully, Disney takes more precautions than some other drone show operators.

Donald Duck on Hot Ones

If you’re under the age of 80, you likely know what Hot Ones is.

Those of you who don’t should probably watch a different episode to understand why this story is such a big deal.

Here’s Ant-Man himself, Paul Rudd, charming the world yet again:

Ordinarily, human beings, the famous ones, appear on Hot Ones and try to survive the ordeal in good humor.

It’s impossible…unless you’re Paul Rudd. Anyway, as part of Donald Duck’s 90^th birthday media blitz, he appeared on Hot Ones.

In a huge, shocking twist, it didn’t go well for Donald. It never does, does it?

But I’d totally read 90 Years of Wise-Quacking. Get on that, Disney!

Disney Buses Available on Google Maps

Here’s one of those fractional changes that dramatically increases the quality of life for Disney guests.

One of the primary frustrations of a Disney vacation is the mercurial nature of the bus system.

There’s just nothing more irritating than when you’re tired and want to return to your hotel.

Instead of doing that, you stand in line at a bus depot and watch the various buses come into view.

Each time one shows as a different hotel, it’s demoralizing. And Disney knows this.

So, there’s a new innovation to solve the problem. You can track Disney buses on Google Maps!

There’s nothing fancy about this technology, but it works and improves your guest experience. Be thankful for it!

Simpsons Fun Day and Dunk the Halls

Did you know that Goofy can eat 200 churros during an NBA basketball game?

Were you aware of Minnie Mouse’s extreme verticality and dunking ability?

Can you explain to me how Lisa Simpson stayed inbounds on this run?

Okay, that last one really happened, although it was Cincinnati Bengals RB – and pride of University of Illinois – Chase Brown running.

What you’re witnessing here are practical applications of what we once called metaverse technology.

This is the integration of the fictional world of animation with real-life athletic events happening in real time.

We’re still in the early days of this particular innovation, but it has already shown promise…and not just with Disney.

We got this charming clip during the Super Bowl’s Nickelodeon broadcast:

Disney has already used this technology for NBA, NFL, and NHL games. Thus far, NHL has worked the best, in my opinion:

Since we’re really just in the first 18 months of this technology, we’ve barely scratched the surface of where it’s headed.

In the not-too-distant future, Disney characters will broadcast games as another viewing option akin to the Manning Cast.

Projection Mapped Topiary

I admire Disney’s willingness to try new things, especially when they’re ones nobody else would consider.

During the 2024 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, Disney added projection mapping to one of its topiaries.

Rather than explain it, I’ll post this video for you to watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwh2TpgwJKE

That’s Miguel and Dante adding a bit of nighttime glow to accentuate their colors.

This special effect is minor in the greater scheme, yet it gives Dante a deeper and more enriching nightly glow.

Single Login for All of Disney

I’m grinding my teeth as I praise this innovation, as it hasn’t gone well for me in particular.

The idea is a noble one, though. I’ll use myself as an example. Here are Disney accounts I have:

• D23
• Disney+
• Disney Vacation Club
• Disney Store
• ESPN+
• Hulu
• My Disney Experience

And I’m probably forgetting some others. Also, I have a rather ridiculous tech setup in my home.

We cycle between four laptops, five Rokus, and two desktops quite often. That’s just in our homes.

My wife and I also log into these devices via our phones and tablets.

Disney wants to streamline the login process for people like us. So, it created My.Disney.com as a central login for everything.

Management is VERY proud of this technology, as demonstrated by this press release.

From now on, you don’t have to juggle countless passwords for streaming sites and other Disney products.

Instead, Disney has innovated with this one-size-fits-all solution.

These were the nine best Disney innovations of 2024. Agree? Let us know in the comments.

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Feature Photo: Disney