Peek beyond the magic of Disney Parks to discover what’s Behind the Attraction! The all-new Disney+ original series, From Executive Producers Dwayne Johnson (yes that Dwayne Johnson, and Yes we will be joining behind the Jungle Cruise Attraction), along with producer Brian Volk-Weiss of (The Toys that made us, the movies that made us just to name a few), we get to explore how Imagineers filled the Haunted Mansion with 999 happy haunts, how the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ transformed into Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! and why Space Mountain took so long to launch. From the 1950s to today, from Jungle Cruise to “it’s a small world” to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney Parks attractions have amazed millions.
And this Disney+ original series is the story of how they did it. With archive footage and interviews with the people that did it, it is a firsthand account of the ideas that lead to the attraction we all know and love today. It’s a far cry from some of the 1990’s behind-the-scenes specials.
While Walt may have told us “It all started with a Mouse”, we know it all started with Walt Disney, the man. While today’s imaginers strive for the 360-degree immersive experience, they are really attempting to replicate what Walt created with Disneyland in 1955. I would argue that MainStreet USA is the first fully immersive land in any Disney park, taking us out of reality into a storytelling environment. In hindsight, it seems so simple, but it continues to be the goal of every Disney Imagineer since.
The first season of “Behind the Attraction” will premier on Disney+ July 21, 2021 – with five of the ten episodes available on day one. Including Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, Star Tours, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and Space Mountain. Jeffery Epstein of D23 called the original series “a fun, enchanting show that gives viewers an exclusive peek behind the curtain of the most beloved attractions and destinations at Disney theme parks and resorts around the world. “
I had the opportunity to participate in a D23 press conference focused on the new Disney+ original series, “Behind the attraction”. The video above includes some highlights from that virtual press conference. Here are the details of what to expect in Season 1.
“Behind the Attraction” is executive produced by Dwayne Johnson (“Jungle Cruise”), Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, Brian Gewirtz and Kevin Hill from Seven Bucks Productions, and Brian Volk-Weiss (“The Toys That Made Us”), Robin Henry and Cisco Henson from The Nacelle Company. Brian Volk-Weiss directs the series. Here is a closer look at the first five episodes.
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Behind the Attraction Sams Disney Diary Jungle Cruise: Join a skipper for the story behind Jungle Cruise, and try to spot the backside of water! When Walt decided to create the original immersive attraction, he tasked Imagineers with building a river in the Southern California desert AND the mechanical animals to populate it. Lead designer Harper Goff and horticulturist Bill Evans scrambled to get it all built-in time for Disneyland® Park’s grand opening in 1955. Guests have been cruising its waters ever since. Dwayne Johnson also appears in this episode where he discusses his childhood memories of the attraction and his favorite joke from the skippers.
- Haunted Mansion: Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion — enter if you dare! When Walt Disney developed the attraction, he didn’t specify if it should be funny or scary. Ultimately, it became a perfect blend of both. Haunted Mansion proved so popular that it inspired several later iterations, including the chilling Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris and the weird and wonderful Mystic Manor at Hong Kong Disneyland.
- Star Tours:Lightspeed to Endor! A long time ago…Disney created Star Tours, a thrilling simulator attraction that takes guests to a galaxy far, far away. It inspired Imagineers to build a whole new land — Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. There, guests can use the Force to explore the remote outpost of Batuu and the cutting-edge attractions Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
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Behind the Attraction Sams Disney Diary The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: Discover the ups (and downs!) of creating this gravity-defying attraction set in the eerie world of Rod Serling’s renowned “Twilight Zone” television series. Then hold on tight as Imagineers reimagine the Disney California Adventure version as Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! Learn what it took to build the attraction — and what it takes to ride it!
- Space Mountain: You’re about to hear the story of Space Mountain in T-minus 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…launch! Walt’s vision of an attraction that simulates space travel was a design challenge Imagineer John Hench tackled head-on, creating a signature structure now in Disney Parks around the world. Imagineers continued the tradition by creating another thrilling indoor attraction, the landmark TRON Lightcycle Power Run at Shanghai Disney Resort.
Additional episodes in Season 1 include:
- The Castles: Castles are at the heart of Disney Parks around the world. The original at Disneyland® Resort in California quickly became a symbol of The Walt Disney Company on par with Mickey Mouse. Hear the unique story behind each one and learn how Imagineers designed and built them.
- Disneyland Hotel: Disneyland® Resort with no hotel — what?! It almost happened. Check in to see how Walt got it built. Envisioned as an extension of the Park, funding for the hotel proved hard to come by, so Walt struck a deal with producer Jack Wrather. Jack would own the hotel, but Walt’s name would be on it. Together, they made it into an immersive experience, setting the stage for all Disney hotels to come. After Jack’s death, The Walt Disney Company bought the Disneyland® Hotel. Today, Disney operates dozens of hotels worldwide.
- “its’ a small world”: It all began at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair! If a chance encounter between an Academy Award®-winning actress and Walt Disney hadn’t taken place, this beloved attraction might never have been created. With its signature, unforgettable song, its flume boat ride design, and AudioAnimatronics® figures, it was a huge success. Versions were designed and built-in Disney Parks around the planet, proving that it really is a small world, after all!
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Behind the Attraction Trains, Trams, and Monorails: All aboard! Everything moves at Disney Parks, especially the guests — by land, water, and air! Walt loved locomotion of all kinds — trains, trams, monorails, and boats. They’re all fun, but Walt also believed the monorail could help cities end traffic. The vast transportation network at Walt Disney World Resort is a testament to that. Every Disney Park built since has continued this tradition, creating transportation systems to whisk guests efficiently to their destinations.
- Hall of Presidents: This unprecedented presidential attraction in Liberty Square at the Magic Kingdom brings our commanders in chief to life. Walt created the world’s first human Audio-Animatronics® figure based on his childhood hero, Abraham Lincoln. Honest Abe helped launch this revolutionary technology that populates Disney Parks today. Who knows what the future holds for this mesmerizing Disney technology?
Did you know, Steve Wozinack presented at the Disney Data And Analytics Conference? And boy did he have some stories to share, video recording wasn’t allowed, but you can catch the audio here.
