LightBox Expo opens doors for aspiring artists across a spectrum of media that includes animation, graphic design, and consumer products. In 2024, the convention added theme parks to that roster with the event’s fit at presentation from Walt Disney Imagineering. Hosted by Jeanette Lomboy (Portfolio Executive Creative Producer), the panel showcased insights from Imagineers Dustin Schofield, Emo O’Brien, Daniel Jue, and Charita Carter, each bringing a unique perspective on projects including Zootopia at Shanghai Disney Resort, Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at the domestic parks. Each project showcases a new level of artistic alignment between Imagineering and Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), blending physical environments with animated effects and characters to create vibrant, story-driven experiences for guests.
Zootopia – Shanghai Disney Resort
Executive Creative Director Dustin Schofield worked on the Zootopia area at Shanghai Disney Resort, a story that unfolds as the next chapter in the beloved animated story, set after the events of the film. Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and the city of Zootopia come to life through the combined efforts of WDAS and Imagineering, creating a bustling cityscape where guests are immersed in the action of a high-speed police chase. Imagineering collaborated with WDAS to produce nearly 15.5 minutes of new animation for the 20-second chase finale in the attraction Zootopia: Hot Pursuit. The final scene, with 13 hero characters and 417 choreographed background characters includes 58 new crowd behaviors to enrich the city’s lively streets.
As the project developed, WDAS leveraged their original character models to translate Zootopia’s animated look into a 3D experience. Hot Pursuit brings guests on a pursuit through Zootopia’s iconic districts. The Gazelle animatronic particularly challenging. Her long, narrow neck and Shakira-inspired hip movements required intricate engineering to authentically capture her on-stage presence.
When Zootopia writer-director Jared Bush visited the attraction, he teared up upon seeing Clawhauser’s desk in the ZPD, meticulously recreated with details like his box of Lucky Chomps cereal. Jared was deeply moved by the authenticity, feeling as though he’d stepped into the story he once imagined on the page.
Fantasy Springs – Tokyo DisneySea
In Tokyo DisneySea’s Fantasy Springs, Imagineering and WDAS combined their artistic and technical expertise to create three immersive areas: Peter Pan’s Neverland, Rapunzel’s Forest, and Frozen Kingdom. Daniel Jue (Portfolio Executive Creative Director) and Emo O’Brien (Portfolio Executive Creative Producer) presented this section about their involvement in the expanded area, which took about nine years of development.
According to Daniel and Emo, Fantasy Springs marks one of Imagineering’s most ambitious projects to date, spanning nine years of development and bringing together nearly 100 artists to help recreate classic Disney scenes in new dimensions.
Peter Pan’s Neverland
WDAS artists tackled the task of transforming Peter Pan and Neverland’s hand-drawn characters and environments into 3D models for the new Peter Pan’s Neverland attraction. Nearly 100 artists contributed to creating detailed 3D scenes, with stereo animation that seamlessly integrates with the physical environment. Written in Japanese by Imagineer Charlie Watanabe, the script ties in with physical sets and animated media for a seamless experience. Daniel noted that the blend between animated and physical elements is so flawless that guests often can’t distinguish where one ends and the other begins.
Rapunzel’s Forest
In Rapunzel’s Forest, WDAS’s involvement extended beyond characters, with animators helping design ride vehicles for Rapunzel’s boat ride and elements not seen in Tangled. Animators also worked on translating the subtle acting intentions of the characters for the audio-animatronics, resulting in a lifelike interaction between Rapunzel and Flynn as they share their lantern-lit scene. The animatronic of Rapunzel was animated by the same WDAS artist who originally animated her “I See the Light” scene in the film, ensuring the figure captured Rapunzel’s unique spirit. Rapunzel’s hair in a scene where she spins around a tree is affectionately called a “hairnado,” which was especially challenging to animate due to the complex movements involved in the attraction’s scene. The result is a scene where Rapunzel’s hair itself feels like a character in the attraction.
Frozen Kingdom
In Frozen Kingdom, WDAS artist Dan Lund collaborated with Imagineering to develop projection mapping that creates Elsa’s ice palace around guests on the marquee attraction. This magical moment is enhanced by projection and lighting effects that transform physical walls and floors to create the palace’s icy glow. The attraction’s queue takes guests through parts of Arendelle Castle, with one room representing Anna and Elsa’s childhood playroom, a detail that moved Frozen director Jennifer Lee to tears on her visit.
To celebrate Fantasy Springs’ grand opening, Imagineering live-streamed the festivities to include the hundreds of WDAS and Imagineering artists worldwide who helped bring it to life, underscoring the global nature of the project and its nearly decade-long journey.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure – Disneyland and Magic Kingdom
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure continues the story of The Princess and the Frog, celebrating New Orleans culture through a ride that brings Tiana’s journey full circle. According to Charita Carter (Executive Creative Producer), WDAS and Imagineering worked closely to craft an experience that feels both familiar and new. The attraction introduces Tiana’s Foods, a cooperative that Tiana developed as an extension of her culinary dreams, inviting guests to a bayou adventure as they help Louis recruit a band for Tiana’s celebration.
Laura West, an animator from WDAS who worked on the original film, designed many of the new critters guests meet in the bayou. To bring Tiana, Naveen, and Louis into this next chapter, Eric Goldberg, Mark Henn, and Randy Haycock —three of the original Princess and the Frog animators — returned to bring the characters from hand-drawn animation into CG for screen elements of the experience. Tiana’s animatronic uses engineering and articulation techniques developed from the Elsa animatronic to maintain fluidity and expression.
The Mama Odie animatronic was one of the most challenging, according to Charita, requiring careful attention to her expressive facial movements and distinctive personality. With lessons learned from Fantasy Springs, the team applied innovations in animatronic engineering and projection mapping to achieve a seamless, lifelike quality.
Imagineering’s attention to detail extends throughout the ride, with the queue containing an Easter egg that pays homage to an original Princess and the Frog animator and hints at a story moment from the upcoming Disney+ series Tiana. This “next chapter” approach is key to the attraction, which explores Tiana’s impact on her community and offers guests a deeper look into her world.
Through Zootopia, Fantasy Springs, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Imagineering’s partnership with Walt Disney Animation Studios has allowed them to push the boundaries of themed entertainment, blending physical sets and cutting-edge animation to create immersive environments that let fans step into their favorite Disney stories. As these new attractions open to guests around the world, they’re a reminder of Disney’s commitment to authentic storytelling, made possible by the creative collaboration between Imagineers and animators.