From Joshua Counsil on January 14, 2009 at 1:31 AM
This is the best article I've read in a long time. Had me glued to the screen, and it's 3:30a.
Great job.

From Anthony Murphy on January 14, 2009 at 5:48 AM
Its always great to meet one of the Imagineers!

From David Sutter on January 14, 2009 at 7:16 AM
Great Report Robert...Nice to heaar from someone that helps tell the story...And cant wait for Harry to open ...Just a htought ..then way is it most guests skip the story behind the attraction, missing the best part of it? ANd opt for the fast pass...

From Robert Niles on January 14, 2009 at 8:26 AM
Even though a lot of people skip queues and don't seem to understand the story behind so many attractions, I do believe that almost everyone "soaks in" a story, on some subconscious level. They know when one is there, and respond better to those attractions, even if they can't tell you what the story was afterward.

From James Rao on January 14, 2009 at 8:44 AM
Thanks, Robert, great interview.

Marty Sklar, a Disney employee since the 1950's and now the international ambassador for Walt Disney Imagineering, once said, "We're in the business of telling great stories, and great stories never grow old."

For Disney, it has always been about building experiences, not rides. Bob Rogers obviously agrees. And, FWIW, so do I.

It is good to hear someone talk about narrative, immersion, and theme. Without those ingredients, a ride is just a ride.

From Dan Babbitt on January 14, 2009 at 6:13 PM
That sums it up Robert! I know that even though guests might not understand the props and decor of an attraction like the Tower of Terror I know that while working they are impressed even though it might not dawn on them until they get home!

And I like how every thing has a story even though it might not be told to the public like the garbage cans, drinking fountains and restrooms!

These are the story's that keep me coming back to this site for the past 5 or 6 years know!

From Scottland Jacobson on January 14, 2009 at 11:06 PM
Robert - this was excellent!! It's wonderful to see what goes into the attractions and experiences from the artists perspective. Thank you!

From Robert Niles on January 15, 2009 at 10:16 AM
I think that many folks in the industry, as well as fans who follow it, see John Lasseter as a "daretaker" type who can (and has) given Disney a kick in the creative rear. Certainly, I consider J.K. Rowling a creative daretaker, too. So there is much in the industry now to give us optimism.

But we're fans, darn it. We want more, better and now! ;-) And we get really anxious at the thought we might not get it.

Still, I think just about every designer in the industry would prefer us to be anxious about getting more and better attractions than to see us apathetic and happy with whatever we got. Businesses with customers like that don't stay in business long.

(And to clarify, just in case anyone didn't see it as a metaphor: no free pretzels at the Heineken show. Sorry to disappoint anyone looking forward to that....)

From Corey Romberg on January 15, 2009 at 4:01 PM
For me, story is the most important factor in a ride. When you can combine thrill and story perfectly, like Indiana Jones Adventure or Expedition Everest, or pure fun and story like Toy Story Mania, youve hit the jackpot...but I will ultimatley remember a ride with no thrill but a great story, such as Pirates of the Caribbean, more than a ride with plently of thrill yet no story, such as Behemoth at Canada's Wonderland