This week’s sixth episode, “To Infinity and Beyond,” marked the end of Leslie Iwerks’ The Imagineering Story documentary series on Disney+. Let’s take a look at the high points (and a few disappointments) in this 60-year-plus overview of Disney Parks & Resort’s creativity.
HIGH: Behind-The-Scenes Footage
Throughout the series, we’ve gotten a chance to see all of the steps that went into creating legendary Disney attractions, from concept art to scale models to testing new technology. Chapter 6 continued that with great footage of Imagineers developing the cutting-edge animatronics of Na’Vi River Journey’s shaman character, the new ride system for Shanghai Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride, and the just-opened Rise of the Resistance. Combined with previous episodes’ terrific content in this area, it’s fair to say that there’s never been a more comprehensive visual behind-the-scenes look at how Imagineers work their magic (emphasis on “work”).
LOW: Not Enough Human Character
For as much as we got to see the nuts and bolts of Imagineering, The Imagineering Story felt like a missed opportunity to let us know more about who the Imagineers are (and were) as people. Each episode might include a snippet of back-story for key figures like Marty Sklar and Tony Baxter, without giving us much more of a sense for their unique creative perspectives. One of Chapter 6’s repeated refrains was how people respond emotionally to theme park attractions; that more emotional connection could have been created by putting more human personality into these episodes.
HIGH: Talking About the Good and the Bad
For the most part—and yes, there are some exceptions (see below)—The Imagineering Story was willing to dig into both the crowning achievements of Imagineering and its failures. There would have been no reasonable way to talk about Disney California Adventure 2.0 without looking honestly at why DCA 1.0 was such a dud or the budget-conscious decisions that hampered some of the international parks. Real history includes not just successes, but mistakes as well – it was always welcome to note when Iwerks included that material.
LOW: Iger Worship
It was perhaps inevitable that a show created under CEO Bob Iger’s oversight would treat his tenure with too much reverence. And that’s what happened, especially in Chapter 6. We get to see Iger pat himself on the back for coming up with the Shanghai Disneyland marketing phrase “authentically Disney, distinctly Chinese,” and watch the kind of embarrassing juxtaposition of Walt Disney’s Disneyland dedication speech with Iger’s Shanghai Disneyland speech, placing the two on an equal footing. As far as this episode—and the series as a whole—is concerned, Iger has done no wrong.
HIGH: Setting the Tone for What’s Possible with Disney+
As one of the showpiece Day One offerings on Disney+, The Imagineering Story was always going to be catnip for Disney Parks enthusiasts. But it has also been one of the pieces of content that demonstrated what else was possible for the service beyond serving as a streaming platform for the company’s movies and TV shows. Disney’s rich and fascinating history is just as much part of the company’s “vault” as the beloved stories it has produced, so there’s a tremendous opportunity to give that history to fans. Here’s hoping that the overall creative success of The Imagineering Story serves as a model for other content that Disney+ could provide for people who just can’t get enough of the stories behind the stories.
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Let’s Hear From You
We’ve covered every episode of The Imagineering Story from start to finish. Do you agree with my points about the series’ highlights and low points? Do you think we can expect the same level of detail from future content? Which episode was your favorite? Overall, what did you think of the show? Let us know in the comments.