Disney in a Minute: What is an Imagineer?

If you’re a Disney fan (and I’m guessing you are, or you wouldn’t be reading this!) you’ve probably heard or read the term Imagineer. A clever way of combining imagination and engineering, the term was coined back in the 1950s. And as a fan of portmanteaus, it’s one of my favorite Disney words!

As Walt Disney was laying plans for Disneyland, he realized that existing job titles didn’t capture the skill sets he was after. He wanted to have a team of people who could not only dream up new ideas, but could also figure out a way to make them a reality. And thus, the word Imagineer was born!

To this day, the creative branch behind Disney’s parks and resorts is called Walt Disney Imagineering. Their slogan is “Making the impossible possible.” They describe themselves this way: “Walt Disney Imagineering embodies a world-class design firm, premier development company, extraordinary storytelling studio, and cutting-edge innovation lab — all rolled into one.”

Imagineers design and develop nearly every element of the Disney experience. Attractions you know and love in the parks like Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean? They’ve got that. The layout and theming of resorts? They’ve got that. The design of Disney Cruise Line’s ships? Yup, they’ve got that too. They touch everything.

Perhaps most importantly, what sets Imagineers apart is their commitment to story. At Disney, a roller coaster isn’t just meant to be a thrill ride—it’s got a “backstory”. A simple walk down Main Street, USA, tells a story. This is why Disney parks are “theme parks” and not just “amusement parks”. Everything Imagineers create combines artistry, technology, and storytelling to help guests feel like they’ve stepped into another world.

The Disney experiences you love are seldom the vision of only one person. Rather, they’re the result of many different disciplines working together: engineers, architects, writers, graphic designers, and even cultural consultants. This collaboration makes the result of their efforts greater than the sum of the parts. And although cultural consultants are employed, it’s not uncommon for teams to make research trips to get the feel of a location or find inspiration.

Still, some names are more well-known than others. Disney recognizes key Imagineers with a “window honor” on Main Street U.S.A. in one of the parks.

If you’d like to read about (or tour around!) efforts led by some legendary Imagineers, we have a series of Imagineer touring plans.

• The Marc Davis Imagineer Touring Plan Challenge
• The Kevin Rafferty Imagineer Touring Plan Challenge
• The Tony Baxter Imagineer Touring Plan Challenge
• The Joe Rohde Imagineer Touring Plan Challenge

The purpose of Imagineering has remained unchanged since Walt’s time. Imagineers blend imagination and engineering to bring Disney stories to life in ways that guests not only hear and see, but feel part of. Magic? You bet it is.

Disney in a Minute is a series of short posts designed to help you better understand a Disney term or planning topic. Do you have a Disney term that you think needs a little more explanation? Let us know in the comments!