Since its inception in 1952, Walt Disney Imagineering has been at the forefront of creating magical and immersive experiences that connect and inspire across generations and borders. Combining storytelling, art, science and technology, Disney Imagineers continuously push boundaries to make the impossible, possible.

The National Inventors Hall of Fame Welcomes Lanny Smoot

In recognition of the boundless innovation within Walt Disney Imagineering, Lanny Smoot, the Disney Research Fellow and Imagineer behind mind-blowing special effects like making Madame Leota float inside the Haunted Mansion and our state-of-the art Star Wars lightsabers, is being inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.  Lanny is the first Disney Imagineer to receive this prestigious recognition and only the second individual from The Walt Disney Company to be inducted — the first being Walt Disney, honored posthumously for the multiplane camera.

For over 45 years, Lanny has worked as a theatrical technology creator, inventor, electrical engineer, scientist and researcher, resulting in an impressive collection of over 100 patents, a milestone not often achieved by many inventors. 74 of his patents were created during his 25 years at The Walt Disney Company.

“At Disney Experiences, we’re committed to world-class storytelling, creativity and innovation in everything we do, and Lanny Smoot embodies every one of those ideals,” said Josh D’Amaro, Chairman, Disney Experiences. “As Disney’s most prolific inventor, Lanny continues to amaze all of us with his artistic ingenuity, technical expertise and endless imagination.”

Innovation in Fire Safety

When deciding which of his patents to list for his National Inventors Hall of Fame induction, Lanny chose to highlight “Where’s the Fire?” at Innoventions, previously featured at EPCOT. This interactive exhibit aimed to educate guests on fire safety and the importance of fire prevention through engaging challenges. Guests were able to “shine” a special flashlight device on the walls of a house and through the magic of Lanny’s technology, they were able to spot fire dangers and learn to prevent these from happening in the future.

HoloTile and the Technologies of Tomorrow

Currently, he is working on the HoloTile floor, the world’s first, and only, multi-person, omni-directional, modular, expandable, treadmill floor, where any number of people can have a shared virtual reality experience, walk an unlimited distance in any direction, but never collide or walk off its surface. Besides the immediate VR and gaming applications and potential theme park uses, the HoloTile floor can be an insert in a theatrical stage, allowing performers to move and dance in new ways, or stage props and structures could move around or appear to set themselves up.

“As a life-long inventor, I am excited, delighted and humbled to be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame,” Lanny shared. “To be included alongside my childhood hero, Thomas Edison, and my lifelong role model, Jim West — the inventor of the electret microphone, is both exciting and humbling. And as someone who’s had the privilege of working at The Walt Disney Company, it’s especially meaningful to know that Walt Disney himself is also an inductee.”

Lanny’s forward-thinking inventions have not only shaped Disney’s entertainment landscape but have also empowered the broader theatrical community to create new magic, illusions and entertainment.

Congratulations to Lanny Smoot on this remarkable achievement and to all of this year’s National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees!

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Constantly evolving, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge continues to surprise visitors with new attractions and inventive features developed by Disney’s Imagineers. By bringing memorable Star Wars characters to life and giving guests the chance to interact with them, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge bridges the gap between sci-fi and reality, transporting guests to a galaxy far, far away.

Recently, the team at Disney gave guests a special sneak peek at what exciting new additions may be coming next: interactive droids

Walking, Talking Droids at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

Droids have been an iconic and integral part of Star Wars since the debut of the franchise. From lovable companions to fierce imperial troops, these robots can be found all throughout the films and may soon appear at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Imagineers are working hard to make these friendly droids a part of the park experience, with the possibility for interactive droids to be a continued feature at Disneyland. Much like previous advancements in Disney entertainment technology, animation made the development of three small experimental droids possible. Artists animated keyframe movements that the new droids could read and mimic. These motions include dances, head tilts and even a red-eyed glare.

This rich tradition of pioneering attractions traces back to Disneyland’s roots — innovations in robotics have played a major role in establishing the park’s legacy, and these droids mark the next step forward in animatronic technology.

Digging in to the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Droid Playtest

Test runs with the interactive droids are underway at Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. In a sneak peek conducted by Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Research, the new droids journeyed across the Batuu region of Star Wars: Galaxy’ Edge, greeting guests along the way.

The playtest droids featured the latest advancements in robotics and engineering. The aim of the visit was to explore how these charismatic characters would work within the park environment, with new obstacles, uneven terrain, and curious guests coming across their path.

Walking in single-file alongside a costumed cast member dressed as a Batuun droid handler, the three “BD units” — short for “buddy units” — scanned their surroundings with light-up eyes and eye-like antennae that reacted to actual sounds in real-time. Not only did this trio of droids move independently, they also interacted with guests, cast members and other animatronics throughout the park.

The droids’ visit was an exciting sneak peek into what’s possible for Disney’s future. Although the droids’ return has not yet been announced, their next visit will be as exciting for guests as their first.

Droids at Disney: Continuing a Tradition of Daring Developments

The arrival of droids at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge embodies the park’s commitment to unforgettable and immersive experiences for fans of all ages. By inviting guests to step inside the world of Star Wars and interact with their favorite characters first-hand, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge stands as a testament to the storytelling power and enduring magic of Disney theme parks.

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From pioneering animation techniques and theme park innovations to its digital transformation, Disney has been at the cutting edge of entertainment technology for nearly a century.

Early animation innovations

When The Walt Disney Company was Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, animation technology was in its early years. Many of the techniques and tools needed to make cartoons possible had yet to be developed, with animators struggling to find ways of bringing their visions to life.

Rather than wait for this new technology to become available, Walt Disney, in his innovative style, ventured to build these capabilities in-house. The result was a great leap forward in filmmaking, ushering in new inventions that made full-length animated features possible.

Technicolor

During the 1930s, Walt Disney Cartoon Studio developed technicolor, a film process that allowed movies to be produced in vibrant, lifelike colors. This visual enhancement of animated films allowed artists to create worlds that radiated energy and jumped off the screen in a way audiences had never seen before.

For Disney, technicolor was a game-changer. In 1937, the studio used this new technology to release “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” which became the first full-length, color and animated feature. It marked a significant achievement in animation and cemented Disney’s reputation as a pioneer.

Rotoscoping

One of the biggest challenges in early animation was managing realistic motion and mannerisms for cartoon characters. Disney animators developed rotoscoping to achieve more fluid movement in their animated sequences. This technique involved tracing images over live-action footage to match movements frame by frame for a lifelike effect.

In “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” animators used rotoscoping to construct Snow White’s movements. This technology played a crucial role in elevating the realism and emotional depth of Disney’s characters, setting new standards for animated storytelling.

Xerography

Before animation could reach its full potential, Walt Disney Studios had to cut down on production costs. Hand-drawn animation cels may have been feasible for cartoon shorts, but full-length films required something a bit more inventive.

Xerography allowed Disney animators to photocopy hand-drawn images into cels using photocopying technology. This innovation significantly cut labor costs by eliminating time-consuming steps like manual inking. Adopting this new approach not only led to a more streamlined animation process but opened the door for more Disney animated classics like “The Jungle Book” and “One Hundred and One Dalmatians.”

Early theme park technology

When Disneyland opened in 1955, it introduced an array of new entertainment technologies that transformed the theme park industry. Aiming to build unique attractions that were as fun as they were inventive, Disneyland’s team of Imagineers laid the foundation for imaginative experiences that continue to captivate guests today.

Notable early theme park innovations included:

• Audio-Animatronics technology: Walt Disney and his team introduced Audio-Animatronics figures, a groundbreaking technology that brought lifelike, moving figures to the park. The Enchanted Tiki Room (1963) and Pirates of the Caribbean (1967) debuted early examples of these mechanical figures, creating immersive and interactive experiences for visitors.
• Monorail System: Disneyland’s monorail system, introduced in 1959, was one of the first daily operating monorails in the Western Hemisphere. This electric-powered transportation system offered futuristic, elevated rides around the park, providing a novel and efficient mode of transportation.
• Matterhorn Bobsleds: Matterhorn Bobsleds opened in 1959 as the world’s first tubular steel roller coaster. The new feature combined steel construction techniques and novel engineering. Enhancing this attraction delivered a thrilling and innovative experience for park visitors, setting the standard for modern roller coasters.

Digital transformation of Disney technology

Since digital technology first arrived on the scene, Disney has embraced it as the next tool to change the entertainment industry. Here’s a look at some of the ways computerized capabilities have transformed Disney technology.

Pixar and computer animation

The Disney-Pixar partnership began a new era in the world of filmmaking and continued the tradition of groundbreaking leaps forward in animation. “Toy Story,” released in 1995, was the first feature-length film to be animated with computer-generated imagery (CGI) and became an instant classic among audiences of all ages.

The success of “Toy Story” led to Disney’s acquisition of Pixar in 2006, with collaboration between the two organizations leading to some of the most beloved CGI animated films to date. “Up,” “Wall-E,” “Monsters Inc.” and “Cars” would all be released around this time, each finding a place as an instant classic in Disney’s lineup of animated films.

The technological advances displayed in early Pixar films greatly influenced the movie industry as a whole, with rival studios adopting similar digital animation technology as an integral component of their storytelling approach.

Digital technology and theme parks

The integration of digital technology at Disney didn’t stop at the film studio. Imagineers around the world once again transformed the world of entertainment by developing attractions that used these new tools to create one-of-a-kind experiences.

For example, Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012 brought the iconic Star Wars franchise into the fold and enabled Disney to leverage the storytelling potential of the franchise while integrating innovative technologies. As a result, experiences such as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland and Walt Disney World have introduced cutting-edge advancements in Audio-Animatronics technology, interactive experiences and themed environments.

Imagineers have also developed an advanced form of robotics called Stuntronics, a groundbreaking technology that brings characters to life in an unforgettable way. While most Animatronics stay in one fixed position, Stuntronics have the unique ability to perform high-action acrobatic stunts like airborne flips and mid-air poses.

This technology is already dazzling theme park audiences through the addition of a Spider-Man Stuntronic at Disneyland’s Avengers Campus.

The future of Disney technology

After 100 years of guiding the entertainment industry from one generation to the next, The Walt Disney Company’s efforts continue to discover new and creative ways of reimagining entertainment. To this day, Disney’s technological advancements remain on the cutting edge, with Imagineers seeking out fresh, modern forms of delivering magical moments for theme park guests.

Virtual and augmented reality

Branching off the capabilities offered through digital technology, virtual and augmented reality offer a promising new arena for even more immersive experiences. Imagineers are already studying how this tech can be brought to its full potential when combined with Disney storytelling.

Virtual reality, or VR, in theme parks involves the use of headsets or goggles that completely cover the user’s field of vision, creating a computer-generated virtual world for them to interact with. Augmented reality, or AR, uses computer-generated images and information overlaid onto the real-world environment.

Disney: A magical legacy of innovation

The entertainment industry has seen rapid changes throughout the last century, and Disney technology has remained at the forefront. The company’s unyielding desire to discover and innovate continues to influence the industry and creates enduring memories for audiences all over the world.

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