If you're like me and had a lot of Disney experiences as a child, I want you to take a moment to think about what you remember most about your trips. You might be surprised at what comes to mind. At first, you might picture the rides, maybe a meet and greet or restaurant, but try digging deeper and figure out what you remember most vividly. You might notice that something seemingly insignificant is able to be perfectly visualized from memory, down to the texture, sound, and feelings you felt in that memory. The little things are what makes Disney world special. The easter egg hidden in a fountain, the attention to detail of a lamp you might never notice, the smell of the iconic scents used throughout the hotels. I wanted to take the magic of these things and let people experience them even outside the parks.
Found in the cabins of the Disney Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy, this beautiful and iconic lamp can now adorn your virtual space. This model allowed me to learn new tools and techniques, including how to make realistic rope. There were only a few decent photos of the lamp, so I had to re-draw the map by hand to get the iconic map on the model. As such, the map is only semi-accurate.
After going through the oasis at the entrance of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you find yourself in the heart of the park, Discovery Island. Follow the path towards Africa and Pandora and you might notice these incredibly beautiful and unique clay lights.
This Ottoman/Coffee table was used in the staterooms of the Disney Dream and Fantasy. Even though it defies all logic as there was so much else to remember on the ship, I remember this coffee table almost more than anything else from my first cruise. I remember putting my luggage on top of it when my family first got to our rooms, using it as a drawing table, and using it as a footrest much to the chagrin of my parents. I remember the feeling of the grain of the wood and the deep blue and red colors of the leather in such detail that it makes no sense looking back at how little it impacted the trip. This is why the little things are so important to think about when creating experiences, because you truly have no idea what part of the journey guests will remember forever. It's also one of the things I love most about Imagineering, because I have never seen more attention to detail in the little things than I have seen from Imagineering projects. This coffee table was actually one of the first Disney themed entertainment models I made for Sketchfab, and even though I have created far more complex and interesting models since then, I still look back at this little table fondly.
Found in the Kidani Village section of the Animal Kingdom Villas, this African style mirror is a beautiful work of art.
220 miles above Epcot floats an incredible dining experience with delicious food and an out of this world view. On today’s menu, we have some fan favorites: Appetizers like the Tempura Cauliflower with freeze dried blue cheese dust start the meal off right, while desserts like the iconic Short Cake end the meal with a big bang. We also have some new menu items, designed by yours truly. Moon Jelly Ravioli: An exciting lobster ravioli made with potato starch (similar to glass noodles) topped with a citrus sauce and served with polenta. Blue Mashed Potatoes: A stunning dish made with Adirondack potatoes. Lab grade Steak: In honor of the FDA approving cell grown meat, this dish fits right at home on board space 220.
This beautifully designed food stand with textures and colors matching Spaceship Earth can be found near Journey Into Imagination.
Plaques like this used to adorn the trash cans of Main Street U.S.A. before in Magic Kingdom and Disneyland before they were switched out for painted on decals. I found two different plaques online, one with more of a bronze look and one that had a similar look to the haunted mansion plaque. I tried both and settled on using the darker color as a base. The result looks better than either separate in my opinion.
s you exit Peter Pan’s Flight in Fantasyland, you might look up and see this lamp. As Disney Imagineer Don Carson puts it, “It may just be the last remains of the elegant Captain Hook.” The real Hook Lamp was originally used in the Pirate Ship Restaurant aka Captain Hook’s Galley before the restaurant was closed and the lamp was moved to the ride exit. This model is based off of both the real Hook Lamp and the drawing made by Don Carson, taking features from both like the more ornate design of the lamp itself in the drawing and the wavy cuff of the real lamp.