Imagineering Intern

I first went to Walt Disney Imagineering (WED Enterprises at the time) as an intern show designer for New Fantasyland (1983). I worked on all aspects of design for the land and some of my specific contributions include the sword for The Sword in the Stone and the space planning for the related show area. Kent Elofson designed the stone. The area was designed to allow for a sword pulling ceremony as well as to allow a photo opportunity. I also designed the planter area and queue for King Arthur Carrousel.

At one point I was asked if I could draft and work on the show drawings for the Peter Pan attraction. I had not drafted before, but I took one look at the work and I said that I couldn't see why not. I ended up drafting about 50% of the 75 show drawings produced for the attraction. Tom Morris had laid out most of the track changes from the 1955 version to the 1983 version, but after he left the project I was left to make a number of remaining changes. This ride track is one of the more difficult as it involves 3-dimensions of movement.

During my time there I had some of the greatest mentors offering me an education that couldn't have come from any school. These mentors offered help, not as part of their job, but out of interest in working with me. Christopher Carradine (architect for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride) taught me a simple drafting lettering style in about 15 minutes. It is the same lettering technique that I use today and it is faster for me than printing. Chris also taught me much about architecture as did David Ott (architect for Peter Pan Flight). These men didn't mind sharing with me because I helped them both with queue design and other aspects of attraction design unique to its operation.

I spent just over a year at Imagineering before returning to Disneyland.

Alice in New Fantasyland

The success of the Tomorrowland Banquets brought me to the attention of Fantasyland/Tomorrowland management. They knew that I could draw and they needed help on a number of special projects. The most exciting of those projects would turn out to be New Fantasyland (1983).

For the first time Imagineers from Walt Disney Imagineering (WED Enterprises at the time) had decided to ask for operational input to the new ideas they had in store for the park. After viewing the ideas management decided that they needed to communicate their ideas back in a form that Imagineering could understand -- drawings.

I was brought in to review the plans for (what would become) the Village Haus Restaurant and draw up some changes. I had previously worked in food service, I could draw, and I actually understood a lot about efficiency. The management knew which restaurants worked well and which did not. We worked together on a plan that ended up being (essentially) the same plan that exists today.

I worked on a number of other ideas as management continued to extend my special project. One idea that I worked on, in association with Imagineers, was a way to incorporate all of the Alice in Wonderland based attractions into a single area. To illustrate this concept I created this art. It was this piece of art that brought me to the attention of Imagineer Tony Baxter. He took one look at it and said that I should be doing this at Imagineering. The next thing I knew I had an internship show designing for the new Fantasyland.

The Alice art is interesting, but certainly not my best. My main goal was to illustrate the relationship between attractions. Incorporated here are the Alice in Wonderland ride-through, the Mad Tea Party and the Mad Hatter Shop within the White Rabbit's house. I doubt that the original art ever made it into the company archives. This may well be the only copy available.

Mad Hatter Shop Concept

I happened to notice this illustration posted on the blog “Stuff From The Park” along with the following description:

"This is a wonderful color sketch of the Mad Hatter Hat Shop located in Fantasyland. Done as part of the 1983 redo of Fantasyland, the art depicts the side of the shop with the entrance door for the White Rabbit. I believe this piece was either done by Ken Anderson or Kim Irvine as I have seen color artwork similar to this piece by both artists. And since this is a hat shop, it really ties into my hat fetish."

I took one look at the work and I knew that the speculation was wrong. I came up with the name Bob Kurzweil and then I took a closer look to verify it to myself. I suddenly realized that the work was not that of Kursweil, it was mine! I had been influenced by Kursweil and matched his style so that our presentation would be consistent. Twenty years later and I didn’t even recognize my own work.

This blog will highlight just a fraction of the artwork that I have generated over the years.