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51-654: Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development, Inc. , commonly referred to as Imagineering , is the research and development arm of The Walt Disney Company , responsible for the creation, design, and construction of Disney theme parks and attractions worldwide. The company also operates Disney Live Entertainment and The Muppets Studio and manages Disney's properties, from Walt Disney Studios in Burbank to New Amsterdam Theatre and Times Square Studios Ltd. in New York City. Founded by Walt Disney to oversee

102-449: A portmanteau , was introduced in the 1940s by Alcoa to describe its blending of imagination and engineering, and used by Union Carbide in an in-house magazine in 1957, with an article by Richard F. Sailer called "BRAINSTORMING IS IMAGination engINEERING". Disney filed for a trademark for the term in 1989, claiming first use of the term in 1962. Imagineering is a registered trademark of Disney Enterprises, Inc. Walt Disney, Inc. (WDI)

153-457: A Story 2. Creative Intent 3. Attention to Detail 4. Theming 5. Long, Medium, and Close Shots Tier 2: Wayfinding 6. Wienies 7. Transitions 8. Storyboards 9. Pre-Shows and Post-Shows Tier 3: Visual Communication 10. Forced Perspective 11. "Read"-ability 12. Kinetics Tier 4: Making It Memorable 13. The " It's a Small World " Effect 14. Hidden Mickeys Tier 5: Walt’s Cardinal Rule 15. Plussing Walt Disney coined

204-805: A finished attraction. The company considers this the beginning of a design process, believing, "if it can be dreamt, it can be built". WDI partnered with the Khan Academy to create a series of online video classes called Imagineering in a Box , to allow students to "explore different aspects of theme park design, from characters to ride development..." The classes, which are organized into three main categories ( Creating Worlds , Designing Attractions , and Bringing Characters to Life ), are presented by WDI employees using multimedia lessons and exercises. Past Disney Imagineers have shared 15 principles of Disney Imagineering, divided into five tiers. These are: Tier 1: Foundations of Imagineering 1. It All Begins with

255-690: A new product. If the development is technology driven, R&D is directed toward developing products to meet the unmet needs. In general, research and development activities are conducted by specialized units or centers belonging to a company, or can be out-sourced to a contract research organization, universities , or state agencies. In the context of commerce , "research and development" normally refers to future-oriented, longer-term activities in science or technology , using similar techniques to scientific research but directed toward desired outcomes and with broad forecasts of commercial yield. Statistics on organizations devoted to "R&D" may express

306-999: A number of projects for Disney Stores . The first store, in Glendale , was designed and constructed by a group of architectural Imagineers. Imagineering developed the now-defunct Walt Disney Gallery at the Main Place Mall in Santa Ana, California , and a Roman themed Disney Store at The Forum Shops at Caesars in Las Vegas . After the purchase of the Disney Stores by The Children's Place in 2004, Imagineering helped design an exclusive chain of flagship stores, called World of Disney . These are located in resorts, Lake Buena Vista, Florida and Anaheim, California , as well as New York City. Another flagship store arrived at Disneyland Paris in 2012. An overhaul of Disney Stores

357-1004: A quiet monorail in the lobby. These details reinforce the hotel's contemporary nature. In 2010, Disney Educational Products produced a series of videos called The Science of Disney Imagineering . Each video was presented by Imagineer Asa Kalama and focused on a different science subject. Each video featured at least one Disney attraction, to show how science was used in them. These science subjects include Gravity , Trajectory , Levers & Pulleys , Fluids , Energy , Design & Models , Magnetism , Motion , Animal Adaptations: Communication , Friction , and Electricity . In 1991, Marty Sklar (then-president of Imagineering) presented ten commandments attributed to Mickey Steinberg (the vice president of Imagineering). They are: Imagineering has been granted over 300 patents in areas such as advanced audio systems, fiber optics , interactive technology, live entertainment, ride systems and special effects. Imagineering pioneered technological advances such as

408-548: A version of this system which had rubber wheels placed every 9 feet along the guide-way. Since 1952, Imagineering has created twelve theme parks, a town, five cruise ships, dozens of resort hotels, water parks, shopping centers, sports complexes and various entertainment venues. Former creative director John Hench designed the "Tower of Nations" for the opening and closing ceremony of the 1960 Winter Olympics , whilst Walt Disney served as Pageantry Committee chairman. Imagineering has collaborated with Disney Consumer Products on

459-445: A way of amortizing the high overhead. They often reuse advanced manufacturing processes, expensive safety certifications, specialized embedded software, computer-aided design software, electronic designs and mechanical subsystems. Research from 2000 has shown that firms with a persistent R&D strategy outperform those with an irregular or no R&D investment program. Research and development are very difficult to manage, since

510-709: Is Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World . The scale of architectural elements is much smaller in the upper reaches of the castle compared to the foundation, making it seem significantly taller than its actual height of 189 feet. The attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean , evokes a “rollicking buccaneer adventure,” according to Hench. In contrast, the Disney Cruise Line ships create an elegant seafaring atmosphere. Minor details in theme park shops and restaurants are crucial; these include

561-660: Is appealing to bidders because they could gain technologies from acquisition targets. Therefore, firms may gain R&;D profit that co-moves with takeover waves, causing risks to the company which engages in R&D activity. Global R&D management is the discipline of designing and leading R&D processes globally, across cultural and lingual settings, and the transfer of knowledge across international corporate networks. Former President Barack Obama requested $ 147.696 billion for research and development in FY 2012, 21% of which

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612-810: Is called " R&D intensity ". A high technology company, such as a computer manufacturer, might spend 7% or a pharmaceutical companies such as Merck & Co. 14.1% or Novartis 15.1%. Anything over 15% is remarkable, and usually gains a reputation for being a high technology company such as engineering company Ericsson 24.9%, or biotech company Allergan , which tops the spending table with 43.4% investment. Such companies are often seen as credit risks because their spending ratios are so unusual. Generally such firms prosper only in markets whose customers have extreme high technology needs, like certain prescription drugs or special chemicals, scientific instruments , and safety-critical systems in medicine, aeronautics or military weapons . The extreme needs justify

663-405: Is crucial for acquiring larger shares of the market through new products. R&D&I represents R&D with innovation. New product design and development is often a crucial factor in the survival of a company. In a global industrial landscape that is changing fast, firms must continually revise their design and range of products. This is necessary as well due to the fierce competition and

714-483: Is followed by textiles (19%), digital (18%), and aerospace (15%). Other sectors allocate less than 10% of their total investment to R&D. While 17% of the world’s top R&D investors are based in the European Union, they accounted for only 1% of acquisitions involving EU-based companies between 2013 and 2023. In 2015, research and development constituted an average 2.2% of the global GDP according to

765-641: Is lower than the EU average of 18%. In 2022, 67% of enterprises in the same region deployed at least one sophisticated digital technology, and 69% EU firms did the same. As of 2023, European enterprises account for 18% of the world's top 2 500 R&D corporations, but just 10% of new entrants, compared to 45% in the United States and 32% in China. As of 2024, the electronics sector leads in R&D investment, with 28% of its total investment dedicated to it. This

816-582: The Circle-Vision 360° film technique and the FastPass virtual queuing system. Imagineering is known for its development of Audio-Animatronics, a form of robotics, used in shows and theme park attractions that animate objects in three dimension (3D) . The idea originated from Walt Disney's fascination with a mechanical bird that he purchased in New Orleans , which later led to the development of

867-451: The Europe 2020 strategy which will run from 2014 to 2020, a multidisciplinary effort to provide safe, economically feasible, environmentally sound and socially acceptable solutions along the entire value chain of human activities. Firms that have embraced advanced digital technology devote a greater proportion of their investment efforts to R&D. Firms who engaged in digitisation during

918-628: The Office of Chief Scientist In the 1980s to 1992, the Chief scientist of Israel significantly expanded R&D subsidies in the Israeli industrial sector. Israel invested in the creation of clusters of startups in the high-tech sector as well as venture capital investments. In 1993, Israel initiated the Yozma program , which led to the doubling of value of Israel's 10 new venture capital funds in 3 years. In

969-919: The Port Discovery children's museum at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore , Maryland , as well as the "Below Deck" sound show depicting Blackbeard 's final battle as part of the Pirate and Treasure Museum in St. Augustine, Florida . From 1995 to 1997, Imagineering oversaw the renovation of the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City. Imagineering also remodeled the Times Square Studios in New York City in 1996, following

1020-626: The UNESCO Institute for Statistics . By 2018, research and development constituted an average 1.79% of the global GDP according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics . Countries agreed in 2015 to monitor their progress in raising research intensity (SDG 9.5.1), as well as researcher density (SDG 9.5.2), as part of their commitment to reaching the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. However, this undertaking has not spurred an increase in reporting of data. On

1071-527: The Walt Disney World Resort . There are also offices located at: Research and development Although R&D activities may differ across businesses, the primary goal of an R&D department is to develop new products and services. R&D differs from the vast majority of corporate activities in that it is not intended to yield immediate profit, and generally carries greater risk and an uncertain return on investment . R&D

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1122-533: The 1960s, Imagineering's headquarters have been located in nondescript office buildings on the site of the former Grand Central Airport in Glendale, California , about two miles (3.2 km) east of Disney's corporate headquarters in Burbank . Many of these employees were set to be relocated to a new facility in Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida . There are field offices at Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios at

1173-493: The Caribbean , The Haunted Mansion , The Hall of Presidents , Country Bear Jamboree , Star Tours—The Adventures Continue , and Muppet*Vision 3D . Guests have also had the opportunity to interact with Audio-Animatronic characters, such as Lucky the Dinosaur , WALL·E , and Remy from Ratatouille . The next wave of Audio-Animatronic development focuses on completely independent figures, also known as " Autonomatronics ". Otto,

1224-624: The Disney studio's operations that Walt Disney Productions bought it on February 5, 1965, along with the WED Enterprises name. The unit was renamed as of January 1986 to Walt Disney Imagineering. In 1996, Disney Development Company , the Disney conglomerate's real estate development subsidiary, merged into Imagineering. Imagineering created Disney Fair , a U.S. traveling attraction, which premiered in September 1996. With poor attendance,

1275-805: The Grand Central Creative Campus redesign of the industrial park with a new office-studio complex anchored by Disney Imagineering. Some of the buildings were demolished to make way for new buildings. The additional space would be for sound stages, production facilities and offices. As part of The Walt Disney Company 's March 2018 strategic reorganization, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts merged with Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media segments into Disney Parks, Experiences and Products (DPEP), giving Disney Imagineering oversight of merchandise, games and publishing development. In July 2021, DPEP chairman Josh D'Amaro announced that approximately 2,000 DPEP positions would be transferred over

1326-539: The acquisition of ABC . In 1997, Disney purchased the California Angels and renamed the team to Anaheim Angels. Shortly after, Imagineering renovated the Anaheim Stadium . Imagineering worked with a charity, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology , to create the teaser video and the story, as well as the theming of the 2016 FIRST Robotics Competition , FIRST Stronghold . Since

1377-532: The attraction, The Enchanted Tiki Room . The attraction, which featured singing Audio-Animatronic birds, was the first to use this technology. In the 1964 World's Fair , a 3D figure of Abraham Lincoln was represented. The animated Lincoln delivered part of the Gettysburg Address for the " Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln " exhibit, the first human Audio-Animatronic figure. Today, Audio-Animatronics are featured in many attractions, including Pirates of

1428-505: The contrary, a total of 99 countries reported data on domestic investment in research in 2015 but only 69 countries in 2018. Similarly, 59 countries recorded the number of researchers (in full-time equivalents) in 2018, down from 90 countries in 2015. UNESCO Institute for Statistics is the global custodian of these R&D data; data can be freely obtained from the UIS database . Tax incentive Too Many Requests If you report this error to

1479-411: The defining feature of research is that the researchers do not know in advance exactly how to accomplish the desired result. As a result, "higher R&D spending does not guarantee more creativity, higher profit or a greater market share". Research is the most risky financing area because both the development of an invention and its successful realization carries uncertainty including the profitability of

1530-408: The evolving preferences of consumers. Without an R&D program, a firm must rely on strategic alliances , acquisitions , and networks to tap into the innovations of others. A system driven by marketing is one that puts the customer needs first, and produces goods that are known to sell. Market research is carried out, which establishes the needs of consumers and the potential niche market of

1581-492: The fair was pulled after a few stops. Disney Entertainment Projects (Asia Pacific), Inc., a new Disney Asian Pacific subsidiary, selected a renamed fair called DisneyFest as its first project, taking it to Singapore to open there on October 30, 1997. By 1997, Imagineers were in several buildings in Grand Central Business Park when Disney purchased the park. In September 1999, Disney Imagineering announced

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1632-590: The first Autonomatronic figure, debuted at the 2009 D23 Expo and can see, hear, sense a person's presence and emotions, and have a conversation. WEDway is a people mover system using linear induction motor (LIM) technology to propel vehicles along a pair of steel rails. This system was developed in the company's early years. The system is in operation at Walt Disney World Resort 's Magic Kingdom and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston , Texas , United States . From 1967 to 1995, Disneyland utilized

1683-445: The high risk of failure and consequently high gross margins from 60% to 90% of revenues. That is, gross profits will be as much as 90% of the sales cost, with manufacturing costing only 10% of the product price, because so many individual projects yield no exploitable product. Most industrial companies get 40% revenues only. On a technical level, high tech organizations explore ways to re-purpose and repackage advanced technologies as

1734-782: The invention. One way entrepreneurs can reduce these uncertainties is to buy the licence for a franchise, so that the know-how is already incorporated in the licence. In general, it has been found that there is a positive correlation between the research and development and firm productivity across all sectors, but that this positive correlation is much stronger in high-tech firms than in low-tech firms. In research done by Francesco Crespi and Cristiano Antonelli, high-tech firms were found to have "virtuous" Matthew effects while low-tech firms experienced "vicious" Matthew effects, meaning that high-tech firms were awarded subsidies on merit while low-tech firms most often were given subsidies based on name recognition, even if not put to good use. While

1785-555: The late 1990s, Israel was second only to the US in private equity as a share of the general economy. The high tech sector in Israel, known as Silicon Wadi , which earned Israel the nickname - Start-up Nation , was ranked the 4th leading startup ecosystem in the world by Startup genome with a value of $ 253billion in 2023. Europe is lagging behind in R&D investments from the past two decades. The target of 3% of gross domestic product (GDP)

1836-648: The menus, names of the dishes and the Cast Members ’ costumes. When guests walk down the area of Main Street, U.S.A. , they are likely to notice a bakery fragrance, reminiscent of suburban America in the 1900s. In addition to theme parks, Imagineering has devised retail stores, galleries, and hotels which have "stories" and create a specific mood. For instance, the Disney's Contemporary Resort features an A-frame structure, modern décor and futuristic features including

1887-515: The next couple of years to the Lake Nona area of Orlando, Florida . In November 2021, it was reported that as many as 90% of the positions to be transferred are Walt Disney Imagineering positions, as DPEP relocates Imagineering's headquarters from Glendale to a new 60-acre corporate campus in Lake Nona. The only Imagineering positions reportedly exempt from relocation were those dedicated to Disneyland or certain international parks. The relocation

1938-478: The pandemic report spending a big portion of their expenditure in 2020 on software, data, IT infrastructure, and website operations. A 2021/2022 survey found that one in every seven enterprises in the Central, Eastern and South Eastern regions (14%) may be classed as active innovators — that is, firms that spent heavily in research and development and developed a new product, process, or service — however this figure

1989-482: The present The Haunted Mansion . Disney theme parks are storytelling and visual experiences, also known as “The Art of the Show.” The use of theming, atmosphere, and attention to detail are essential in the Disney experience. Creative director John Hench noted the similarities between theme park design and film making, such as the use of techniques, including forced perspective . One notable example of forced perspective

2040-399: The production of Disneyland , it was originally known as Walt Disney, Inc. , then WED Enterprises , from the initials meaning "Walter Elias Disney", the company co-founder's full name. Headquartered in Glendale, California , Imagineering is composed of "Imagineers", who are illustrators, architects, engineers, lighting designers, show writers and graphic designers. The term "Imagineering",

2091-433: The state of an industry , the degree of competition or the lure of progress . Some common measures include: budgets , numbers of patents or on rates of peer-reviewed publications . Bank ratios are one of the best measures, because they are continuously maintained, public and reflect risk. In the United States, a typical ratio of research and development for an industrial company is about 3.5% of revenues; this measure

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2142-490: The strength of the correlation between R&D spending and productivity in low-tech industries is less than in high-tech industries, studies have been done showing non-trivial carryover effects to other parts of the marketplace by low-tech R&D. Business R&D is risky for at least two reasons. The first source of risks comes from R&D nature, where R&D project could fail without residual values. The second source of risks comes from takeover risks, which means R&D

2193-507: The term "plussing" for the process of constantly striving to perfect Imagineering work. Disney believed that there is always room for innovation and improvement, stating, "Disneyland will never be completed as long as there's imagination left in the world." This sometimes takes the form of returning to previously abandoned ideas, such as the rework of the Museum of the Weird wax museum concept into

2244-539: Was designed to help guests experience the sensation of flight. During development, Imagineer Mark Sumner found an erector set in his attic, which quickly inspired the solution to create this experience. The ride effectively simulates hang gliding . One of Imagineering's techniques, "blue sky speculation", is a process in which ideas are generated without limitations. Imagineers may develop a bold idea in extreme detail, initially disregarding budgetary or physical constraints. It can take up to five years for an idea to turn into

2295-477: Was destined to fund basic research. According to National Science Foundation in U.S., in 2015, R&D expenditures performed by federal government and local governments are 54 and 0.6 billions of dollars. The federal research and development budget for fiscal year 2020 was $ 156 billion, 41.4% of which was for the Department of Defense ( DOD ). DOD's total research, development, test, and evaluation budget

2346-497: Was formed by Walt Disney on December 16, 1952, with an engineering division tasked with designing Disneyland . In light of objections from his brother Roy as well as those of potential stockholders, WDI was renamed WED Enterprises in 1953 based on Disney's initials. In 1961, WED moved into the Grand Central Business Park . WED Enterprises 's theme park design and architectural group became so integral to

2397-885: Was launched at Disney Springs in Lake Buena Vista, Florida . Another DisneyQuest in Chicago was launched a year later. In 2007, Imagineering oversaw design and construction of ships, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy . They also helped design exhibitions for the Autry Museum of Western Heritage in Los Angeles and developed the Encounter Restaurant, which is located at the top of Theme Building in Los Angeles International Airport . Moreover, they provided exhibits for

2448-528: Was meant to be reached by 2020, but the current amount is below this target. This also causes a digital divide among countries since only a few EU Member States have R&D spending. Research and innovation in Europe are financially supported by the programme Horizon 2020 , which is open to participation worldwide. A notable example is the European environmental research and innovation policy , based on

2499-563: Was planned in 2009 with the help of Apple CEO Steve Jobs . Disney hoped to transition from a traditional retail model to an interactive entertainment hub. In the 1990s, Imagineering designed the 24,000 square feet (2,200 m) Club Disney interactive family fun center in Thousand Oaks, California . Although now closed, it was the first of several location-based entertainment (LBE) venues. In 1998, DisneyQuest , an 80,000 square feet (7,400 m) high-tech, virtual reality arcade

2550-527: Was reportedly motivated in part by $ 570 million in tax breaks from the state of Florida, as well as Florida's business-friendly climate, lower cost of living , and lack of a state income tax . This relocation was cancelled in May 2023 amidst a feud with Florida governor Ron DeSantis . New concepts and improvements are often created to fulfill specific needs. For instance, the Soarin' Over California ride system

2601-508: Was roughly $ 108.5 billion. Israel is the world leader in spending on R&D as a percentage of GDP as of 2022, spending 6.02%. According to CSIS, During the 1970s and 1980s Israel initially built up Israel's research infrastructure through various programs, often in the defence industry. In 1984, a law for Encouragement of Research and Development in Industry encouraged the commercial sector to invest in R&D in Israel as well as empowered

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