A preview of ‘Behind the Attraction’ season two at Walt Disney Imagineering

About “Behind the Attraction”

Created for Disney devotees and new fans alike, “Behind the Attraction” reveals fun facts and making-of stories about select Disney theme park attractions. With swift and snappy storytelling, clever editing, and playful narration by Paget Brewster (“Friends,” “Mom,” “Family Guy,” “Duck Tales”), the docuseries is ideal for family viewing.

Featuring attractions at both stateside and international Disney theme parks, season one of “Behind the Attraction” explored beloved Disney rides, including Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Star Tours, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and “it’s a small world,” as well as in-park transportation vehicles, the Hall of Presidents, the parks’ iconic castles, and the Disneyland Hotel.

For season two, the docuseries broadens the concept of what is considered an “attraction,” branching out to encompass the theme parks’ cuisine and nighttime shows. The six-episode season will also cover the evolution of Walt Disney World’s Epcot park and fan-favorite rides, such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Indiana Jones Adventure.

Visiting Walt Disney Imagineering

Last week on Walt Disney Imagineering’s campus, which is typically closed to the public, the press gathered in the courtyard for Disney Parks-inspired refreshments ahead of the season two preview of “Behind the Attraction.”

The courtyard, a gathering spot for Imagineering cast members, was decorated with relics from defunct experiences, including a bench and two ride vehicles from Disney California Adventure’s A Bug’s Land and vehicles from Disneyland’s former People Mover and Skyway attractions.

In honor of season two’s “Epcot” episode, Disney arranged for a visit from Figment, the mascot of the park’s Imagination pavilion at Walt Disney World. Sightings of Figment on the West Coast are rare, so we took advantage of the photo opportunity.

After viewing the treasures in the courtyard, the press was ushered into a viewing room named after Imagineering legend Marty Sklar for the “Behind the Attraction” season two preview and Q&A session with notables from the series and production team.

Previewing “Behind the Attraction” Season Two

Walt Disney Imagineering’s President Barbara Bouza and Chief Creative Officer Bruce Vaughn introduced the preview to the audience of press and cast members.

“At Imagineering, we’re always ideating, always thinking about the next great idea, always investing in our parks and experiences to create exceptional moments for our guests,” began Bouza. “And the result of all that talent, passion, hard work, collaboration, and creative ideation? Well, it’s pure magic, of course.”

Vaughn thanked the individuals and teams who brought “Behind the Attraction” to the screen, including producer Dwayne Johnson (“Jungle Cruise,” “Moana”), producer Dany Garcia, producer/director Brian Volk-Weiss, Seven Bucks Productions and The Nacelle Company (Netflix’s “The Toys That Made Us”), Disney’s Yellow Shoes, Disney Branded Television, and Disney+. “And, of course, all the Imagineers and cast members, past and present,” Bouza added.

Press then viewed a compilation of clips from all six episodes of season two, featuring Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Indiana Jones Adventure, Epcot, Disney Parks food, and the nighttime spectaculars. Season two continues the lively storytelling tone and quick cuts of the first season, with enough little-known facts and unique anecdotes to keep diehard Disney fans interested.

On hand to share insight into the making of the series’ second season were Volk-Weiss, Seven Bucks Productions Senior Vice President of Development Brian Gewirtz, Walt Disney Archives Director Rebecca Cline, Disneyland Food & Beverage Synergy Manager Karlos Siquieros, Disney Live Entertainment Parades and Spectaculars Executive Steven Davison, and Walt Disney Imagineering Executive Producer of Creative Ideation Jeanette Lomboy. Mike Loughran, production director of programming, partnership marketing, and media networks at Disney’s Yellow Shoes Creative Group, moderated the discussion.

From Disney Kids to Disney Creators: “Behind the Attraction” Panelists Share Their Favorite Disney Memories

To begin the discussion, Loughran asked each panelist to share a favorite personal Disney Parks memory. Series director and executive producer Volk-Weiss introduced himself, enthusiastically confessing his childhood Disney attraction of choice. “Mission to Mars. I don’t know if anybody remembers Mission to Mars, but let’s just say it was not Rise of the Resistance, even when it was there,” he quipped. Still, Volk-Weiss loved the attraction and went on it “eight or nine times,” much to the confusion of his grandfather, Bruno, who was with him that day. Though Volk-Weiss didn’t clarify if his fond memories were of the Disneyland or the Walt Disney World version, he did share that whenever he walks past the building that formerly housed the attraction, he thinks of his grandfather. (Learn more about Volk-Weiss’s lifelong Disney fandom and “Behind the Attraction” season one by checking out our Q&A with the director here.)

Gewirtz, also an executive producer of the series, shared his fondness for Disney’s villains, which he believes began during his first visit to Walt Disney World in 1980 when he met Captain Hook. “I became a seven-year-old Captain Hook apologist. I feel he was maligned, psychologically [and] physically tormented … he had a bad shake in life,” he joked. Though he finds humor in his childhood love of the “Peter Pan” pirate, he also recognizes the sweetness in the experience. “Really, I don’t think there’s anything purer than a kid meeting one of these characters come to life. It’s one of the most magical experiences in the world, and, you know, that’s what really sticks with me.”

Next up was Cline, whom Loughran called the company’s “citable source” due to her vast knowledge of the Walt Disney Archives. “My first visit to Disneyland was when I was four years old,” she began. “I’m dating myself here, but Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room hadn’t been open for very long, and I just remember sitting in the room and seeing that bird mobile turning — with all those glorious colors and the fountain that went up under — and I thought that had to be the most beautiful thing that was ever created in the history of the world.”

Siquieros, the endearing Disney food expert of the group, recalled taking his daughter to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom for the first time. “We got there bright and early … and we’re on Main Street, and the show is going on, and everything’s just wonderful, and my daughter turns to me and goes, ‘This is just like Disneyland!’” As the crowd laughed, Siquieros pointed to his now-grown-up daughter sitting in the audience, bringing the moment full circle. “So now she’s good and embarrassed,” he teased.

Davison, one of the key creative minds behind Disney’s nighttime shows, recalled meeting Disney Legend Bob Gurr, an esteemed Imagineer who personally worked with Walt Disney and designed ride vehicles for classic attractions such as Autopia, Submarine Voyage, Matterhorn Bobsleds, the Monorail, and more. After Gurr viewed “the water show,” as Davison called it (presumably referring to “World of Color”), he introduced himself and praised Davison’s work, saying, “Walt Disney would be very proud of you right now. This is what he always dreamed of, how to tell our stories in new and different ways.” Davison added, “That really meant a lot to me.”

Imagineering executive producer Lomboy picked a relatively recent memory as her favorite Disney moment. “It was the day we reopened Disneyland,” said Lomboy, referring to the park’s unprecedented closure during the COVID-19 pandemic from March 12, 2020, to April 30, 2021. “I happened to be there, standing right in front of the turnstiles, and was there when they started counting down. It made me imagine what it would have been like to be there on opening day with Walt at Disneyland in 1955,” shared Lomboy. She described the “joy and elation” of every guest entering the park as they hugged and shed tears. “I’ve never felt anything like it, ever, because it was so much more than going to Disneyland. In that moment, it was that we had something to believe in again, and we could have fun together again, and we could look at the future and feel happiness as strangers coming together as one.”

Whether they were childhood Disney fans who always wanted to work for the company or whether they took a more roundabout route, one thing is clear: the “Behind the Attraction” panelists are passionate about the series and their work. Here are a few behind-the-scenes tidbits about each episode.

Episode 1: Pirates of the Caribbean

When Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean opened in March 1967, it pushed the boundaries of theme park technology and storytelling, and the attraction remains extremely popular with today’s park guests. It’s no wonder that Disney Imagineering created versions of the ride for Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris, and Shanghai Disneyland. Even Imagineer Lomboy is a fan, naming Pirates of the Caribbean as her favorite Disney Parks attraction.

“One of the things that I love about ‘Behind the Attraction’ is that it’s sort of a love letter to the many generations of Imagineers and cast members,” Lomboy gushed. “My favorite episode this season is the first episode, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’ I think it’s a perfect example of this sort of love letter mentality, right? We have that classic attraction expressed in many parks around the world.”

When it came time to create a version of Pirates of the Caribbean for Shanghai Disneyland, Lomboy said the Imagineering team elevated the classic attraction while “keeping the base bones of what people love about Pirates.” To find out what happened when Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure overflowed with water during one of its test runs, be sure to check out episode one.

Episode 2: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

In 1979, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opened in Disneyland’s Frontierland, replacing Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland, a leisurely and humorous train ride through artificial desert and wooded environments. The new coaster, however, was anything but leisurely, even touting the catchphrase “the wildest ride in the wilderness.”

Still, there were nods to the old mine train attraction that even sharp-eyed guests zooming around the curves of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad could miss. Tracks, tunnels, rock formations, animatronic animals, and even a miniature town from the Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland and Rainbow Caverns remain in the ride today, much to the delight of Disney archivists like Cline. Even the attraction’s name, “Big Thunder,” referenced a large waterfall from the old mine train tour.

“Although we’re always updating and creating and reimagining some of our attractions, it’s really important to remember what was there before,” Cline emphasized. “It’s those little throwbacks to the Mine Train that was there first or Nature’s Wonderland … I think that’s something I love, is that I’m able to keep that history. And even if it’s not there to experience, I can still tell those stories. To me, that’s one of the very special things about my job.”

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad proved to be such a hit with Disney Parks’ thrillseekers that Imagineering created versions for Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris. Though a bit different thematically and in the ride experience, Hong Kong Disneyland’s Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars attraction was inspired by Big Thunder. The stories behind each of these rollicking attractions are explored in episode two.

Episode 3: Indiana Jones Adventure

Any kid who grew up idolizing the adventurous spirit and scruffy charm of America’s favorite fictional archaeologist was thrilled when the Indiana Jones-themed ride Temple of the Forbidden Eye opened at Disneyland in 1995. (The name was later changed to Indiana Jones Adventure.) Dr. Jones had already made a splash in Florida as part of Disney Hollywood Studios’ popular stage show “Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!” so Walt Disney Imagineering and George Lucas collaborated on an “Indy” attraction for Disneyland.

Leading the team of Imagineers was Tony Baxter, shown in episode three of “Behind the Attraction,” demonstrating his original ride model, complete with moving parts. He and his cohorts invented a whole new ride system for the attraction, featuring Enhanced Motion Vehicles (EMVs) that could not only simulate driving a military troop transport car but were also equipped with hydraulics for a uniquely lively and bumpy ride.

Tokyo DisneySea received its own version of the ride, Temple of the Crystal Skull, in 2001. Imagineers also employed the Indiana Jones ride system for an attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom called Dinosaur, which opened in 1998 as Countdown to Extinction. (Disney announced at the Destination D23 Expo that the company would likely replace Dinosaur with an Indiana Jones attraction.)

To learn more about how Indiana Jones swung into Disney Parks, episode three has the details.

Episode 4: EPCOT

Epcot — otherwise known as EPCOT, Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow—has seen several updates since the park opened at Walt Disney World in 1982. Walt Disney himself was the catalyst for creating the park, imagining it as a connected, urban utopia with everything from schools to industrial areas to unique mass transit systems. After Walt died in 1966, the project was deemed too ambitious for the company, both logistically and financially. With Walt’s original concept as their inspiration, Disney Imagineers reconceived Epcot as a companion park to the Magic Kingdom: a place for “edutainment,” where guests could learn about science, technology, and cultures from around the world in a fun, engaging environment.

“Walt Disney was the wellspring. He was the foundation of everything, and his inspirations and his kind of presets are what we’re still following today,” said Cline, who shared that the Walt Disney Archives possess Walt’s entire correspondence collection. “Walt Disney Imagineering excels at that innovative spirit and that ‘little spark,’ as they call it. It’s so important to go back to Walt and what he did, and then take these tools and everything that we have today and make magic and continue to tell those stories that Walt would have loved.”

Building on Walt’s love of storytelling and the company’s film catalog, Imagineers began incorporating more popular characters into Epcot with attractions such as Frozen Ever After, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Episode four takes viewers on a journey through recent history to witness the evolution of Epcot.

Episode 5: The Food

From Dole Whips to churros to a plethora of Mickey Mouse-shaped treats, the food at Disney Parks is truly iconic. The parks’ edible offerings have become even more elaborate and photogenic in the age of social media, and colorful photos of Disney snacks can rack up thousands of reactions on apps like Instagram. On TikTok, YouTube, and other video-based sites, professional and amateur foodies alike film themselves conducting taste tests of new and seasonal menu items at the parks’ restaurants and snack stands. Undoubtedly, food and drink have become an essential part of the magic of a Disney Parks visit.

As Siquieros put it, Disney’s cuisine is essentially about “bringing the show to life.” He recalled a childhood visit to Disneyland when he was disappointed that his mother stopped the fun to eat lunch, “a hot dog over a trash can.” When Siquieros started his Disney career as a server in the Carnation Cafe on Main Street, he became determined to “fix the food” at Disneyland.

After Siquieros climbed the ranks of Disneyland’s Food and Beverage department to a management position, he recalled collaborating with Executive Pastry Chef Jean-Marc Viallet on a variety of treats related to the Haunted Mansion Holiday, the “Nightmare Before Christmas” overlay of the Haunted Mansion attraction. During a media event at the park, Viallet and Siquieros piled a silver tray with creatively themed desserts and roamed the crowd, asking guests if they wanted to speak with the chef in exchange for a treat. The sweet items were a hit. “Who knew people like sugar?” Siquieros kidded. That fateful day kicked off a new era in elaborate Disney desserts, including the annual creation of an approximately five-foot-tall gingerbread house for the ballroom scene in Haunted Mansion Holiday.

Episode five will give viewers the scoop on the creative process behind even more delectable dining options at Disney Parks.

Episode 6: Nighttime Spectaculars

An ongoing debate in episode six between Lomboy and Disney Live Entertainment’s Davison is whether Walt Disney said the nighttime shows were the parks’ “kiss goodnight” to the guests. Cline was called upon during the panel to settle the question and concluded, “Per Richard Sherman — who I would never, ever say that he was wrong — is that that was something that Walt said.”

Regardless of whether or not Walt uttered the quote, the sentiment holds true for the creators of the “nighttime spectaculars” at Disney Parks, which utilize fireworks, water screens, projection mapping, and other technological marvels to leave guests awestruck at the end of a Disney day.

To continue innovating the nighttime entertainment offerings at the parks, Davison keeps an eye out for new technology that can take Disney’s shows to the next level, but he’s also mindful of the guest experience. “What we don’t want the guests ever to see is the big mechanical things behind the scenes … that when children and adults watch the show, they just see the magic,” Davison explained. “‘Fantasmic’ is a good example where there’s nothing out there, they were on the island all day, and then suddenly there’s dragons, there’s mist curtains … where did it all come from? That’s where the Disney magic, I think, really works.”

Davison confessed that he actually “hates fireworks,” so he was perplexed when he was asked to create a Disney Parks fireworks show. The head of entertainment at the time told him, “I don’t want a fireworks show; I want a story in the sky.” With this fresh perspective, Davison looked at pyrotechnics in a new light, viewing them more as “actors” who were catalysts for storytelling.

But water and electricity don’t mix, right? Davison and his team would beg to differ. In addition to featuring Disney’s spectacular fireworks displays, episode six will spotlight the challenges and triumphs of creating Disney California Adventure’s inventive “World of Color” water show.

The Appeal of “Behind the Attraction”

Lomboy summed up the perspective of Walt Disney Imagineering, which is reflected in “Behind the Attraction.” “We want to continue to do the impossible, but we also want to continue to honor the strong legacy of storytelling that Walt set out to charter our parks with almost 70 years ago,” she said. “I think that’s at the very heart of what we do. If you remember where you came from, I think it’s really easy to dream about the future and make that a reality.”

“Behind the Attraction” seeks to do the same, with Volk-Weiss’s “spinach and ice cream” approach to documentary filmmaking, as executive producer Gewirtz called it. (Or, as Disney fans might say, “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.”) If you educate viewers about the past while finding the fun and looking toward the future, audiences have learned a bit of history before they realize it.

Gewirtz explained the appeal of the series, sharing feedback he received after season one was released: “They said, ‘I feel like you made a show just for me,’ And part of that is because you can watch a great docuseries … but, for the most part, people don’t have that personal connection to it. They don’t have that shared experience and that personalized, visceral feeling when you’re watching it, and it just unlocks all these memories that you had experiencing it as a kid or experiencing it as an adult with your family. So that was, really, the magic … that everybody could take a little trip back in time and truly connect with each episode and unlock their personal memories.”

All episodes of “Behind the Attraction” season two will premiere on Disney+ on Nov. 1, 2023.