Eastern Michigan University student Laura Whitbeck’s entry is one of the six selected for Walt Disney Imagineering’s ImagiNations competition. From June 8-16 she, along with team member Allison Fishman, will travel on an all expenses paid trip to Glendale, California where they will meet, network and learn from Imagineer employees.
They will also finalize their projects and make their design presentation to a judging panel of Disney executives. At the end of the experience, select finalists may be offered an internship with Disney’s Imagineers.
“I would love to work for Disney,” Whitbeck said. “I probably want a job in attractions or resort development. Something creative.”
Fishman said, “I want to do something there [Disney] in design concepts or interior decorating.”
Imagineers are the Disney workers who create all the Disney experiences, from parks to resorts, from concept to construction.
Disney’s ImagiNations Competition is a design competition where college students submit a design for a ride, attraction, hotel or a land within an existing Disney theme park or resort.
“This is a dream opportunity,” Fishman said. “This is life changing for me because it’s a major distinguishing factor to be a finalist in an international competition.”
“I really look forward to going to the Imagineering Headquarters and seeing the drawings and all the things they do there,” Whitbeck said.
Whitbeck, a Winter 2010 graduate of the EMU art program teamed up with Fishman, a video animations major at Columbia College of Chicago, to create Disney’s Seascape Resort inspired by Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.”
“I got inspired by reading Disney Imagineering books. We did a lot of research before we settled on our final idea,” said Fishman.
The main theme driving the resort is guest interaction, such as six pools with different sensory experiences in each one, like a coral reef pool to stimulate what a guest sees. They also include many eco-friendly innovations such as using vertical shading devices so direct sunlight does not heat up a room, in place of central air conditioning.
“Our story is of a mermaid city that washed ashore,” said Whitbeck. “One of our pools changes color, and we have a joke that guests are seeing the world through rose colored goggles.”
The duo created four 3-D models, a welcome packet, a map, employee costume/work outfits and a list of activities, such as watercraft lessons led by Prince Eric’s crew, for the Seascape Resort. When they arrive in California, they hope to add more drawings and another model for their final presentation.
“I really enjoyed doing the hotel room models,” said Whitbeck. “We built it out of sea materials. There are beds with starfish legs, sand for carpeting, and we used a lot of shells. We also made models of the special acoustic tile for better sound quality within the resort, as well as a model of the whole hotel that lights up.”
“We wanted to develop a lot of different ideas, so we decided to do a resort to give us the freedom to create a lot of different things,” said Fishman.
The duo met when they both did the Disney College Program in 2008 where Fishman worked as a fairy-godmother-in-training and Whitbeck worked as a tour guide. They were both classmates in Creative and Innovation where they learned about the theories behind the topics.
“Jennifer Locke [at EMU] was my independent study teacher. I talked about drawing and perspective for the project with her. Professor Regiara was my watercolors teacher and I took what I learned from her to do my drawings,” said Whitbeck.
“We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to work together. We were a good team and our skills complemented each other’s,” said Fishman.
However, the project was not without its setbacks for Fishman and Whitbeck. When they learned in April they were finalists, Disney set them up with three mentors. One worked with them on professional development while the other two were Imagineers who worked with them on project problems.
“It was hard because we live in two different cities. We learned to work together and communication was key,” said Fishman.
“It was hard balancing a full course load while doing the project, but I graduated summa cum laude,” said Whitbeck. “It [The project] was all I thought about and all I talked about.
In California, Whitbeck and Fishman will meet the other finalists whose winning designs include a thrill ride inspired by Disney’s “The Lion King” and a museum of life in the distant future inspired by Disney’s “WALL-E.”
“We are honored to be standing at their level and working with them will give us a fresh perspective,” Fishman said. “I am confident in the ideas we have come up with.”
“I’m trying to find them online and it would be great to make good friends,” Whitbeck said. “In our presentation, we have a few tricks up our sleeve. We have designed our [3-D] models to be interactive with the audience and surprise them.”
The duo is currently in Chicago on a work session to attend a Disney event called Doorways to Dreams. They are finalizing their project and practicing for the judging panel.
“We wanted to see a professional performance about Disney information. We wanted to learn how to present technical and hard facts in a fun way, without coming across as boring,” said Fishman.
The EMU art department was awarded a $1000 grant from Disney because Whitbeck was this year’s finalist.
