OUTREACH AND INSPIRATION
IN OUR COMMUNITIES
As Imagineers, one of our greatest rewards is knowing that the experiences and environments we create inspire others. The diversity of expertise at Imagineering makes us uniquely capable of influencing positive change in our communities and around the world. And knowing that we have helped make a difference is incredibly fulfilling and inspiring for all of us.
DISNEY TEAM OF HEROES
“Using the powerful combination of our beloved characters and legendary creativity, Imagineers have helped to transform what can be a strange and unfamiliar environment into something less intimidating, more personalized and engaging for kids and their families.”
– Carmen Smith, Executive Creative Development-Inclusive Strategies
Hospitals can be intimidating places for both kids and parents. That’s why as part of the Disney Team of Heroes Initiative, Imagineers were proud to work with Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston to reimagine the hospital experience. We brought together a team ready to apply its passion and know-how to help create moments of joy and reassurance to families going through a challenging time. The team partnered with the Enterprise Social Responsibility team, child-life experts, doctors, nurses and parents as well as talent from across Disney to develop a range of experiences aimed at reducing anxiety that often accompanies a hospital visit.
Imagineers harnessed thoughtful techniques from our parks and resorts around the world and applied them to meet this important challenge with our signature focus on inclusivity, delight, care and wonder. The team reimagined patient rooms and gathering spaces to radiate a sense of warmth and inspiration, and to cheer patients and their loved ones with magical installations. And they used tools like virtual and augmented reality to design experiences that can help families make happy memories while bringing favorite stories to life through the new Disney Team of Heroes app. In addition to gameplay, media and character interactions, the app also unlocks new ways to build meaningful and empowering connections with caregivers and hospital staff while ensuring that patients always have familiar friends nearby on their hospital journey.
About Disney Team of Heroes
The Disney Team of Heroes initiative provides comfort and inspiration to children facing serious illness throughout their journey. This includes the immersive and personal moments that Disney delivers through wish-granting efforts and in children’s hospitals.
FIRST
“I’ve seen firsthand how much young people learn from being involved in FIRST – from design and engineering, to project management and creative problem solving. The collaborative and inventive spirit emulates our culture at Imagineering, and we’re proud to continue our long-term support of FIRST.”
– Bob Weis, President of Walt Disney Imagineering
For more than two decades, Walt Disney Imagineering has provided sponsorship and mentorship to FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a national organization that encourages young people to pursue education and career opportunities in science and technology fields. Imagineers mentor FIRST teams to help them conceptualize and solve complex engineering problems, and those solutions are then put to the test at the annual FIRST Robotics Competition. By building robots that accomplish real-world tasks, students experience innovation through collaboration, see the value of learning from trial and error, and demonstrate good sportsmanship in the face of fierce competition. Working with the students, Imagineers enjoy sharing technical expertise and design-thinking skills while instilling a sense of confidence and competence in the next generation of dreamers and doers.
GIRLS WHO CODE
“I find it absolutely essential that we inspire these young women to chase their dreams. I, myself, wanted to be an Imagineer, and it’s amazing to get to tell my story and let them know that these dreams can come true.”
– Brittany Howell, Project Coordinator
At Walt Disney Imagineering, our ingenuity is kindled by our diversity in background and outlook. And we are strongest when the talent behind our innovation reflects the diversity of the guests who visit our parks and resorts. That’s why we’re thrilled to encourage the next generation of female scientists and technologists by hosting groups from Girls Who Code, a national nonprofit organization that works to close the gender gap in technology. Imagineers are proud to welcome female high school students from around the country and take them behind the scenes to learn about the fundamentals of computer science, as applied to fields like fabrication, programming, robotics and more. During their visit, the students explore the wide variety of careers at Walt Disney Imagineering that employ science and technology to bring stories to life, while gaining perspective from leading women who have forged their own paths in these important fields.
IMAGINEERING IN A BOX
“No matter your choice of career, it is incredibly valuable to learn how to translate an idea from your head to tangible reality. This series is a great opportunity for learners of all ages to get hands-on experience applying art and engineering concepts to design challenges, as told through real-world examples from Disney parks all around the globe.”
– Josh Gorin, Creative Development Executive
One of the hallmark characteristics of an Imagineer is boundless curiosity: about the world, about people, about stories and about how things work. Expertise arises from exploring challenges, but first you have to be brave enough to ask questions and pursue answers. Walt Disney Imagineering was proud to partner with Pixar to develop educational video content for Khan Academy, a global nonprofit organization that offers free, high-quality online courses to anyone, anywhere. The program, Imagineering in a Box, includes 32 segments with Imagineers showcasing how science, technology, engineering, the arts and math (the STEAM fields) are used to create experiences at Disney parks around the world. Covering a wide variety of topics, each of the lessons inspires, teaches and — most of all — ignites curiosity.
Imagineers encourage learners to engage with their world through interactive tutorials that reveal our process, and exercises prompt students to gather items around them and create something new. The lessons leverage Walt Disney Imagineering’s expertise to help close the opportunity gap by making learning globally accessible. With Imagineering in a Box, Imagineers invite the curious to learn techniques that can help them bring their imagined worlds to life.