Becoming an Imagineer

[Virii]

So I'm just curious, what is required to be an imagineer? What do you need in terms of education, and how much do they get paid?

 

[sandyhund]

Wow Virii you must have been reading my mind. I was considering starting a thread about the same thing. Hopefully we can get some good info.

 

[Virii]

I visited Disneyland today and just thought it would be great to think up rides, and ways to make magic for people.

 

[Feralpeg]

So I'm just curious, what is required to be an imagineer? What do you need in terms of education, and how much do they get paid?

It depends on what type of imagineer you want to become. It is a rather generic term that Disney uses for many types of positions. Not all imagineers are artists, ride designers, etc. Many people at Disney work their way up through the ranks. In fact, from what I've heard from talking to WDW CMs, they prefer to promote from within. They have a lot of intern positions. The positions are posted on their website under the careers area along with minimum requirements.

As for salary, that would depend on the type of position, educational background and years of service. I have many neighbors who work for Disney. They are all in different types of positions and have different backgrounds. One started as a CM working summers during high school. One was hired out of college. Another, moved here for a marketing position after working in the field for another company. Disney is very much like any other business in this respect.

 

[captinhookedondisney]

I was wondering the about the same thing cause i want to be come an imaginear

 

[Virii]

Well in terms of say, being one of the guys who decides if a new ride should be put in and if so, figures out what kind of ride, etc... or if an area/ride should be rethemed, etc? WHat sort of imagineer position would you say that is?

 

[jellydisney]

Well in terms of say, being one of the guys who decides if a new ride should be put in and if so, figures out what kind of ride, etc... or if an area/ride should be rethemed, etc? WHat sort of imagineer position would you say that is?

The CEO.

Imagineers probably don't actually decide IF a ride should be put in, and where, and when. That would be your upper management. Imagineers probably (I'm guessing) get assigned to something that's already been approved.

 

[Feralpeg]

The CEO.

Imagineers probably don't actually decide IF a ride should be put in, and where, and when. That would be your upper management. Imagineers probably (I'm guessing) get assigned to something that's already been approved.

That is true. The lady who lives across the street is an imagineer. She helped put together Wishes. They were given the basic plan for what it should be and the budget. Her team put together the details, but the high level design was already done before her team got it.

For instance, I had a long talk with an artist a few years ago. This is when they were still doing animation in the Orlando area. There is a staff of high level artists/designers who come up with the initial designs based on upper management direction. This guy had worked on Lion King. The characters had already been designed and the story written. His job was to do animation drawings for a particular scene copying the specs for the characters created by the original designer. He wasn't real thrilled with his job at the time. He didn't find it very creative. Those artists you saw in the movie extra features sitting with a lion doing sketches are not the majority of the artists.

 

[disneyaggie]

Great thread! Love the info.