Tony Baxter’s career as a Disney Imagineer defined the second generation of Disney Park experiences. Tony’s legacy includes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Indiana Jones Adventure, Star Tours, Journey Into Imagination, and Disneyland Paris. As a lifelong Disney fan who grew up down the street from Disneyland, Tony always dreamed of becoming an Imagineer. He started with the company at the earliest age possible, scooping ice cream at Disneyland. After graduating from college, Tony was hired as an Imagineer to work on the opening of Walt Disney World. Tony concluded his career at Disney in 2013 as the Senior Vice President of Creative Development. For his many contributions to the themed entertainment industry, Tony was named a Disney Legend, received his own window on Main Street USA, earned a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Themed Entertainment Association, and was inducted into the IAAPA Hall of Fame.
In this podcast episode, I have the honor of chatting with Tony about his 40-year career at Walt Disney Imagineering. We discuss some of his favorite projects, his memories of working at Walt Disney World the year it opened, his thoughts about Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary, and his advice for aspiring Imagineers. We also discuss his creative process and methodology for designing legendary attractions.
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