Peeking inside an ‘Imagineer’s mind’

Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Director Ted Robledo

Imagination may be the only limit to what he can create and build. And while Ted Robledo may not be the real Tony Stark, he—along with his team of “Imagineers”—could easily pass off as this famous fictional superhero.

Proof of this was the Iron Man Experience unveiled recently at the Hong Kong Disneyland, which showcased the genius, creativity, skill, and thorough planning behind this highly anticipated structure.

What made Iron Man Experience particularly impressive were the various features incorporated by the Imagineers, including the Stark Expo, the technological wonderland of Stark Industries, and the different exhibition halls where guests can get up close to the iconic Iron Man MARK III suit and other leading advancements in the sphere of defense.

Another must see is the flying Expo Edition Iron Wing, that is powered by its own arc reactor and which features the latest technology by Stark Industries—from the heavy-duty armour plating, artificial intelligence and self-healing glass. This feature will take guests on a thrilling aerial tour to get a unique perspective of the Hong Kong skyline.

Meanwhile, get to know more about the crucial role that the Imagineers had played in a somewhat different arena of property development, and what went on behind the scenes. Inquirer Property sat down with Robledo and here’s what he had to say.

Inquirer Property: What is the role of an “imagineer?”

Ted: I’m a creative director and I help lead a team of many different imagineers. Imagineering is made up of a hundred different disciplines actually.

Everything from people with art background like myself, writers, producers, structural engineers, architects—you name it, we’ve got it.

We’ve got people that I can’t even explain what they do. We like to call them magicians or illusionists but for myself, I work with a group of people who help bring a story to life.

Robledo: We’re building structures or vehicles to bring stories to life.

IP: How do you define the term “imagineering?”

Ted: It’s a word, I think, that Walt Disney coined a long time ago, and it absolutely speaks to the idea of imagination and technology coming together. If you can imagine something, we can do it.

IP: But how is your job as an imagineer different from a typical engineering work?

Ted: If you’re an architectural or structural engineer, you may be working on bridges, or if you’re a structural engineer, you deal with buildings.

In our case here, we’re building structures or vehicles to bring stories to life. I think it’s the biggest difference. It’s not about our everyday lives. It’s about the lives we can’t have in our everyday lives.

We want to come to parks like Disneyland to experience something we can’t experience anywhere else. I think that’s the difference between engineering and the science and technology of Walt Disney Imagineering, and the real world, if you will.

IP: How significant is an imagineer’s role in making theme parks and rides?

Ted: It starts with the Walt Disney imagineers. We actually are here to come up with solutions for ideas that actually start at the parks, the resorts themselves. They come to us with a need, with an idea.

We’re looking for certain characters or whatnot that are very popular. How can we bring those characters or those stories into our parks? It’s the imagineers who are activated to come up with these solutions. They basically create these attractions to fit their needs.

IP: What’s the best part of being an imagineer?

Ted: The best part of being an imagineer, I think, is working with a lot of diverse people—diverse, not just culturally, ethnically, but more importantly, diverse in their disciplines.

I have a creative background, traditional creative background as defined by the arts—you know painting or drawing, illustrations and all those types of things.

But I’ve come to (know more about the) disciplines in Walt Disney Imagineering—you have actual engineers, writers, sound designers. They’re creative in their own way too.

IP: Would you say that Iron Man is the most exciting project you have to date? And the most challenging as well?

Ted: I’d say it’s a little bit of both. We’ve had many challenges. With all the teams that I’ve worked with and the many projects I’ve worked on, Iron Man Experience has been a satisfying experience for me in a different way.

Maybe it’s a little more personal for me, as a kid who grew up a fan of superheroes and comic books. I got to meet one of my heroes, Stan Lee. That was a huge moment for me.

IP: How long did it take you to finish planning?

Ted: We—at Hong Kong Disneyland, at WDI or Walt Disney Imagineering team, the local team in Hong Kong, and the team in California—have been collaborating for over three years to make this happen.

It’s been an amazing journey, especially getting to work with all of these other studios, like Marvel and storytellers.

I’ve always wanted to draw comic books. This is probably the next best thing for me, to meet the guys from Marvel, to work with the guys and gals who created these special effects and the visuals for our attractions here, interesting folks who worked on Star Wars movies. That’s another one that’s really close to my heart. That’s been really satisfying.

IP: If it’s my first time at Disneyland, why should I visit the Iron Man Experience?

Ted: It’s the first of its kind around the world. It’s the first of its kind in any of our Disney parks—it’s the first time we’ve had a Marvel store in any of our theme parks.

The most real example I can think is of that feeling that Marvel fans get when they’re watching an Iron Man or an Avengers movie. You see, it’s one thing to see your favorite superhero having an adventure on screen.

Here, you know, we’re bringing you into that story. You’re part of that movie. You’re part of that adventure.

IP: Do you have a favorite feature at the Iron Man Experience?

Ted: I actually got to ride with actual park guests for the first time. And it was just so great to hear their reaction and just how much they love the experience. That was really great.

But who knows? Maybe I’ll get to go to the Iron Man Tech Showcase or encounter. I don’t know if I’ll get to actually meet Iron Man but being in that place with real guests and getting to meet the real Iron Man, that might be my new favorite.

IP: Where do you get your ideas? What inspires you to continue doing these things?

Ted: We’re lucky enough that as imagineers, we get to work close to a story that we can relate to or a fan of.

I have many colleagues who are a fan of the classic Disney films or even the films from the ‘90s like Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast. I’m a fan of all the new films coming out recently like Zootopia or the Pixar movies, the Star Wars movies. It’s so tough to say what’s my favorite, what I’m looking for. But the best part of it all is being able to sort of work on something that first and foremost, I’m a fan of.

It’s not just an assignment. It’s something you already sort of like, love and relate to. That’s the best part.

IP: What’s next for you?

Ted: Right now, I’m still focused on making sure Iron Man opens up, and be welcomed by many. But there are a lot of things around the world that hopefully, I’ll have the privilege to do. I hope to stay within Asia. I really like the projects that are here. They’re very exciting.