Kevin P Rafferty - Magic Journey: My Fantastical Walt Disney Imagineering Career

Cover photos by Jess Allen

Cover designed by Winnie Ho

Interior designed by Winnie Ho

Composition and layout by Arlene Schleifer Goldberg

Interior pattern created and illustrated by Nick Balian

Copyright 2019 Kevin P. Rafferty. All rights reserved.

Oscar and Academy Award Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences

Published by Disney Editions, an imprint of Disney Book Group. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

For information address Disney Editions, 1200 Grand Central Avenue, Glendale, California 91201.

ISBN 978-1-368-04514-8

While this book was still buzzing around in my brain and not yet put into these words that dared to come in for a landing on the most frightening thing in the worldblank paperI asked my literary agent, Richard Curtis (its so cool to have a literary agent, especially one who is so renowned and from New York City, which makes him that much more legit), how I should approach and deliver this work. With pencil at the ready to take copious notes, I fully expected him to answer with a long list of strict book-writing rulesa protocol and/or formula for publishing that would ensure the successful delivery on my part of a properly written and formatted book.

But instead, Richard simply answered, Write the book you want to write. Finish it and be happy with it. That was it. And here it is. Thank you, Richard, for your wit and wisdom, and for accompanying me on this journey.

As free and easy as write the book you want to write may sound, it eventually had to be handed over with is dotted and Ts crossed (make that fingers crossed), to an editor. But not just any editor: the best editor not only in NYC but the entire world. Make that the universe. Lucky for me, I know her. In fact, there was no one I would rather hand this labor of love over to than my longtime friend and editor extraordinaire, the wonderful Wendy Lefkon.

Wendy and I go way back, back to when she expertly and lovingly edited my writing for the book Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real (1996). The other day Wendy gave me a gift in the form of one of the greatest compliments I have ever received in my professional life: she called me a real writer. Once youve read this book, youll understand why that comment means so much to me.

Thank you, Wendy, for your treasured friendship and for allowing me to do something I didnt know I could do until I started doing it; and now here it is. Thats so Imagineering! Thanks, most of all, for believing in me as a real writerespecially since I have never quite believed that myself. My deepest gratitude to Wendys talented team, especially Winnie Ho and Nick Balian, for so wonderfully and whimsically designing and illustrating my story.

Ironically, the most difficult thing about writing my Imagineering story was having to talk about myself and my accomplishments. But it was the only way I could give heart and meaning to this Heros Journey. I cringe when I think someone may misinterpret this book as an I did this and I did that collection of boasts, because, truly, boasting is not in my nature and those who know me know I am not that way. When I talk about projects Ive worked on, I certainly did not do any of them alone.

The only thing thats impossible for an Imagineer is accomplishing an Imagineering project on his or her own. The truth is, no Imagineer is an island. We are all in this together and we need each other to get there. But writing this book from a first-person perspective, talking about myself and the stuff Ive done, was the only way I could communicate how an entry-level foot-in-the-door nobody somehow beat the odds to effectively contribute to the creative cause at the most creative company in the world. And although this book is a joyful and playful series of withdrawals from my memory bank, my journey was often not that easy. But thats what made the sweet moments and accomplishments even sweeter.

So, gosh, I hope you dont perceive the following pages as being boastful. My intent was to use the examples of those goals achieved as proof dreams really do come true. I could not have done the things I was able to do without the help, encouragement, and support from many fellow Imagineers over the yearsand I would like to acknowledge and thank them all, past and present. I may have ignited a few creative sparks for ideas that actually made it into the Disney parks, but making those dreams come true took many hearts, minds, and hands. At Imagineering, dreams come true because teams come through!

When I was being swept away by the theatrical production Wicked, the song For Good brought me to tears because the lyrics brought to mind and heart some of my very favorite colleaguesmy family, reallywhom Ive worked most closely with and most admire. Their goodness, talent, help, encouragement, and love have not only made me a better Imagineer and human being, but each, in his or her own special way, has changed my life for good, especially the following Imagineers and ex-Imagineers, who most inspired me and continue to inspire me more than even they could possibly imagine: Marty Sklar, Randy Bright, Robt Coltrin, Tom Fitzgerald, Kathy Mangum, Joe Herrington, Nick Ross, Jeffrey Shaver-Moskowitz, Ryan Adams, Chris Turner, Mark Rhodes, Tracy Smith, Mark Panelli, Mary Ane, Charita Carter, Tom LaDuke, Mason Lev, Bryan Jolley, Nancy Hickman, Jeff Webb, Mindy Wilson, Ken Horii, Chris Runco, Bob Weis, John Schmidt, Dave Fisher, Jim Clark, Bruce Gordon, David Mumford, Ray Cadd, Nancy Seruto, Tony Baxter, Adam Hill, Dave Scott, Steve Litten, Josef Lemoine, Thomas Niederhiser, Lori Coltrin, Dex Tanksley, Sally Judd, Jodi McLaughlin, Dave Durham, Blake Ostrowski, Frank Reifsnyder, Mouse Silverstein, Sue Bryan, Dustin Schofield, Sandi Sullivan, Doug Griffith, Cliff Welch, Tom Leach, Kyle Barnes, Tom Morris, Tim Delaney, Michael Sprout, Alfredo Ayala, Shelby Jiggetts-Tivony, Laura Alletag, Chuck Miller, Chris Mais, Jason Grandt, Steve Kirk, Janny Mulholland, Heidi Rosendahl, Barry Braverman, Raellen Lescault, Chris Beatty, Oscar Cobos, Greg Wilzbach, Stephen Toaster Gregory, George Scribner, Louis Lemoine, Bobby Brooks, Ray Spencer, Tim Kirk, Ed Nemeth, Bruce Vaughn, Bran Ferren, Ray J. Warner, Michael Browne, Chrissie Allen, Brian Nefsky, Chris Merritt, Amy Greive, Kathryn Klatt, Rick Adam, Aristeve Trotter, Jody Gerstner, Glenn Barker, Brandon Kleyla, Chris Crump, Mike Jusko, Daniel Jue, Vicky Todd, Diane Scoglio, Neil Jones, Ted Robledo, Diego Parras, Peggy Van Pelt, Judy Liss, April Warren, Dave Minichiello, Eric Jacobson, Marnie Burress, Scot Drake, Kirk Winterroth, Meghann Morris, Joe Lanzisero, Mary Carver, Brian Houle, Daniel Joseph, Denise Brown, Mark Schirmer, Nina Rae Vaughn, Robert Zuber, Peggie Farris, Trish Cerrone, Vanessa Hunt, Steve Spiegel, Mike Iwerks, Dustin Eshenroder, Zsolt Hormay, Jon Georges, Avi Tuchman, Justin Newton, Scott Trowbridge, Paul Baker, Andrea Lawler, Chuck Myers, Becky Train, Scott Hennesy, Doris Woodward, Scott Mallwitz, Barb Dietzel, Billy Almon, Taryn Stickrath, Rhine Meyering, John Mauvezin, Kathy Rogers, Michael Herman, Chris Carradine, Cathy Ritenour, Larry Nikolai, Maggie Elliott, Greg Randle, Becky Bishop, Anne Osterhout, Paul Osterhout, Skip Lange, Brian Crosby, Bob Stephens, Jennifer Schwartz, Joe Rohde, Ann Myers, Norita Cullen, John Dennis, Michelle Landouw, Mark Diwas, Rick Rothschild, Nick Roedl, Mike Fracassi, Michael Wallden, Pam Fisher, Dan Beaumont, Stacie Covington, Art Verity, Andrew Fisher, John Hench, Debbie Gonzales, Frank Villalpando, Tori (Atencio) McCullough, Mike McCullough, Craig Russell, Kim Irvine, Steve Roach, John Gritz, Josh Gorin, Debra Kohls, Lori Gonzales, Ann Pynchon, Michael Valentino, Dave Crawford, Alec Scribner, Marianne McClean, David Stofcik, Mark Mine, Todd Homme, Paul Rudish, Chris Willis, Cory Sewelson, Ryan Donoghue, Aurelio Garcia, Luc Mayrand, John Bradbury, Jeff Kurtti, Mark LaVine, Amber Samdahl, Coulter Winn, Dan Granberg, Patrick Brennan, Hannah Brennan, David Odom, Antony Capstick, Joe Garlington, John Horny, Jillian Rothman, Derek Howard, Rhoi Carpena, Jess Allen, Scott Goddard, Todd Neubrand, Steve Cotroneo, Owen Yoshino, Suzanne Holzer, Virginia Foote, Kiran Jeffrey, Don Goodman, Kevin Lively, and last but not least, my Pixar project pals, Roger Gould, Liz Gazzano, Tony Apodaca, Jay Ward, Bob Pauley, Bill Cone, Jerome Ranft, Andrew Stanton, Darla Anderson, Pete Docter, Jonas Rivera, and John Lasseter.