Today Holds the Challenge

Every year Disney installs a new group of Legends. The Legends come from actors, actresses, broadcasters, singers, songwriters, composers, administrators, and animators, among a myriad of other talents, but the one category that most theme park enthusiasts clamor over are the Imagineers. Every year, beginning in 1987, a new batch of Disney Legends are honored, and every year I find one name unceremoniously absent from the list, George McGinnis.

The Disney Legends are honored for their imagination and ideas, their skills and craftsmanship, and the magic created by combining these separate elements into one brilliant amalgamation. All of these attributes are, indeed, embodied by George McGinnis and his body of achievements.

George McGinnis’ history with Walt Disney Imagineering includes work on such marvels as the Magic Kingdom’s WEDway Peoplemover, both Space Mountains, various attractions within Communicore, various transportation elements in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure, among others. Yet, he is probably best known for his work on the most beloved extinct attraction of all time, EPCOT Center’s Horizons.

Over the next few months we are going to take a closer look at the life and creations of George McGinnis. There are fascinating stories to tell, full of wonderful challenges that were overcome, dreams of the future, and tantalizing glimpses into the past. Hopefully you will learn a thing or two about George McGinnis and his body of work, and maybe together, we can honor the Legend in our own right.