SHANGHAI (October 11, 2019) – Shanghai Disney Resort today announced the long-awaited return of Disney Imaginations Shanghai, following the huge success of last year’s inaugural competition. This year’s contest brings a new project challenge, an expanded set of participating universities, and more opportunities for full-time students to let their creativity flow and design innovative concepts to present in 2020.
This year, Shanghai Disney Resort continues its collaboration with Walt Disney Imagineering Shanghai to invite even more universities to put forward teams to showcase their creativity, innovation and design prowess in order to compete and learn what it takes to create a magical experience. This second competition once again showcases Shanghai Disney Resort’s commitment to nurturing local talent and providing opportunities for creative teams and individuals. Ten different universities will be taking part, including the first-ever institution from Hangzhou. The competing students will be from the following universities: Shanghai Jiaotong University, Tongji University, East China Normal University, East China University of Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai University, Shanghai Theatre Academy, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts and China Academy of Art.
Winners of the 2019-2020 Disney Imaginations Shanghai competition will be offered internships at Shanghai Disney Resort, win a cash prize, and will join other young talents from around the world for the opportunity of a lifetime – to travel to Glendale, California on a funded trip to the home of Walt Disney Imagineering to learn from the best in the industry. The second and third place teams will also receive cash prizes and the chance to interview for prestigious internships at Shanghai Disney Resort.
The competition launches in autumn 2019, with a traveling roadshow where both the competition and the project challenge will be presented to the participating universities. Teams will have the chance to register in October, and will be able to submit entries from November 15, 2019 through January 10, 2020. All submitted entries will be evaluated and finalists will be announced in February 2020. Competitors in the final will have around 15 minutes to present their entry to a panel of experienced judges and can use anything they wish to enhance their presentation, including mock-ups and 3D plans.
Shanghai Disney Resort started Disney Imaginations Shanghai in 2018 in collaboration with Walt Disney Imagineering Shanghai, and finalists from last year’s competition had the chance to visit Shanghai Disney Resort to take part in presentation workshops and exclusive trainings with Disney Imagineers and were also given the chance to interview for internships in departments throughout the resort. On November 20, 2018, Team Magic Plate from East China University of Science and Technology was selected as the winner of the inaugural competition after delivering a stellar presentation. Each member of the four-person team, along with two members from other finalist teams are currently enjoying internships at Shanghai Disney Resort.
The Walt Disney Imagineering Imaginations Design Competition was originally started in 1991 by Walt Disney Imagineering to seek out and nurture the next generation of Imagineers. The program has become a renowned competition and has expanded across the globe to include separate versions run by Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Shanghai Disney Resort. Provided with a project challenge, students work in teams to deliver a concept similar to how Disney Imagineers develop their blue sky projects, providing the opportunity for students to showcase their skills and talents to Disney leadership.
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