The Disney Parks are known for being a place that fans can go and find some of their favorite characters. These characters come from many different parts of The Walt Disney Company, including Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel. On any given day, guests can meet Chewbacca at Disneyland, Captain America at Disney California Adventure, Mr. Incredible at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and, of course, Mickey Mouse and friends at most Disney theme parks. Recently, the Fantastic Four and H.E.R.B.I.E. arrived in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. Guests at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Disneyland Paris can also see members of Marvel’s first family.
Bringing these characters from the retro-futuristic look of the 1960s is something that brings the characters from the screen alive in the Disney Parks. This is something that Disney can do very well, bringing characters from the big and little screen to the parks. In an interview released by Disney, David Lightbody, who heads up Disney Live Entertainment, and Kyle Laughlin, leader of Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development (R&D), shared how the characters from The Fantastic Four: First Steps came to the parks.
How early do park teams begin to work with filmmakers to bring the characters to these parks day and date with the movie premiere?
Lightbody: It’s incredibly exciting to collaborate with the filmmakers to bring to life the stories and characters they create for the big screen in our parks. We partner with them early on, while they are still in development or in production, to ensure we can deliver the most authentic guest experience that translates from the set to the parks. As is often the case, Imagineers and Disney Live Entertainment cast members got the chance to visit the set of the film to get a feel for the environments, sets, props, and more, providing amazing inspiration to design and create experiences true to the source material.
What is the most important factor in creating a seamless transition from the big screen to the parks?
Lightbody: The partnership with the filmmakers is so key, as we want guests to have similar emotions with the parks experience as they do when they see the film — through the story, characters, themes, or even music. With The Fantastic Four: First Steps, we had the opportunity to lean into all of these with these parks’ experiences. For example: in Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland it was essential to bring these characters to Tomorrowland, which felt more in line with the design and aesthetic of the film. Music plays such an important role in our experiences, and Michael Giacchino’s score for this film is the perfect fit for our parks and experiences worldwide.
For a limited time, guests may encounter H.E.R.B.I.E., the Fantastic Four’s faithful robot assistant, outside the Tomorrowland Theater in Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif.
What did it take to bring H.E.R.B.I.E. to life?
Laughlin: Just like in the film, H.E.R.B.I.E. started as an experiment — only this time, the experiment was ours. The R&D team jumped at the chance to bring this character to life using the latest in robotic self-balancing technology. We collaborated closely with the film’s design team to make sure every detail translated from screen to real-world and even partnered with the original voice talent to keep things as true to character as possible.
What’s wild is how quickly it all came together — from concept to park-ready in just 90 days. Fastest we’ve ever done it. And honestly, seeing H.E.R.B.I.E. roll through the parks in real life? It’s just plain cool.
How many cast members did it take to bring The Fantastic Four: First Steps to life in these parks?
Laughlin: It was an amazing collaboration across Disney Experiences to bring these characters and experiences to Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Line. So many talented individuals joined together from Walt Disney Imagineering, WDI R&D, Disney Live Entertainment, Operations, Food & Beverage, Merchandise, and Disney Photo Imaging to create these experiences for our guests, and we have amazing partnerships with our marketing and synergy teams across the company. So, it would not be an exaggeration to say that hundreds of people had a part in this incredible effort.
For more details on all the ways to see Fantastic Four heroes in our parks, see theDisney Parks Blog story.
For a limited time, guests may encounter The Thing from The Fantastic Four as he makes appearances outside the Tomorrowland Theater in Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif.
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