This project came about during a major rehab for many of the animatronic figures Disney Guests see while on The Railroad, or the Rivers of America Paddle Boat at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park.

Originally built in the 1970’s, this figure had been severely damaged, and needed to be removed from the park. With minimal tooling and no technical drawings, I was brought on board to build an entirely new, digital version of this figure that could be documented, redesigned where necessary, and 3D Printed for production.

In its original construction, this figure would have taken a significant amount of time, and resources from many talented artisans to produce. Those trades have not been lost entirely in this new process, but with the increased quality and efficiency of 3D Scanning and 3D printing, the labor hours need and cost of a project like this has been significantly impacted for the better.

This figure was originally produced with fiberglass and molding processes. With 3D Scanning and Digital Sculpting Programs, I was able to piece together this broken character, digitize and modernize its design, all the while doing my best to preserve the original artist’s creative intent. In the event of future damage, the affected area can be removed, a new modified part can be designed digitally and the modified section can be 3D printed to replace it.

I worked hand in hand with partners on Walt Disney Imagineering’s Show Quality Services team. It was my job to ensure that the quality artistry in the original figure was thoroughly maintained and executed in the final product.

Not only was I responsible for ensuring quality aesthetics were executed through the digital processes, I was also tasked with making assembly, and mechanical access more efficient, wherever possible.

Where screws and fasteners were once used on access panels, magnets replaced them. In areas like the characters hands, and face that had lost some detail after years of wear and repainting, I was responsible for re-sculpting these details back in to the new figure.

With the design complete, and approved by partners at Walt Disney Imagineering, it was time to 3D Print all the necessary shells and pass them on to the incredible mechanics in the Animation Shop, and then artists in the Paint Paint Shop.

With the character complete, he is now ready to go back in to the park! You can find this work along Magic Kingdom’s Rivers of America in Frontierland.