If You Have A Chance To Ask Disney's Imagineers...

Along those lines, I would ask why the back of EE looks like this:

We have a friend who is an imagineer in master planning so this is something he might know... Will ask next time we see him!

Wow...only one question? Better make it a good one.

How about knowing what we know now about technology, crowd control, traffic patterns, etc., if you could redesign any one park from scratch, what would you do differently? What would you keep the same?

I like that one.

I would like to ask why does it take so long to build a new ride or themed area when other parks can construct new rides or areas in a fraction of the time that it normally takes for Disney Imagineering.

I would ask what the biggest road block to taking a project from blue sky to fruition is. I think I know the answer, ok I think i know two answers, but it would be interesting to hear it from them.

I respect what you're saying. But let me present the opposite. The 7 Dwarfs Mine Train took over 5 years to make but there has been widespread criticism that the ride is too short. Not to mention that the restraint system has made it impossible for some Pooh-sized or Baloo-sized guests to ride or if they are able to ride it by chance, a very tight and uncomfortable ride with little or no leg room for a good portion of adult riders. Whether management was forced to cave in and build the Mine Train ride to deflect criticism that New Fantasyland was too girly or princess-y or even if the ride was necessary in the first place is up for debate. But it has made New Fantasyland more congested while Epcot and the Studios have been given the cold shoulder in terms of not being given brand new rides.

Why the empty buildings in EPCOT like The Odyssey, and Wonders of Life pavilion? I understand that the odyssey is used for corporate events, but it seems like such prime real estate. The wonders of life: if they did not want to re-do a life pavillion why not a new theme? Maybe a weather pavilion?

Actually the Wonders of Life Pavilion is used as the welcome center for Food & Wine Festival in the fall. They also have seminars, cooking demonstrations and wine tastings etc. I think it is used for the same purpose for the Flower & Garden show in the spring. So it does not sit empty year round.

My wife and I had the opportunity to meet with an Imagineer a few years ago. We did "Dining with an Imagineer". Got to pick his brain for about 2-3 hours in a private room at The Brown Derby. An experience we won't forget.
We also got to talk to several imagineers at the HM, there were cutouts of characters along the queue line and as we walked past, we stopped. As we were looking at them trying to figure out what they were, we were approached by a few imagineers. They told us this was for the future expansion of the HM queue. The cardboard cutouts eventually turned out to be the 5 busts when you first enter the stand-by line. The original concept was to have them talk, but we could barely hear the voices and it was 9:30 in the morning and empty. I think they did a great job with the plaques, and having you figure out who killed who.

This is the exact reason we won't ride it. I'm more of a tall Pooh-sized person. I did it once and the discomfort it caused wasn't worth the ride. It's hurt the backs of my legs and butt so bad I couldn't wait to get off. Plus my knees, at 5' 8" nearly hit the front of the car. I can't imagine why they wouldn't have considered a plethora of sized riders (or they did and didn't care?!).