Tomorrowland has lost one of its citizens

George McGinnis

Imagineer George McGinnis, the last Imagineer hired by Walt Disney himself, has died today at age 87. His contributions to Tomorrowland and in all Disney parks are extensive and still evident today. He was the designer of the 20,000 leagues under the sea ride vehicle, the Mark V and VI monorails, Mark VI monorails run at WDW today and He was the Lead designer of Horizons in EPCOT.

Walt saw interest in George McGinnis, an industrial designer, due to his senior project at the Art Center College of Design of a working model of a futuristic high-speed train. Walt  showed him the WEDway PeopleMover system in development and  introduced him to Dick Irvine, President of Imagineering, who invited George to become an Imagineer. George became an Imagineer in 1966.

One of his first jobs was to design transportation for the above model of Progress City which first was presented above The Carousel of Progress at Disneyland. The center piece of this model now exists at Walt Disney World you can see it on the Peoplemover. 

He was also responsible for concept design of the Mighty Microscope for  Adventure Through Inner Space and Disneyland’s Tomorrowland Rocket Jets in 1967.

 the Mighty Microscope 

Disneyland’s Tomorrowland Rocket Jets

Between 1967 to 1971 George designed WEDway PeopleMover trains and parking lot tram vehicles for Walt Disney World still in use today. In 1971, he became a show designer, involved with major projects such as Space Mountain for Walt Disney World which opened in 1975 and Space Mountain Disneyland which opened in 1977. 

During this time he is also responsible for adapting Harper Goff's 1954 Nautilus and designed the ride vehicles for Walt Disney Worlds 20,000 leagues under the sea attraction.

McGinnis concept of Space Mountain on the back of a napkin.

McGinnis drawing of several of his designs.

In 1978 George McGinnis was brought in on his one and only screen credit, Disney's The Black Hole.

He was asked to design V.I.N.CENT. (Vital Information Necessary CENTralized), to try and compete with another familiar robot called R2-D2, and he ended up creating ALL of the robots used in the film.

Maximillian  

Captain S.T.A.R. ("Special Troops/Arms Regiment")

B.O.B. (BiO-sanitation Battalion)

V.I.N.CENT (Vital Information Necessary CENTralized)

George McGinnis among his Sentry Robots.

In 1979 George became manager of Industrial Design for Epcot. Later he became the show designer for Horizons. He also designed SMRT-1 and the Astuter Computer Revue for the Communicore Pavilion. 

HORIZONS where Mission Space now sits

SMRT-1

In 1983 to 1987 George designed the Mark V monorail that debuted at Disneyland in 1987 And the Mark VI monorails currently in use at Walt Disney World.

Mark V Disneyland monorail ( predecessor to the current Mark VII)

Mark VI Walt Disney World monorail (currently in use)

Also during this time he contributed design ideas for Delta Dreamflight/Take Flight in Tomorrowland and designed the tram vehicles for the Disney-MGM Studios Backlot Tour.

 

Between 1990 and 1995 George designed the "JEEPS" that are currently used in Indiana Jones Adventure in Disneyland and Dinosaur, formerly Countdown to Extinction, at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Indiana Jones Adventure Disneyland

Dinosaur Animal Kingdom.

Some other contributions include boat vehicles for Splash Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom, the Space Mountain ride vehicle concept for Disneyland Paris, river boats, safari vehicles, and a “steam” locomotive and cars for Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World. George retired in 1995 but continued as a consultant on Rocket Rods in Tomorrowland and river raft designs for Animal Kingdom and California adventure.

We have truly lost a pivotal individual responsible for the past,present and future of our beloved theme parks. R.I.P. George McGinnis.

Moving forward

As I write this on monorail red going to EPCOT I am reminded about how Walt Disney invisioned transportation for his Florida project. We came onto the property past Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney) and noticed the new bus lanes, now I know that bus lanes aren't a new thing but if you think about Walt's original plans for his EPCOT they included monorails, people movers and yes bus lanes all seperate from regular traffic even commercial vehicles were to have their own traveling lane sub level. So
When I saw bus lanes and how well they were working with the traffic it made me think at least we are still moving forward.

Where are they now? #1

As much as we would like to see many of our beloved Disney attractions to come back, we have to be resolved in the sad truth that they will only live in our memories, pictures and videos. Thankfully Disney is kind of horder, I've spoken to certain cast members that have told me that there are several warehouses filled with props and pieces that they deem worthy enough to keep, yes they have been known to have let go of some pieces to Ebay, or put things into service elsewhere, but they still have a lot of "stuff".A lot of it has been incorporated into existing rides or strategically placed in plain sight.Every so often I will try and do a "Where are they now?" segment and provide pictures ,locations and some history of where they came from and where they are or might be.

So without any further ado, my first piece is from the beloved original version of Journey Into Imagination.

Some call it the Dream Machine and some call it the Dream Catcher either way it is one heck of a flying machine. There were 5 of these on a rotating stage in the ride and was part of the opening scene introducing our two hosts Dreamfinder and Figment.

The Dream Catcher in Mouse Gears

And here it is located at the south entrance to Mouse Gears at EPCOT.

I chose this to be my first piece because I miss this version of the ride so much and I'm constantly pointing it out to my friends.