Walt Disney Imagineering enjoys a reputation as some of the most creative, cleverest people around. While much of WDI’s greatest works take the form of entire theme parks, there are plenty of instances that showcase WDI’s magic.
Take, for example, the smallest little effect you can observe at Disneyland. If you’re at the Disneyland Rail Road New Orleans Square station, and it’s a bit quiet, you can hear the sounds of a gathering going on. The sounds come from a window on an “apartment” in New Orleans Square. You can find a similar instance of this “sound imagineering” on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland. Halfway toward the hub, on the right, is a short extension off of the street. Go all the way to the end and you’ll hear the sounds of a hotel guest or two.
These effects are not hard to do, and they don’t blow your mind. They do, however, add a certain depth to the theme park, a little hint of magic. You’d never really miss them if they were never there, but when they are there, your mind quietly takes notice. And that’s what makes these effects so cool.
