✨I Went to Disney to Study Tech—and Got Emotionally Hacked ✨
Around 4:00 AM, we left for Disney, bags packed and camera batteries charged. I had been preparing for weeks storyboarding, researching, scripting. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
🧐 Research and Development
This project was highly anticipated, announced months before we even wrapped up our last one. When the final product was revealed a video thesis I was ecstatic. Finally, a chance to tell a story with both visuals and ideas.
From the start, I knew that this project would be about more than just showcasing what I saw. I needed to communicate a clear, engaging message and bring the audience along on my journey. That meant understanding the why behind everything.
I was part of the Technical group, focused on the driving question:
“How does technology enable creativity and collaboration to turn dreams into reality?”
For my personal inquiry, I narrowed in on something a bit more human:
How does technology enhance emotional connection and create unforgettable experiences?
✈️ The Trip Begins
Walt Disney World is a dream destination, but I wasn’t going just to have fun, I was going to investigate. The parks are full of world-class engineering and design, but what struck me most was how technology there isn’t used to impress you, it’s used to connect with you.
From the moment we arrived, I was surrounded by examples:
- MagicBands making every interaction personal
- Animatronics that feel like living characters
- Immersive experiences that respond to you in real-time
What looked like simple magic was really years of engineering, storytelling, and innovation—all working together to make the guest experience seamless and deeply emotional.
🎢 The Magic Behind the Curtain
One of my favorite discoveries was how Disney manages to balance old and new. I learned about the original animatronics in Pirates of the Caribbean, running on hydraulics and pneumatics. Then I saw the evolution like the Na’vi Shaman of Songs in Pandora, which is fully electric and one of the most advanced figures ever made.
Even with all this innovation, Imagineers always come back to one goal: making you feel something.
Talking with Disney Cast Members and Imagineers, one message stood out:
“Technology should never replace the human touch it should enhance it.”
That really stuck with me.
💫 Technology That Feels Like Magic
The most impressive part? The personalization.
Whether it was a character calling me by name, my MagicBand lighting up during a ride, or a stranger becoming a friend in line for Rise of the Resistance, every moment felt uniquely mine. That’s not accidental that’s designed.
Disney’s tech doesn’t just work behind the scenes. It meets you where you are and makes you feel like you matter. It’s storytelling, engineered.
🎇 My Final Takeaway
This wasn’t just a field study. It was a realization: Technology, when used with intention, doesn’t take away from the human experience it deepens it. It doesn’t steal the spotlight it quietly builds it, pixel by pixel, servo by servo, behind every moment of joy.
So yes, I went to Disney to study tech.
Thank you for reading, and as always have a good day.