Since 1970 – fueled by the Clean Water Act and the movement toward environmental education – April 22 has been celebrated as Earth Day: a borderless celebration of the power of environmental protection and our one planet. But for Imagineering fans, there’s perhaps been no bigger celebration of this international holiday than the opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 1998.
Considered a masterwork of Imagineering, this magnum opus of themed entertainment design was made possible by a team of dedicated researchers, designers, engineers, animal care experts, and scientists often exemplified by Joe Rohde – the lead designer of the park (and, among others, the Lost Legend: The Adventurers Club). A scholar, a philosopher, an artist, and a true-life adventurer (literally serving as the inspiration for several members of S.E.A.), Rohde is an icon of modern Imagineering… and wonderfully, he’s often let fans in on his thought process…
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