Imagineering Turns 60

Disney celebrates the creative smarties behind the theme parks.

MOUSE MAVENS: Disneyland and a Southern California childhood go way back. Back to 1955, when some citrus groves in Anaheim became the world's most famous theme park. But how a giant mountain roller coaster can spring from where an orange tree stood is quite the story, and we have Imagineers to thank for it. The creative minds behind Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and all of the Disney theme parks around the world not only have one of the coolest job names -- "imagineer" instantly conveys where that person works -- but they have a cool job: Making things fun. That's the long and the short of it, although math and writing and ideas certainly play in. Who would argue, though, that Imagineers work at fun?

The theme park-making division of Disney is now 60. You can see one of Imagineering's most recent projects on display in the 2013 Rose Parade -- that's the brand-new Cars Land float, inspired by the new land created by Imagineers at California Adventure -- or you can take a peep at this video that was released in honor of the creative division's big anniversary.

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