Imagineer Reveals Mickey Mouse Mural in Creations Shop

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

Walt Disney Imagineer Zach Riddley has revealed a new Mickey Mouse mural inside Creations Shop at EPCOT.

This hand-painted work of art is over 35 feet long and is titled “Mouse in Motion.”

Below is Riddley’s full caption:

EPCOT has a wealth of original art and artifacts installed through the park that tells OUR story – of history and wonder and curiosity. Since the beginning, murals like the ones we see at Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land, and all throughout World Showcase have been an important piece of EPCOT. Continuing this legacy of original art pieces, our team leading this transformation has found ways to represent both the creativity of the artists and the inspiration they bring to all who come to this place.

This was a driving idea behind Creations Shop – a place dedicated to creative inspiration and commemoration that comes from the wonderful souvenirs we collect to mark our experiences. Today, I am excited to reveal – for the first time – one of these original art pieces installed in Creations Shop, featuring our muse for creativity, Mickey Mouse.

Like all original pieces of art – this one has a title: Mouse in Motion!

This mural is hand-painted, and as you move closer, you can see the brushstrokes and movement directly from the artist’s hands. And this mural is large – spanning over 35 feet. It is placed on the south end of our shop, in a position that you can admire from all corners of this new space.

The composition features Mickey Mouse in dynamic poses through a prism of colors. From left to right, Mickey is in a moment of movement and energy, recalling graphic inspiration drawn from print, media, and even street art. We were inspired by our legacy – leveraging hand-drawn linework and the look of Mickey Mouse from the time when Walt Disney World and EPCOT were first being dreamed up by Walt Disney and his early Imagineers. In the left portion of the composition, Mickey is proudly carrying a pennant emblazed with the EPCOT logo, one of many nods to our past captured through our design.

This bold statement inspires us, now and into the future. It’s present tense. Like Mickey, we keep moving optimistically towards a future of our making.

Orange Bird Wall @ Disney Springs

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

A new hand-painted mural of Orange Bird is the latest addition to the #WallsofDisney trend taking over on Instagram. The new favorite photo opp shows Orange Bird displaying Florida fresh citrus.

Chris Weck, Art Director with Walt Disney Imagineering provides all the details about the new mural at Disney Springs in his discussion with Kelsey Noland, Graphic Designer and Social Community Manager, Disney Springs .

What inspired this new mural and why was Orange Bird chosen?

“Orange Bird is such a beloved character with natural ties to our Disney Springs storyline.

As a celebration of a central Florida town, its history, and our local environment, Orange Bird is a character who would have been found right here in Florida. We had a well-lit, beautiful brick wall that just begging for some fun treatment. It was easy to take full advantage and harken back to billboards you would have seen along Florida roadways.”

Can you give us some insight into the creative process that brought the wall to life?

“After much research, we were inspired by vintage Orange Bird art and knew he was a natural fit for Disney Springs. Once a design was developed, it was projected onto the wall and drawn with chalk, and then hand painted. Painting allows the graphic to fade in the sun over time, just as we see other “ghost graphics” wear and convey a sense of time and history.”

I noticed Walt Disney Imagineering painted this by hand! How long did it take from start to finish?

“Yes! We were fortunate to have one of our painters hand paint the mural in place. He needed to work during daylight hours, so the painting process occurred over one week, working from 7 a.m.-noon. By 9 a.m. on day one, guests were already noticing and getting very excited! It was a fun added benefit that guests could see the progress being made first hand.”

Any other fun details about the design you would like to share with readers?

“We already know how much our guests love Orange Bird so I’m really looking forward to seeing all the creative ways they interact with this fun new Disney wall!”

You can find the mural located around the corner from Erin McKenna’s Bakery.

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