Legendary Disney Imagineer Says Goodbye to His Creation

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

The iconic yet controversial attraction Splash Mountain at Disneyland Resort in California has now been shutdown. Legendary Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter was seen bidding farewell to his creation.

Born in 1947, Tony Baxter led the creative and design efforts for many iconic rides we know and love today. Rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Star Tours, The Indiana Jones Adventure, and Splash Mountain.

Baxter was also the former Senior Vice President of Creative Development at Walt Disney Imagineering. He became responsible for overseeing the creation of many rides across all the Disney Parks around the globe.

Baxter was first hired at Disneyland Park in 1965 as an ice cream scooper on Main Street, U.S.A., at 17. He slowly climbed the ranks as he worked many different positions throughout Disneyland until he caught the attention of WED Enterprises, where he created the rides mentioned in the first paragraph above.

For the upcoming Splash Mountain redesign, former Imagineer and Disney Legend Baxter will be Creative Adviser to Imagineers. Senior Creative Producer Charita Carter is leading the project. He announced in 2020 when news first broke out about the redesign for Splash Mountain.

In regards to comments he made about the redesign, Baxter had this to say:

The attraction will be one to be proud of. I look forward to being a part of a new adventure in Disney magic and fun.

– Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter

We are thrilled to see Tony Baxter return to assist in redesigning his memorable ride, despite the controversy surrounding Splash Mountain.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will soon open at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and begins construction today at Disneyland California.

Amidst all the chaos and drama surrounding Splash Mountain, though, Tony Baxter went through the line to ride his creation one final time.

Tony Baxter - Disney Imagineer - Splash Mountain

Disney Legend & Disney FASTPASS Inventor Added to IAAPA Hall of Fame

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Disney Legend Tony Baxter and Disney innovator Greg Hale have been inducted into the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Hall of Fame. Check out their incredible involvement with the Walt Disney Company below as shared by DisneyParksBlog.

Tony Baxter, who is a former Walt Disney Imagineering creative executive, was honored earlier today with the Lifetime Achievement Award from IAAPA for his decades of work on some of Disney’s most memorable attractions.

Tony, who began his Disney career working as an ice cream scooper at Disneyland, started working for Walt Disney Imagineering (then called WED Enterprises) in 1970. Over the next 43 years, he helped oversee and create such attractions as the Land, Seas and Imagination pavilions at EPCOT, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the major refurbishment of Fantasyland at Disneyland in 1983, Star Tours, Splash Mountain, Indiana Jones Adventure and Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. He was also the executive producer who oversaw the design of Disneyland Paris, which opened in 1992. 

In 2013 Tony received the Disney Legend award as well as a window honoring him on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland. Following his retirement that same year, Tony continues to consult with Walt Disney Imagineering on various projects and mentors the next generation of Imagineers.

Greg was also honored today for his extraordinary accomplishments and contributions as a leader and innovator at Disney.  

Greg, who is Disney Parks’ chief safety officer, leads a global team of ride design, operations, maintenance and safety professionals around the world that keep Disney on the leading edge of theme park safety, accessibility for guests with disabilities, and technology advancements.  Greg has received a number of previous awards in recognition of his commitment to safety and for fostering innovative practices that increase access to Disney experiences for those with disabilities. He holds dozens of U.S. patents and is credited as one of the inventors of Disney FASTPASS Service. He has served on several industry safety boards and associations and has held a number of leadership roles within IAAPA, including as the organization’s chairman in 2017.