Shanghai Disney Resort is gearing up for the opening of Zootopia on December 20! The Imagineering team from around the globe has been working hard to bring the world’s first-ever Zootopia-themed land to life. Through state-of-the-art technology, you will feel like you’re stepping directly into the beloved movie and seeing many of your favorite characters. Let’s take a look at how the living, breathing mammalian metropolis is brought to life.
1. The Ultimate Immersive Experience in Zootopia
Once you step into Zootopia, you will notice buildings, roads, signs, and more that look exactly like they did in the movie. The design process, using tools such as Building Information Modeling, the innovative design process allows Imagineers to digitally step into the world before completion, ensuring that things are as authentic as possible before beginning construction.
Later on, a talented group of local field art directors bring the ideas to life. Through intricate carving and painting, the group captured every story-driven detail, translating the digital ideation into physical reality. More than 149 different disciplines came together to create a world as authentic and immersive as Zootopia!
Zootopia’s newest mammalian citizens can explore the city and visit places like Zootopia Transit Authority, located near the civic plaza of Zootopia, which features a new “hyper-tube” used by lemmings on their way to and from work at Lemming Brothers Bank and other businesses.
2. Bringing Zootopia Characters from the Movie to Real Life
Technological advancements pioneered by the team of Imagineers are often the flourish that marks the distinctly Disney experience that we all know and love, particularly the Audio-Animatronics figures. Collaborating closely with Walt Disney Animation Studios, and employing the latest in robotics technology combined with Imagineering’s artistry and attention to detail, the characters feel like they’ve stepped right off the screen, able to express emotions and deliver a level of performance not previously seen at Shanghai Disney Resort. They’ve even combined digital eyes with physical characters, allowing an added level of expressiveness and a newfound ability to connect directly with you. From Officer Clawhauser to Chief Bogo and even Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, the characters are so believable you will feel like you went on your very own adventure with some of your most beloved characters.
3. A Trackless Ride System on Zootopia: Hot Pursuit
In addition to experiencing the characters like never before through a new generation of Audio-Animatronics figures, the action-packed ride, Zootopia: Hot Pursuit, also uses a combination of leading technologies to create a trackless ride system. From sliding across the ice of Tundratown and flying off the track onto the busy streets of Sahara Square, to plummeting from the canopies in a gondola in the Rainforest District, each scene will keep you guessing what’s next, with unexpected turns, spins, slides and drops that bring the story to life! Innovative ride and show technologies like those employed on Zootopia: Hot Pursuit open the door for new types of storytelling, letting us surprise and delight in ways never before imagined, giving the ultimate immersive Zootopia experience!
Imagineering always pushes the boundaries of what is possible and the innovative and collaborative spirit is present throughout the entire world of Zootopia. Allowing everyone to connect with their favorite characters, not only on the ride but also in the queuing and land experiences as well, could only happen at Disney. The entire Imagineering and Walt Disney Animation Studios team are proud of how they’ve raised the bar on immersive experiences in Zootopia and are excited to share with the world on December 20.
Would you like to see a Zootopia land in a US Disney Park?