94 - Cranium Command with Jerry Rees

94 - Cranium Command with Jerry Rees

Author: Lake Buena Vista Historical Society December 13, 2024 Duration: 1:43:31

We're back with Episode 94 where we get to interview the great Jerry Rees. Over the years, we have had Jerry at our different events to discuss Cranium Command and the various projects he has done for the Walt Disney Company. While we have gotten to know Jerry very well, we found that our post-event interview has been in the archives for several years and we are very excited to bring it to you. The interview begins with us discussing how this all came to be. Jerry gives us some amazing first-hand knowledge on meeting many Disney higher-ups, giving him some directives and also asking him to save some attractions. One of the highlights of this time at Disney is how they worked in the old Magic of Disney Animation building while in development of the attractions. You could actually see Jerry and his team down in the 'pits', storyboarding and making it all work. There is a chance you might have some old home video of them working their magic in this attraction. Go check after you finish this episode! Jerry gets into Cranium Command as well, which has such a unique history. The development and how it originally started is very interesting and we get that information about how it changed into the attraction we all saw at EPCOT. Jerry has always been super kind and fun to speak to, especially if you enjoy how films and movies are made. Jerry's career kind of blurs the line of Disney Imagineer and film director which is why the attractions he worked on always seem to be unique and different. We hope you enjoy this chat with Jerry; be sure to check out the different films we have of us and also some of the archive footage he has sent our way, which is on our YouTube Channel. 


The Retro Disney World Podcast from the Lake Buena Vista Historical Society is a deep, conversational dive into the layers of history embedded in the Vacation Kingdom. Each monthly episode gathers four hosts with a shared passion for peeling back the contemporary veneer to examine what came before. Their discussions are less about listing facts and more about reconstructing the experience of a place in time, focusing on the architectural choices, attraction designs, and overall atmosphere that defined eras from the ambitious pre-opening plans up through the resort's evolution roughly twenty-five years ago. This isn't just a nostalgia trip; it's a thoughtful look at how the park's physical and imaginative landscapes were built, changed, and live on in collective memory. You'll hear detailed recollections and analysis of spaces that are now closed but whose influence persists, understanding why certain elements resonate so powerfully. The podcast operates at the intersection of cultural study, travel memory, and societal observation, making it a unique resource for anyone who believes the story of a place is found in its details, transitions, and vanished corners. Tune in for a consistently engaging and richly specific exploration of Walt Disney World's past, thoughtfully preserved in audio form.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 138

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