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When we look back at EPCOT Center’s beginning, it’s easy to focus on classics like Horizons and World of Motion. That really just scratches the surface of what made the park so special during that era. Each Future World pavilion offered surprising gems beyond the headliners. Imagineer Scott Hennesy worked on a lot of those attractions during the ’80s and beyond. He developed the concept and wrote the lyrics to the memorable songs from Kitchen Kabaret, a fun show inside the Land Pavilion. Scott also was involved in the original Imagination pavilion and the Backstage Magic show at CommuniCore. These examples are just a small part of his extensive career at Disney.
Scott is my guest on this episode of The Tomorrow Society Podcast to talk about his background and projects for Disney. That work includes The Living Seas and Wonders of Life pavilions, which helped expand the scope at Future World. He wrote for both the Cranium Command and Body Wars attractions, though neither were great experiences. Scott candidly describes the challenges with projects like that pavilion that didn’t go so well. His work at EPCOT continued in the ’90s with Innoventions, where he reunited with Rolly Crump after their collaboration on The Land.
Scott’s career included many successful projects in Tokyo at both parks, including the Jingle Bell Jamboree, Visionarium, and multiple updates to the Enchanted Tiki Room. He worked closely on Tokyo DisneySea, particularly on Sindbad’s Seven Voyages and its replacement. We conclude by talking about the remarkable success of Duffy & Friends in Japan. Scott describes his work on initial concepts for that character’s story and more recent updates. I really enjoyed talking with Scott and hearing the great stories about his many years at Walt Disney Imagineering.
Show Notes: Scott Hennesy
Learn more about the children’s book The Cat’s Baton Is Gone: A Musical Cat-tastrophe by Scott Hennesy and Joe Lanzisero.
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Note: Photos in this post were used with the permission of Scott Hennesy.
I love Kitchen Kabaret and often sing songs from it still all these years later! So cool to have a chance to learn about someone that had such an integral part in creating one of my family’s favorite Disney experiences/memories.
Samantha, I’m right there with you in loving Kitchen Kabaret. The songs are still so fresh in my mind! It was a real treat to get the chance to talk to Scott about that show and a lot more from his career.