The Imagineering Pyramid by Louis J. Prosperi

Originally formed by Walt Disney as WED Enterprises in 1953, Walt Disney Imagineering has included many Disney legends. Their work has been chronicled in excellent books and films, particularly in recent years. Could the principles of Imagineering translate to other creative fields? In his book The Imagineering Pyramid: Using Disney Theme Park Design Principles to Develop and Promote Your Creative Ideas, Louis J. Prosperi offers a detailed look at how the work of Imagineering can apply to other parts of life.

Using 15 categories organized within five tiers, Prosperi connects well-known Imagineering concepts to business and creative ventures. A good example is forced perspective, which creates the sense that structures have a different scale than reality. It’s a common movie making approach that helps make Disneyland and other parks shine. Prosperi applies this technique to how we can frame an idea. This approach could help to craft an effective presentation in any setting. Other topics include Disney theme park terms like wienies, hidden mickeys, and plussing.

Expert Advice

This book contains numerous quotes from Disney Imagineers and authors like John Hench, Marty Sklar, and Alex Wright (who wrote the Imagineering Field Guide series). Prosperi supports his concepts through considerable excerpts from diverse sources. He definitely performed extensive research to develop his principles. It’s refreshing to read a Disney book with such a large bibliography; the tricky part is not relying too much on these sources. Prosperi doesn’t fall into this trap but inches close. The most engaging sections focus more on his conclusions based on research.

Prosperi splits the book into three parks, and this structure is key to making it click. The first section, “Peeking Over the Berm”, briefly introduces the rest of the book. It sets the framework for the material in a similar vein to a pre-show. “The Imagineering Pyramid” explains each topic and briefly connects it to our lives.

These chapters are fairly short and follow a tight structure to explain the idea, cite examples, and then mention how to practice it. I would have loved to have more details about “The Pyramid in Practice” within each section. However, Prosperi rectifies this concern within the book’s final section. He narrows his focus to three zones to convey the Pyramid’s themes.

Surprising Connections

“Imagineering Beyond the Berm” is the final section and arguably the most important one. Prosperi delves into how to apply the concepts to game design, instructional design, and management and leadership. I’m not involved in the first two, so I was most interested in the third section. It includes tips for managing a team or just succeeding in an organization.

For example, Prosperi connects the idea of long, medium, and close shots to the way a leader communicates a message to a team. Focusing on the big picture is a challenge in any complex project, and viewing this goal from a theme park perspective is intriguing. I should also mention that the game design section is particularly strong. Prosperi’s background as a game designer shows in this detailed chapter.

Imagineering experts may not find a wealth of new content within The Imagineering Pyramid. It doesn’t seem designed to compete with the top books on the subject. Instead, Prosperi has written a book that crosses over to less intense Disney fans. Having a general idea of what Imagineering does is helpful but not essential. Prosperi introduces the concepts well and uses supporting material to educate novices. It’s an interesting hybrid between a self-help business book and a Disney title. I always enjoy discovering new approaches to writing about the parks. Prosperi takes a familiar Disney topic and makes it something new.