169. Ray Spencer on The Hatbox Ghost, Trader Sam's, and the Matterhorn

The updated snowman at the Matterhorn in Disneyland is a lot more believable.

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Ray Spencer has a love of railroads and an interest in Walt Disney, and that passion has carried over into his time as an Imagineer. During his 19 years at Disney, he worked closely on many great attractions. This included updates to classic rides and shows from the early days of Disneyland. Ray returns to the Tomorrow Society Podcast for this episode to dig further into his career. Last time, we talked about Buena Vista Street, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and how he got started in the industry.

Ray Spencer has worked on numerous classic Disney attractions at Walt Disney Imagineering.

We begin this conversation by talking about the Carthay Circle Restaurant and how it functions as the centerpiece of Buena Vista Street. Ray describes the importance of the theater to Disney history and the layout of the space. We also discuss Ray’s work on adding the Hatbox Ghost to the Haunted Mansion alongside Daniel Joseph and other Imagineers. He explains the challenges with adding a new figure to the attraction while it was operating.

Ray also talks about the updates to the Disneyland Hotel and the origins of Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar. He worked on a lot of projects in California, including updates to the Matterhorn and the Pirates Lair at Tom Sawyer Island. Another fun project was Seasons of the Vine, a short film that played in the wine cellar space during the early days of Disney California Adventure. Ray covers what he enjoyed about that project, which was a quiet gem in the park. Finally, we discuss Ray’s inspirations for his art and approach to his career.