Bob Iger
๐ค SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
So it's almost endless in terms of what we can build.
But I think what you will appreciate is while the past is present, the present is present.
And we're hinting at a future.
We're building a currently, actually, we haven't started building, but we're conceiving of the park we're going to build in Abu Dhabi.
By the way, a part of the world we have never really planted a flag in.
We're extremely excited about it.
And this will be a park that utilizes technology at almost every level to design and ultimately to build and then for people to experience.
And that's incredibly exciting for our Imagineers.
It's not purposeful on our part to become less American.
It is purposeful on our part to become more inviting to the world.
and to be mindful of cultural distinctions and cultural, really, passion, really.
And so, for instance, when we were building Shanghai, the brief, the design brief that I gave to the team was, let's build something that is authentically Disney but distinctly Chinese.
which in the design process and the build process, we thought about, it was our mantra really, because we wanted to build something that was very much Disney to them, and they had an idea in mind of what a Disneyland would be, but something that was extremely respectful of their own culture, so that they could feel as though it were theirs.
And I don't think it's viewed as American in any way.
Again, it's more purposeful to fit in in a respectful way.
Like letting the French drink wine.
And I think there were lessons learned there in building Paris, as you called it, the miracle on the Marne, which I know is referenced to something in World War I. That would be such a great ride.
There, I think there were learnings about entering a country and a culture with a little bit more sensitivity and respect.
And actually, we took those learnings seriously.