Bethel Park resident is a finalist in a national Walt Disney Imagineering competition
Geoff Backstrom of Bethel Park was part of the team that came up with Mickey’s Magic Garden, a travelling theme park, for the 25th annual Walt Disney Imagineering Imaginations Design Competition.
Geoff Backstrom
Geoff Backstrom is in some elite company.
The 2011 graduate of Bethel Park High School is part of a four-person team – one of six teams selected – named a finalist in the 25th annual Walt Disney Imagineering Imaginations Design Competition, the design and development arm of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, now taking place in California.
The goal of the competition is to search for the next generation of talented theme park designers. For the competition this year, the student teams were asked to design a (virtual) traveling experience that would tour small towns across the country so families who might not be able to make it to either Walt Disney World or Disneyland can get a Disney experience.
“It’s all been a bit surreal,” said Backstrom, 23, who graduated last year from Ohio University with a degree in science and communications with a focus on animation, special effects and game design.
Backstrom and his fellow team members, who include a current Ohio University student and a recent graduate, as well as a student at the University of Washington, along with the other finalists, are spending Jan. 25 through Jan. 29 at Imagineering’s main campus in Glendale, Calif., where they are presenting their projects to company executives. All 20 students from the six teams, which represent eight universities, received an all expenses paid trip.
Overall, 245 applications were received from all over the country.
The project Backstrom’s team designed is called Mickey’s Magic Garden, and is a theoretical miniature traveling theme park that includes custom-designed rides, character-greeting experiences, walk-through attractions and themed dining.
“We thought about something that everyone has,” said Backstrom, explaining his team’s concept. “Everyone has gardens. Rather than build something expensive, why not grow a park? The person can use wishes to enchant the seeds and grow a traveling theme park.”
Each entry will be judged on collaboration ability, skill level, whether the park provides an engaging guest experience, an understanding of families living in small towns across the country, ability to tell a compelling story and knowledge and passion for the Disney brand and Walt Disney Imagineering.
During an interview before leaving for California, Backstrom said he had never met his fellow team members. Instead, they communicated remotely and divided tasks. Because of his background in animation, Backstrom handled that aspect of the project, which began in November.
“The end goal is to entertain people in whatever media,” said Backstrom, who lives in Bethel Park and works in app development.
The son of Rob and Pat Backstrom of Bethel Park said his interest in video began with an extra credit assignment during his freshman year of high school.
“It all took off from there,” he said.
In addition to presenting their projects, finalists will be meeting with Imagineers, see how Disney animation is done, and interview for paid internships.
The top three teams will be awarded cash prizes. An additional $1,000 grant will be awarded to the first place team to be equally divided among the sponsoring universities.