Lest you still think the soon-to-open Cars Land at Disney California Adventure is a pale imitation of Radiator Springs from the movie “Cars,” this video will dispel that notion:
Disney Imagineers’ tour of Route 66 from Erick, Okla., to Needles, Calif., took place in 2008. According to the Disney Parks Blog:
We followed in the same footsteps that John Lasseter and the Pixar team took during the development of “Cars.” In fact, we were led by the same expert guide – Michael Wallis. You know him as the voice of Sheriff in the “Cars” movies, but he’s also a well-known writer, historian and author of Route 66: The Mother Road.
Our team grew to love and respect the people, the sights, the kitsch, the charm, the warmth and the heritage of Route 66. So much so that we’ve taken a couple of smaller trips since then just to stay in touch. In this video, you’ll see some of the people and places we came across while Emily O’Brien, Principal Interior Designer, Walt Disney Imagineering, and Greg Wilzbach, Art Director, Walt Disney Imagineering, give you a little more insight about the trip.
Soon, we’ll be able to share our version of Route 66 with the world when Cars Land opens June 15. We think it reflects the spirit and charm of the people and places of the real Route 66 that we found so inspiring, and we can’t wait to show it off!