Disney is folding a new set of AI tools into the way it dreams up theme park experiences. Adobe has announced a collaboration with Walt Disney Imagineering Research and Development aimed at speeding up the design and pre-production pipeline for Disney Parks and Experiences. The deal centers on custom models trained on Imagineering’s own work. Here is what these tools are built to do and where they fit into the creative process.
What Adobe and Imagineering Announced
Adobe revealed a partnership with Walt Disney Imagineering Research and Development to help move design work along more quickly. The focus is on the early stages, from initial concept through pre-production, where ideas take shape before anything gets built.
The work is delivered through a product called Adobe Firefly Foundry. This platform lets businesses build their own generative AI models with Adobe rather than relying on general-purpose tools. In Disney’s case, the models are customized on existing Imagineering assets and tuned to its specific brands, which keeps the output aligned with the company’s catalog.
A Sketch-to-Image Tool for Faster Concepts
The first of three initial workflows is a sketch-to-image model. It takes rough, hand-drawn concepts and turns them into fully rendered 2D concept art.
The appeal here is speed. Designers can iterate quickly and try out many directions before settling on one, which makes the early exploration phase more flexible. Instead of spending hours rendering a single idea, an Imagineer can test several and narrow down from there.
On-Brand Assets for Familiar Franchises
The second workflow is a custom image model that generates on-brand, franchise-accurate assets. The goal is to produce artwork that stays true to established characters and worlds.
Adobe points to a range of properties as examples, including Mickey and Friends, Frozen, Moana, Lilo and Stitch, and Cars. By keeping these assets consistent with each franchise, the tool is meant to accelerate the concept and design phase for future attractions without straying from how these characters are supposed to look.
Turning 2D Renderings Into 3D Prototypes
The third tool moves the work into three dimensions. It takes 2D renderings and design concepts and converts them into detailed 3D prototypes.
This step points toward the practical side of building an attraction. Adobe says the capability gives designers tools to plan builds, estimate materials, and coordinate with engineering teams before construction begins. The result is a pipeline that can run from a hand-drawn sketch all the way to a construction-ready model, with fewer gaps between the creative and technical stages.
How Disney Trains These Models
A key detail is where the training data comes from. Models trained on broad internet data can raise questions about intellectual property, brand consistency, and the source of any given output.
Disney’s models take a different route. They are built on Imagineering’s own design catalog and developed using licensed and proprietary assets. That approach gives the company more control over fidelity and keeps the generated work tied to material it already owns.
What Both Companies Are Saying
Leaders from both sides framed the collaboration around creativity and storytelling. Hannah Elsakr, vice president of GenAI New Business Ventures at Adobe, spoke to the shared focus.
Storytelling is in Disney’s DNA. Empowering creators with the latest AI innovations is in ours. As the teams at Imagineering build new experiences for fans around the world, our tools and workflows will provide a creative foundation to explore bolder ideas and make the best ones a reality.
Hannah Elsakr, vice president of GenAI New Business Ventures at AdobeKyle Laughlin, SVP of R&D, Technology and Engineering at Walt Disney Imagineering, connected the work to the company’s long balance of technology and craft.
At Imagineering, we’ve always believed technology and human creativity can work together responsibly. Our work with Adobe lets us bring Disney stories and characters to life in our Parks faster, and with the emotional quality our guests expect.
Kyle Laughlin, SVP of R&D, Technology and Engineering at Walt Disney ImagineeringWhat This Means Going Forward
Disney continues to grow across parks, hotels, cruises, and other experiences, and faster design tools could help the company keep pace while holding its standards. The workflows are positioned to let Imagineers move through early concepts and prototypes more efficiently.
For now, though, the details stop at capability. Disney has not said which specific projects will use these tools or when guests might see results. This is a set of stated workflows rather than a look at any attraction currently in development.
Conclusion
The Adobe and Imagineering collaboration brings three AI workflows into Disney’s design process, covering sketch-to-image concept art, franchise-accurate asset generation, and the move from 2D renderings to 3D prototypes. Built through Firefly Foundry on Imagineering’s own assets, the tools are meant to speed up early design while keeping the work on brand. With no specific projects announced yet, the practical effects remain to be seen, but the partnership offers a clear look at how Disney plans to fold AI into the way its parks come together.
Written by
Rachel Van Norman
Contributing Writer
Rachel fell deeply in love with all things Disney as a little girl. Now as a wife and a mother herself, she shares this Disney obsession with her son and everyone around her. From her love of princesses to eating all the Disney food, Rachel spends her time radiating Disney magic and keeping everyone up to date on Disney news.
