Credit: Philander Butler via IG: @philanderc85As the world racks up more and more Disney days, more and more cast members are trying to find a way to keep the magic going. One of those Cast Members is Disneyland VIP Tour Guide Philander Butler.
Working from home and missing the parks he knows so well, like the rest of us, Butler has taken upon himself to use his Instagram account to continue to share Disney magic with a few park highlights as well as a fact or two. Most notably is his weekly segment called “Imagineering Mondays.”
Imagineering Mondays focus on one particular Imagineering Project at a time both at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure. Butler has maintained this segment since mid-August 2019. In his first Imagineering Monday post he wrote:
As a Tour Guide/ VIP Host for the Disneyland Resort, I’ve spent the good part of the last 6 or so years walking around Walt’s original Magic Kingdom as well as its sister park next door and Downtown Disney and the Hotels. So many details and stories are hidden everywhere and even after all I’ve discovered, I’m still finding more…Inspired by my good friend Esteban, I want to share my findings online with new postings called “Imagineering Monday’s”. Every Monday I’m going to post a fun new finding that showcases the incredible attention to detail that WDI is known for. This is just a fun little passion project for me that I’ve been sitting on for awhile. I hope you all enjoy and let me know what you think!”
Since then, Butler’s highlighted attractions such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Imagineering Legends like John Hench, and the development of entire themed lands such as Critter Country.
His latest post was on March 30, 2020, in which he focused on Pixar Pier in which he explains:
Pixar Pier is the colorful new area that exists at the back of DCA that acts as a home to most of the Pixar characters at the Resort. It originally opened as Paradise Pier in 2001 with the park and existed that way until the summer of 2018. This location is one of the more controversial decisions within the past couple of years due to its quick build and arguably hasty creation and implementation.
VIP tours of Disney parks are very entertaining, very informative, but are also very expensive. These iconic that are offered at every from Butler’s and the “Keys of the Kingdom” of at World to niche tours of the at and diving adventures in . It’s a treat to be able to get any glimpse of the parks from that VIP lens and it is a prime example of how we can keep the magic alive until the and the reopen.
“I started ‘Imagineering Mondays’ because I love sharing Disney with people,” Butler told Inside the Magic. “I do it all the time while at the parks and wanted to share it with others that I don’t get to see as well. Disneyland is an incredible place that brings so much joy and I love showing Guests how much detail goes into the park that they might miss.”
Butler went on to praise Walt Disney Imagineering for doing so much amazing work that all too often goes unnoticed by those who enjoy it. “I love opening people’s eye up and showing them the Disney that I see every day,” he shared. “A Disneyland packed with fun details, nods, and little winks… I’ve got so much to share that I’ve learned and discovered. I’m happy to work for the Disneyland Resort and really enjoy showing everyone it’s incredible history.”
This time spent away from the Disney parks has helped Butler see more value in his posting, something fun he only started doing in his free time. “So many are missing their love for the parks that reading something fun about a place their passionate about is helping them through a tough time,” he said. “I’m happy people appreciate them.”
We hold Butler in the same social media ranks as Imagineer Joe Rohde who is currently hosting his own tour of Disney’s Animal Kingdom park, and Dr. Mark Penning, Vice President, Animals, Science and Environment, Disney Parks who is keeping Disniacs up to date on the animals at Walt Disney World.