Documentary Series · Featured on Disney+

The Magic Behind Island Tower

A short documentary on the making and emotional impact of a new addition to Disney’s Polynesian Resort, later distributed on Disney+. Combining intimate interviews, verité set footage, and archival elements, it follows the creative process and design behind the Resort.


Client
Disney Vacation Club
My Role
Creative Direction + Production Interviews
Deliverables
Documentary Series · Digital · Social
The Magic Behind Island Tower featured on Disney+
Featured on Disney+

The Magic Behind Island Tower

A documentary about Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows FEATURED ON Disney+

A short documentary on the making and emotional impact of a new addition to Disney’s Polynesian Resort, later distributed on Disney+. Combining intimate interviews, verité set footage, and archival elements, it follows the creative process and design behind the Resort.

A docu-style miniseries that explores the artistry, hospitality, and stories behind a legendary Disney Resorts

In this 6-part documentary-style show, we go behind the design of the new Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows – an addition to the legendary Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, which is one of the original resorts that opened along with Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort back in 1971. This series dives deep into the elements that make this new resort tower so special, showcasing the artists and Imagineers stories who helped bring this property to life, along with the families who vacation here and enjoy such a special piece of Walt Disney World history, year after year.

Our Director, Abby Fuller, ended up getting covid a day before filming began – and with Disney’s strict shoot protocols, there was no way she was going to be able to conduct the hour+ long in-person interviews with our Cast Members, Disney Executives, Imagineers, and Disney Vacation Club Member families that were set in our schedule. So as a backup plan, I was asked to step in and be the interviewer the night before the shoot began. It’s been probably my favorite thing I’ve done so far in my career – I love documentary style shoots and I love the interview setting, so having this chance was a dream come true for me.

My role: creative director – helped oversee concept, script, casting, filming/production, and final edit. Conducted live interviews during production.

Elements of Magic – Chapter 1: Introduction

Elements of Magic – Chapter 2: The Elements of Nature

Elements of Magic – Chapter 3: The Elements of Art & Heritage

Elements of Magic – Chapter 4: The Elements of Hospitality

Elements of Magic – Chapter 5: The Elements of Family

Elements of Magic – Chapter 6: Finale

Disney Vacation Club Member outreach email on a phone

Member Casting

Casting real Member families for the Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows virtual event. An outreach email invited Members to share their family’s Polynesian stories on camera.

Elements of Magic sweepstakes landing page on a laptop
Landing Page
Sweepstakes entry video email on an iPad
Sweepstakes Entry Email

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Paid Social · Launch / Sustain

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Behind the scenes

The following shots are just a few taken on set, while I was interviewing the Cast Members, Imagineers, Artists, and our lovely (real) Disney Vacation Club Member family.

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Disney Vacation Club — Member Documentaries