Tony Baxter
Tony Baxter was born on February 1, 1947, in Los Angeles and raised in Santa Ana, California—a prime location and era for a future Disney Imagineer. Growing up, Tony was a Disney fan but was especially intrigued by Walt Disney’s weekly TV series “Disneyland,” based on the soon-to-open park and often showcasing construction updates on this first-of-its-kind magical kingdom rising out of the nearby Anaheim orange groves.
At 17 and a half, Tony began his career at Disneyland by working at Carnation Plaza Gardens as an ice cream scooper, the youngest age allowed for employment by the park's sponsorship vendors. He held various roles over his five-year tenure there. On his lunch breaks, he explored the park's backstage areas.
One day, while attempting to sneak a glimpse of the yet-to-open Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, he met Disney Imagineer (and eventual Disney Legend) Claude Coats, who not only gave him a tour of the highly anticipated adventure but later became his inspiring mentor.
In 1970, at age 23, Tony officially became a Disney Imagineer and was promptly relocated to Orlando, Florida, to oversee the artistic direction of the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea submarine adventure for the soon-to-open Magic Kingdom. He stayed there until the end of 1971.
Throughout the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, Tony creatively contributed to a series of influential Disney Park projects, including the inception of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which debuted at Disneyland in 1979. During the early 1980s, Tony played a pivotal role in developing the Seas and Land pavilions at EPCOT Center and proposed the never-realized Discovery Bay and Dumbo's Circus for Disneyland.
1983 marked the unveiling of a New Fantasyland at Disneyland, transformed into a detailed European village by Tony's team, alongside the opening of the Journey into Imagination pavilion at EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World Resort, featuring iconic characters Figment and Dreamfinder. In 1989, Tony and his Imagineering teams introduced Splash Mountain and The Disney Gallery to the Disneyland retail lineup and mountain range. His collaborations with filmmaker George Lucas resulted in Star Tours in 1987 and the 1995 debut of the innovative Indiana Jones Adventure in Adventureland at Disneyland.
After being the lead creative executive overseeing the creation of Disneyland Paris in 1992, Tony returned to the U.S. to develop WESTCOT Center, a futuristic theme park envisioned for Anaheim. He redesigned Tomorrowland in 1998 and spearheaded numerous projects for Disneyland's 50th anniversary, including the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage in 2007, a renewed Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough in 2008, an enhanced Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln in 2009, Star Tours — The Adventures Continue in 2011, and Fantasy Faire in 2013.
On his birthday in 2013, Tony stepped down as the senior vice president of creative development at Walt Disney Imagineering but continued to serve as a creative advisor and mentor, fostering a new generation of Imagineers. In the ensuing years, Baxter’s impressive career and contributions to Disney and the theme park industry have been honored with many awards and honors.
In 1988, Tony received the “Distinguished Alumni Award” in fine arts from his alma mater of California State University, Long Beach, the “Over the Years Award” from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), and most recently the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA). Tony was honored to receive the Disney Legend Award from The Walt Disney Company in 2013, followed shortly afterward by what he feels is his most special recognition…a “Window on Main Street” at Walt Disney’s original Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California.
Tony can currently be seen on the popular series "Behind the Attraction" and the acclaimed documentary "The Imagineering Story," both of which are available for streaming on Disney+.
Additionally, Tony has overseen the recent limited release of two exquisite pieces from his private collection of art he created several years ago, including “Steps of St. Paul’s” (inspired by Walt Disney’s classic 1964 film musical “Mary Poppins”) and “Tyrolean Fantasy” (inspired by his mentor Claude Coats who created the incredible backgrounds in Walt Disney’s classic 1940 animated feature “Pinocchio”). Both works of art are available right here at DisneyFineArt.com
