Disney Imagineers are teaming up with new tech companies to usher in a new wave of Imagineering — and that includes 3D printing.
Jungle Cruise
According to CNET, a 3D printing business in Florida, Haddy, has partnered with Imagineering to install its first 3D-printed boat in a Disney park, on the Jungle Cruise. While it won’t be the boats people actually ride on, it will be a prop canoe located on the banks of the river — and, yes, it can actually float.
Walt Disney Imagineering collaborated closely with the team at Haddy to adapt the plans for the boat, making sure it matched the theming and spirit of the existing props, while using 3D-printed technology.
Jungle Cruise in Disneyland
Haddy CEO Jay Rogers announced the news during Disney Demo Day at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, in November. The company was one of four startups to receive financing, platforming, and mentoring as part of the 2025 Disney Accelerator Program.
Rogers says Haddy can transform imagination into reality through its 3d printing technology, in addition to being able to recycle 3D-printed material for new objects — once a prop reaches the end of its life, it can be melted down and 3D-printed again into something new.
©Haddy
According to Rogers, a 20-foot boat made by a traditional boat-maker can take one thousand human hours to make. But the Jungle Cruise prop doesn’t take nearly as long. “It’s not just faster to make, it’s faster to develop,” Rogers said.
The traditional process can take weeks or months to develop: designing the boat, creating and securing the master mold, and repeating the mold-making process an average of 30 times per boat. Then, they manufacture the parts that go onto the boat.
Jungle Cruise props
But it would only take Haddy 70 robot hours in manufacturing. Both processes use a digital file as a starting point — the difference is that Haddy can simply tweak the file and repaint the boat if there are problems with the final product. There will be no more mold-making necessary.
Jungle Cruise
Haddy even created a 3D-printed wrought iron gate that looks just like the real thing, unless you’re right up close to the gate. It’s possible that we wouldn’t even notice the difference between the 3D-printed prop canoe and a real one.
©Haddy
Imagineers are exploring the creation of set pieces for attractions in Disney parks outside of the Jungle Cruise, too. The products could also include pieces like the closet doors from Monstropolis, which could be used in the new Monsters, Inc. ride coming to Hollywood Studios.
Monsters, Inc. door coaster
Not only that, but we could see 3D-printed rock work for various lands, like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Adopting this technology could speed up the process for building new lands, rides, and even hotels across Disney theme parks — which is likely something we can all get behind!
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
We’ll be on the lookout for additional updates about 3D printing for Disney World rides and beyond. In the meantime, make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Disney news and more!
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While it sounds cool, people won’t see it because Disney keeps raising prices, no one will be able to afford to go
While it sounds cool to be able to develop things for the parks faster, I think I would rather props feel and look more realistic up close, than looking and feeling like cheap plastic. Plus imagine how many jobs this will eliminate from hard working people!