Designers Experience the Magic of Disney

This spring break, Aubrey Sorrells Landaiche, Bachelor of Art & Design junior, and Kylee Obermeyer, Bachelor of Interior Design senior, were among the LSU students who traveled to the Disney Imagination Campus at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Students across a range of majors (including nutrition, engineering, art) had the opportunity to participate in the LSU Disney Leadership Experience due to their leadership roles on campus. Kylee and Aubrey qualified because they are officers of Tiger TPED (Theme Park Engineering and Design). 

“The best part of the experience was getting to see behind the scenes of the parks and get a deeper understanding of the daily environment of cast members and all the cogs that keep Disney World running,” Kylee said. “The experience tied to my major as my thesis is theme park design and being able to see the behind the scenes was informative.”

“The experience allowed me to spend time in the parks to appreciate the art and design that goes into themed entertainment,” Aubrey said.

“I hope to work in the themed entertainment industry as an artist, so seeing the product of such creative and artistic jobs was very rewarding. Similarly, it was fascinating to see the animations throughout the rides and queues. Because I am making a short film for my animation class, I made sure to grab lots of reference and inspiration photos! It was amazing to see so many different art styles around the parks!”

LSU students at Disney Animation Campus

Inspiring Future Leaders

“It was super empowering to be given time by Disney to improve our leadership skills,” Kylee said.

Aubrey said she gained new leadership skills from the experience. She was chosen to serve as a small group manager as we completed a series of mock assignments for a mock company. The students were assigned puzzles and riddles that they had to complete for our “clients.”

“As a manager, I got hands-on experience on how to assign roles, check in on employees, and help struggling groups complete their challenge. I really enjoyed the experience, so I am thinking of pursuing project management within the artistic field after graduation.”

On the way to Florida, the students stopped to complete a service project through The Mustard Seed of Central Florida. They helped organize clothes, housewares, and mattresses for local veterans and underserved communities. “It was incredibly rewarding,” they shared.

“For me, the best part was learning how to better lead my club in the future,” Aubrey said. “I now feel much more confident in assuming a higher leadership role next year. What better place to learn about how to lead a theme park club than at Disney World?”

Pictured: Disney roommates Aubrey, Kylee, Julia Hoppmeyer (Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2028), Lauren Gillio (Nutrition, Class of 2027)