Zeitgeist Presents: The Spirit of the Time with Frank Stanek
A timely and timeless journey through the history of themed entertainment with the minds behind Zeitgeist Design & Production.
Flight 46: Iconic former domestic and international planning and development executive for both Disney and Universal, Frank Stanek.
When you view construction photos or videos of major themed entertainment projects around the globe, the focus is typically on those crazy creative folks — not the guys in the suits. But the truth is that if it weren't for the guys in the suits who secured the site and the funding, strategically planned the project, and oversaw the budgets and schedules, those crazy creative folks wouldn’t have a photo to pose for! Frank Stanek is probably the most famous “suit” in our industry today. Having started at Disneyland, Frank was sent to the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair before joining WED Enterprises to oversee Research and Planning for new projects. He worked directly with Walt and Roy Disney on early Walt Disney World and EPCOT planning. Disney CEO Ron Miller appointed Frank as the first corporate VP of Planning. During his two-plus decades as an Imagineer, Frank participated in a variety of leadership roles in the development of not just the first two Orlando parks, but Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris. After a stint with the Japanese firm Dentsu, Frank was recruited to MCA/Universal, where he became President of International Business Development and oversaw the creation of the Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Japan, and Universal projects in Spain, Korea, and China. Set your timepiece now to join us as one of the themed entertainment industry’s most accomplished planning and development execs shares his wisdom and tales from the trenches in what promises to be a Zoomcast for the ages!
A timely and timeless journey through the history of themed entertainment with the minds behind Zeitgeist Design & Production.
Flight 46: Iconic former domestic and international planning and development executive for both Disney and Universal, Frank Stanek.
When you view construction photos or videos of major themed entertainment projects around the globe, the focus is typically on those crazy creative folks — not the guys in the suits. But the truth is that if it weren't for the guys in the suits who secured the site and the funding, strategically planned the project, and oversaw the budgets and schedules, those crazy creative folks wouldn’t have a photo to pose for! Frank Stanek is probably the most famous “suit” in our industry today. Having started at Disneyland, Frank was sent to the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair before joining WED Enterprises to oversee Research and Planning for new projects. He worked directly with Walt and Roy Disney on early Walt Disney World and EPCOT planning. Disney CEO Ron Miller appointed Frank as the first corporate VP of Planning. During his two-plus decades as an Imagineer, Frank participated in a variety of leadership roles in the development of not just the first two Orlando parks, but Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris. After a stint with the Japanese firm Dentsu, Frank was recruited to MCA/Universal, where he became President of International Business Development and oversaw the creation of the Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Japan, and Universal projects in Spain, Korea, and China. Set your timepiece now to join us as one of the themed entertainment industry’s most accomplished planning and development execs shares his wisdom and tales from the trenches in what promises to be a Zoomcast for the ages!