The Story Behind a Shelved Masterpiece

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It is a rare occurrence for me to greenlight a production for a Theme Parkology documentary only to ultimately shelve it. Yet, that is exactly the bittersweet fate that befell a highly anticipated animated sequence for our Big Thunder Mountain Railroad project.​​​​​​

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The Momentum of Success

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The story begins in late 2017. Fresh off the heels of completing our Phantom Manor documentary—which featured a stunning, critically acclaimed animated intro—momentum was at an all-time high. That Phantom Manor sequence was a true collaborative triumph that was written by the brilliant Samantha Alban, storyboarded by the sharp eye of Kristen Watkins, voiced by the incredibly talented Roxie Darr, and animated by the gifted Greg Nevious.

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To this day, that intro remains the most-watched video on the Theme Parkology YouTube channel. Naturally, we wanted to capture lightning in a bottle a second time.

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Assembling the Dream Team

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With Big Thunder Mountain in my sights, I set out to reassemble the magic. I convinced Samantha to pen a few script variations, each one more compelling than the last. Kristen immediately jumped on board, sketching out a beautifully detailed storyboard. Meanwhile, Greg was placed on standby, eager to bring the illustrations to life with his signature animation style.

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Looking to infuse some fresh energy into the pro-

ject, I also reached out to Evan Bodell, a promising

young animator fresh out of college. Within just a

few weeks, Evan delivered a stunning 8-second test

sequence that proved we were onto something

special.

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​​​​​​​​​Breathing Life into Characters

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Every great animation relies heavily on vibrant, memorable character design. For this crucial task, I turned to my good friend and veteran artist, Travis Hanson. Travis went to work and crafted three phenomenal characters that perfectly captured the rugged, whimsical essence of the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness:

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• Barnabus T. Bullion: The gold-obsessed, villainous tycoon driving the mining operation.

• Mary Smith: The sweet, sharp receptionist, whose likeness Travis lovingly based on Samantha Alban herself.

• Mark: A poor, unfortunate mine worker, designed as a playful nod to my good friend Mark Walsh.

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The Sudden Halt

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All the moving parts were spinning perfectly, the synergy was undeniable, and the foundation was laid for what could have been our greatest intro yet.

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And then… silence.

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The entire project was abruptly shelved. It wasn't due to a lack of passion or creative differences; rather, it was simply a case of reality catching up with art. When you assemble a team of highly talented, independent creators, life's unpredictable obstacles have a way of intervening. Priorities shifted, schedules clashed, and the train pulled back into the station before it could conquer the mountain.

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Waiting for the Right Time to Ride

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For years now, these incredible scripts, storyboards, and character designs have been tucked away, collecting virtual dust in the depths of our digital archives.

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A Note to the Fans: Art is never truly dead as long as the passion for it remains.

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I still look at those character sheets and the 8-second test with an immense sense of pride—and a bit of longing. It remains a beautiful "what if" in the history of Theme Parkology. But I haven't given up hope. One day, when the stars align and the timing is right, I fully intend to dust off those files, reawaken Barnabus T. Bullion, and finally see this project through to its rightful fruition.

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Until then, the wildest ride in the wilderness waits patiently in the dark.