The 14th March, 1958, marked the birth of Eddie Sotto, the legendary Imagineer to whom we owe the design of Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland Park. This anniversary gives us the opportunity to pay tribute to this visionary gone too soon…
The story of Main Street, U.S.A. remains definitively linked to the figure of Eddie Sotto, whose name is featured on one of the windows of the Dr. Bitz Dental School on Town Square. But that very nearly wasn’t the case!
In 1986, when Tony Baxter, executive producer of Euro Disneyland, noticed a promising young artist, it was principally for his work inspired by the world of Jules Verne for an independent park. And when said young artist joined the ranks of Walt Disney Imagineering that same year, it was to propose new concepts for the Tomorrowlands of Disneyland in California and Tokyo Disneyland in Japan. You may well therefore have expected that he would take the reins of the creative conception of the future Discoveryland.
But it’s easy to forget Eddie’s passion for the film Hello, Dolly!, directed by Gene Kelly, whose set he was able to visit as a child – in particular, the impressive reconstruction of a New York street from 1890. He would later develop a genuine fondness for Main Street, U.S.A., particularly in its original version at Disneyland, and would make it a point of honour to create an unforgettable version for Disneyland Paris.
First, he imagined a street from the 1920s, more urbanised and typical of the era when American culture was starting to spread throughout Europe through jazz music and silent films. From Hello, Dolly!, he took the idea of a suspended railway, which would have linked Town Square and Central Plaza.
However, he then returned to Walt Disney’s original concept to which he brought his own personal touch. For Disneyland Paris, he created a one-of-a-kind Main Street, full of plenty of props and architectural references to the Victorian era, to fully immerse European visitors in the turn-of-the-century America that was so close to Walt Disney’s heart.
Here, each building has its own story and personality, starting with Walt’s – An American Restaurant, which is bursting with antiques and souvenirs associated with the life of the Disneyland creator.
Remaining faithful to the original, and relying on the advice of Herb Ryman (the Imagineer who had previously designed the Main Streets of Disneyland and Walt Disney World), he intensified the colours of the buildings to better suit the light and weather conditions of the Paris region, and reinforced the theming of the location using decor elements, such as the advertisement posters typical of the period.
Another unique feature of Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland Paris is its numerous nods to France, such as the paved road, its tribute to Auguste Bartholdi and Gustave Eiffel – sculptor and engineer of the Statue of Liberty respectively – and of course its magnificent arcades located on either side of the street, inspired by the galleries and covered passages of Paris.
We can also thank Eddie Sotto for the background music of Main Street, U.S.A., which was performed by an authentic “ragtime” orchestra and is composed of iconic themes from this period.
And just like an artist who signs their name at the bottom of the canvas, Eddie did not hesitate to put himself in the spotlight within the Land. He voices several characters, including Dr. Bitz’s patient falling under the effect of laughing gas, a Main Street resident talking on the telephone, and even the Disneyland Railroad train conductor.
Between the respect for tradition and innovation, the designing of Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland Paris is without doubt one of the jewels of Eddie Sotto’s career. It is a testament to his unique imagination, his genuine talent for story-telling, and meticulous attention to detail, which have made Main Street, U.S.A. a landmark of Imagineering. This is echoed by David Wilson, Vice-President Walt Disney Imagineering Paris: “When designing Disneyland Paris, Eddie knew perfectly how to craft Main Street, U.S.A., imagining a place rich in meaning and stories, and bestowing it with real character which makes our Parisian version unique and dear to our visitors. His passion, his creativity, and his attention to detail continue, to this day, to inspire Disney Imagineers in each and every one of their projects”.