Mike West is a rare blend of talent whose 40+-year career spans a bridge of extraordinary experiences built upon a lifetime of work with two legendary companies – Walt Disney Imagineering and Universal Creative.
Mike now returns to lead Innovative West after more than 14 incredible years with Universal where, as an Executive Producer, he recently led Blue Sky development of the largest and most ambitious project in the company’s history – Universal’s EPIC UNIVERSE. Once EPIC headed to the field, he took over creative development for projects featuring DreamWorks Animation properties, as well as Fast & Furious, a worldwide, blockbuster film franchise. Mike was also responsible for
the design, development, production, and installation of Skull Island: Reign of Kong, a massive attraction at Universal’s Islands of Adventure (2016).
Mike joined the Universal Creative Studio in 2006 as Show Producer for The Simpsons Ride at both Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood. The attraction opened to rave reviews in 2008 and received the prestigious THEA Award for Best New Attraction from the Themed Entertainment Association, as well as Best New Theme Park Attraction by Theme Park Insider.
Mike’s other Universal projects have included the gigantically popular King Kong 360 3D at Universal Studios Hollywood (2010); THEA Award-winning Transformers - The Ride 3-D attractions for Universal Studios Singapore (2011), Universal Studios Hollywood (2012), and Universal Studios Florida (2013); Annie & VES Award-winning Despicable Me Minion Mayhem at Universal Studios Florida (2012), and the delectable Simpson’s Springfield expansion at Universal Studios Florida (2013), which laid the groundwork for the THEA Award-winning Simpsons Springfield at Universal Studios Hollywood (2017).
Innovative West, Inc., is a creative design company Mike originally founded in 2005 after a 25-year career with Walt Disney Imagineering. Innovative West’s list of clients has included Chimelong, AOA, Virgin Galactic, Sunrise Animation Studios, United States Space Force, NBC Universal, The Coca-Cola Company, Walt Disney Entertainment, Carnegie Mellon University, Silver Dollar City, The Franklin Institute, J.W. Marriott, Renaissance Hotels, St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum, and the L.A. County Fair. His range of client work included concept development, inspired writing, accomplished directing, and successful production of shows, attractions, retail locations, resort experiences, and museum exhibits.
During his twenty-five-year career with Walt Disney Imagineering, Mike was involved in developing, writing, directing, and producing more than eighty shows, attractions, retail locations, museums, interactive guest experiences, and new business initiatives for The Walt Disney Company. As a Writer, Show Designer, Director of Concepts and Scripts, and Senior Show Producer-Director, Mike’s creative efforts appeared worldwide in a variety of formats including television, film, video, binaural audio, live theatrical shows, three-dimensional ride-through attractions and original concept and product development.
Mike was at the forefront during the development of Adventures by Disney, the highly successful travel business launched by The Walt Disney Company in 2005 that now circles the globe with more than 60 adventures. He created guest experiences that ensured a variety of “Disney Differences” as an integral part of every Adventure. These include programs for live entertainment, interactive family activities., and multi-media presentations.
Mike’s past projects also included creative development and integration of the Disney PhotoPass imaging business; the Moteurs Action Stunt Show Spectacular and the Disney Channel Production Tour at the Walt Disney Studios Park in the Disneyland Paris Resort; Who Wants to Be A Millionaire-Play It!, formerly at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s California Adventure; and The Cargo Hold - an amazing binaural sound production for The Pirate Museum in St. Augustine, FL.
Additionally, Mike wrote, directed and/or produced Sounds Dangerous at Disney’s Hollywood Studios; multiple shows for Innoventions at Epcot; The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, formerly at the Magic Kingdom; Song of the Rainforest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom; and the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Mike has been a featured speaker at numerous national and international SATE conferences, the CODE Conference, the Disney Cruise Line, and the “What If” Conference in London, England, as well as a guest lecturer for Carnegie Mellon’s Entertainment Technology Center, the University of Central Florida’s Interactive Entertainment Academy and Rosen College of Hospitality Management, Ringling College of Art & Design, Savannah College of Art and Design and the Disney Institute’s Corporate Enrichment Programs.
Mike is also a contributing author on several books about Walt Disney Imagineering and its creative process, including The Imagineering Way, Ideas to Ignite Your Creativity, and The Imagineering Workout, Exercises to Shape Your Creative Muscle.
Mike is a member of the University of Central Florida’s College of Arts and Humanities Themed Experience Advisory Council, and a past member of both the Eastern Regional, and International Board of Directors for the Themed Entertainment Association.