When Mike Fracassi, a veteran Disney music producer, was tasked with the Zootopia themed land project by Walt Disney Imagineering's music department, he initially felt overwhelmed, and it took some time for him to fully grasp the project's magnitude.

As a music producer for Zootopia at Shanghai Disneyland, he explained that the soundtrack of an attraction involves scrutinizing various score elements, primarily how they serve the story being told.

In the much-anticipated Zootopia: Hot Pursuit, a trackless ride that stands as the central attraction of the new area, the story picks up where the film left off and features the same characters, each with their own distinct musical themes. Additionally, musical motifs that evoke the diverse settings within Zootopia are woven throughout the attraction, which elevate the complexity and enjoyment of the experience. With ample source material from the movie, the team enjoyed creative freedom to ensure that each scene and moment within the attraction captured the right feel, tone and weight.

Apart from the attraction music, Fracassi noted the substantial amount of music within the land provides a vast auditory and musical narrative that includes many hidden audio stories. Guests may need multiple visits to fully explore and discover them, as it's a rich musical landscape.

(Clockwise from top left) Music producers Kent Huang, Mike Fracassi, Curtis Green and Mick Giacchino speak to China.org.cn about how they crafted the music for Shanghai Disney Resort's Zootopia-themed land. [Photo courtesy of Shanghai Disney Resort]

Music is an integral part of Zootopia and also the lives of its residents as a natural expression of their feelings and emotions. When guests enter and explore the city, they may encounter some of these animal residents who spontaneously appear in the windows of the apartment buildings to chat, gossip, tease each other, and break into song, just like a real-life city neighborhood. 

Kent Huang, music director at Shanghai Disney Resort, shared that the production team worked through various challenges when it came to adapting the music for this specific "city scene," including featuring a brand new track that is sung by the Zootopia residents. Huang hopes that this catchy song will evolve into a classic song that all guests will come to know and love. He stated, "I hope this song can become like a birthday song that everyone can sing."

To preserve the original essence, the Imagineering team approached legendary composer Michael Giacchino, who composed the original music for the Walt Disney Animation Studios feature "Zootopia," to gauge his interest in the project. Giacchino quickly agreed and assigned his son, musician Mick Giacchino, who composed the score for the Disney+ series "Zootopia+," to the project. Curtis Green, who apprenticed under the elder Giacchino and also provided scores for "Zootopia+," joined the team as well. Fracassi praised the duo as "enormously creative and energetic. They bring an amazing energy and collaborative nature to the team."

"When we saw the concept work for Zootopia, it just immediately brought us back into the world of the film and thinking about the music. There's such a defined musical language of 'Zootopia' that Michael Giacchino did such a good job of establishing. So, there was really a lot for us to work with in terms of the instrumentation," Green explained. He mentioned that they even acquired a drum kit crafted from trash cans, producing a unique sound reflecting the city's hustle and bustle and the roles of Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps as police officers.

Mick Giacchino said that by incorporating the familiar music and themes from the film, guests will instantly recognize the melodies as they traverse areas like the Rainforest District and Sahara Square. "It's just an opportunity to really transport you back into those moments that you have in your brain from watching the film and experiencing it in real life."

As the journey continued, Mick and Curtis, both lifelong friends and avid "Zootopia" enthusiasts, felt deeply appreciative of the chance to contribute to the Zootopia project, a venture steeped in their own history. They had the privilege of witnessing the creation of the original film's music during recording sessions in 2016. Their shared passion for the project was reaffirmed on the first day of the recording sessions for the Zootopia-themed land when Michael Giacchino himself visited them. The experienced maestro sat back, observed their work, and offered guidance when needed. Mick and Curtis expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Michael for his mentorship and guidance, as well as for introducing them to the enchanting world of Walt Disney Imagineering.

The creative journey didn't just involve the musicians, it was also a collaboration with Imagineers. The Imagineers' extensive expertise across various fields enriched the musicians' insights into how music could be integrated into a different medium. Transitioning from scoring films to composing for a theme park attraction brought its own set of unique challenges. In Zootopia: Hot Pursuit, the music had to accommodate trackless vehicles with variable behavior. The music needed to mesh flawlessly with media elements, Audio-Animatronics figures, dialogue, and sound effects. Each scene transition, even when variable, had to maintain the guests' immersion, resulting in a unique puzzle that required a creative solution.

For Mick, the challenge was an exciting one. He remarked, "There are a lot of 'a-ha' moments in working on this project, particularly with handing off from scenes where you're in a vehicle, going through a physical space, transitioning into a scene with a projection — some where there may be some timing differences — and how you experience the ride each time; it'll be slightly, slightly different." These experiences have offered invaluable insights and a newfound appreciation for the intricacy involved in creating musical experiences within an attraction.

Nevertheless, with each creative challenge that arose, Green stated that they were fortunate to have the original score to draw upon. "When we were faced with a puzzle to solve, we really relied on the spirit of both the score and the spirit of Zootopia, which is to try everything. I mean, we really did."

Vocalist playing Superstar Gazelle and Disney dancers perform at a press preview event for the upcoming Zootopia-themed land at Shanghai Disney Resort in Shanghai, Sept. 5, 2023. [Photo courtesy of Shanghai Disney Resort]

The music director Huang was instrumental in incorporating previously unheard elements from Zootopia into a new mix just for the soundtrack that will be used for Shanghai Disneyland's upcoming entertainment offerings, set to be launched upon the opening of the new land. Huang and his team sought to set the music apart from the film, while still drawing inspiration from the original soundtrack, and infusing a mix of elements and styles. 

From the first instant of the recognizable strains of Zootopia's powerful anthem, "Try Everything," he hopes that guests will find themselves pleasantly surprised and delighted by the creative remix that evokes the animal paradise of Zootopia and that it will become a crowd pleaser that resonates with guests of all ages. Huang said, "The different styles of music represent the diversity and inclusiveness of Zootopia, showcasing a positive and uplifting attitude." 

"I always imagine my music taking flight and evoking images in the audience's imagination," he explained. 

In the end, Mick Giacchino mentioned that they were also fortunate to be able to work with many of the musicians who played on the original film score and to record in the same studio in Los Angeles. "Not only are the themes what bring the music of 'Zootopia' to life, but it's also those players too because they're such an integral part of the sound," he said. "While we could only do so much in our demos to reflect what the final product will sound like, the second when we got those musicians into the booth, it suddenly came to life in a way that you're like, 'that's Zootopia, that's the sound!'"

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