Pete Docter Surprises Wilderness Explorer Cast Members at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

“The wilderness must be explored!”

Pete Docter, Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer and the Director of Disney and Pixar’s “Up,” surprised some cast members at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park who keeps the film’s magic alive through the Wilderness Explorers program.

Though Pete Docter has directed some of the most iconic Pixar films including “Inside Out,” “Monsters, Inc.” and most recently the Academy Award winning film “Soul,” “Up” remains a beloved fan-favorite that has inspired Walt Disney World cast members and guests alike. 

Related: Popular Animal Kingdom Entertainment act ‘Divine’ returning this month

Walt Disney Imagineers and cast members in the Animals, Science and Environment program at Disney’s Animal Kingdom saw an opportunity to educate guests on the park’s conservation mission by immersing them into Russell’s, one of the film characters, Wilderness Explorers program, which has quickly become a guest favorite attraction. Through this interactive program, guests can earn badges and become a senior Wilderness Explorer, as Russell would.

Here are a few fun facts about the Wilderness Explorers program you may not know!

• The program in the film and in Disney’s Animal Kingdom was inspired by The Wilderness Explorers, a “real” organization in the film that was founded in 1912.
• Wilderness Explorers have the motto to be a friend to all – “A Wilderness Explorer is a friend to all, be it plants or fish or tiny mole.”
• Walt Disney Imagineers partnered closely with Pixar and Pixar artists to bring the film’s Wilderness Explorers organization to life through badges, artwork and overall look-and-feel of the program.
• Cast members within Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment use the program to further the mission of Disney’s Animal Kingdom to bring awareness to conservation and protecting the planet.
• The current Chief of the Wilderness Explorers at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is Pete Docter, an honor bestowed to him as the director of “Up.”

Related: New Holiday Merch arrives at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Check back here on Chip & Co. for the latest theme park and entertainment news updates!

Let our friends at Destinations to Travel help you book your next Disney Vacation. They are the preferred Travel Agency of Chip and Company and Disney Addicts, and who we use ourselves.

Get started below for your FREE No Obligation Quote.

Book With our friends at Destinations to Travel

Who is your Travel Agent?(Required)

Let us pick for youEric HilesStacy ReedAbbey JohnsonAlisa SullivanAlli WillisAmanda FolsomAmanda VannAmber BrillhartAmber FisherAmy SieburnAndrea SmithAngela AndersonAngie BaycuraAnna PetrilliAnnabelle DuboseApril StefanskiAshley RamseyBeth ParsonsBetsy SantoroBrandie McQueenBrian BuckleyBridget HatchBryan SchwartzCandice SneedCarrie ButlerCarson DockumCasey BoltCharleen HortonChelsea RoyChelsea WuebkerChris BoyerChristie GrubeChristina FratturaChristina SmithCourtney WhiteCraig YoderDan MercedDanielle NorcrossDarby MouritsenDavid ForrestDeborah AlvaradoEmilee BiegelEmily MorrisFaith HakesGail HatchGreg MatzkerHelen HummerHolly CurryJackie CavistonJaclyn PepitoneJamie SwansonJeanine JordanJeff CallahanJenni MaierJennifer BrownJennifer StephensonJennifer StoessnerJessica HatfieldJessica HuffJessica WunderJoe GuertinJon CarpentierJoseph SliwaJulie McCombJustin BrownKat AttridgeKathryn EberhartKathy AndersonKatie HarrellKatie PrevotKayla CookKelsey SullensKim HelmsKimberly HutchinsonKristi GallagherKyle RamsdenLauren DewlenLeanne MonterLinda DurhamLindsay AckermannLindsey VromanLissette BritoLori HardyMallory MorrisonMandi QuinnMaranda PerkinsMarisa AlvaradoMegan TeismannMeghan BlairMelissa ReedMichele KlineMike BeyerMissy McCormickMisty DickersonNancy CasteelNicole ThorntonPatrick O'ConnorPaul SulPeyton Ward-KubikRaylene CooganRegan OstranderRobbie BulusRobert ThomasSara SolbergSarah McCandlishShanna BrowningShelley BennettShelly MetzStacy CristStacy KrzyminskiStacy SmithStephanie DraganoStephanie FerencStephanie WalshSusannah McCordTara SlusserTerri MillerTiffany DobraskiTiffany DrenkhahnTina FarmerTonya LesiukTracy DaneTroy DuncanVeronica RenteriaVicki FesslerWendy CarllWendy HauserWendy KellehanWendy Shelley

Name(Required)

First Last

Email(Required)

Phone(Required)

Destination(Required)

Walt Disney WorldDisneyland ResortDisney Cruise LineAulani, A Disney Resort and SpaAulani, A Disney Resort and SpaUniversal FloridaUniversal HollywoodRoyal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian or other Cruise LineI don't know yet

# of Adults(Required)

# of Children(Required)

Check-in-Date(Required)

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Check-out-Date(Required)

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Comments, Questions or Special Requests

Phone

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Δ

For the BEST in Disney, Universal, Dollywood, and SeaWorld Theme Park News, Entertainment, Merchandise & More follow us on, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. Don't forget to check out the Chip and Company Radio Network too!