Music of Space Mountain: Imagineers Eddie Sotto & Aarin Richard

Imagination Skyway

Matthew Krul

Society & Culture, Places & Travel, Kids & Family, History

4.9 • 846 Ratings

🗓️ 1 November 2025

⏱️ 62 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

How do you capture the feeling of blasting through the cosmos on Space Mountain? In the 1990s, Imagineers Eddie Sotto and Aarin Richard were tasked with adding a synchronized on-board audio track to Space Mountain in Disneyland California and creating a synchronized on-board audio track for the brand new Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris. In this episode of Imagination Skyway, we journey into the creation of Space Mountain’s groundbreaking soundtracks for Disneyland (featuring Dick Dale) and Disneyland Paris. Join Disney Imagineers Eddie Sotto and Aarin Richard as they reveal how these iconic scores came to life—from creative experimentation and studio sessions to the storytelling choices that shaped the attraction’s tone and tempo. Eddie Sotto has been called “a renaissance creative” with a proven track record in entertainment design that extends far beyond Disney. As Senior Vice President of Concept Design at Walt Disney Imagineering, he led the Concept Development Studio, producing and designing major attractions including Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland Paris and Rocket Rods. Mentored by Disney Legends Tony Baxter and Herb Ryman, Sotto went on to found SottoStudios, applying cinematic design principles to television, restaurants, hospitality, ultra-luxury interiors, and even private aviation—earning an IYAA Award for “Best Private Jet Concept.” In 2020, Blooloop named him one of the Top 50 Theme Park Influencers. Aarin Richard served as a Walt Disney Imagineer starting in the 1990s working in the music group. His projects included the first synchronized on-board audio track for Space Mountain at Disneyland and Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris, as well as the music for the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Indiana Jones Adventure, and beyond. Listen to the Aarin and Eddie's Space Mountain soundtrack recorded with Dick Dale on YouTube. To plan a trip, be sure to work with KMV Travel. Get bonus content, ad-free episodes, and more at patreon.com/imaginationskyway. Tag me and join the conversation below. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@imaginationskyway Instagram: www.instagram.com/imaginationskyway Facebook Group (ImagiNation): https://www.facebook.com/groups/imaginationskyway Facebook: www.facebook.com/imaginationskyway TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@imaginationskyway Threads: https://www.threads.net/@imaginationskyway Twitter: www.twitter.com/skywaypodcast Email: matt@imagineerpodcast.com How to Support the Show Share the podcast with your friends Rate and review on iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-imagineerpodcasts-podcast/id1244558092 Join our Patreon Group - https://www.patreon.com/imaginationskyway Purchase merchandise - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/imagineer-podcast?ref_id=8929 Enjoy the show!

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome aboard Imagination Skyway, your guided tour through the worlds of Disney and Imagineering.
0:22.2	I'm Matthew Kroll, your host on this panoramic journey, and I'm on a mission to better
0:26.5	understand the stories and places we love and the people who bring them to life.
0:30.7	Today's episode is our first ever double Imagineer interview.
0:34.8	Last fall, I interviewed Imagineer Aaron Richard about his career at Disney,
0:39.1	and one of the topics we discussed was his work on the Space Mountain soundtrack at Disneyland
0:43.7	and Disneyland Paris. In this episode, Aaron returns with Imagineer Eddie Sato for an incredible
0:49.7	conversation about their collaborative work on the Space Mountain attractions. As you fasten your seatbelt,
0:55.4	I encourage you to take out your mobile devices and search for Imagination Skyway on your favorite
0:59.6	social media app. Better yet, if you're looking for ad-free episodes, bonus content, or the ability
1:04.8	to comment directly on the podcast, head to patreon.com slash imagination Skyway, where you can sign up for a free account or a premium
1:13.3	subscription. And if this episode leaves you yearning for a trip to Disney or any other destination,
1:18.8	reach out to our partners and sponsors at KMV Travel by visiting KMVTravel.com slash Skyway.
1:27.3	As we begin our journey, please remain seated,
1:29.5	keep your hands and arms inside the podcast at all times,
1:32.0	and enjoy your journey aboard Imagination Skyway. Last year, I had the chance to chat with former Imagineer Aaron Richard about his career at Disney and beyond.
1:54.4	And one of the topics we broached was his work on Space Mountain at Disneyland and at Disneyland Paris.
2:00.8	Today, we're going to dive deeper into that subject.
2:04.2	This time, not with one, but I think for the first time on this show, two Imagineers.
2:09.4	The first, of course, is Aaron himself.
2:11.0	So first, welcome back to the show, Aaron.
2:13.7	Hey, good to be here, Matt.
	...

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