An Interview with Imagineer Neil Engel
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ABC soap stars at the opening of the ABC Soap Opera Bistro
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LP: Soap Opera Bistro - can you talk about that a little bit?

NE: Soap Opera Bistro is a really fun project. It’s funny, this building, that it was about 99 percent designed and we thought, "gosh we got to put something in there. What is it going to be?" And we knew we wanted this to be a restaurant and when we were going into the design on this it was just about the time that ABC and Disney were getting together. And television is such a big part of Hollywood and we said, there are so many good things about ABC and - you’ve been to lots of theme restaurants. And a lot of them have that sort of I saw it once, it was really great but why would I want to go again? So we really took that into consideration this time.

Inside the General Hospital Nurses Station at ABC Soap Opera Bistro
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One of the ways we did that is we arrived on ABC daytime properties because they don’t have reruns. They make 360 shows a year and also because they have a very interesting fan base, crazy people that are just nuts in love with soaps and also because it’s very different and we keep it alive because every time you visit, we've got people up to date on everything that's going on in the soaps. The host and hostess are always trying out for a role on the soaps. They desperately want to be an "under five" which is under five lines. They want to be an under five some day. We’re going to have a lot of celebrity visits. Port Charles and General Hospital are taped right here in Los Angeles so we expect to have them come visit and make a surprise - can you imagine sitting there and having your lunch and everything and hear, "I’m going on break now, your next waiter is going to be bringing you your dessert" and maybe Luke Spencer comes and brings you your dessert? Can you imagine what a fan would do? They’d go nuts. So that’s why we’re really looking forward to it because unlike a lot of theme restaurants, we have a chance to really keep this alive, exciting and always something different when you visit.

LP: Is there anything in particular, maybe a little detail or something, that’s really your favorite part of the Hollywood Pictures Backlot District?

NE: That’s a good question. Let’s see. I think what I like about Hollywood Pictures Backlot is that it really - I think all the lands in this park are going to expand. We have things on the board for all of them. But what I like about Hollywood is that it really has got something for everyone to start. The Muppets are immensely popular. Animation is the hallmark of Disney. The Limo ride is great for little kids and parents with kids who want to see what it’s like to be a star. The Hyperion Show is going to be a great song and dance fantasy. As a start, it’s a really well rounded land and I think as it expands, and it undoubtedly will, it’s just going to become a real hot bed of excitement and up to date, contemporary stuff.

The Gone Hollywood shop sells trendy and humorous Hollywood "glamour" wear.
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I think also that what this park is all about, not just our land but all of them, is about contemporary, is about now. It’s not a period piece where when you go in like you go under the train station at Disneyland it's like I’m back in time. This is now. This is today. So in that respect we’ll have entertainment that is really up to date. We’ll have new shows that bring it up to date and that’s a challenge of course as well as fun. It’s not like looking in history books and saying what was real hot in 1910. You’re going what’s hip now? I think it really keeps it alive and has a chance to keep it be a real item.