From apprentice animator on Pinocchio to the lyricist behind “Yo Ho, Yo Ho A Pirates Life for Me,” Xavier “X” Atencio’s Disney career was diverse and spectacular. Now for the first time his talent, humor, and creativity come to life in a book celebrating the body of work and the legacy of one of Walt’s original and most versatile Imagineers. Xavier "X" Atencio: The Legacy of An Artist, Imagineer, and Disney Legend depicts the life, art, and lasting legacy of X, detailing how he put himself into his work and used his talents, passion, humor, and creativity to inspire generations. It is the most comprehensive look to date at the one of Walt’s original and most versatile Imagineers . Featuring previously unpublished artwork and photographs from X’s personal collection , this book grants readers the unique opportunity to discover the true depths of influence X attained on his life journey. For while it was rare to become a Disney Imagineer, it was even rarer to end a career at Disney with as diversified a resume as X’s—from “small-town Colorado boy” to art school attendee, Disney animator, attraction scriptwriter, lyricist, voice-over artist, and finally Disney Legend . Set against the historic and cultural evolutions of The Walt Disney Company, Xavier "X" Atencio: The Legacy of An Artist, Imagineer, and Disney Legend provides a deeply personal perspective into the life and career of a Disney Legend whose story, until now, had remained largely untold. “Play is a fitting way to describe Atencio’s contributions to two of Disneyland’s most beloved attractions, where pirates and ghosts are captured at their most frivolous and jovial.” — Los Angeles Times “This book is a must-have. From cover to cover, it is full of fascinating stories and documents that I had never seen before. The authors of the book, Atencio’s family members, have really done their homework. Whether you love the art of Disney animated features or are interested in the behind-the-scenes of Imagineering, this book is for you.” —Didier Ghez, Disney author and historian “This book depicts the life, art, and lasting legacy of X. Featuring previously unpublished artwork and photographs from X’s personal collection, this book grants readers the unique opportunity to discover the true depths of influence X attained on his life journey.” —Tom Bricker, Disney Tourist Blog “ Xavier ‘X’ Atencio . . . is a deep dive into the life of a Disney Legend in every sense of the word. . . . An enjoyable read, telling a compelling story.” —Disneygeek blog Tori Atencio McCullough is X’s eldest daughter and the only one of his four children who followed in their father’s footsteps, having had her own forty-year career at Walt Disney Imagineering in the interior design department. Tori retired in 2016 and later co-authored a book about her Disney career, Women of Walt Disney Imagineering: 12 Women Reflect on Their Trailblazing Theme Park Careers. Kelsey McCullough is X’s first granddaughter. Following in the family footsteps, she started her Disney career working in technology for Disney Parks in 2013 and has since moved over to working on technology innovation at Walt Disney Studios. Bobbie Lucas could most closely be defined as X’s “grandchild-in-law.” She is a writer, producer, and film professor in Los Angeles. In the Atencio family tradition, she’s spent part of her career at Disney, where she most recently worked in television development at Disney General Entertainment. Dated April 6, 1965, X's official transfer from the Disney Studio marked the end of an era, and the start of an unfathomable new adventure at WED (now known as Imagineering). While X’s heart was at the studio, he trusted Walt. Yet after accepting his new position at WED, just a few miles away from the Burbank campus, X felt a little unsure of what exactly he would be doing in this new role. Bill Justice would eventually follow, getting a similar summons from Walt, but the move from the studio officially ended their working partnership. Walt’s desire to bring over his most talented and trusted movie creatives could be traced back to his creation of Disneyland. When Walt’s ideation of Disneyland was ready to become a reality, Walt needed to find a lead designer. He initially approached his friend and neighbor Welton Becket, a Los Angeles–based architect. After listening to Walt’s vision, Becket encouraged Walt to rethink his decision to use a traditional architecture firm and instead to bring in accomplished art directors, production designers, story creators, etc. (from within his studio and beyond) to design and build Disneyland. These filmmakers would need to translate their work in two-dimensional storytelling into three dimensions. Not only would this give Walt people whose work ethic and creativity he already trusted, but it also meant it would be easier to execute the aesthetic that Walt envisioned in the theme park. After all, these collaborators alread