Lanny Smoot, The Disney Imagineer With The Most Patents At Walt Disney, Shares The Next Big Thing That Could Change The VR Game
AFROTECH™ Conference 2025 brought the magic of Disney to Houston with “An Inside Look at Imagineering Presented by Walt Disney Imagineering.”
On Wednesday, Oct. 29, Imagineers Lanny Smoot and Jonathan Becker shared their personal journeys, offering a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most innovative and immersive experiences in themed entertainment.
During the session, Smoot, who holds 107 United States-issued patents — the most of anyone at Walt Disney Company — discussed his latest innovation, the HoloTile floor, which he believes will transform the virtual reality landscape.
“Virtual reality has always allowed people to be in multiple places, all of that sort of thing, but of course, if they walk too far, they trip on the couch. So, I’ve invented a floor that allows anything on its surface, including people walking, to walk as long as they want to in any direction. The floor will always correct that and keep them on it,” Smoot said.
Becker, never one to “fit into a monolithic box,” reflected on his unique path to Disney — shaped by a lifelong passion for music, video games, surfing, skating, and even gardening and landscape design, where he memorized the species of plants.
During an internship at Imagineering, Becker began by designing musical interactions at Walt Disney World’s Pandora, exploring ways for guests with no musical training to create group compositions through innovative drum circle experiences. From there, a broader interest in mechanical and robotic design grew, leading to Becker helping develop exoskeletons for large costume characters like the Incredible Hulk and Thanos.
“I’ve always been a free spirit, always chasing things that made me happy. So I’ve never really fit into a box, and weirdly, that kind of set me up for imagineering,” Becker said.
The exclusive panel also highlighted the Disney Cruise Line, which brings Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Disney Parks adventures to life. Upcoming offerings on the Disney Destiny include an all-new Hercules stage show and Pride Lands Feast of The Lion King, an immersive dining experience featuring music from the film.
By the end of the session, it was clear how creativity and engineering work together to shape the future of storytelling across Disney’s live entertainment, resorts, cruise ships, and more. The collaborative effort underscores the company’s focus on innovation, driving next-generation projects across Disney products.
“We’re looking [at] five to 10 years out, where technology is going and how that intersects with creativity to create amazing new experiences for our guests,” Becker said.
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