Imagineers Share the Story Behind the Ichabod Crane Window

Disney Imagineers have shared the story behind the new Ichabod Crane Window in Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Square. Installed this past summer, the window offers guests a glimpse of the famous Sleepy Hollow resident as he goes about his day. Look up at the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe’s second-floor windows the next time you’re in the area. You just might catch a glimpse of Ichabod’s silhouette.

The idea for the window came about when Alex Caruthers, an art director at Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), strolled down Main Street, U.S.A., and wondered how he could bring life to the upper-story windows. Eventually, Imagineers focused on bringing life to Liberty Square and began testing technologies. Brandon Dubeansky, an assistant producer with WDI, said it didn’t take long to finalize the concept: “It actually worked really well right off the bat, so we knew we had a strong project on our hands.”

The design is simple. Imagineers created six scenes to be shown on two monitors mounted to the windows. “He’s not up all the time, but he’s up enough,” said Shay Willard, a Visual Media Designer with WDI.

Caruthers explains why Imagineers chose Ichabod for the window: “He’s such a fun character. He’s fastidious, which was going to give us lots of fun movements as he ate or drank or read a book.”

Imagineers are pleased with the guests’ reactions, many of whom immediately recognize Ichabod. While the window is a subtle addition, it’s what makes Disney parks great. “It adds to the story, but it’s only a supporting element. It’s a little bit of fun for the guests, but it is definitely not something that takes over [the] area,” said Caruthers.

Learn more about the Ichabod Crane Window on the Great Moments in Walt Disney Imagineering YouTube series.