Once the designs were settled on and construction completed, it was time to "age" these structures. Aging is a long and subtle process that had its ironic aspect due to the area's close proximity to the harsh effects of Tokyo Bay. Artificial rust, moss, salt stains, and even bird droppings were quite deliberately placed throughout the area, particularly along its shoreline.
I feel the skillful ability to convincingly age what environments require is one of the best examples of why Walt Disney Imagineering has traditionally maintained an edge over the competition.
And, you know, when I stood in the right place, a place where only New York could be seen, with the trolley clanking over-head, and the wonderfully drawn advertising posters completing the picture, I could for a moment believe I was there in 1912.
