From Dream to Reality: Greg Schumsky’s Vision for Jackalope Junction, the Steampunk Western Storypark

Imagine stepping into a living, breathing storybook set in the Old West, but with a twist of steampunk magic. That’s the vision behind Jackalope Junction, the groundbreaking project spearheaded by Greg Schumsky. With a career rooted in helping to create immersive experiences for giants like Disney and Universal, Schumsky is now crafting a unique ‘Storypark’ that promises to redefine themed entertainment. In this exclusive interview, we delve into the inspirations, challenges, and boundless creativity driving the development of Jackalope Junction, a place where guests won’t just visit, they’ll become part of the adventure.

The Birth of a Storypark: Defining Jackalope Junction

TPM: For our readers that haven’t heard of Jackalope Junction, can you give a description of what it is?

Jackalope Junction is going to be the world’s first fully-immersive Steampunk Western Storypark ever conceived or built. Encompassing approximately 20 acres, there will be hills of various elevations that place Jackalope Junction into its own valley.

We call it a Storypark, because unlike most theme parks that have a plethora of different attractions and lands that each may have its own story, whether with intentional design (Ala Galaxy’s Edge and Peter Pan), or an overlay (ala The Hulk at Six Flags), Jackalope Junction is just one overall story with a main plot, chapters, subplots, character development, twists, good vs. evil, mystery, and an arc. So when guests visit, they will step into what we consider to be a living, breathing, ongoing ever-changing story just like life itself. Also, unlike current or recently attempted immersive experiences, guests won’t look out of place as they will be whisked by special trains to this alternate past of the late 1800’s- and they can choose to interact with our townsfolk, or just enjoy the day and all that goes on, just like visiting some small town somewhere in the Midwest, sampling the local culture, the food, entertainment, rides at a county fair, explore and learn about its history, or even choose to have a quiet picnic. There will be no rush, time will slow down, worries and concerns melt away.

The goal is to bring back good old fashioned wholesome fun, entertainment and values to what seems to be a very weary world.

From Childhood Dreams to Themed Entertainment: Greg Schumsky’s Creative Journey

TPM: What were your key inspirations and experiences growing up that led you to the world of theme park and entertainment design?

Ever since I was little, I have loved making people laugh, amaze them, and bring them joy. I was inspired by men like Walt Disney, and still remember seeing an episode of his show that pulled back the curtain to show his Imagineers at work on the dinosaurs, cave men, and the Carousel of Progress – I was mesmerized by the work they were doing. The Muppets and Peanuts were also an inspiration- namely Jim Henson and Charles Schulz, as well as groups like The Harlem Globetrotters and Meadowlark Lemon, and then magicians like Doug Henson and Mark Wilson. So, I did a lot of puppet shows starting when I was about five for neighbors and family, magic shows, and also had a love for animation and movie making, and made little stop-motion films as well as learned to double expose film when I was around the same age.

Like so many others I had dreams of becoming an Imagineer or possibly having a park and creating something that could really bring joy to others.

So I studied film, animation, video, robotics, industrial design and architecture, graphic design, and worked in those as well as AV production, interactive multimedia, User Experience Design – I had a drive to know every single aspect of what creates a great experience and had a knack for looking at stuff that had been created and then making better experiences. I could see what I thought was so obvious while co-workers, employers, clients could not and either ended up winning some major contract (when allowed to just break the mold and take a risk), or getting fired because my ideas were too cutting-edge or “risky”.

So I grew tired of always being told by someone how to do my job, where I was brought in to create something amazing and was hamstrung to instead design something mundane… something “safe” and then getting the blame when a product ultimately failed…

During that time, in 2017 I had had enough and told my wife I wanted to pursue a career in themed entertainment. So I went to a Themed Entertainment Association event at Knott’s Berry Farm, on my birthday nonetheless, and ended meeting some of the most kind, interesting, creative folks – ones I felt at home with, versus the more prideful set of the UX world.

I knew this was where I belonged. It wouldn’t be until 2018 where I’d get a job in exhibit design and fabrication at the San Diego Air and Space Museum that I’d get my feet wet, helping build out a new massive SPACE exhibit, and then followed in 2019 with a job as a designer for Storyland Studios – that I felt I was on the path to something big.

And that’s when Jackalope Junction entered my mind…

Magic, Muppets, and Immersion: How Early Experiences Shape Jackalope Junction’s Attractions

TPM: You mentioned puppet shows, magic shows, and animations as part of your early creative endeavors. How do these childhood experiences specifically influence the attractions and character interactions in Jackalope Junction?

I think it all comes down to finding things that just bring people joy. When I’d do magic shows, I’d never try to be like a serious magician- as much as I wanted to astound people with feats of prestidigitation, but knew I if could also get a laugh (and by accident the first time), then I’d roll with it vs. getting all uptight. And then I figured out after a while how to integrate our little replica Muppets that I had – the Cookie Monster had a hole in the back his throat inside the puppet so you could make him “eat”, and I’d have him show interest in what I was doing during a trick and he’d eat it… to my chagrin.

I think this all culminated to looking at “how do I create something better than Disney or other theme parks?” They all focus on “show” – music, dancing, etc.. and that’s all fine, but also it’s just so random – I get the idea of having entertainment and it’s a great way to lessen lines or give guests something else to look at, or enjoy – but that doesn’t seem to lessen guest frustration.

I think if you look at what makes Disney special though is the guest and character interactions. As fun as the photo ops are, I think they nailed it with the Chewbacca meet at Disneyland where he spends time and seems excited to be with you- but even more, when you see him at Galaxy’s Edge just roaming around, and he goes out of the way to come to you… wow. (He always gives me a hug because I’m tall). Another great example is the interactions with the Grinch at Universal – he and Chewbacca connect because you can see their EYES. They seem and feel real. So what if we did the same – characters that seem real and not just some random employee hiding in a costume? What if they were “real”, so that a visit to the park was in fact “immersive” to the point that guests are convinced they have been transported back in time? That there’s very little doubt they aren’t in just some other theme park? I used the term “no shiny pennies” because there’s the scene in the Christopher Reeves movie “Somewhere in Time”, and he’s succeeded in going back in time – he’s got the right clothing, he’s convinced himself he’s back in time, and then pulls out a shiny modern day penny which breaks the illusion or whatever of where he is – and thrusts him back into present day. So how do we avoid that? We can’t – but we can do everything we can create that illusion for our guests – not just in the character interactions but in the ones with our “townsfolk” – I remember one time being on The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, inside the Stretching Room, and two of the female cast members – instead of being “haunted mansion servants”, they were talking out loud and giggling…

Okay so I may have gotten off track. Simply put, to answer your question, those moments in my life made me realize that by creating something unbelievable or wonderful or simply magical that made people forget about all the problems they faced, I had hit something pretty special and knew it’s what I always needed to do.

Family, Friends, and Divine Inspiration: The Collaborative Evolution of Jackalope Junction

TPM: How have the ideas and feedback from your family and friends influenced the development of Jackalope Junction?

The whole idea for Jackalope Junction began from various trips to a local vintage market, held out in San Diego’s back country at a place called “Summer’s Past Farms”, which my wife and often went to. On our trips out there, we’d pass an old, abandoned western themed amusement park by the name of Marshal Scotty’s – one that as children, we’d go to for birthday parties – it was a quaint little park with covered wagons for birthday groups, a small park train, carnival rides, snack booths, midway games, and pony rides (my favorite as they were on a track vs a carousel sort of contraption).

As we’d pass the old place, I’d often think “Gee, that would make a great little Western town with some shops, amusement rides and a mine cave walkthrough as well as a gravity house”. I didn’t have a name for it yet, nor any plans but I sure could envision it and just now much fun families might have.

Originally, it was planned to be a very small, 5 acres or so, as the land was maybe 7 acres altogether, and some would be dedicated to offices and a design studio, and no admission – just come eat, listen to local little bands, go in some ticketed rides…

Then that changed to more of a gated experience – cheap, but to keep out the “riff-raff” I had seen and experienced at Tom’s Farms in Corona (which I was encouraged to visit by Mel McGowan of Storyland).

And that kind of led to idea it should be a theme park, and it needed a mascot. As a kid I was always intrigued by Jackalopes – jackrabbits with a set of horns or antlers, so it was to be that ours would be a Sheriff character, old and grizzled, and the “town” would be called “Jackalope Junction”. I wanted something not cute, but felt like the old west.

And then one day I had the pleasure to meet Disney Imagineer Tom Morris, thanks to a dinner invite to Club 33 from Mel. Tom was intrigued by my little project and suggested I watch the Disney movie “So Dear to My Heart”, from the visuals to graphics to feel – so I did and was enamored by it.

That ended up changing the idea to include a small county fair section, an indoor coaster inside a mine cave – taking the idea of the mine cave walkthrough and expanding it to something a bit more fun and exciting – and keeping noise levels down for neighbors as well as something with a small footprint.

And then other attractions were designed to go in – the gravity house would now use the Mystery Swing from Zamperla, a small stampede sort of ride based on the Demolition Derby (as used by Disney for a couple of attractions), a train (of course), and some other rides.

My wife suggested it needed a hotel, but with little room that was there, it couldn’t work, so I wanted to add an overnight camping experience in the park – with teepees and covered wagons as an homage to Marshal Scotty’s so families who many have never been on a camping trip could sleep under the stars.

And then one day, one of my kids suggested that maybe Jackalope Junction should be Steampunk as well, and Jackalope Jim would have a bionic arm… (to which I thought was a silly idea at first..).

And so I gave it some thought… why then does Jackalope Jim have a bionic arm? Did he lose it in a war? Or is it more interesting if he was just born without an arm?

And so that made me ask, “well, what was his life like without an arm in the late 1800’s, and where did he get the special bionic one?”… so a story began to form , one of tragedy, anger, and redemption… and soon, other characters I had created to fill this town, mostly with ones to give a place like a restaurant or shop some name, and “owner” – they too had stories to tell. And Jackalope Junction became a “Storypark” where not only did we have something that could be books and a television show with a focus to bring wholesome values back to family entertainment, but then it came to being mindful to not just throw in rides or attractions, but curate them – why are they there, do they add to the story as an element, is there a real reason (behind ticket sales) for them…?

I do believe though that all of those stories, the idea of a Storypark, but more so the idea of having characters that connect to our guests, and our audience in general, were inspired by God. And where I’ve been able to take this so far in such a short amount of time has been His doing.

It’s been a rough road at times, as I’m not some big media conglomerate wanting to build a theme park with tons of licensed IP, or even some company as big as Storyland – I’m just one mostly insignificant guy – who was inspired to take ideas that popped into my head at random moments, express to my network how God had had an impact on my career path, and now has assigned this to me.. and what happened and still is I’d say is pretty miraculous –

A whole lot of folks in the industry reached out to help – despite having no budget – and I’d tell them thanks but I can’t afford to pay them, yet they would all insist that they have to help- and this could be the most important project they’ve ever been involved with…

People have told me they can’t sleep and it eats away at them knowing how important this is.

And there are times when I’m at my wits end because at the end of the day I don’t have a team of full time designers, developers, etc. – it’s just me carrying this torch and folks seeing it, and wanting to help carry it for a few hundred feet every so often..

But then a call comes, from someone who felt compelled to help, or in one case, John Kelton from Kelton Design telling me the Holy Spirit told him to call me (after one night where I was ready to just give up), and that I needed his help.

This is no ordinary theme park development project…

Crafting a Living Story: The ‘Storypark’ Concept and Visitor Engagement

TPM: The concept of Jackalope Junction as a “Storypark” is intriguing. Could you elaborate on how this storytelling approach influences the design and operation of the park? How does it differentiate Jackalope Junction from traditional theme parks in terms of visitor engagement and experience?

Well, I guess the best way to put it is that Jackalope Junction is not going to be like a typical theme park, or typical “western town “experience, that there are plenty of around the states. I mean aside from having the western and steam punk elements combined, we are really focusing on the characters, carrying the experience along with several base stories that we’ve created about the town, the mysterious caves where there was a terrible cave in previous to the town, becoming Jackalope junction which led to the loss of 13 people, and then of course, the idea that it feels more like an actual town that you are visiting that might have its backcountry, and county fair outside of town, stuff like that it’s really about celebrating middle America or just good old-fashioned fun that used to be the thing – and I imagine still is, with small towns throughout the United States with their summer picnic and their little fall festivals and Christmas celebrations .

Celebrating a more nostalgic America, from the Western Frontier to the Midwest, where values, perseverance and a can-do attitude and kindness were the main themes.

When you visit somewhere like that, you know, you don’t have to get engaged with what’s going on, but you are more than welcome to typically by extremely kind people that you don’t find everywhere. I want people to come here and they can decide to just meander and watch, or they can decide to get involved and do some fun stuff and the end of the day they’re gonna feel fulfilled no matter what. My goal is not to have any grumpy people. In fact, if any of our employees are grumpy when they get up in the morning, they can take the day off as PTO or sick day, but I call it “wrong side of the bed” day. That way, doesn’t eat into their PTO or their actual sick days and they will get probably five per year just to be in a bad mood. I don’t want anyone coming to work in a bad mood.

Except maybe Mabel, the worst waitress anyone will ever encounter at the Gilded Canary Grand Theater and Restaurant… she’s just terrible to everyone but needs the job…

Learning from the Masters: Disney, Universal, and the Vision for Something More

TPM: You worked on projects for major entertainment companies like Disney and Universal. How did these experiences shape your approach to creating Jackalope Junction?

Part of working on those projects made me look at how do I take an assignment and really develop something better – something that truly gives the audience a sense of a story being told or happening. As an example, while at Storyland, I was tasked with creating animated eyes for a group of life-sized Sneetches for the Dr. Seuss traveling experience (as well as engineering a flooring system for a forest of Truffala Trees, the trees, a dead forest, etc.

The initial thought was to do a simple animated mechanism with some small microprocessor to make the eyes move left and right- a little bit, a lot, pause… But I wanted to bring them to life, each with their own personality. We had to create 16: Eight were static with their eyes closed, and eight with animated eyes. So I had the brilliant idea to put a projector in each one’s head, running an animation I’d create with Adobe Illustrator and After Effects, and projected onto some sort of screen in the head where the eyes are.

We had a black acrylic that was called “Black Magic” and would take on whatever color was projected onto it- otherwise, it looked opaque black. So, I found the tiniest pico projectors I could, designed a mount for them and a mirror to fit inside a Sneetch head, and then created eight different looped animation sequences with eye movement, blinking, and slight changes to pupils.

I wanted to go above and beyond what my bosses and the clients expected.

Jackalope Junction can’t be like any other park, from their themed lands to various attractions- each element has to tell an incredibly amazing part of a much larger story. It’s like “plussing” but plussing times plussing…

There’s a certain level of expectation from guests when they go to Disney or Universal parks. When Walt created Disneyland, he wanted to create something better than the cadre of amusement parks – something no one had ever experienced.

My hope and desire is we can do the same with Jackalope Junction- and create a whole new genre of family entertainment.

“When Walt created Disneyland, he wanted to create something better than the cadre of amusement parks – something no one had ever experienced.” – Greg Schumsky

From Humble Beginnings to Grand Ambitions: The Expanding Vision of Jackalope Junction

TPM: Jackalope Junction has evolved significantly since its inception. Could you walk us through how the concept has expanded from your initial vision to the current plans?

Initially the park went from the idea of a small Western town with some rides and little roadside attractions, with a small event center for weddings, little corporate workshops, parties; and the camping experience, to a larger one with room for growth, with a bigger event center, a working farm and partnering with 4H and Future Farmers of America to teach about raising small livestock to growing food; a couple hotels, rodeo grounds, guided trail rides on horseback, and eventually a 20 acre “natural” waterpark with an exceptionally long lazy river. Part of that would also be offices, design and production studios, a soundstage for our show, fabrication, dorms and apartments for employees, and a 10-acre studio backlot that’s a duplicate of the park more or less for our show.

It went from a glorified shopping/entertainment experience to something that can have a significant impact on families, a truly meaningful and memorable experience for everyone.

Budget-Friendly Immersion: Balancing Cost and Experience at Jackalope Junction

TPM: The park envisions a smaller footprint than conventional theme parks, yet has ambitious goals. Can you discuss the specific aspects of Jackalope Junction that lower costs, and how will you balance budget constraints with creating a fully immersive experience?

To me, most parks are too big and too expensive, and there seems to be a mad rush to get from one side to the other while trying to get in every single ride, show, attraction, etc. I constantly see at parks crying children, frazzled and angry parents, disappointed guests who didn’t get to something in time or having stood in line for hours to see a ride shut down. It’s too much for anyone, too much to keep everything running smoothly, just way too much in general.

So why not create something smaller, more manageable, more affordable for guests, not needing a massive workforce to make it all run day in and day out? Something that guests can leisurely experience in a day, or if they come for a half day or night, they pay less, and if they buy ride tickets (we’re bringing back the small entry fee/ticket book model), they can use what they didn’t the next time they come.

All shops will be curated and designed to fit in, but then be leased to vendors or small business owners who will sell their wares, have their own staff and all the HR headaches – we’ll train them to be townsfolk of Jackalope Junction and provide the costumes, but wages and all that comes with that we won’t need to deal with.

We plan to start slow and small – have lots of stuff families can do that don’t necessarily cost money to do – but have fun workshops where kids can build things with their folks, see some fun entertainment from music to magic shows, go on the carnival rides at the county fair, or on one of a couple custom attractions, go on the trains, sign up for a Deputy Sheriff school and shoot targets throughout the park for points; eat great food, have a quiet picnic, explore the maze inside our mine caverns (to be designed by Adrian Fischer!), help capture The Slippery Slope Gang…

And then see as new characters are introduced on the show and see what they bring to the town – from a suspended rocket plane to a steampunk people mover, and so on. We want to be smart on how much we add without having to borrow money or be in debt.

Start as small as possible that gives a great experience – create stuff from scratch that are fun things to do – like gem mining, or some variation of the little carts from Knott’s – there’s no need to spend millions on something that could be designed and built using a shoestring budget mindset – plus it’s a great challenge, and adds a unique character and realism to this being some rebuilt old west mining town where ingenuity and elbow grease turned it into something special.

Save the money for the big special things, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do something fun, unique, and simply wonderful in the meantime. Can you imagine actually going to a theme park and at the end of the day, not regretting how much you spent, and at the same time feeling like every second was well worth it?

I have a lot of experience having no money, yet when my wife wants me to build something on our property – from a 1000sf pole barn to a rustic bar next to it – and so much other stuff… you learn to be resourceful.

Building the Foundation: The First Steps Towards a Steampunk Western World

TPM: You talk about starting small and expanding responsibly. What are the first few attractions or features you plan to open, and how do they set the tone for the full immersive experience you envision?

Well, as an example, we have Mine Cave Adventure Tour, which will be an indoor crazy mouse style coaster. However, although the rock work and everything else will be done, that probably will not be up and running in the first year or maybe two depending on budget and so forth. However, folks will still be able to ride one of the trains through the back of the caverns, do the walk-through maze that’s inside of them, or eventually visit the Time Crystal Club, which will be our version, and a lot more affordable, of Disney’s Club 33.

We plan to have a lot of things in place that will fill a day easily for a family of four, or for a couple on a date night, lots of fun activities, Friday and Saturday night, ho-downs in the big barn, lots of great local music, and of course, a few attractions that will have been placed to begin with that are very necessary to the story and aren’t going to break the bank at the same time. Those attractions as well as any activities and other stuff around the park will be inherently part of the story and history of the town. As an example, we will be putting in the NebulaZ attraction from Zamperla – which I really love a lot, but I had to think about how this would fit into our story versus putting it in because it’s just pretty neat. So, part of the story is that underneath the park are a series of caverns and tunnels that live beneath it, and within those caverns and tunnels is a high amount of mysterious energy, which is what gave the Wonderstones ™ their various properties.

But that energy source needs to be managed and vented every so often/ so the idea is that the ride actually is a large clockwork valve that has to release the energy to prevent another cataclysmic event in the local caverns – and someone who was just goofing around had the idea to put chairs on it for fun. But every so often, huge amounts of steam energy will erupt from the top as it’s releasing that energy build-up underground.

That, is how you have reasons for certain attractions, and make them fit into the story if possible. And if they can’t fit into the story at all, I mean like there’s just no way to get in, then we don’t put the ride in.

A Day in Jackalope Junction: Crafting the Ideal Visitor Experience

TPM: Describe your ideal visitor experience at Jackalope Junction. What might they see, do, and feel during their visit?

There will be several ways to experience Jackalope Junction, and I wanted to be mindful of how each person has different expectations or desires. So using my UX skills, I created different “personas” – based on folks I know or just my own set of different moods.

There is the “casual visitor”, who comes in, wants to just experience it at a very high level – walk through, shop maybe, eat, watch some live music, watch folks competing in a water melon eating contest- really no plans for the day but just to be there, They don’t have to get “involved” in any way to have a nice time. And they may, through osmosis, learn about the history of the town, its past, and become intrigued as to what’s next.

Then you have the kids (and adults) who are excited to be there – who don’t know what to expect, yet there is a wonder as they explore and discover something new and different around every corner, and will be giddy with what they find. They’ll just let go and let wonder and curiosity be their guide.

Then there is the “fan” – folks who have been watching our show for a while, know all the little details, can’t wait to see Jackalope Jim and his friends, be “in” the town that they could only imagine visiting someday, taking it all in. And at the end of the day can’t wait to come back. Some may decide to stay overnight in the park and see what will happen “tomorrow”, as each day will bring something new and fun- just like life in actual small town.

Reigniting Wonder: Capturing the Childlike Spirit in Every Guest

TPM: If an adult visitor lacks a sense of childlike wonder, is there a specific attraction or experience in Jackalope Junction designed to reignite that spark?

As I mentioned the “casual” guest – they may come to see it, watch a show, eat, shop, just “be” there. But there’s going to be a lot of things we’ve planned that will convert that person from an “innocent bystander” to someone who wants to explore and learn more. They may be a history buff, or love a good story one can get into – they may be an introvert – and as you said, maybe just haven’t allowed to themselves to be a kid for moment. What if there’s a bank robbery and they’re in the middle of it? Or they’re asked to volunteer for the watermelon contest they had only meandered by to witness? We want to be respectful of folks need to be introverted, but we want to get everyone involved in the fun. And for those who are “stick in the mud” types, we have enough planned to get a smile on their face.. we like grumps because then it’s a fun challenge to do what we can to make them laugh and just let go…

Hidden Treasures: Easter Eggs and Surprises in Jackalope Junction

TPM: Are there any secret details, Easter eggs, or planned surprises within Jackalope Junction that you’re particularly excited for guests to discover?

Oh there will be quite a few. One I’m happy to share will be in our “Blacksmith Bill’s Electrificated Conveyances and Test Trail” where we will pay homage to Disneyland’s Mine Train through Nature’s Wonderland attraction, utilizing some character ideas from unused concept sketches that were planned but never implemented.

TPM: Ok, we’re very intrigued! What other fascinating details can share about this without giving too much away?

I would keep an eye out for anything that might be time travel related! Remember the Delgado mines in Back to The Future 3?

Old West Authenticity Meets Steampunk Fantasy: Blending Genres Seamlessly

TPM: The park has strong fantasy elements like cyborgs and Wonderstones. How does your team ensure the Old West authenticity remains intact without being overshadowed by the fantastical?

Well, we’ve pretty much taken the ideals of the old west, sticking to certain stories, historical events and inspiration from actual towns as well as some great old Western films – and also looked to shows like “The Wild Wild West”, and then also brought in the fantasy and adventure of Jules Verne – which both genres are about the element of danger but folks somehow surviving the odds against them and growing from those adventures. I wanted to do something “better” than just steampunk- something cleaner as far as an energy source vs coal and burners and creating steam, but something like the mysterious power source aboard the Nautilus in 20,000 Leagues – so I had the idea of these gems that had different properties to them – somewhat based on actual science – as each type has the properties that gemstones have in this world.

So by taking the practicality of the old west, and then replacing certain things with a little bit of Sci-Fi and fantasy, looking to what there was in those little towns in the 1800’s, but then how does one make it more “intriguing and interesting” to a very wide audience? Add some technology! If we use shows like The Wild Wild West as well as Brisco County Junior as a base, which those elements only added excitement (and at times humor), then I’d say we have something even better.

A Symphony of Talent: The Creative Minds Behind Jackalope Junction

TPM: Could you share insights into the key individuals and organizations that have joined forces with you to bring the vision of Jackalope Junction to life? How do their expertise and contributions shape the development of the park?

Well, it’s kind of interesting to me how many folks have contributed something over the past 5 years, after I had mentioned this on LinkedIn- basically I had made a post about how God had been directing my career path pretty much my whole life – as it was almost too random for me to just do on my own accord- and I mentioned how He inspired me to create this… with the goal of returning back to wholesome values in family friendly entertainment.

There is something pure and innocent about the whole concept and idea of Jackalope Junction- and while it’s aimed at a certain age group – kids 7-14, it has a very wide audience appeal- more than I had envisioned. And so all of these people came forth wanting to help despite my having no financial resources to speak of.

We’ve had ex-Disney Imagineers contribute concept art, folks from Universal Creative provide some great advice and consultation, students who wanted to get into themed entertainment design, and then those who’ve been in the industry a very long time who wanted to be a bigger part, from Klaus Paulsen of AdventureLab – who was the president of the European Themed Entertainment Association and has been a wonderful advisor along with a fellow by the name of Russ Swanger(who has a good business background but never in themed entertainment), Brian Collins from Disney Imagineering, Doug Bain, Mark Eades from Disney Imagineering, Tom LaDuke from Disney Imagineering, Kirk Hanson from Disney Imagineering and Animation (who is heading up the story for our Tv pilot), Scott Cook from Disney publishing, Ben Lancaster, and a recent addition to help with marketing is Suzette Lopez from Disney.

And then I’ve had amazing talented folks who were freelance or students, including but not limited to Josh Combs, Luc and Josh Steadman, Meghan Burns, Cody King, Michael Boskovich, and development companies like Cuningham and Andy Fastman who have all taken a huge interest, not to mention some of the folks at Storyland and moral support from guys like Mel McGowan, or offers to shoot our pilot for free more or less at Fon Davis’s Fonco Studios.

For all of the art that was done, it was merely a case of telling them what I was looking for – maybe sending some examples from photos – and then letting them run hog wild, or sending rough thumbnail sketches and seeing what they’d do- with feedback and all of them willing to make changes.

I remember also having lots of talks with Josh Steadman – I really wanted to incorporate time travel into this – and he had some great advice – that the park somehow should be split into a story of 3 acts: the setup (the main town), the rising action/confrontation, and then the resolution. From those wonderful talks I was able to create a “living book” within the park – not that anyone needs to get involved when visiting, but for those paying attention, there’s going to be a huge payoff.

All of these folks, I think, were called to be part of this, as I’ve had many tell me that they can’t stop thinking about it- that it keeps them up at night, and they can’t let go until we get this built..

TPM: With such a diverse group of contributors from different backgrounds, how do you coordinate and integrate their ideas to maintain a unified vision for Jackalope Junction?

That’s simple… they’re all very professional, know this is my baby, and are willing to create what I ask. Sometimes there are some designs that just don’t fit in, and I ask them or give them more direction as to what I’m looking for, and then I let them just kind of run hog wild what I’m trying to get- and sometimes they nail it, and sometimes they don’t. Sometimes I will send them some images for inspiration, and sometimes I just send them some rough sketches. as they make progress, I will tell them whether I like it or not nine times out of 10 they’re willing to make the changes. Or they’re just wanting to make the changes in general 99.9% of the time. But I have not had any concept artists create something that I didn’t think could work. But the truly wonderful part is there are those who have SO much knowledge and experience in themed entertainment design, and were at places like Disney when amazing attractions were created. So they will give advice when needed… and I tend to listen because these folks have so much wonderful wisdom. To me, every day I’m amazed that this guy, me, who at one time so badly wanted to be an Imagineer, and now here I have some of Disney’s smartest folks working with me…

The Quest for Funding: Navigating the Challenges of Investment

TPM: Securing investment is crucial for any major venture. What strategies are you currently pursuing to secure the funding needed for Jackalope Junction, and how are you approaching potential investors?

Tell me about it!! Getting “fans” has been easier than I ever imagined and it just happened – thousands of folks follow us and me on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. I often run into someone who recognizes me – either at trade shows like IAAPA, in parks, or some random place and tell me they’ve been following our progress and are a huge fan… it’s so surreal..

Yet despite that, finding the money has been difficult and sometimes heartbreaking. I’ve had several “investors” or “developers” come forward, talk a big talk, drop names, and so on, only to turn out to be charlatans.

And then I have friends, long time colleagues that are not only well off, and could invest to get us to meet a “friends and family” goal, who have plenty more investor friends, yet don’t invest because they only do technology, or real-estate.

So, being that this has all happened so far by not adhering or subscribing to how a theme park gets built, I decided to go the crowdfunding route.

Which to be honest has not gotten any traction either.

At first I tried GoFundMe.. with lots of constant posts to get people to help. That fizzled out in no time with very little progress.

Then “GiveSendGo”… still the same. I created a Patreon based on some folks who wanted to do the subscription model – with nice perks for them even – altogether it’s gotten two subscribers, despite constant posts about it.

Finally, I created a WeFunder, as that route allows investors to have some wonderful perks as well as actual equity through revenue sharing in the park.. and yet, it’s been extremely slow going.

I’ve had numerous other folks reach out who have money or contacts with money, and have shared a pretty decent pitch deck with all of our numbers, a five year plan, returns on investment, the whole nine yards.

Still, no traction…

But I know something has to break loose soon!

Overcoming Obstacles: Faith, Resilience, and the Drive to Build

TPM: In addition to financing, what have been the most significant challenges you’ve faced while trying to bring Jackalope Junction from concept to reality, and how have you overcome them?

You know, what’s interesting about this is there haven’t been any real significant challenges aside from money — and time. We’ve had a fair share of very local NIMBY’s who have threatened to burn down anything if we build in their area, despite them wanting it, to death threats (yep) even from folks in my community, but for the most part it’s just been money. So I pray a LOT, every night and morning for something wonderful to happen. That’s how I overcome this all- and part of the message of Jackalope Junction is to show people how to overcome obstacles- or just all the silly and stupid stuff life tends to throw at us daily. Instead of taking on the “poor me” attitude, we want kids (and adults!) to be able to be resilient, not curl up in a ball but face those giants and give them a good punch in the nose. Or a swift kick in the butt..

The Heart of the Story: Developing Jackalope Jim and the Town’s Inhabitants

TPM: Jackalope Jim is a central character in Jackalope Junction. What process did you use to develop his character and the town’s other unique inhabitants?

I think I mentioned this earlier but this might have more depth… Jackalope Jim had originally been planned to be an old, Grizzled Jackalope Sheriff, stern but kind, worn with lots of wisdom.

And then the idea came (via one of my children) to make it steampunk and give him a mechanical arm.

After some thought and consideration, I thought about why he had that arm, and settled on that he was born missing an arm.. which led to “what was his life like in the 1800’s bit having a real arm? How was he treated, was he bullied by other kids or made fun of?” And then add in he’s a half breed.. wow.. so now he’s got two strikes against him. I was looking at my childhood (despite having an arm and not being mixed race). But I thought about my life growing up, kinda nerdy, skinny, made fun of, bullied… but also loved. So his parents loved him dearly and he never doubted that. And there had to be the symbol of Wisdom – biblical Wisdom and that’s his grandfather.

But what if he lost his parents to some kind of tragedy that could be somewhat his fault (as most kids tend to think)? And how would he be then? How would that shape his life? The anchor of his grandfather makes sure he grows to know good and evil, to be raised in the church, but still, deep inside is a sadness and anger – and resolve to go after those who caused him pain.. so he does. But what happens is he goes town to town after the bad guys – now he’s equipped with a very special arm and gun that he was given when he was 10, and what triggered all of the other events that lead to his parents’ death.

Yet he learns after many years and so many missed times to get the bad guys, but instead is shaped into a lawman, and eventually kind-hearted and wise. But that led to the idea that other names or characters I had created for the sake of filling the park with cute names or giving a business someone who “owned” it, there had to be some story for them. And as luck would have it, there was. But it’s also one of mystery, good versus evil, and a terrible tragedy that affected a whole town – the one that eventually becomes Jackalope Junction.

Each of them, those who are the ones who stay behind after the massive mine cave in, and the loss of loved ones – 13 altogether (which then sets up the ability to do a really fun Halloween where the town reverts to a ghost town every night in October!), those folks are all based on someone I grew up with, or worked with, family members, and lots of me in each one as well. What are my fears, dreams, hopes as a child, Husband and parent?

And then there are the bad guys – The Slippery Slope Gang, who are an amalgamation of people I went to school with or works with that were simply put, horrible and rotten to the core.. but almost making them buffoons- so there is a little bit of an homage to Hedly Lamarr, Taggert and Mongo from “Blazing Saddles”.. kind of my way of making fun of those who made fun of me…

Expanding the Universe: Jackalope Junction Across Multiple Media

TPM: With plans for books, a TV series, and more, how do you envision maintaining narrative coherence across different media while expanding the Jackalope Junction universe?

The plan for all that is to have each story that happens “in real time” to be part of what goes on in the park. So if a new character is introduced in the show, you’ll see them in the park. And if they start to build something, in the show, that will be seen being built in the park. Unlike construction walls we see at Disney, I want guests to see what’s not only being built but have an in-story explanation for it. And of course any backstories, or “history” will be told on the show as animated sequences- as the rest will all be live action- and of course those backstories work well for children’s illustrated books, and as far as illustrated novels, those can be stories that may not be on the show, but expand into deeper territory that stays in universe and may finds its way into the park or show. There is so much to be told, already, that can’t be contained in a half-hour show or a few books. Plus, we plan to expand with more characters and towns outside Jackalope Junction that are already somewhat in the works.

Words of Wisdom: Advice for Aspiring Theme Park Creators

TPM: What words of wisdom would you impart to someone wanting to start their own theme park someday?

Believe in your vision, don’t give up, keep moving forward, be original and cutting edge, raise the bar, change the game, change the rules, don’t let naysayers shoot you down, be resilient and strong. Believe in what you have and in yourself so much that others can’t help but believe in you!

TPM: Greg, thank you for sharing your vision and passion for Jackalope Junction. Any final thoughts for our readers?

I just want to say that I believe in the power of story. I think stories can change the world, and I think Jackalope Junction has the potential to tell a very important story. It’s a story about hope, about adventure, and about the importance of family. And I hope that when people visit Jackalope Junction, they will leave feeling inspired and uplifted.

I also want to encourage anyone who has a dream to never give up on it. No matter how big or impossible it may seem, if you have the passion and the drive, you can make it happen!

Explore More: Videos

Jackalope Junction TV, The Birth of Jackalope Junction Episode 1

Explore More: Resources

• Website: Jackalope Junction
• Fundraising: Jackalope Junction on WeFunder

Featured Image: An early concept of what Jackalope Junction will look like.