From Disney Magic to Coffman Innovation: Insights from a Former Imagineer

Insights from a former Imagineer

Andy Grenier, PE, joined Coffman earlier this year as a Principal Advisor on the Fire Protection Engineering team, bringing over 19 years of experience working for Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI). Andy discusses his journey, special considerations in designing for major entertainment spaces, and how his experience translates into current project work at Coffman.

During his time with Disney, Andy worked on a wide range of projects involving the design, delivery, and commissioning of fire detection and alarm systems, fire sprinkler systems, fire pumps, smoke control systems, special hazard fire suppression systems, materials fire safety, fire hazard analysis, performance-based design, and integrated safety systems testing.

Andy is also a Veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard with subject matter expertise in naval architecture and marine engineering, maritime safety and security, vessel inspection, fire investigations, emergency management, incident command systems, and joint military operations. Additionally, he is a former president of the Southern California Chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), and currently serves as a member of the SFPE PE Exam Development subcommittee.

Tell us about your journey at Walt Disney Imagineering.

I started working at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim in 2005 as a Principal Fire Protection Engineer, and later managed the Facility Sustaining Engineering team. During my time at Disneyland, I supported WDI on various projects worldwide, solving specialized fire protection engineering problems. In 2019, I transferred to WDI and had the privilege of working with great teams on several great projects. I retired from WDI in June 2024.

Which projects stand out to you as career highlights during your time at WDI?

My favorite projects include Cars Land at Disney California Adventure park, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disneyland, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland. Each of these projects are signature attractions, and integrated creative vision with new technology.

Are there any unique considerations in themed entertainment and hospitality projects?

Yes, especially in integrating fire alarm response for ride and show elements. We spent a lot of time on Integrated Safety Systems (ISS) testing and worked closely with the Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) to gain approval for how we implemented fire and life safety requirements into the unique ride and show elements. It was important that safety systems were integrated to meet the spirit and intent of the code requirements.

How did you balance engineering precision with creativity and innovation?

One word: TEAMWORK! It takes a lot of teamwork, especially in Integrated Safety Systems testing. Some of the most challenging aspects of ISS testing involve the operators for the ride or attraction. In addition to gaining AHJ approval, we had to work closely with contractors to make sure that their designs, shop drawings, and implementation in the field met our creative intent.

How did your time at Disney shape your problem-solving approach, particularly in managing complex engineering challenges?

Working at Disneyland and WDI brought new challenges and experiences daily. Some of the most complex engineering challenges involved addressing “old” systems, keeping them operating with effective inspection, testing and maintenance procedures, and responding to system failures to recover and keep them operating, and to implement new designs into old facilities on renovation projects. I appreciated working with different engineering disciplines to keep Disneyland open and operating safely and efficiently for the thousands of guests who visit the parks and resorts every day.

Looking forward, how do you hope to apply your knowledge and creativity at Coffman?

I look forward to working with different disciplines at Coffman on unique projects, similar to what we did at WDI. Since starting with Coffman, I have enjoyed working with the acoustics consulting team, structural engineers, mechanical engineers, and others on a wide variety of projects and look forward to getting more involved in forensics, energy, and oil & gas projects.