Former Walt Disney Imagineer Eric Robison is releasing a new concept art collection called Return to Progress City, inspired by Walt Disney's original — and never-built — vision of EPCOT as a fully functioning futuristic city rather than a theme park.
The book features Robison's original artistic interpretations of Progress City, the radial urban concept Walt Disney unveiled in a 1966 film to introduce his Florida Project. Walt imagined a dense city core surrounded by residential neighborhoods and green space, with monorails and PeopleMovers handling transit while cars traveled beneath the pedestrian level. The project went unrealized after Walt's death in 1966, though a large-scale model of Progress City survives today along the PeopleMover route at Walt Disney World's Tomorrowland.
Robison's illustrations depict streamlined vehicles, elevated transit systems, futuristic architecture, and landscapes where technology and nature share space. Bob Weis, former President of Walt Disney Imagineering, contributes captions and commentary throughout the book to help place the artwork in historical context.
Robison is a graduate of ArtCenter College of Design who worked as a concept designer for parks including Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris, and Tokyo Disney Resort. His past work spans iconic attractions such as the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, and Walt Disney Imagineering commissioned him in 2025 to create a painting marking Disneyland's 70th anniversary.
The book is being announced ahead of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, scheduled for August 14–16, 2026, in Anaheim, where Robison will appear at Talent Central for signings and meet-and-greets. This story was first reported by WDW News Today.
