Lindsay Purcell ’15

From overseeing renovations to optimizing guest experiences, Lindsay Purcell’s role as a project manager at Walt Disney World showcased her problem-solving skills and hands-on learning. Purcell worked on a variety of projects, from space conversions to refurbishments, ensuring that each initiative maintained Disney’s signature quality while enhancing the park experience.

One of Purcell’s most memorable projects was expanding the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Cinderella’s Castle, where young guests can receive a magical makeover from the Fairy Godmother’s apprentices. “Disney was finding that they were receiving too many reservations to support the demand, so we needed to hire consultants in space planning, retail, and revenue management to determine how much we should expand the salon,” she explains. Purcell’s role in the project was comprehensive, from studying the existing space and developing the scope of the project, to determining funding and working with design consultants. “I was a key idea contributor, held the budget, and used experts to solve problems,” she adds.

Purcell also led the refurbishment of the Walt Disney World Railroad, which is the first thing guests see when they enter the park. The train’s station is one of the most photographed buildings in the world. “I needed to determine things like how to build scaffolding, how to get construction materials out of the park safely, and how to replace artisan windows,” Purcell recalls. The project required her to think creatively and collaborate with a diverse group of experts. Since the train and its station are located at the entrance to Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park, she needed to ensure that the work was completed without disrupting the guest experience of those entering the park.

Purcell credits her industrial engineering degree with preparing her for the challenges she faced at Disney, particularly through its focus on hands-on learning and the invaluable networking opportunities.. “Co-op was important to me because you graduate with a resume—the value is that you can test-drive what you pick,” she says. The connections Purcell made through RIT alumni working at Disney were crucial in her pursuit of a career at Disney.

Although Purcell has since moved on to a role at University of Pennsylvania, she found her work at Disney both challenging and rewarding, with each project bringing its own set of complexities. “Disney has so much scale to it that the problems you solve there are unmatched in other places,” she explains. “The staggering reality of those numbers makes the industrial engineering thought process even more impactful. It’s the stress test that you get on something that is going to be touched or seen or experienced by millions of people.” The magnitude of her projects challenged her to think on a grand scale, ensuring every detail contributed to the seamless and magical experiences Disney is known for.