Xavier Atencio

Who is Xavier Atencio?

Francis Xavier Atencio, also known as X Atencio, is a former animator and Imagineer for The Walt Disney Company. He was born in Walsenburg, Colorado.

He was a Disney artist from 1938 until 1965, when he became an Imagineer to help design the Disneyland Railroad's Primeval World diorama segment. He then contributed to various Disney attractions. He wrote the script for both Adventure Thru Inner Space and Pirates of the Caribbean, for which he also penned the lyrics to the theme song, "Yo Ho" and provided the voice of the talking skull early on in the attraction. He also wrote the script for the Haunted Mansion, including the lyrics to that attraction's theme song, "Grim Grinning Ghosts." His voice can also be heard emanating from the coffin in the Haunted Mansion's conservatory and, in the Disneyland mansion, when the attraction comes to a temporary stop it is his voice which announces, "Playful spooks have interrupted our tour. Please remain seated in your Doom Buggies." Another brief voice-over he provided was for the Submarine Voyage Thru Liquid Space where he is addressed as "Bridge." "Bridge: Aye, aye, all ahead one third. Stand by the mooring lines." He also wrote the lyrics to Buddy Baker's catchy music for the retired Walt Disney World attraction If You Had Wings.