If you take a look around, you’ll see that Imagineers have all kinds of sweet tributes to the people who helped bring Walt Disney’s vision to life. You may see a window on Main Street, U.S.A. with the name of a Disney Legend. You might spot a handprint on the wall of a Disney World attraction. You might even read the names of some FAMOUS celebrities who made their mark on Hollywood (Studios).
Main Street, U.S.A.
Yeah, Disney has gotten pretty good at honoring those who embody the magic of a brilliant Cast Member. In fact, there’s an entire ceremony happening soon (August 11th, to be exact) to induct over a dozen NEW people into the ultra-exclusive “Disney Legends” group. You’ll probably recognize a lot of the names on the 2024 list, and (if you’re like us) you might even think, “It’s about time we call them a Disney Legend” when you see some of the faces on the list.
So, what’s the big deal about being a Disney Legend, anyway? Well, Disney CEO Bob Iger said it best when he explained, “To be named a Disney Legend is the highest honor our company can bestow on anyone, reserved for those whose talent and achievement have earned them an enduring place in our history. The fourteen individuals to be honored as Disney Legends this year have each made extraordinary creative contributions across the worlds of Disney, and we look forward to celebrating them at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.”
Disney Legends
Among the names on the list are stars like Harrison Ford, Miley Cyrus, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Angela Bassett, plus some talented behind-the-scenes creatives like Joe Rohde, Colleen Atwood, and John Williams. These fourteen people will be honored at the Disney Legends ceremony, which will take place on Sunday, August 11th, at 5PM at the Honda Center in California.
Click here to learn more about the people who will be honored as Disney Legends this year
But now we need to talk about one special name on the list. Disney fans and theme park lovers alike probably know the name Joe Rohde very well. Rohde was a Walt Disney Imagineer for 40 years, acting as the overall creative executive and supervising designer for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Throughout his career, he also worked on The Adventurers Club, Aulani, and Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT at Disney California Adventure. In short, he’s BRILLIANT.
He’s the mind behind THIS incredible park.
Well, Rohde took to Instagram to share the news about his MAJOR honor. He made sure to give a special shoutout to “the people who gave me a chance, the people who mentored and guided me, the people who forgave me when I did foolish things, the people who trusted me to direct them and lead them, the people who actually did the work with their own hands, my family who put up with decades of my coming and going, and not least the guests and audiences who receive all of our work with such enthusiasm.” 🥹
©Disney
After praising “the most legendary, Walt Disney himself,” Rohde answered the question on everyone’s (or, at least, us die-hard Disney fans’) minds: what will he do to celebrate? Rest assured, Disney fans, Rohde’s mind is hard at work. He ended his Instagram caption by saying, “As for me, I will have to decide whether I want to memorialize my handprints, or figure out some way to press the side of my head with my earrings into the cement.” OK, this made us smile. Good one, Joe.
©Disney
You can already spot Rohde’s handprints in the Pandora section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, so we’re holding out hope that his iconic earrings get some kind of recognition in the Disney history books. Look out for him (and others) at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event later this summer.
Avatar Flight of Passage handprints
In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more.
NEWS: Disney Just Dropped 11 HUGE Announcements About the 2024 D23 Expo!
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