Celebrate Joe Rohde: The Brilliant Mind Behind Disney Parks

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Joe Rohde’s remarkable four decades-long career at Walt Disney Imagineering was no small feat. Before his retirement in 2021, Joe’s creative and visionary spirit blazed a trail of inspiring experiences, attractions and even theme parks that have captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the globe. This year, his work and dedication to The Walt Disney Company will be recognized and celebrated, as he’ll be named a Disney Legend alongside 13 other aspirational individuals at the celebratory ceremony on August 11, as part of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.   

Joe’s journey as an Imagineer is a testament to his power of passion, creativity, and storytelling. These guiding principles have influenced each of his projects, bringing a sense of wonder and adventure, and inviting guests to embark on immersive journeys unlike any other. 

After graduating from Occidental College, Joe went back to teach art, art history and set design for musicals at his old high school, Chaminade College Preparatory. During this time, a Disney executive and parent of one of his students spoke with him about joining Walt Disney Imagineering. He was hesitant at first, but later decided to put together a portfolio of his set design work that eventually got him an entry level job in the model room and later as a scenic painter where he worked on the Mexico pavilion in EPCOT. Not too soon after, he found himself using his eye for design on a variety of projects across Disney parks and experiences domestically including the Norway pavilion in EPCOT and the reimagination of Fantasyland at Disneyland Park. 

His work on those projects earned him the honor of lead designer for a fourth theme park at Walt Disney World Resort. The park would serve as a lush sanctuary dedicated to the celebration and conservation of Earth’s diverse creatures and ecosystems. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park opened to the public in 1998 and has become a staple to the resort, educating guests on the beauty of the world’s natural environment and exciting them with thrilling attractions like Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain and Pandora – The World of Avatar. 

But he wasn’t done yet: Joe’s impact extends far beyond the creation and development of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. He was one of the lead designers for Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa on O’ahu, Hawai’i and helped design Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! in Disney California Adventure Park at Disneyland Resort. Internationally, Joe even served as the model for Harrison Hightower, the owner of the fictional “Hightower Hotel” at the Tower of Terror attraction at Tokyo DisneySea at Tokyo Disney Resort. 

Joe has always held an unwavering dedication to conservation and his community and is well renowned for integrating these passions not only across his various projects at The Walt Disney Company but also in other various aspects of his life. For this reason, he was instrumental in the creation of the Disney Conservation Fund, and his efforts have helped to raise over $125 million in grants for projects worldwide.  

In 2022, only a year after his retirement, he received the Disney Conservation Fund’s first Conservation Legacy Award for all his dedicated work for the environment. In his free time, Joe is still a strategic advisor for both Walt Disney Imagineering and commercial space travel company Virgin Galactic and continues to be inspired by the world around us – here on Earth and in space. 

Looking at Joe Rohde’s extraordinary journey, he embodies the transformative power of imagination and the enduring legacy of impactful storytelling. His contributions have served as a reminder to dream, explore, and create without limits. We could not be more excited to welcome him as a Disney Legend and celebrate him at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event on Aug. 11.  

Stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog and @disneyparks on social for the latest updates throughout the weekend including can’t-miss details about all-new and highly anticipated Disney Experiences projects that came out of Horizons, the D23 Disney Experiences Showcase on Aug. 10. 

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