Former Imagineer Joe Rohde, 13 others, named Disney Legends
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Former and famed Imagineer Joe Rohde has been selected as an official Disney Legend. He is among 14 honorees announced by D23, Disney’s official fan club, on Tuesday.
Rohde, who worked with Imagineering from 1980 through 2021, was one of the masterminds behind the development of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park and Aulani, the Disney Vacation Club in Hawaii. Among his other projects were Epcot’s Norway pavilion; the Adventurers Club at Pleasure Island; and Pandora — the World of Avatar land at Animal Kingdom. He also was well-known for his personal style, including a distinctive and sizeable earring that incorporated souvenirs of his travels.
Imagineer Joe Rohde walks us through Disney’s Animal Kingdom — via Instagram
Others selected this year for Legend status include actor Harrison Ford, composer John Williams, talk show host and producer Kelly Ripa, actress Angela Bassett, singer Miley Cyrus, actress Jamie Lee Curtis, filmmaker James Cameron, director and Muppet performer Frank Oz, costume designer Colleen Atwood, director James L. Brooks, Marvel artist Steve Ditko, animator Mark Henn and longtime Disneyland cast member Martha Blanding.
“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,” Robert Iger, Walt Disney Co. CEO, said in a news release. “The 14 individuals to be honored as Disney Legends this year have each made extraordinary creative contributions across the worlds of Disney.”
The 2024 Disney Legends Awards ceremony, hosted by Ryan Seacrest, will be held Aug. 11 in Anaheim, California.
The Disney Legends Awards program began in 1987 with honoree Fred MacMurray. This year’s additions bring the total to 318 Legends. Cyrus, who gained fame as the 13-year-old lead of the Disney Channel comedy “Hannah Montana,” is now the youngest person — at age 31 — to be named a Disney Legend.
