
Earlier this week, Walt Disney Imagineering announced that a new Disney Legend would be honored in just a few months. During the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony, which will take place on Saturday, August 11th, Joe Rohde will be inducted into the elite league of Disney legends, and all I can think is… seriously? Until now, It hadn’t been drawn to my attention that Rohde had not yet bestowed the title, a surprise given that the Rohde name is already synonymous with Disney Royalty among fans. Read the announcement:
We are proud to announce that Joe Rohde will soon be honored as a Disney Legend. With a remarkable 40-year career at Imagineering, Joe’s visionary leadership and creativity were instrumental in shaping iconic projects such as Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, along with beloved attractions and lands like Expedition Everest and Pandora: The World of Avatar.
We are looking forward to celebrating his achievements during the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 11.
Congratulations to Joe and all the newly named Disney Legends!
Walt Disney Imagineering

Joe Rohde has arguably been one of the most well-known modern influences on the Disney Parks we know today. Instrumental in the creation of more recent Disney projects (such as Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Pandora: The World of Avatar, as well as the Aulani Disney Resort and Spa in O’ahu), one of the most famous former Disney Imagineers is admired for his attention to detail and commitment to authenticity. Rohde began his career with Disney in 1980 as a model designed for EPCOT and retired with the company after 40 incredible years of service. The long-time-coming honor for Rohde has me wondering (hoping) if there might ever be a chance we could see the long-standing legend return to The Walt Disney Company in a consulting capacity.
Would you like to see one of our favorite Imagineers grace us with his input once more?