Former Imagineer Joe Rohde posted on Instagram following the news he will be honored as a Disney Legend at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2024.

Joe Rohde Reacts to Disney Legend Honor

Rohde is known for his work as the lead designer of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Aulani in Hawai’i, as well as for transforming the Californian version of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror into Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! In his response to the Disney Legends announcement, he said “the real honors” go to his mentors, team members, family, guests, and more who led him to this point. He also honored Walt Disney “whose creative impact on an entire century will always far outpace any legends who trail in his wake.”

Read Rohde’s full Instagram post below.

Check it out! I’m honored along with some other pretty cool folks to join the 2024 class of Disney Legends at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event…if you’ve never been, take it from me, it really is ultimate.

While I am flattered and proud to receive such recognition, the real honors go 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.

And, regardless of whatever accomplishment warrants this honor, there would be no Disney Legends at all if not for the most legendary, Walt Disney himself, whose creative impact on an entire century will always far outpace any legends who trail in his wake.

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. …in any case…see you there.

Joe Rohde left Walt Disney Imagineering in 2021 and joined Virgin Galactic as their first Experience Architect.

Other new Disney Legends include Harrison Ford, James Cameron, John Williams, Jamie Lee Curtis, Angela Bassett, and Miley Cyrus.

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