Soon-to-be Disney Legend and former Disneyland Tour Guide Martha Blanding recently visited Disneyland Paris and gave tips to current Cast Members. Martha Blanding Visits Disneyland Paris Disneyland Paris President Natacha Rafalski shared photos on Instagram of Blanding meeting with fellow Cast Members, stating the resort was “honored” to welcome Blanding, who “shared tips to creating … Read more
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 … Read more
The new inductees to the Disney Legends have been named and will be honored at the D23 Ultimate Fan Event in August 2024. 2024 Disney Legends Inductees The new Legends will be inducted in the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony on August 11, in a panel hosted by Ryan Seacrest. The new Disney Legends include Colleen … Read more
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro has shared a statement on his personal Instagram following the passing of Disney Legend Dick Nunis. Josh D’Amaro Shares Statement on Dick Nunis’ Passing The statement was shared alongside the above photo of Nunis, with D’Amaro giving his condolences to Nunis’ family. On behalf of every Cast … Read more
14 new Disney Legends, including the late Chadwick Boseman (“Black Panther”) and the main cast of “Frozen,” will be honored during a live ceremony at D23 Expo 2022. Read the full announcement from Disney below. Today, The Walt Disney Company announced it will honor 14 new Disney Legends in a special awards ceremony hosted by … Read more
This morning, a new Main Street, U.S.A. window was unveiled at Disneyland. It is dedicated to the founder and first chief archivist of The Walt Disney Archives, Disney Legend Dave Smith. The Disneyland Ambassadors shared photos of the unveiling on their Instagram story. The window advertises the “New Century Historical Society,” and Dave Smith is … Read more
Betty White, Disney Legend and beloved television star, has died at age 99. According to TMZ, she passed away at her home Friday morning. Betty White was most known for her starring role as Rose Nylund in Touchstone Television’s “The Golden Girls.” Among her Disney credits, she has also done voice work in “The Simpsons,” … Read more
D23 has announced that Disney Legend Charles Boyer passed away on February 8, 2021, in Ontario, California. Boyer accepted a “temporary” job at Disneyland as a portrait sketch artist in the fall of 1960 and remained there for 39 years. He had the unique distinction of having been Disneyland’s first full-time artist and eventually was … Read more
Renie Bardeau, Chief Photographer at Disney from 1975 to 1998, passed away on January 4th at 86 years old due to kidney failure complications related to COVID-19. He was best known as the photographer of some of Walt Disney’s most iconic Disneyland portraits. Bardeau’s illustrious career began at Disneyland in 1959, covering the opening of … Read more
Dancer Marge Champion, who served as a live-action reference model for many of Disney’s early animated feature films, including the title character of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, has passed away at 101. The daughter of Ernest Belcher, a ballet coach who taught such iconic performers as Shirley Temple, Gwen Verdon, and Cyd Charisse, … Read more
Composer and Disney Legend Alan Menken has become the 16th person in history to reach the prestigious EGOT status, following his recent win in the 2020 Daytime Emmy Awards, according to TheaterMania. It was the song “Waiting in the Wings” from the Disney Channel series, “Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure” which earned Menken his Emmy award, securing … Read more
When he’s not making guest appearances on Pawn Stars or designing revolutionary new scooter mobility systems, what does Bob Gurr do in his spare time? Well, right now, he’s sheltering in place just like the rest of us––except he’s living his best life in his own Imagineer-esque way. The 88-year-old former Imagineer was awarded Disney Legend … Read more
There are Disney theme park megafans and then there are those that transcend the title to become pillars for what the entire fan culture sits upon. Martin Smith is one of those fans. Known worldwide as the “Ken Burns” of Disney parks history on Youtube and across the internet, Martin’s documentaries about attractions, pavilions, and … Read more
Believe it or not, there was once a time where theme parks were rather humorless. Then artist and Imagineer Marc Davis came along and changed the game. If you like the dog holding the prison cell key in Pirates of the Caribbean or any of the gags on the Jungle Cruise, that’s all Davis and it’s safe … Read more
Disney Legend Bob Matheison, a key figure in Walt Disney World’s history, from the development process to serving as Director of Operations for the Magic Kingdom at its 1971 opening to Executive Vice President of Parks for the resort in 1987, has passed away at the age of 85. From D23’s Disney Legends page for … Read more
With this year’s D23 Expo coming up, the newest class of Disney Legends have officially been announced. The 2019 Disney Legends Award honorees (listed alphabetically) are: WING CHAO For 37 years at Disney, Wing T. Chao played a vital role in designing and developing exceptional and inspirational projects, worth more than $12 billion, at Disney … Read more