Disney Tips Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
Earlier today, the of (WDI) revealed that he will be retiring at the end of the year. The former of (2016-2021) gave an exclusive interview with D23, commenting on the span of his extensive Disney career:
“I began on , so I’d say the biggest shift for me is we went from two theme parks in the United States to 12 around the world. […] Certainly, the way we design has changed; the way we develop and visualize and engineer things has changed. But the fundamental power of storytelling, of getting people together for a Disney experience [has not changed].”
Credit: D23
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Although the former of experience working for the spans over decades, his love for Disney began just like any Disney fan’s.
He grew up in Southern California, where he and his family visited the every year to celebrate his birthday. Weis loved the so much that he even worked as a Cast Member in while he attended California Polytechnic University.
Shortly after graduating, Weis joined in 1980 and moved to Japan within the year to help create .
Credit: D23
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The was also a part of the creative leadership behind Disney’s Hollywood Studios (which was named Disney-MGM Studios at the time), the reimagining of , and Tokyo DisneySea.
Weis also led the creative team behind the , contributing to the design, development, and construction of the . After its successful opening in 2016, he was appointed the of . Weis held this position until 2021 when he stepped down. During this time, hundreds of projects were accomplished, some during uncertain and challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Credit: D23
work with the is unrivaled, and the professional legacy he’s leaving behind is something Disney fans will admire for years to come. One of the most remarkable aspects of Weis’s career is that it all started as a Cast Member.
was right when he said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.”
Credit: Disney
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In the email in which he announced his retirement to fellow Imagineers, Weis wrote, “I will always be proud to have led Imagineering from 2016-2021, and to be your Global Ambassador in 2022 […] I am proud to have been an Imagineer, a collaborator, and someone who loves to do impossible things with impossibly talented people.”
We at DisneyTips are undoubtedly grateful for all of the inspiration and Disney magic has provided us over the years.
