Bob Weis, Global Imagineering Ambassador and former President of Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), announced yesterday that he will retire at the end of the year.
The Official Announcement
The Walt Disney Imagineering Instagram posted the official announcement of Weis’ retirement, with a lovely slideshow of photos:
“Forty-two years after first joining Imagineering, Bob Weis has announced his retirement.
Serving most recently as Global Imagineering Ambassador and before that as president of the organization, Bob cemented his legacy as a leader and creative force – helping to bring to fruition countless attractions, lands, resort hotels, cruise ships, and theme parks around the globe.
Bob will officially depart the company on Jan. 2, 2023.”
His Career
He started his Disney career in Disneyland Park as a cast member selling popcorn and ice cream.
He joined Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), then called WED Enterprises, in 1980, soon after graduating college, Within eight months Weis had relocated to Japan as part of the WED team creating Tokyo Disneyland.
He also provided creative leadership on projects like Disney-MGM Studios, Tokyo DisneySea, and the reimagining of Disney California Adventure.
In recent years, he led the creative team for the development, design, and construction of Shanghai Disney Resort. After the resort opened in China in 2016, Weis was named president of WDI, a position he held for six years.
In 2022, Weis took on the role of Global Imagineering Ambassador, following in the footsteps of one of his mentors, Disney Legend and former WDI president Marty Sklar, who was the first to hold the ambassador title.
His Future Plans
Though he is retiring from Walt Disney Imagineers, he isn’t retiring from Disney life.
On a post on his own Instagram page, Weis said, ” For me this is a very exciting next chapter. I’ll continue writing my book for Disney Publishing on the Marty Sklar Archives, and I am developing a screenplay for Walt Disney Studios. But I am also excited to take my experience and use it for worthy projects that have the potential to improve our world.”
“I am proud to have been an Imagineer, a collaborator, and someone who loves to do impossible things with impossibly talented people,” said Bob Weis in his retirement statement.
We thank him for all of the Disney experiences he has created in his time with The Walt Disney Company.