CMU School of Drama


Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Q&A with Imagineer Joe Rohde, Recipient of the Buzz Price Thea Award

Disney Parks Blog: In November, we announced that Imagineer Joe Rohde would be honored by the Themed Entertainment Association with its Buzz Price Thea Award Recognizing a Career of Distinguished Achievements, and on March 17, 2012, Joe received his award during the Thea Awards ceremony at the Disneyland Hotel. I recently had the opportunity to chat with Joe about the award and his career at Walt Disney Imagineering – which has included such enormous projects as Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park; Expedition Everest; Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa; and the upcoming AVATAR project at Walt Disney World Resort.

1 comment:

Marion Mongello said...

When I used to want to be an Imagineer, Joe Rohde was truly an inspiration to me. His work is remarkable, including Disney’s Aulani in Hawaii, Pandora in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Expedition Everest, and more. His work is so renowned because of just how detailed it is. I went to Aulani many years ago, but I vividly remember the “story” hidden within elements of the resort. There was no feeling like stepping into Pandora for the first time, and every element of the land was a part of an experience. Unfortunately, Rohde is now a retired Imagineer and no longer works with the parks, but lives on in his work. I wish he was still working on immersive worlds because of how much I admire his work. His style and projects inspire artists every day and continue to immerse guests in storytelling and fantasy.