Imagineering Legend Bob Weis Honored With A Window At Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney Legend Bob Weis, former president of Walt Disney Imagineering, got a long overdue acknowledgment this morning when he received a window at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Originally announced in December, the window is a fitting tribute to one of the true Imagineering luminaries.
Joining WED and Tokyo Disneyland
Weis originally joined WED Enterprises in 1980, just as Disney was ramping up its Tokyo Disneyland and EPCOT Center projects.
Bob Weis in Tokyo Disneyland. Photo: Disney
Given his choice, Weis opted to join the Tokyo Disneyland team and helped build Disney’s first international theme park.
Creating The Disney-MGM Studios
After Tokyo Disneyland opened in 1983, Weis’ next big project came when he helped spearhead the Imagineering team tasked with creating Disney-MGM Studios.
Weis was part of the team that realized that the “entertainment pavilion” concept for EPCOT had bigger possibilities.
Photo: Disney. Bob Wies surveying the future site of the Disney-MGM Studios
“One of the things we looked at was a new pavilion for EPCOT that would have celebrated entertainment. As we explored ideas, it soon became apparent that this was bigger than just a pavilion — it could be an entire park. And then we got access to a massive library of classic film stories and characters, which really expanded the possibilities,” he recalled.
Weis was instrumental in creating the park and later the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and would be associated with the park for the rest of his career.
Called Back To Tokyo
As an original Tokyo Disneyland Imagineer, Weis was called upon to help create a second park for the resort.
Taking some inspiration from the “land” portion of “Disneyland,” Weis and his team of Imagineers created a park that was inspired by the various ports of call around the world — Tokyo DisneySea.
Return To Disney and California Adventure
After leaving The Walt Disney Company for a time, Weis returned in 2007 to help redesign Disney California Adventure.
After the original version of the park failed to resonate with guests, Weis and Imagineering transformed the park. They added Buena Vista Street, World of Color, and the ever-popular Cars Land.
Shanghai Disneyland — President of Imagineering
Weis’s last major project before becoming president of Imagineering was leading the creative aspects of Shanghai Disneyland.
With the mantra “authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese,” Weis and Imagineering created a park that perfectly blended the two cultures.
Photo: Disney
The park is unique amongst the Disney castle parks, as there is no Main Street, U.S.A, Fronierland, or Adventureland.
Finally, after serving as president of Walt Disney Imagineering for six years, Weis retired from The Walt Disney Company.
Photo: D23
A Window At Hollywood Studios
Last December, Bob Iger and Josh D’Amaro announced that Weis would receive a window at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in honor of his work at Imagineering.
Today, the window was unveiled, located just above the Hollywood & Vine restaurant.
Photo: Twitter/D23
The window reads:
Flower Street Productions
Bob Weis
Studio Head
“Our productions entertain the world”
Photo: Walt Disney Imagineering
A fitting tribute to one of the true Imagineering legends and one of the men most responsible for bringing Disney’s Hollywood Studios to life.
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