There is yet another important Walt Disney Imagineering member is now retiring. Kevin Rafferty, Executive Creative Director of Walt Disney Imagineering has announced that he will be retiring. This comes shortly after Joe Rohde left.
Here’s what he posted:
“Enjoying a long and prolific creative career as an Imagineer was an honor, a priveledge and a gift, really, because I was entrusted with the rare opportunity and great responsibility of continuing Walt Disney’s legacy of making people happy. What can be better than a ‘job’ that makes people happy? Along the way, there was no such thing as an average day, which made every day a joy. When I started Imagineering, there were only two Disney parks in existence. And since then, being there to help many, many more Imagineering dreams come true, was like a dream come true!”
Rafferty went from being a dishwasher at Disneyland to the Executive Creative Director of Walt Disney Imagineering, working on several well known lands and attractions like:
- Cars Land
- Toy Story Midway Mania!
- Test Track
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster® Starring Aerosmith
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
- Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Typhoon Lagoon
- Blizzard Beach
- and more
Walt Disney Imagineering on Instagram shared the following:
View this post on Instagram
“After 42 years of creating magical guest experiences as an Imagineer, Executive Creative Director Kevin Rafferty shared his plan to retire April 1, 2021. From his days as a dishwasher at Disneyland all the way through his work on the show writing and creative direction of Cars Land, Toy Story Mania!, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and more, Kevin’s zany personality and humor have inspired generations of Disney Imagineers and guests from around the world. We can’t thank Kevin enough for all of his contributions at Imagineering and wish him all the best in his next adventure! Head to the link in our bio to read more on @DisneyD23.”
He will be missed!
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