Disney Legends


Disney Legends is a Hall of Fame award that is awarded by the Walt Disney Company to individuals who " made a significant impact on the Disney legacy". The honor was established in [|1987], and was traditionally awarded annually during a special private ceremony. Since [|2009], it has been awarded on a biennial basis during Disney's D23 Expo.
Starting in [|2024], the Disney Legends awards ceremony was moved from D23 Expo's traditional venue at the Anaheim Convention Center to the larger Honda Center down the street and was hosted by Ryan Seacrest. The ceremony was recorded and made available for streaming the next day on Disney+.

Criteria

Recipients are chosen by a selection committee, formerly appointed and chaired by Disney Legend Roy E. Disney, Walt Disney's nephew, former vice chairman and director emeritus of The Walt Disney Company. The committee consists of long-time Disney executives, historians, and other authorities. Besides the award statuette itself, each honoree is represented by a bronze commemorative plaque featuring the recipients' handprints and signature if they were living when inducted, or simply an image of the statuette emblem if the induction was posthumous. The plaques are placed on display in Legends Plaza at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, across from the Michael D. Eisner Building.

The Artist and the award

is an Imagineering alumnus and co-founder of Favilli Studio.
After a company-wide, multi-year initiative failed to produce a final design for an award endorsed by Roy E. Disney, Michael D. Eisner, Frank G. Wells and The Walt Disney Company’s Board of Directors, Favilli was encouraged by Disney Legends Randy Bright and Marty Sklar to submit a concept. His proposed design, including a bozzetto, was unanimously approved and became the official Disney Legends Award. Favilli continues to personally cast the award in bronze every two years for D23’s culminating event, the Disney Legends Awards ceremony.
The design of the Disney Legends Award draws inspiration from Walt Disney’s Fantasia. The sculpture depicts an unraveling cinematic film spool that transforms into the hand of Mickey Mouse, holding a star-tipped magic wand.
In addition to the recipients handheld award, Favilli created a monumental 14-foot bronze sculptural version that serves as the focal point of the Disney Legends Plaza at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California and unveiled to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the company. A twin of this sculpture stands at the main entrance of Disneyland Paris. It was originally dedicated and unveiled in [|1997] to commemorate the park’s fifth anniversary and was re-dedicated in [|2002].
According to The Walt Disney Company, and Favilli’s written concept, the Disney Legends Award incorporates three symbolic elements representing the singular qualities of its recipients:
The Spiral represents imagination and the power of an idea.
The Hand symbolizes skill, discipline, and craftsmanship.
The Wand and the Star represent magic—the spark ignited when imagination and skill unite to create a new dream.
The first Disney Legends committee consisted of Dave Smith; Arlene Ludwig; Marty Sklar, Randy Bright; Jack Lindquist; Sharon Harwood; Art Levitt; Shelley Miles; Paula Sigman; Doris Smith; and Stacia Martin.

Recipients


1987 | [|1989] | [|1990] | [|1991] | [|1992] | [|1993] | [|1994] | [|1995] | [|1996] | 1997 | [|1998] | [|1999] | [|2000] | [|2001] | 2002 | [|2003] | [|2004] | [|2005] |
[|2006] | [|2007] | [|2008] | 2009 | [|2011] | [|2013] | [|2015] | [|2017] | [|2019] | [|2022] | 2024

= ''awarded posthumously''

1980s

Class of 1987

All except Iwerks were Disney's "Nine Old Men".

1990s

Class of 1990

Class of 2000

Note: In honor of the opening of the Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris, all 2002 inductees are of European origin. The ceremony was held in the Animation building at the new park on opening day.
Following a dispute between Roy E. Disney and the company that resulted in Disney departing, Robert Iger, the company's then-president and COO co-presented with Michael Eisner.