Bruce Vaughn Is Returning To Walt Disney Imagineering
Vaughn returns to co-lead Walt Disney Imagineering as its Chief Creative Officer.
Bruce Vaughn is coming back to Walt Disney Imagineering.
Vaughn will co-lead Walt Disney Imagineering alongside Walt Disney Imagineering President Barbara Bouza. Vaughn’s role will be of Chief Creative Officer.
“I’ve remained an Imagineer at heart, so I’m thrilled to join Barbara and reunite with this phenomenal global team of creators and innovators during this pivotal time,” Bruce Vaughn said in a statement.
“With so many exciting projects under way and tremendous opportunities ahead of us, I look forward to partnering with Bruce to fuel creativity and deliver next-level experiences,” said Walt Disney Imagineering President Barbara Bouza in a statement.
“As Bob Iger often says, creativity is the heart and soul of who we are and what we do at Disney. In fact, as we look at our company’s 100-year history of bringing captivating and memorable storytelling to life, the consistent thread that binds us together as a company across all segments is our ability to drive innovation through creative projects. In Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products, we continue to invest in new endeavors that deliver the most compelling experiences, immersing our guests around the world in the stories they love most. In the past few years, we have found ourselves at the crossroads of a wave of new technology and a seemingly unlimited amount of new stories and franchises, allowing us to develop groundbreaking new experiences. Of course, none of this comes to life without a strong commitment to creativity and innovation by the amazing team at Walt Disney Imagineering,” Disney Parks, Experiences, and Product Chairman Josh D’Amaro sent in a memo.
Vaughn originally departed Walt Disney Imagineering in 2016 to become CEO of Dreamscape Immersive, a virtual reality experience company. Then in 2021, Vaughn joined Airbnb as VP of Experiental Creative Product. Vaughn’s role at Airbnb was leading a team to design immersive offerings for Airbnb stays and experiences.
Vaughn was previously at Walt Disney Imagineering for 22 years. He had leadership roles with Walt Disney Imagineering R&D, as well as co-leading the entire Walt Disney Imagineering organization as Chief Creative Executive for nine years.
Vaughn coming back to Walt Disney Imagineering at this pivotal moment to help create new next-level experiences for a new generation should be a welcoming sign for current Imagineers and fans alike.
Vaughn will report to Disney Parks, Experiences, and Product Chairman Josh D’Amaro.
Vaughn will officially return to Walt Disney Imagineering on March 20.
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Zach Perilstein is the Editor-in-Chief of the Boardwalk Times
