Legendary former Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde joins Virgin Galactic as Experience Architect

Feb 22, 2021 in "The Walt Disney Company"

Posted: Monday February 22, 2021 3:08pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Joe Rohde is clearly not yet ready to retire and has taken up perhaps one of the most ambitious projects of his career so far - Experience Architect of Virgin Galactic.

With preparations underway for the first Future Astronauts to arrive at Spaceport America, Virgin Galactic has brought in Joe Rohde as a strategic advisor to help design and guide the overall experience journey for future astronauts, friends and family, and inspired fans alike.

According to Virgin Galactic, "Joe will become Virgin Galactic’s first Experience Architect, bringing more than 40 years’ experience from Walt Disney Imagineering where he led projects that transformed the image of Disney’s iconic experiences and attractions. Rohde is truly a transcendent creator whose design work leverages careful detailed composition to create authentic and remarkable experiences. The work he is starting will stimulate curiosity, guide the imagination, and anchor the Virgin Galactic customer experience with purposefulness and meaning."

Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic and former Disney executive said, “As soon as I joined Virgin Galactic, I knew there was one person we just had to work with to help shape the incredible experience we are developing – and that person was Joe Rohde. Joe has a methodology that is unique, inspired, and truly effective. His track record for keeping authenticity central to the design and creating deeply transformative experiences aligns perfectly with our mission. I couldn’t be more pleased to see Joe choose Virgin Galactic for his first encore!’’

Listen to Joe Rohde explain his new role, as only Joe can.

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Smiley/OCDFeb 24, 2021

Uh, I had to do it once...lol

larryzFeb 24, 2021

Uh, you just put them in one...

JoeCamelFeb 24, 2021

Have been in a 'mind your own business" HOA for 20 years, newcomers want to run things so I'm out. Anyone want to buy a house in the country? 1 hour to the world on I-4

Smiley/OCDFeb 24, 2021

That's why homeowners association and me are 3 words that will NEVER be in the same sentence...

yensidtlaw1969Feb 23, 2021

That’s the problem - Stitch’s thing was a beautiful castle covered in Toilet Paper. It’s *about* to become a severely sunburnt castle covered in gold toilet paper, with another awkward medallion placed over the architectural center of the building. Not to mention the TP only lasted one day (one day too many, for sure).

tirianFeb 23, 2021

Whatever happens, some of the online forums will breathlessly defend it, especially Al Lutz’s old place that somehow stumbles on.

DVCakaCarlFFeb 23, 2021

That in itself is a disaster. DVC

tirianFeb 23, 2021

Worse than Stitch’s Toilet Paper castle? Well...given how the entire thing is uglified right now...yeah.

SirwalterraleighFeb 23, 2021

Blood letting is always good for Wall Street (since it no longer is about actual production and product sales)

HarperRoseFeb 23, 2021

The timing of the 50th is coincidental. It's more about hoarding money due to the pandemic.

SirwalterraleighFeb 23, 2021

Of course there is, silly

SirwalterraleighFeb 23, 2021

Well I’m gonna have to respectfully disagree here. The late Eisner cheap parks are a well documented disaster. But DAK caused those as much as it was a “victim” That park was horribly overbudget and opened with next to nothing. Not nearly the park it needed to be. And WDI didn’t “bail it out” - make lemons out of lemonade - as much as they dug a hole and asked for a rope from the top. That actually leads us back to the topic. So its a mixed bag on that one. Disney was actually very financially stable at the time. Ray Watson was the de facto mover and shaker... But they were “stale”...they needed new leadership...and it flew into town on a rocket. Ron Miller’s (who isn’t fairly judged) main qualification didn’t have anything to do with skills or acumen.

KBLovedDisneyFeb 23, 2021

Well, that is just wrong. "Oh, we are having our big party next year! Oh but you long timers are not invited. In fact, just leave."

LilofanFeb 23, 2021

Correct. Having to meet with the "committee" regarding violations is like being called to the principal's office in high school.