As longtime Disney fans, it’s easy to feel connected to those who have played a large role in The Walt Disney Company.

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That said, it’s easy to feel the great loss when one of those leaders passes away. A Disney legend who played a great role in the Company’s growth has died at the age of 86.

Carl Bongirno passed away on March 5th, 2024, Disney recently shared. He was a financial leader throughout Disney Parks history, and played a large role in the opening of EPCOT, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris.

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He joined the Company in 1963 as a chief accountant and controller for the Disney-owned Celebrity Sports Center in Denver, Colorado. He then became a treasurer for WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering), where he spent four years working alongside the creative and technical minds behind the magic. He then became part of the secret “Project X,” which we all know became Disney World.

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In 1972, a year after Disney World’s opening, he became Vice President of Finance and Treasurer of the Disney World resort. He was then in charge of all financial matters and service activities. In 1987, he returned to the Imagineering sector of the company, and started a new role as a special adviser to the Imagineers.

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Before his retirement in 1989, Bongirno played a large role in the opening of Disney World — which includes the opening of Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and the planning of MGM Studios (now Disney’s Hollywood Studios) in 1989.

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Disney shared a quote that Bongirno shared in 1987: “EPCOT and all of Disney’s attractions will always be in a ‘state of becoming’… Our Imagineers will always be discovering new frontiers. It’s a process that I believe makes Imagineering the most unique design organization in the world.” 

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We think this perfectly reflects Walt Disney’s dream, and as Disney fans, we’re so grateful for all the effort Bongirno put into making that dream come to life. We’ll be sure to keep you updated with more Disney news.