The Walt Disney Company bestowed one of its most cherished and enduring honors to former CEO Bob Iger on Sunday: a personalized window on Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California.
Iger’s window will be showcased above the entrance of the Emporium, recognizing him as the “Chief Architect for New Century Builders.” The window captures Iger’s approach with the motto, “Looking forward to your tomorrow!” and features a series of poignant descriptors that commemorate his leadership at the company including, “courageous,” “confidence,” “excellence,” “innovation,” “curiosity,” and “optimism.”
“I stand here with a deep sense of wonder and humility and appreciation and gratitude for having the opportunity not just to work for the company that Walt Disney founded, but to run the company that he founded, and then to have the opportunity to be given this,” Iger said on Sunday.
Iger added that “it’s just so special to me to stand here, Town Square, Main Street, thinking about this place over 70 years ago, thinking about the millions and millions and millions of people that have come through, thinking about the thousands and thousands of cast members that have worked here and contributed mightily to what this is, and thinking about the legacy of the people who are represented in these windows, and realizing I’m now among them.”
“This is more than a dream come true,” he said. “It’s actually not even a dream come true, because I never could have dreamed this was possible.”
The celebration on Sunday, which took place at Disneyland, included the Dapper Dans harmonizing on the Sherman Brothers’ iconic tune, “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” — a song that speaks to Iger’s optimistic ethos and vision.
At the event, CEO Josh D’Amaro also paid tribute to Iger by saying that he led Disney through some of the most important moments in the company’s history.
“He expanded Disney storytelling around the world, he was unrelenting in his focus on creativity and innovation, and he honored our past while always keeping his eye on the future,” D’Amaro said.
He also shared a story about Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration last year. Before the gates opened, Cast Members turned out in force to take a group photo with Iger.
“They greeted him like a rock star, and that doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because people feel connected to Bob, they know that he loves Disney as much as they do,” D’Amaro said. “And they also know that the Disney they love today exists because of his vision, his leadership, and his deep respect for the people who bring this place to life.”
D’Amaro then thanked Iger for “everything you have done to shape this company, to strengthen the bond people feel with Disney, and to inspire all of us who are lucky enough to carry this work forward.”
Having a name emblazoned on a Main Street, U.S.A. window is a tradition as old as Disneyland itself.
When Walt Disney opened the park’s gates on July 17, 1955, names were selected that would appear on select windows of Main Street U.S.A. — a way of crediting the individuals who helped inspire and bring Disneyland to life.
In the decades since, a window dedication has become one of the park’s highest distinctions, reserved for the select few who have left a lasting mark on Disneyland and Disney itself.
