Joseph Van Arsdale France (October 3 1912 – October 13 1999) is credited with establishing the process for training new employees in Disney-owned and other "theme parks" around the world. [1]
Prior to working for Disney, France's skills in labor relations landed him a job as director of education for the Fort Worth Division of General Dynamics. His work in labor relations and training next led him to an appointment as a civilian educational consultant for the U.S. Army in England and later, Germany.
Upon France’s return to the U.S., he became superintendent of industrial relations for Kaiser Aluminum Corporation's Mead Works and director of labor relations for Kaiser Frazer in Michigan.
He also opened a small paper goods business in Rhode Island.
Van joined Disney in March 1955, and over the years, performed many roles at Disneyland, including area manager of Tomorrowland, conducting training of line supervisors, organizational chairman of the Disneyland Recreation Club, and coordinator of the first Disneyland Cast Member magazine, "Backstage Disneyland."
In 1978, he retired from Disney and became a special consultant at Disneyland.
He also went on to author Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks, a career guide for senior working adults, as well as his autobiography, Window On Main Street, 35 Years of Creating Happiness at Disneyland Park. He remained an active member of the Disneyland Alumni Club and spoke on Disneyland history at conventions around the country. [2]
At age 87, on October 13, 1999, Van Arsdale France died of pneumonia in Newport Beach, California. [3]
Walter Elias Disney was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film producer, he holds the record for most Academy Awards earned and nominations by an individual. He was presented with two Golden Globe Special Achievement Awards and an Emmy Award, among other honors. Several of his films are included in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress and have also been named as some of the greatest films ever by the American Film Institute.
Disneyland Paris is an entertainment resort in Marne-la-Vallée, France. located about 32 kilometres east of Paris. It encompasses two theme parks, seven Disney-owned hotels, two convention centers, a golf course, and a shopping, dining and entertainment complex. Opened on 12 April 1992, the resort is operated by Disney Experiences, a division of The Walt Disney Company.

John Hench was an American artist, designer and director at The Walt Disney Company. For 65 years, he helped design and develop various Disney attractions and theme parks.
The Disneyland Resort is an entertainment resort in Anaheim, California, United States. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Experiences division and is home to two theme parks, three hotels, and the Downtown Disney shopping, dining, and entertainment district.
It’s a Small World is an Old Mill boat ride located in the Fantasyland area at various Disney theme parks around the world, including Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California; Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida; Tokyo Disneyland; Disneyland Paris; and Hong Kong Disneyland. The inaugural version of the ride premiered at the 1964 New York World's Fair before permanently moving to Disneyland in 1966.
Harper Goff, born Ralph Harper Goff, was an American artist, musician, and actor. For many years, he was associated with The Walt Disney Company, in the process of which he contributed to various major films, as well as to the planning of the Disney theme parks. During World War II, he was also an advisor to the U.S. Army on camouflage.

Club 33 comprises a number of private dining clubs located within the various Disney Parks. First opening in 1967 inside Disneyland Park, the club was modeled after numerous executive VIP lounges created by pavilion sponsors in the 1964 New York World's Fair. At the time, Club 33 was the only location within Disneyland Park to offer alcoholic beverages.
Disney Experiences, commonly known as Disney Parks, is one of the three major divisions of The Walt Disney Company. It was founded on April 1, 1971, exactly six months before the opening of Walt Disney World.
The Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is a resort built and owned by Hong Kong International Theme Parks Limited, a joint venture of the Government of Hong Kong and The Walt Disney Company in Hong Kong on reclaimed land beside Penny's Bay, at the northeastern tip of Lantau Island, approximately two kilometres (1.2 mi) from Discovery Bay. It is the second Disney Resort in Asia. Officially opened on 12 September 2005, the resort contains the Hong Kong Disneyland theme park, the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Hollywood Hotel, Disney Explorers Lodge and several retail, dining and entertainment facilities covering 1.3 square kilometres of the island.

Disney University (DU), formerly known as University of Disneyland, is the global training program for employees of the parks and experiences divisions at The Walt Disney Company also known as Cast Members. Many college students can participate through the Disney college program. The Disney college program is a full-time paid internship at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Students can receive academic credit while building their resume.
Jack Lindquist was an American business executive who served as president of the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California from 1990 until he retired in 1993. He was a Disney employee from 1955 until his retirement, and was a marketing executive in the theme parks division for almost thirty years, including a stint as the first advertising manager for Disneyland. His eventual reach would extend worldwide, having trained and/or greatly influenced others who would become amusement industry leaders, both inside and outside of the Disney attractions. Among the amusement industry, many have credited Lindquist with founding and greatly expanding the arts and sciences of attraction promotion.
Cornelius Vanderbilt Wood Jr. was an American developer of theme parks and planned communities. He was the chief developer of Disneyland and then, through his own company, Marco Engineering, he developed other parks in several locations across the country. These theme parks included Freedomland U.S.A. in New York City and Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas.
Herbert Dickens Ryman Jr. was an American artist and Disney Imagineer. Ryman worked in watercolor, oils, and pen & ink sketches. In 1953 Ryman drew the first illustrations of Walt Disney's vision of a theme park that eventually became Disneyland.
Disneyland is a theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, and opened on July 17, 1955.

Donald Duck's 50th Birthday is a television special broadcast on The Magical World of Disney on November 13, 1984 on CBS. As the title suggests, it was produced to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Donald Duck character, who first appeared in the Walt Disney short The Wise Little Hen in 1934.
Robert Jani was an American event producer who specialized in spectaculars. He is most recognized for his affiliation with the Walt Disney Company and some of its most famous entertainment events. He is also credited with producing the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial Celebration in New York Harbor and the Super Bowl's half-time entertainment. In the latter part of his career, he rejuvenated the Radio City Music Hall stage show.
Gordon Douglas Lipp known as Doug Lipp is a consultant, speaker, and author based in Fair Oaks, California. Lipp is an expert in leadership and customer service. He is the CEO and President of G. Douglas Lipp & Associates, a consulting firm. Lipp previously served as head at the Disney University Corporate Headquarters training department and helped create the first international Disney University at Tokyo Disneyland. He has published books in English and Japanese and has given over 1500 keynote presentations.
Ahmad Jafari is an architect based in USA whose career began in the 1960s. He was with Disney Imagineering as an Architect and Art Director from 1966 to 2004 and has worked alongside Walt Disney and many Disney Legends. In 2006, he received the NFFC Disney Legend awards.
Wing Tao Chao is a Chinese-born American architect, master planner, construction developer, hospitality professional, and a former Disney Imagineer.
Josh D'Amaro is an American businessman who has served as Chairman of Disney Experiences since 2022. Prior, D'Amaro was employed with The Walt Disney Company for 22 years in roles specialized in the company's resorts sector.