Famed Imagineer, an inventor of FastPass are inducted into IAAPA Hall of Fame
Disney’s Tony Baxter and Greg Hale have both been inducted into the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Hall of Fame.
Baxter, who was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from IAAPA , helped oversee and create three pavilions at Epcot, Disneyland Paris and many attractions at Disney World and Disneyland. He started his career as an ice cream scooper at Disneyland and started working for Walt Disney Imagineering (then called WED Enterprises) in 1970.
During the next 43 years, he oversaw and created attractions such as the Land, Seas and Imagination pavilions at Epcot, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the major refurbishment of Fantasyland at Disneyland in 1983, Star Tours, Splash Mountain, Indiana Jones Adventure and Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. He was also the executive producer who oversaw the design of Disneyland Paris, which opened in 1992.
In 2013, Baxter retired but continues to consult with Walt Disney Imagineering.
Hale, Disney Parks’ chief safety officer, was honored for his accomplishments and contributions as a leader and innovator at Disney.
His global team of designers, operations, maintenance and safety professionals keep Disney on the leading edge of theme park safety, accessibility for guests with disabilities, and technology advancements. He holds dozens of U.S. patents and is credited as one of the inventors of Disney FASTPASS Service. He has served on several industry safety boards and associations and has held a number of leadership roles within IAAPA, including as the organization’s chairman in 2017.
