Wing T. Chao is a Disney Legend and is an internationally renowned master planner, architect, and developer. During his 37-year tenure at Disney, Chao was Vice Chairman of Development for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Asia Pacific and he was also Executive Vice President of Master Planning, Architecture & Design for Walt Disney Imagineering. In the recent years, he has been working on numerous multibillion-dollar integrated resorts, theme parks, water parks, hotels, commercial, retail, dining and entertainment projects in the U.S. and overseas.
While at Disney, Chao oversaw the design and development of Disney’s parks and resorts worldwide businesses worth over $12 billion dollars. Chao directed development teams consisting of Disney Imagineers and many of the world’s leading architects and designers, developed and built projects including resort hotels, parks, cruise ships, entertainment venues, water attractions, convention and exhibition centers, sports stadiums, restaurants, and retail spaces at Walt Disney Company’s resort properties in California, Florida, Hawaii, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.
Chao holds Bachelor and Master of Architecture degrees from UC Berkeley, as well as a second Master of Architecture with a focus in Urban Design from Harvard University. In 2002, he was the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business Administration in Hospitality Management from Johnson and Wales University.