WDW News Today is bringing together some of the biggest names in Walt Disney Imagineering history for Wayback WED, a two-day reunion-style event at Disney’s Contemporary Resort on October 2 and 3, the same weekend Walt Disney World celebrates its 55th anniversary.
That timing isn’t incidental. Walt Disney World’s anniversary lands on October 1, and Wayback WED opens the next morning, turning the weekend into a full arc from the resort’s founding day straight into a celebration of the people who built it. It’s also the same resort where we’ll be attending the D23 Spotlight Series: 55 Magical Years of Storytelling event on October 4, so this corner of Bay Lake is turning into the place to be for anyone who cares about Imagineering history this fall.
Confirmed names so far include Tony Baxter and Bob Weis, two of the most influential creative leaders in Imagineering’s history, alongside what WDWNT is calling the largest-ever gathering of former Imagineers, creatives, and industry veterans assembled in one place. Guests can expect never-before-seen artwork, concept designs, and archival footage tracing how iconic attractions evolved from early sketches to finished rides, along with a look at projects that never made it past the drawing board.
This lands about six weeks after D23 2026 wrapped in Anaheim, where Imagineering had arguably its biggest spotlight in years. The Horizons: A Carousel of Progress showcase built its entire format around Imagineers themselves rather than a single host running down a list of reveals, and the Walt Disney World news that came out of that night was staggering. We also profiled Bruce Vaughn, the current head of Imagineering, ahead of that panel, and more recently broke down the names behind Piston Peak, Monstropolis, and Tropical Americas in our parkitecture episode coverage.
Put those two things side by side and Wayback WED becomes more interesting than a straightforward nostalgia event. The Imagineers running the show right now, the ones we’ve been naming in nearly every construction update this year, are the same people who will eventually be sitting where Tony Baxter and Bob Weis are sitting this October. D23’s Horizons panel was effectively introducing us to the next generation of Wayback WED honorees, years before anyone will be able to call them that.
Wayback WED runs two full days of panels and presentations, both from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a catered lunch included. Friday closes with a VIP dessert reception from 8 to 10 p.m., and Saturday closes with a meet and greet and autograph session from 7 to 10 p.m. A VIP Package tier adds reserved seating, early access to the Saturday meet and greet, parking at the Contemporary both days, and exclusive event gifts on top of the full two-day schedule. Confirmed pricing on the standard tiers: the All-Access Bundle runs $350 plus tax, and the 2-Day Panels & Presentations Bundle runs $275 plus tax, neither of which qualifies for the Inner Globe Society discount. Single-day tickets are more accessible at $150 plus tax for either Friday or Saturday’s panels and presentations, and a standalone Autograph Signing Session ticket for Saturday evening only runs $100 plus tax. Those three single-event tickets do qualify for both Inner Globe Society and Cast Member discounts.
The event itself is exclusive to WDWNT’s Inner Globe Society, though membership is free to join through their Patreon. Walt Disney World Cast Members can request a half-price discount code by emailing WDWNT’s customer service directly. Tickets are on sale now here.
