From Star Tours to Imagineering, Diego Parras marks 35 years at Walt Disney World

ORLANDO, Fla. - Thirty-five years ago, and fresh out of high school, Diego Parras began his Walt Disney World story at what we now call Hollywood Studios. Of course, at the time, the park was called Disney-MGM Studios.

A big Star Wars fan, Parras was thrilled to work at Star Tours. After nearly a decade in park operations, Parras joined the Walt Disney Imagineering team, where he is now a senior producer. 

The backstory:

For more than two decades, as an Imagineer, he has contributed to many milestone projects including the opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain, multiple Disney Cruise Line ships, the creation of Pandora – The World of Avatar, and the launch of groundbreaking attractions around the world such as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which was a full-circle moment for him.

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"When we were opening up Rise of the Resistance, I had to kind of like pinch myself because at the time, it was almost 30 years since I had started my career about 100 yards right down at the Star Tours attraction," said Parras. "So, that one really kind of hit home."

The magic of storytelling

Parras works on the ideation, the creation, the design, and the construction of all of the theme parks, hotels, and cruise ships all over the world. He says in every project, there’s a story to tell.

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"We're really continuing that tradition of what Walt really wanted to do when he built Disneyland. It wasn't about building the tallest and fastest roller coasters. It was always about immersing guests into stories and making them a part of that story," said Parras.

Celebrating 35 magical years

Parras is celebrating more than 35 years of working as a cast member. Recently, he was one of the more than 6,000 cast members who were honored for milestones ranging from 10 to 50 years at the Walt Disney World Cast Member Service Celebration. It’s a tradition where Magic Kingdom closes to the public for one night a year to celebrate cast member milestones.

"If you had told me as a 17-year-old kid that I would have been here for almost 36 years and I would've never dreamt it, but that's what this place does, right?" explained Parras. "This is a place where dreams come true."