2025 Disney Person of the Year: Michael Hundgen

Congratulations to our 2025 Disney Person of the Year. Read about the nine finalists who made up our list of Most Fascinating Disney People.

At a time when Walt Disney World is simultaneously honoring its legacy and charting an ambitious future, Michael Hundgen has been tasked with turning some of the resort’s biggest ideas into reality. As Executive Producer for the Walt Disney World Portfolio at Walt Disney Imagineering, Hundgen is tasked with making Imagineering’s dream a reality. With a wide slate of experiences, he has a lot on his plate.

They say there is not one path to end up at Walt Disney Imagineering, and Hundgen is no exception. He began in television, producing hit competition series including Top Chef and Survivor, where storytelling, pacing, and emotional stakes are everything. That sensibility later carried over to Disney Consumer Products & Interactive, where he led digital and social strategy for Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel — among the most scrutinized and beloved brands in entertainment. Hundgen would go on to serve as Portfolio Executive for Disney Signature Experiences, overseeing Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, and the launch of Storyliving by Disney, the company’s ambitious move into branded residential communities. 

Now in his current role, Hundgen oversees creative development and delivery across an extraordinary scope: all four Walt Disney World theme parks, Disney Springs, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, and more than 25 hotels and resorts. It’s a portfolio that touches nearly every guest who enters the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District,

Much of the attention around Walt Disney World’s future has focused on the major, headline-grabbing projects now in development. These include the newly announced Cars and Disney Villains expansions at Magic Kingdom, Monstropolis at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the Tropical Americas transformation underway at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. These projects signal Disney’s confidence in investing big and thinking long-term.

But perhaps the more telling shift has been Disney’s renewed willingness to invest in smaller-scale projects. These experiences may not drive vacation planning decisions on their own, but are essential to revitalizing underutilized spaces and improving the overall guest experience.

Michael Eisner once referred to smaller films as “singles and doubles” when discussing the importance of rounding out a studio slate. Imagineering appears to be embracing that same philosophy, with several projects slated for 2026 that reflect this approach. New magic is coming to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, while Frozen Ever After will receive an upgrade featuring enhanced Audio-Animatronics inspired by the Hong Kong Disneyland version of the attraction.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is set to debut some of the most exciting examples of these “singles and doubles,” including The Walt Disney Studios area and Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets. Both projects have generated enormous enthusiasm within the fan community, with guests eagerly counting down the days until their arrival this summer.

Making the business case for investments that may not immediately move attendance numbers is never easy. But Hundgen and his team clearly understand that while new E-ticket attractions can draw guests in, their enjoyment, and their intent to return, is shaped by the vacation as a whole. Ensuring that every corner of the resort feels fresh, cared for, and thoughtfully designed ultimately creates a better experience for guests and a stronger foundation for Disney’s long-term success.

For recognizing that Walt Disney World is not merely a collection of headline attractions, but a single holistic product, and for helping guide its evolution with both ambition and care, we name Michael Hundgen our Person of the Year.

Hear us discuss Hundgen and the other people on our list in the latest Laughing Place "On Balance" podcast episode: