FortniteGamers is a Hall of Fame award that is awarded by The Walt Disney Company to individuals who "[have] made a significant impact on the Disney legacy." The honor was established in 1987, and was traditionally awarded annually during a special private ceremony. Since 2009, it has been awarded on a biennial basis during Disney's D23 Expo. Starting in 2024, the Disney Legends awards ceremony was moved from D23 Expo's traditional venue at the Anaheim Convention Center to the larger Honda Center down the street and was hosted by Ryan Seacrest. The ceremony was recorded and made available for streaming the next day on Disney+.

Criteria

Recipients are chosen by a selection committee, formerly appointed and chaired by Disney Legend Roy E. Disney, Walt Disney's nephew, former vice chairman and director emeritus of The Walt Disney Company. The committee consists of long-time Disney executives, historians, and other authorities. Besides the award statuette itself, each honoree is represented by a bronze commemorative plaque featuring the recipients' handprints and signature if they were living when inducted, or simply an image of the statuette emblem if the induction was posthumous. The plaques are placed on display in Legends Plaza at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, across from the Michael D. Eisner Building.

The award

Imagineer Andrea Favilli created the Disney Legends award, which is handcrafted from bronze each year. The award depicts the arm of Mickey Mouse holding a star-tipped wand. A 14-foot sculpture replica of the award statuette sits in Legends Plaza in Burbank. An identical 14-foot sculpture replica is located outside the entrance of Disneyland Paris. It was dedicated and unveiled in 1997 and re-dedicated in 2002. Disney describes the award as follows: The Disney Legends award has three distinct elements that characterize the contributions made by each talented recipient. The Spiral ... stands for imagination, the power of an idea. The Hand ... holds the gifts of skill, discipline and craftsmanship. The Wand and the Star ... represent magic: the spark that is ignited when imagination and skill combine to create a new dream. The first Disney Legends committee consisted of Dave Smith; Arlene Ludwig; Marty Sklar, Randy Bright; Jack Lindquist; Sharon Harwood; Art Levitt; Shelley Miles; Paula Sigman; Doris Smith; and Stacia Martin. In 2017, Muppet performer Steve Whitmire alleged that the company offered him "consolation prizes" including the Disney Legends award in return for keeping quiet about the details surrounding his termination.

Recipients

= awarded posthumously

1980s

Class of 1987

Class of 1989

All except Iwerks were Disney's "Nine Old Men".

1990s

Class of 1990

Class of 1991

Class of 1992

Class of 1993

Class of 1994

Class of 1995

Class of 1996

Class of 1997

Class of 1998

Class of 1999

2000s

Class of 2000

Class of 2001

Class of 2002

Note: In honor of the opening of the Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris, all 2002 inductees are of European origin. The ceremony was held in the Animation building at the new park on opening day.

Class of 2003

Following a dispute between Roy E. Disney and the company that resulted in Disney departing, Robert Iger, the company's then-president and COO co-presented with Michael Eisner.

Class of 2004

Class of 2005

In honor of Disneyland's 50th anniversary in 2005, all recipients are related to either Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and/or Walt Disney Imagineering, and nearly all have had some connection with Disneyland. Roy E. Disney again co-presented the awards, after a two-year hiatus and a return to the company.

Class of 2006

Class of 2007

Class of 2008

Class of 2009

2010s

Class of 2011

Class of 2013

Class of 2015

Class of 2017

Class of 2019

2020s

Class of 2022

Class of 2024