-By Holly Richmond, Photography courtesy of Walt Disney Imagineering

"Gee, this is fun!" Wing Chao excitedly pronounced over 40 years ago. He was visiting his older sister, who was studying architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, and trying to decide what to select a major when he arrived on the school's hallowed steps. With that light-bulb discovery of "fun," Chao's stratospheric story begins. Though the times and circumstances have changed, it is still this ingenuous sense of unadulterated enthusiasm that inspires his work each and every day. For the past 36 years Chao has played a pivotal role in developing and implementing Disney projects worth well over $8 billion, and he currently serves as vice chairman, Asia Pacific development, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, as well as executive vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering, overseeing master planning, design, and development of Disney real estate holdings in California, Florida, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and other locations worldwide.

To say Chao is well-educated is like saying Walt Disney was a visionary. After Chao graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Berkeley, he received a Masters from Berkeley and another Master of Architecture degree with a focus in Urban Design from Harvard University, with post-graduate work in Urban Planning and Real Estate Development at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Chao also holds an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business Administration in Hospitality Management from Johnson and Wales University. Remarkably, things went up from there.

Chao believes his career at Disney was practically fated. In 1971, the same year Walt Disney World opened its doors in Orlando, Fla., Chao was working on his thesis at Harvard entitled, "A Free Time City." Chao's professor was Kenzo Tange, a celebrated Tokyo-based architect and one of the revolutionary minds behind society's transition into the Information Age. He believed that as technology increasingly permeated all aspects of people's lives, providing them with additional conveniences, they would have more free time and seek out ways to both entertain and educate themselves. Chao's thesis looked at this philosophy from an urban planning perspective, which fit in perfectly with the Disney Corporation's plans for the future. Chao explains, "This was the time when education through 'edutainment' was in its infancy, as was the idea of urban planning around major attractions."

"Wing was definitely at the right place at the right time," says Jaquelin Robertson, FAIA, FAICP, partner of the New York-based firm Cooper, Robertson & Partners. "But it was his intense focus paired with openness to new ideas that set his successful course. I honestly can't think about Disney without thinking about Wing." Robertson and Chao worked together for more than 20 years on projects including Celebration, the urban development located near Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.; Val d' Europe, the community based outside of Disneyland Paris Resort; and the design of the Disney Imagineering headquarters in Glendale, Calif., where Chao has been based since the late 1970s. Robertson notes that Chao is committed to the best, whether that means the project as a whole or the most minute detail. He says, "Nothing is too small to debate and resolve. Wing will fight for perfection, which is a rare quality."

Robert Small, retired president and CEO of Fairmont Hotels and former executive vice president for Walt Disney World Resort Division, agrees with Robertson about Chao's sense of detail and commitment to excellence, saying, "Wing is the conscience of Disney design." Small was in charge of development for Disney projects, including the Grand Floridian and Grand Caribbean, while Chao headed up design. He feels Chao is without match in his ability to traverse and capitalize on the unique requirements of both sides of a project. "Wing isn't afraid to ask questions to get his facts from A to Z," Small notes. "He'll work 18 hours a day to push perceived limitations because he wants everything correct, if not perfect."

When asked to reflect on his own design philosophy and strengths, Chao is unequivocally modest and readily points to the collaborative environment Disney fosters. "If you're going to be a good mentor, you have to be a good mentee, and I enjoy learning from everyone. I'm like a sponge," he quips. Disney's Blue Sky Sessions—brainstorming meetings that occur at the beginning of every project between team members and design collaborators—are a critical part of Chao's process. "I love the days of concept design debate," he says. "I like to keep an open mind because a crazy idea might turn out to be a fantastic solution."

Though Chao never met Walt Disney, he considers him to be a mentor and is committed to Disney's philosophy of educating people by inspiring them. "We inspire, and therefore educate, by telling stories," he states. "My role at Disney is to tell the most unforgettable story I can through excellent design."

Kirk Nix, principal design director of KNA Interior Design, Los Angeles, recognizes and admires Chao's dedication to excellence and his insistence on forward-thinking design. "Wing has to know the 'why' before he gets to the 'what.' That's the thing that creates the Disney difference, and to me Wing is the watchdog for the Disney guest," remarks Nix, who worked hand-in-hand with Chao on projects including Disney's Grand Hawaiian Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Oahu, and Tokyo Disneyland Hotel. "Wing leads, he doesn't follow. I know if I have seen it before, don't bring it to him!"

Chao's Asian heritage also has engendered his success at Disney, notably in his role as the head of Asia Pacific Development. Hong Kong Disneyland, opened in 2005, where Chao worked with esteemed designers Bernardo Fort-Brescia of Arquitectonica based in Miami, and WATG based in Newport Beach, Calif., has been a particular source of pride for him. The two hotels on the property have been recognized both nationally and internationally by the A&D community, winning 19 awards already. "This project was very meaningful for me," Chao says with a smile that bespeaks his sincerity.

Another project that lights up Chao's face is Animal Kingdom Lodge in Orlando, which opened in 1998. "The theme park had such an exciting story. What could be more visually engaging than a safari?" he asks rhetorically. That engagement—education and inspiration—is what his team set out to create at the resort. Chao hired African art consultants, designers with experience on Africa-based projects, and African chefs because he believes good design does not stop at the lobby. "Of course people will say 'wow!' when they open their window and see zebra and giraffe, but I also hope they will say 'wow!' when they eat at the restaurant or relax in their guestroom," he explains.

When asked about projects that have most challenged him, Chao reflects back to 1995. "These were the early days of the family cruise industry. It was our hope to build on that movement," he recalls. Chao and his team undertook the task of designing two cruise ships, the Disney Magic and Wonder, each of which were to accommodate 2,000 passengers and provide comfort and entertainment for both children and adults. "I studied architecture, not naval architecture," he wittily points out. "Suddenly I had to learn to design a floating building, actually a floating city."

In 1998 and 1999, respectively, Magic and Wonder took to sea with designs that harkened back to the glamorous past of the first ocean-liners. "Our ships looked like no others. There was no mistaking this was Disney, and our guests certainly experienced the Disney difference," Chao remarks. Today, 10 years later, he is thrilled to be fast at work on two new Disney ships that are 50 percent larger, with 1,250 staterooms each. He says, "Ships are mobile assets for Disney, free to sail all over the world."

Joy seems to permeate Chao's personal and professional outlook. In that spirit, he takes one of Walt Disney's most famous quotes to heart: "Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy." Whether it is planned urban communities, theme parks, hotels, or cruise liners, Chao's design philosophy is evolving, drawing from an endless stream of inspiration. He comments, "Walt Disney believed that the guests' eyes are like moving cameras. If their eyes see something interesting, their feet will follow." Chao deems this to be the ideal lens through which to view each project. "The long-shot and the close-up are equally important," he says.

It is apparent by his dedication to forward-thinking design and excellence, as well as his passion for collaboration and the endless pursuit of fun, that Chao has no plans of fading from the movie frame or riding off into the proverbial storybook sunset. He concludes with equaled exuberance and curiosity of a once prospective college student: "My most exciting project is always the next one."