A Disney legend has passed away at just 67. The company confirmed that Eddie Sotto has died on December 17.
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Taking to LinkedIn, Bruce Vaughn, the President and Chief Creative Officer at Walt Disney Imagineering, mourned the loss of Sotto. He shared an obituary that reflected on the legacy of the Disney creative.
He wrote, “Eddie joined Walt Disney Imagineering in 1986, where he rose to become Senior Vice President of Concept Design. Undoubtedly, the world will remember him for his boundless creativity and near-obsessive attention to detail. One only needs to stroll Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland Paris — especially Les Arcades — to understand how deeply he thought about every inch of a place.”
Eddie Sotto Dies
He described what he will also remember about Sotto and his work.
He wrote, “I will always remember Eddie as a fearless innovator. When I ran R&D, he was one of our great champions — constantly pushing for new ways to incorporate emerging ideas and technologies. Eddie had an endless supply of brilliant concepts and never let convention limit his thinking. I’ll never forget a simulator attraction he pitched to GM called ‘Yukon the Moon.’ He was a master of the pitch — but that one didn’t need any explanation beyond the title.”
Vaughn said it was a privilege and great fortune to work with Sotto at Disney. He said that he worked with him on the Rivera restaurant in downtown Los Angeles as well as the Theme Building at LAX.
He also added, “Eddie was one of the first Imagineers I ever met, and over time I came to share in the generations of fans inspired by his work. Our hearts go out to Eddie’s family, friends, and fellow Imagineers. He is gone far too soon and will be deeply missed.”
Others also reflected on Sotto in the comment section as well.
One person wrote, “I have often said Eddie is the most genuinely creative person I’ve ever met. Every interaction I had with him was an absolute delight. And he helped me out in many ways over the years. I remember bringing him out to give a talk at Microsoft, and people were just blown away by his approach to design. When I was in startup-land, it was his recommendation that helped us win a major grant from the National Science Foundation. And when I went back to academia, he was there for my students. He will be greatly missed.”