Ahmad Jafari

AHMAD JAFARI is recognized internationally as a leading expert in themed and experiential architectural design. His specialty is the master planning of major theme parks, entertainment centers, resort hotels, and themed restaurants.

In collaboration with The Hettema Group, where he is Director of Design, Jafari has been the overall art director/architect on Saraya in Aqaba, Jordan, a large mixed-use themed city with five luxury hotels, shops, restaurants and residential components and art directed the facade redesign for the Intercontinental Hotel in Aqaba, Jordan. Additionally Ahmad has played a key role in The Hettema Group’s concepts for a wide variety of RD&E, hotel, residential, resort, and theme park projects slated for Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Korea, and elsewhere.

Jafari spent 35 years with Walt Disney Imagineering as Concept Design Director.  His leadership on major projects encompasses the complete spectrum of design, from concept and design development to construction drawings and field supervision.  For Hong Kong Disneyland, Ahmad oversaw concept, schematic, and design development while also serving as principal concept architect for the entire park.  He was directly responsible for design of numerous facilities including the Lion King Theater, Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, and Philharmagic Theater.

Other Disney projects include the design of the Spanish pavilion in Disney’s EPCOT’s World Showcase in Orlando, design and schematic of Tokyo DisneySea’s MiraCosta Hotel in Japan, and master planning and concept design for Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando.  He was park master planner and project architect for the award-winning Adventureland in Disneyland Paris.  In his early years with Disneyland in Anaheim, Ahmad Jafari was the overall Design Architect for projects including Big Thunder Mountain and the park’s ten-year master plan.  

Additional projects include the façade redesign of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, project architecture for the Mehrabad International Airport, and the Aryamehr Olympic Stadium in Tehran, Iran.

Jafari holds a Master’s degree in architecture from the University of Tehran, Iran. In 2006, Ahmad Jafari joined an august group of individuals when he was named a “Disney Legend”.