Disney Legend Dick Nunis, the prolific former chairman of Walt Disney Attractions, has passed away at the age of 91.
What’s Happening:
- Disney Legend Dick Nunis passed away on December 13th at the age of 91, surrounded by his family in his adopted hometown of Orlando, a family friend confirmed.
- Born May 30th, 1932, in Cedartown, Georgia, Dick received a football scholarship to the University of Southern California (USC).
- At USC, he met Walt Disney’s son-in-law, Ron Miller, and promptly got, what was at the time, a summer job, at Disneyland in 1955.
- From 1967-74, Dick also served as chairman of the Park Operations Committee, and, in 1968, was bumped up to vice president of operations. By 1971, the year the Magic Kingdom opened at Walt Disney World, he was named executive vice president of Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
- In 1980, a month after his 25th anniversary with Disney, he was named president of the Outdoor Recreation Division, overseeing Walt Disney World, Epcot Center and, later, the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park. Dick also consulted on plans for Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland while serving on the Walt Disney Productions Board of Directors.
- In 1971, Dick pushed for the installation of a wave machine in the Seven Seas Lagoon at Walt Disney World Resort. Although the machine provided the desired waves, it produced unforeseen complications and was quickly removed. Dick remained an advocate of providing surfing at the resort and finally got his wish when an updated version of the wave machine opened in 1989 at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon.
- On May 26th, 1999, exactly 44 years to the day since he joined the Company, Dick retired as chairman of Walt Disney Attractions.
- Dick was honored as a Disney Legend in 1999 and received a Window on Main Street at Disneyland in 2013.
- During his time at Disney, Dick always kept his focus on the people.
- “Walt believed strongly that what would make Disneyland different was the people—he wanted them to feel that they were part of the organization,” Dick once said. “That’s why he established the first-name policy—he was Walt, I was Dick, and so on. From an overall operations point of view, the most important thing is to work together to make sure that when guests come, they have a wonderful experience.”
What They’re Saying:
- Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company: “Today, we mourn the passing of Dick Nunis, a true Disney Legend whose contributions to The Walt Disney Company have touched the lives of millions of people all over the world. What started as a summer job training future Disneyland employees would ultimately become a storied 44-year career at Disney. Dick took the values and philosophies he learned directly from Walt and incorporated them into everything he did at Disney. We are grateful for his many achievements and we extend our deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones.”
- Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences: “On behalf of every Cast Member, Crew Member, Imagineer and employee of Disney Experiences, I want to express my gratitude to Disney Legend Dick Nunis… and my condolences to his family following the sad news of his passing. Dick’s impact on our theme parks business is everlasting. Along with our founder, Walt Disney, Dick helped shape our business, create happiness for millions of families around the world… and set a standard that an entire industry must now live up to.”