Dick Nunis, Legendary Former Walt Disney Attractions Chairman, Dies at 91

Dick Nunis, legendary former chairman of Walt Disney Attractions (now known as Disney Parks, Experiences and Products) who was mentored by Walt Disney himself, has died at 91, according to a statement from Disney.

“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,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement.

“What started as a summer job training future Disneyland employees would ultimately become a storied 44-year career at Disney,” Iger continued. “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.”

Nunis’ name will live on in the parks themselves, as he was honored with a window on Main Street, USA at Disneyland.

“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,” Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro said in a statement. “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.”

Born on May 30, 1932, in Cedartown, Georgia, Nunis was one of 600 cast members who joined Disneyland when it opened in 1955. He found out about the opportunity through his classmate, Ron Miller, who was Walt Disney’s son-in-law. Nunis was ultimately hired by Disney University founder and author of the park’s orientation and training program, Van France.

What was once just a “summer job” ended up being a 44-year-long career at the park, where he helped hire 13,000 cast members over his tenure. Walt Disney himself, as well as his executives, were part of the first class of Disney employees Nunis trained just before the opening of Disneyland on July 17, 1955, according to the Walt Disney Archives. He also studied directly with Disney, who took Nunis under his wing as a mentee.

In 1967, Nunis started serving as chairman of the Park Operations Committee — a year later, he was promoted to vice president of operations. He moved into his role as executive vice president of Walt Disney World and Disneyland in 1971, the same year the Magic Kingdom opened at Disney World.

He celebrated 25 years at the company in 1980 and was promoted to president of the Outdoor Recreation Division, where he oversaw Walt Disney World, Epcot Center and eventually the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park (now Hollywood Studios). On top of that, he had the double duty of managing and facilitating operations for international Disney Parks, including Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland, while serving as a board member for Walt Disney Productions. He retired as chairman of Walt Disney Attractions in 1999. He was inducted into the Disney Legends Awards’ Hall of Fame program that same year, along with actor Tim Allen.

Before his career becoming a Disney icon, he received a full football scholarship to the University of Southern California (USC), with hopes to play professionally and coach following his on-field years.

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