Disney Legend and former EVP of Attractions Ron Dominguez known as ‘Mr. Disneyland’ passes away at 85
Ron Dominguez, a Disney Legend and former executive vice president of Walt Disney Attractions, passed away at 85 on Saturday.
‘Some sad news to start the new year,’ the Disneyland Alumni Club announced on Facebook. ‘Ron was an original Disneyland Cast Member, even more so than others. His family owned and lived on 10 acres of orange groves that were purchased by Walt Disney for Disneyland in 1954.’
Known as ‘Mr. Disneyland,’ he previously joked his childhood home was ‘located right about where the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean and Cafe Orleans are today.’
Sad news: Ron Dominguez, a Disney Legend and former executive vice president of Walt Disney Attractions, passed away at 85 on Saturday
Starting in July 1955, Dominguez took a summer job at the Anaheim amusement park as a ticket taker at age 20, then promoted to ‘temporary supervisor of Main Street U.S.A’ within a year.
Over the years, he held to various supervisor positions throughout the park, until he landed the role of Director of Operations in 1970.
In 1974, the businessman became Vice President of Disneyland and, in 1990, then the executive Vice President, Walt Disney Attractions for the West Coast.
He was, later, inducted as a Disney Legend in 2000 and has a window on Main Street.
Dominguez is survived by his wife of 41 years, Betty.
Rest in peace: Known as ‘Mr. Disneyland,’ Dominguez was an original Disneyland Cast Member and grew up on the ’10 acres of orange groves that were purchased by Walt Disney for Disneyland in 1954,’ according to a Facebook post by the Disneyland Alumni