Richard Arlen Nunis

Richard A (Dick) Nunis passed away on December 13, 2023, surrounded by his family in his adopted hometown of Orlando, a city he helped to shape as Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide. Dick was also not only a passionate supporter but the first Chairman of the University of Central Florida’s Board of Trustees.

Dick was born on May 30,1932, in Cedartown, Georgia. Coming from extremely modest means during the Great Depression, there were few opportunities for work in the small mill town, so to seek a better future, the family decided to move to Southern California.

While attending Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles, Dick excelled at playing football and was awarded a full scholarship to the University of Southern California. As a star halfback there, he shined both on the field and in the classroom and was chosen to represent USC on the first Academic All-American team.

His dreams of becoming a professional football player and coach were dashed on November 22,1952, during a rivalry game with UCLA by a crushing tackle to the upper body resulting in a broken neck. Dick would later jokingly call his football-ending broken neck, “the best break of my life.” He didn’t know it at the time, but one day he would make a lasting contribution to college football by championing the construction of the “Bounce House,” the on-campus stadium at UCF.

Graduating with a degree in education and realizing a career change would be necessary, he saw an ad in the paper for an orientation/training instructor at a place called Disneyland. He interviewed and was offered the position and began working on May 26,1955, two months before the Park opened, in that “buck eighty an hour” role which he thought was a temporary summer job. The core of the training and cultural traditions he helped establish in those early months became the foundation of the “Disney Way,” principles focusing on excellence for the guest and cast experience. Those same “Traditions” continue to be taught and implemented today in Disney Parks around the world.

By the end of the first summer, it was apparent Disneyland was there to stay, and so was Dick. His summer job had turned into a career, and as the Park grew and prospered, so had Dick’s roles and responsibilities. Eager to tackle any challenge that came his way, his passion and work ethic caught the eye of “the boss,” Walt Disney, who saw someone he could mentor to share his vision and dreams - someone who could infuse operations with magic.

In 2022, Nunis chronicled his years working alongside his hero. In "Walt’s Apprentice: Keeping the Disney Dream Alive," he shared his stories of the opening and continual reinvention of Disneyland, the 1960 Winter Olympics, the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, the initial design, construction, and ongoing development of Walt Disney World, the international expansion to Tokyo and Paris, and much more. During Dick’s Disney career he met Presidents, Emperors, Prime Ministers, CEOs, and movie stars, but he dedicated his book to the people who impressed him the most – his fellow Cast Members.

Dick often said the greatest joy of his career were the years he worked directly for Walt Disney. That joy became an honor that meant so much during the 10-year cast appreciation celebration of Disneyland when Walt Disney said to the Class of ’55 (original Disneyland cast members), “I’ve had Dick Nunis on my tail saying that we have to take care of these people, enlarge the Park and add new attractions to take care of the extra millions (of guests) he thinks we’re going to gain every year. He’s got us working harder than I’ve ever worked before!”

Dick took that message to heart, devoting his career to preserving Walt’s dream, and inspiring others around the world to keep it alive. He retired on May 26, 1999 - exactly 44 years to the day he started. Through those years, he delighted in experiencing Disney magic around the globe with his family, sharing with them what he was so proud to help create.

Dick is survived by the love of his life, his wife Mary, his children and their spouses, Rich (Sandy) Nunis, Lisa (Michael) Parks, Corey (Kiki) Nunis, and his grandchildren, Richie Nunis, Dean Nunis, Madison (Matt) McVaney, Landon Parks, Annabelle Nunis, and Greyton Nunis, and his father-in-law, Vince Lucchese. Richard A. Nunis was preceded in death by his daughter, Lisa Nunis.

Arrangements will be announced at a future date