Dick Nunis - Walts Apprentice: Keeping the Disney Dream Alive

Copyright 2022 Richard A. Nunis

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Published by Disney Editions, an imprint of Buena Vista Books, Inc.
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Editorial Director: Wendy Lefkon

Senior Editors: Jennifer Eastwood and Jim Fanning

Editorial Assistant: Lori Campos

Director, Design: Scott Piehl

Senior Designer: Lindsay Broderick

Managing Editor: Monica Vasquez

Production: Anne Peters and Marybeth Tregarthen

Hardcover ISBN 978-1-368-07804-7

eBook ISBN 978-1-3680-9679-9

First Edition, September 2022

Visit www.disneybooks.com

Participating in the fiftieth anniversary celebrations at Walt Disney World brought back memories of how so many worked together to turn scrub and swamp into the most magical place. My most gratifying moments were opportunities to engage with Cast Members, past and present. Their dedication to carrying Walts vision forward makes the magic real.

I dedicate this book to Cast Members who came before, who are here today, and who will come tomorrow. They keep Walts Dream Alive!

Dick Nunis

Writing a book is harder than I thoughtmuch harder.

Many of us are familiar with the saying, It takes a village. And this is especially true in writing this book. I could not have recalled and recounted the stories of so many special people, events, and situationssome from more than sixty-five years agowere it not for my own village, this outstanding book team of loved ones, colleagues, and special friends.

Tony Peluso, a former twenty-year Disney veteran, wrote the original overview and outline for this book as creative inspiration, and for several years he nudged (hounded) me to give it a try. He said it would be easy. He was wrongbut his enthusiasm, positivity, and Disney knowledge kept us moving forward, even when we thought we would never finish. As story editor, Tony earned my deepest gratitude for all his time and dedication in helping ensure that this book remained true to the first outline, and to my vision. While writing this book Ive gotten to know Tony and his wife, Julie, and their kids very well, and I am proud to consider them part of our extended family. (By the way, Tony was the general manager of Pleasure Island at Walt Disney Worldnot my favorite place on our property, but I like him anyway.)

Kim Sheeter is the incredibly patient, detailed, steady, and wonderfully talented person who helped unravel and transpose my anecdotes, stories, and recollections. She helped put recollections into words when I got tongue-tied. The sweet irony of working with Kim is that while most of the people who contributed personal remembrances had experiences to draw from as past Disney employees, Kim has never been inside any of the Walt Disney World parksnot once! That she was able to understand Disney jargon and sixty-five plus years of company history was no small feat.

I have been blessed with incredible administrative assistants (remember, I was never much for titles), who worked with me throughout my career. They tracked me around the globe to make sure I was in the right place at the right time doing what I needed to be doing. One of my old bosses from Walt Disney World, Kathy Simpson, put her amazing organizational skills on loan as this book progressed, checking facts, unearthing documents, and reminding me of stories I had forgotten. I was sure that no one could ever replace my Disney admins, but then along came Erin Minner. Erins title is also administrative assistant. And like with the other admins, I could not have finished this book without this bright, kind, and cheerful person who is always there to help, nurture, find, coordinate, and research with unwavering dedication. Thank you for showing me that history can repeat itself.

Rich, Lisa, and Corey, and Richie, Dean, Madison, Landon, Anabelle, and Greyton, my dear children and grandchildren, remain a great source of pride and joy. Through the years, its been a delight to experience Disney magic around the world with them, introducing them to what I was so proud to help create. I hope this book will be a symbol and road map to show that through hard work, passion, and perseverance most any dream and anything is possible, no matter where you start. And when you achieve your dream, remember to pay it forward by being a friend to the dreams of others.

Mary, my beautiful wife, where would I be without you? You are the single best person I know. Your never-ending kindness, caring, love, support, and encouragement helped me all along this journey (as you would say) to tell the important stories as only you can. I would never have attempted this without you by my side. Always know that each day when I look in the mirror, I say to myself how lucky I am to have married the fairest of them all. And yes, weve lived happily ever after.

Finally, my gratitude goes to Walt Disney, who saw something in a twenty-five-year-old first-time supervisor. Whatever he saw led him to share his vision, his hopes, and his dreamsfor then, and for the future. I had no idea at the time, but in those early years with Walt, he was looking for someone he could mentor by nurturing, challenging, and testing, to ensure that his ideals and those dreams would live on. He was looking for an apprentice. As that apprentice, my role and my life expanded beyond what I had ever imagined, and I have had the privilege of a lifetime to carry on Walt Disneys legacy by leading more than a hundred thousand Cast Members around the world to create magical experiences in The Happiest Places on Earth.

My summer job grew into a forty-four-year career with The Walt Disney Company, as I have taken on several roles and worn many hats (with Mickey Mouse ears), such as: