Ahoy! We continue our nautical theme on the Radio Hour with the return of former Imagineering and Disney Development Company exec Bob Holland! Bob joins us to talk about the early days of the Disney Cruise Line, from the shipyards of Italy to Castaway Cay. Set sail for new magic – it’s the Progress City Radio Hour!
The Progress City Radio Hour sets sail for a nautical exploration of one of Disney’s best features – its boats! Our salty tales include the life of Disney Legend Admiral Joe Fowler, the origin of Disney boat attractions at Arrow Development, a glimpse of life aboard a FriendShip launch, the creation of Disneyland’s Submarine Voyage, and a tribute to Miss Tilly! History, music, and more – cast off the bow line and gun it Mr. Baxter, it’s the Progress City Radio Hour!
Prentis Hale, Walt Disney, John Hench, and Tommy Walker
The Progress City Radio Hour returns to the slopes for more snowbound adventure! We have a wintry mix of tales including a trip to Switzerland with Walt to film on the slopes of the Matterhorn, a look at Disney’s involvement in the 1960 Winter Olympics, and a conversation with Greg Glasgow and Kathryn Mayer about their book, Disneyland On The Mountain, about the never-built resort at Mineral King. History, music, and more – fire up the fondue and grab that tow rope, it’s the Progress City Radio Hour!
The Progress City Radio Hour mulls the wine and sets out the relish tray for our 2023 Christmas episode! This year we’re hosting two very special historians and authors, Steven Vagnini and Foxx Nolte! We talk about their past, current, and future book projects, and take a look ahead at 2024. History, music, and more – from all of us to all of you, it’s the Progress City Radio Hour!
Dick Nunis tests out the slides at River Country, 1976.
Losing a legend is never easy, and this one hits particularly hard. It was announced today that the former chairman of Walt Disney Attractions, Dick Nunis, has passed away at the age of 91.
Nunis was a bona fide Disney Legend; after hiring on to train new Disneyland employees in 1955, he spent 44 years with the company, departing as the head of all Disney parks and resorts in 1999.
Nunis was no doubt a tough cookie, and stories from past cast member about their encounters with him are legend, but he never stopped fighting for those four important keys – safety, courtesy, show, and efficiency. While I don’t even agree with all of his decisions and opinions – I love theatrical animatronic shows! – there’s no doubt that he was one of the handful of people most instrumental in defining what we remember as the peak Disney park guest experience.
As times change, and corporate America changes, there are fewer and fewer stalwart individuals out there like Dick Nunis, keeping an eye out for the consumer experience and making sure that every detail of the product remains impeccable. He will be missed.
As the memorial statement from Disney quotes him:
“Disney is successful because we are dealing with people. And the words ‘quality’ and ‘pride,’ that is really what it is all about. As long as we design, build, engineer, maintain, and market with quality, that’s going to give our people great pride, and I’ve always said—and I believe it very strongly—that if you don’t have the quality, then you can’t have the pride, and if you ever lose the pride, you certainly will never have quality. And that’s what we should build on for the future.”
Of course, as a historian I can’t help but be selfish in mourning the loss of so many important stories, memories, and anecdotes that Nunis never stopped to put to paper. Many of us requested to interview him over the years; while he declined my request to speak with him about his work on EPCOT, he was kind enough to call in person and explain his reluctance to do so. Reticent to speak of Disney experiences, he was eager to talk UCF football, of which he was a big booster. I would love to have spoken with him at length; one could only imagine the unique perspective of someone who not only worked with Walt but helped shape the definitive park experiences of the 1980s and 1990s.
Hopefully the reaction online will reach his family; I hope they know that although he has been gone from the company for nearly 25 years, his ethos is remembered fondly by generations of parkgoers.
And, speaking as a shorts person myself, I have to say he was right on about them.
From the Progress City archives comes this collection of 33 tall tales and true from Disney history. Available in paperback, hardback, and ebook formats.
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