Ron Dominguez, Disney Legend and former Executive Vice President of Attractions, passed away January 1, 2021. He was 85. Dominguez, known as “Mr. Disneyland,” retired from The Walt Disney Company in 1994 after 39 years of service.
The news of Dominguez’s death was first shared on the Disneyland Alumni Club Facebook page.
Born August 10, 1935, Dominguez literally grew up on the property that would become Disneyland. He shared his memories with D23.
“Our house was located right about where the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean and Cafe Orleans are today. The day we moved out, in August of 1954, we were walking in ditches and holes. Things were popping up around us because construction had to move ahead. They built Disneyland in a year.”
Ron Dominguez D23 Biography
Dominguez was hired as a Disneyland ticket taker four days before the theme park opened. In a strange twist of fate, Dominguez found that Walt Disney had moved the previous Dominguez family home backstage to serve as administrative offices.
In 1957, Dominguez was promoted to the assistant supervisor of Frontierland. In 1962, he was the manager of Tomorrowland, eventually moving on to manage the west side of Disneyland. He continued to work his way up the ranks. In 1974, Dominguez was named vice president of Disneyland and chairman of the park operating committee.
Dominguez became Executive Vice President Walt Disney Attractions, West Coast, in 1990. His close relationship with, and service within, the City of Anaheim are credited with paving the way for Disney California Adventure. He was named a Disney Legend in 2000.
According to the Disneyland Alumni Club Facebook post, Dominguez is survived by his wife of 41 years, Betty.
Disneyland recently shared a special virtual viewing of the all-new “Magic Happens” parade.
From a Disney Cast Member;
We know Disney fans are searching for ways to bring magic and joy into their everyday lives and we’ve loved seeing some of you recreate your favorite Disney Parks experiences in your very own living rooms! In fact, you’ve inspired us to share #DisneyMagicMoments for you and your family, to enjoy at home.
Today, while we are temporarily closed, we wanted to bring magic directly to everyone at home with a special virtual viewing of the all-new “Magic Happens” parade, which recently debuted at Disneyland park! This daytime spectacular celebrates the awe-inspiring moments of magic that are at the heart of so many Disney stories. We hope you’ll gather with family at home to watch this stunning moment of magic:
“Magic Happens” features nine newly designed floats, highlighting magic from classic Walt Disney Animation Studios tales, such as “The Sword in the Stone,” “Cinderella” and “Sleeping Beauty,” to more recent stories, including “Frozen 2,” “Moana” and “The Princess and the Frog,” as well as Disney and Pixar’s “Coco.”
The new floats were created as pieces of moving art, with their lines and aesthetic design telling a story along the parade route, while also evoking a sense of magic. The stories seen in “Magic Happens” are rooted in iconic Disney lore, but the soundtrack, costume design, and choreography are heavily influenced by today’s contemporary designers. Be sure to listen up for the energetic musical score and new songs, co-composed by singer-songwriter, Todrick Hall.
This morning, Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, took the virtual stage at the IAAPA Expo: Virtual Education Conference, where he shared a behind-the-scenes look at the lessons we’ve learned over the past year, and the ways we’re moving forward into 2021 and beyond. Check out all the details as shared below by DisneyParksBlog.
As Josh shared in his talk, the end of the year is always a time for reflection – and to chart a path for the year to come. While we never could have imagined what this year would hold for our company, we’ve learned so much: how to share that special Disney Parks magic with our fans at home during the closures of our businesses worldwide; how to reimagine our park, resort, and store experiences to meet new challenges; and how, even amid uncertainty, to plan for what we know are better days are ahead.
Now, as we look to the future, there are new and exciting milestones on the horizon. While the pandemic meant putting some projects on pause, we never stopped dreaming up new experiences. And we are looking forward to inviting our guests to see what we’ve been working on.
There are groundbreaking new updates coming to Disney destinations around the world. As Josh shared in his update today, progress is currently being made on several projects across the globe that are pushing the boundaries of innovation and storytelling like never before.
Here’s a special peek at some of the announcements Josh made today:
Video previously recorded
More details were also shared on the next generation of immersive Disney experiences currently in development, including updates on Avengers Campus, the historic transformation of EPCOT and more.
Progress continues to be made toward the completion of Avengers Campus at Disneyland Resort and Disneyland Paris. This new land will invite guests to team up with the Avengers and their allies in a fully immersive land.
The Worldwide Engineering Brigade (better known as WEB) building will soon house our newest attraction, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure where guests will be able to board vehicles and help Spider-Man take control of an army of Spider-Bots that have taken over Avengers Campus.
Guests visiting Disneyland Paris will also soon be able to experience Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel – celebrating 80 years of Marvel storytelling in a typical New York setting.
The resort will feature contemporary Art Deco style and include one of the largest publicly viewable collections of Marvel artwork in the world.
At Walt Disney World Resort, work is continuing on the historic, multi-year transformation of EPCOT, including “Harmonious,” Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.
“Harmonious” will be one of the largest nighttime spectaculars ever created. It’ll feature the hallmarks of a Disney experience, including music and images, reimagined by diverse cultural musicians and artists from around the world.
Work also continues on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – the family-friendly “storytelling coaster” featuring a groundbreaking ride system with vehicles that rotate 360 degrees and can even do a reverse launch!
The Omnicoaster is a first- of-its-kind programmable roller coaster ride system, where guests can be rotated along the ride track in any direction while traveling at high speeds. The Omnicoaster name builds upon the tradition of the Omnimover ride system in which Walt Disney Imagineers are able to turn guests in any direction and focus their attention on a specific scene or element.
And plans are on track to open Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in 2021. Based on Disney and Pixar’s hit film, “Ratatouille,” this family-friendly attraction will invite you to shrink down to the scale of a rat for a culinary adventure with Chef Remy. During each adventure, you’ll race across Gusteau’s kitchen floor aboard special trackless ride vehicles in a thrilling 3D chase. Click here for more.
In a galaxy far, far away, progress continues at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, where guests will live aboard a starship for a 2-day, 2-night experience. Unlike any typical cruise, though, you can become the heroes of your own Star Wars story in a new type of immersive experience that only Disney could create.
Guests will cruise the galaxy in style aboard the Halcyon, known for its impeccable service and exotic destinations. Onboard, you’ll stay in well-appointed cabins, experience onboard dining, make a planet-side excursion to Black Spire Outpost on Batuu and much more. Learn more in our earlier story.
At Shanghai Disney Resort, progress continues on “Zootopia” – where guests will be invited to experience the metropolis of “Zootopia.”
Based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Oscar-winning animated movie, this exciting development will be the park’s eighth themed land and the first-ever “Zootopia”-themed land at any Disney park. It will include a new major attraction that will seamlessly blend Disney storytelling and state-of-the-art technology to bring this fan-favorite movie and its characters to life.
In this aerial photo of the area, you can see just how big the show building will be. Click here for more on “Zootopia.”This is an artist concept and is subject to change.
And at Tokyo Disneyland, new attractions, restaurants, and shops recently opened – marking the largest expansion of the park’s 37-year history.
Also, part of the expansion will be “Fantasy Springs.” This exciting development will be themed to a magical spring inspired by the beloved Disney Animation films “Frozen,” “Tangled” and “Peter Pan.” It’ll include four new attractions, three restaurants and a new Disney-themed hotel situated inside Tokyo DisneySea that will overlook Fantasy Springs.
Even though Disneyland Resort must remain closed as a theme park under California’s current regulations, Disney has made the announcement that they will be opening Disneyland’s Buena Vista Street for shopping and dining! Check out the details as shared below by DisneyParksBlog.
We’re excited to share that Buena Vista Street opens Nov. 19, extending the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort with more Disney shopping and dining experiences. Discover new and returning favorite menu items plus holiday gifts and apparel, and stay tuned for more holiday happenings! Here’s a peek at what you can expect beginning Nov. 19:
Carthay Circle Restaurant, known for its upscale cuisine, is introducing Carthay Circle Lounge – Alfresco Dining, a new outdoor dining environment and menu featuring Mediterranean-California light fare, with small plates that can be shared or enjoyed separately at Carthay Circle Lounge. The seasonal menu created by Chefs Andrew Sutton and Alex Flores will feature the Carthay shrimp roll, harissa-roasted lamb, soy-glazed salmon, lemon-crusted fish of the day and an artisan cheese board. Kids will find menu options just for them, including orecchiette pasta with marinara and orange dragon chicken skewers. Relax and step back in time at this throwback venue that boasts distinct attention to detail. Unwind with flavorful, international fare and a glass of wine, craft beers or a cool cocktail, enjoying expanded outdoor seating and amazing views of Buena Vista Street.
On another corner, stop by Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe for a yummy hot chocolate and a cranberry orange scone. Or, place your mobile order for corn dogs or soft drinks at Award Wieners, or for Smokejumpers Grill, serving bacon cheeseburgers, chicken tenders, onion rings, waffle fries, kids’ meals, and vanilla and chocolate shakes.
Along Buena Vista Street, Disney magic brings a nostalgic throwback to the 1920s and ’30s. The boulevard depicts a typical Los Angeles neighborhood where a young Walt Disney lived and worked after arriving in Southern California in 1923. This idyllic setting captures the quaint “mom-and-pop” shops of the time and a big-city department store including Elias & Co., Julius Katz & Sons, Kingswell Camera Shop and Trolley Treats, where you can find unique Disney apparel and gifts.
Beginning Nov. 19, there will be a $10 fee per car for parking at the Downtown Disney District in the Simba Lot. The number of guests visiting the Downtown Disney District and its locations, including the shopping and dining experiences along Buena Vista Street, will be limited to promote physical distancing. We may at times use the mobile wait list system when Buena Vista Street and/or its queue are at capacity, similar to the process at some retail locations in the Downtown Disney District. Disney California Adventure Park is currently closed.
If you haven’t visited the Downtown Disney District lately, be sure to visit Disneyland.com/DTD to learn important information about updated experiences and other details including our health and safety measures such as the requirement for all guests, ages 2 and older, to wear a face covering.
We’re pretty sure if there was ever a “Best Grandfather Ever” Award, it would go to a man named Steve Dobbs. Dobbs, located in Fullerton, California, decided he would construct his own miniature Disneyland in his backyard for his grandkids.
As shared by SFGate: “I watched Disneyland get built,” Dobbs says of his childhood in Anaheim. “This is my Imagineering,” Steve says. Dobb calls this mini-Disneyland “Dobbsland”. One attraction is called “Tiny World”, and is inspired by his wife’s doll collection.
“There’s a Sleeping Princess Castle ride-through, connected on the same track to the Winnie the Pooh ride. They’re both next to a miniature Main Street U.S.A., with M&M Railroad, named after his grandkids, and a movie theatre showing old Disney cartoons.”
“The Star Wars-inspired Starfighters Academy is a two-part dark ride. You sit in a swing inside a Millennium Falcon-shaped structure, and try to hit moving characters with your lightsaber. Then, you take your blaster and attempt to hit light sensors. If you do, the whole place lights up in an interstellar display. “If you use the lightsabers,” Steve says, “you hit the Yoda and he starts talking to you.”
“There’s also a roller coaster! The Madderhorn goes up to 12 mph and pulls 1.2Gs of force for an adult rider. It was a senior project for nine students at Cal Poly. The materials alone cost about $4,500. It’s expensive, Steve admits, “but it’s a lot cheaper than buying it, if you even could.”
“Dobbsland’s newest ride, conceived and constructed by Steve and his 10-year-old granddaughter, is Ruby’s Safari Ride. It takes a page from the Jungle Cruise.
