Breaking News
Ron Dominguez – one of Disney’s home managers, literally – is dead.
Dominguez, also known as’ Mr. Disneyland ‘, passed away on Friday … according to the Disneyland Alumni Club. A cause of death was not revealed, but the guy’s rich history with the Mouse House was … and his roots go back to where the park actually broke ground.
An official ‘Disney Legend’, RD’s family, was one of the original owners of several acres of land and orange groves that Walt Disney and Co erected in the 50’s to build the current Disneyland and California Adventure in Anaheim. , CA.
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The story goes … Walt Dominguez’s two-story family home actually turned into one of the original Disneyland administration buildings into a backdrop in the park, and not only that – but Dominguez held on and started working for them as one of the first cast members.
The man started working as a ticket holder and eventually became familiar with every attraction. He emerged in the ranks of the business over the years, until in 1970 he became the head of the park operations. It did not take long before he became the VP of Disneyland, and later in the ’90s … the executive vice president of Walt Disney landmarks in the West Coast, before retiring from Disney in ’94. Talk about a Cinderella story, right?!?
Dominguez is considered an integral part of the negotiations to build Disney California Adventure – the park across from Disneyland, which is considered more adult – and was a juggernaut in the Orange County / SoCal business world. He was inducted as a legend in 2000, and even has his own window on Main Street (in the area where his OG house remained intact). Safe to say … Disneyland would not be here if it were not for Ron and his family.
He is survived by his wife, Betty, with whom he had been married for decades. The Disneyland Alumni Club says a small family gathering is expected due to COVID restrictions.
Ron was 85.
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