DAPs Magic Disney News – PRESS RELEASE
Thirty years ago today — on Oct. 1, 1982 — EPCOT Center opened, the most ambitious theme park Disney had ever created. Yesterday, more than 1,000 members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club gathered at Epcot in Walt Disney World for a full day of special presentations to commemorate this incredible, memorable theme park.
Panelists of the “We Can Do It” presentation included (left to right) Disney Legend, original Tom Sawyer on Tom Sawyer Island, and former manager of distribution services at Walt Disney World Tom Nabbe; Disney Legend and executive vice president of Parks, Walt Disney World Bob Matheison; Disney Legend and former vice president of the Magic Kingdom Bill Sullivan; former Walt Disney World vice president of purchasing and contract services Howard Roland; Disney author and Imagineer Jason Surrell; former president of Disney Participant Relations Jim McCaskill; former director of Walt Disney World Casting Duncan Dickson; and Disney Legend Charlie Ridgway, who helped launch the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971 and EPCOT Center in 1982, among other Disney theme parks around the world.
