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Disney Legend instrumental in creating “Fantasmic!” and the Festival of the Lion King has died

disney legend ron logan
Credit: D23/Becky Burkett/Canva Creation

Former executive vice president, executive producer for Walt Disney Entertainment, and Disney Legend Ron Logan died on Tuesday, August 30, in Orlando, Florida. He was 84 years old.

Ron Logan

Credit: D23

During his time with The Walt Disney Company, Logan “ushered in a new era of live entertainment,” per D23.com.

7 Spectacular Facts About Disney Legend Ron Logan - D23

Credit: D23

He was instrumental in the development of Disney Parks productions like Fantasmic!, the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, and The Festival of the Lion King.

Logan drew some of his inspiration directly from the visionary himself, Walt Disney. The D23 website chronicles Logan’s interactions with the man who started it all:

Ron had the opportunity to meet Walt Disney three times when he was a college-age trumpet player at Disneyland and even performed as part of the Disney-produced pageantry for the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California.

One of Ron’s fondest early Disney memories includes being a fanfare trumpeter for the Candlelight Processional at Disneyland. In 1968, Ron remembers a technical issue where all the sound and lighting were cut off during the show. Narrator Henry Fonda didn’t skip a beat, but pulled out a pen light from his coat pocket and continued narrating with his robust, unamplified, voice until the electricity returned.

That was a defining moment for Ron, showing him that the show must go on, even when elements beyond the performers’ control aren’t going according to plan.

ron logan

Credit: D23

D23.com also tells the story of Ron Logan’s contributions in bringing Disney’s Beauty and the Beast to dazzling life as a live production:

Building on the success of live theme park stage shows, Ron and his team pitched the idea of a “Beauty and the Beast” Broadway show to leadership, and the same team that produced the Beauty and the Beast stage show at Disneyland helped to create the Broadway version. They even partnered with the film’s screenwriter, Linda Woolverton, and songwriters (and fellow Disney Legends) Tim Rice and Alan Menken, who added to and adapted the classic songs written for the film by Menken and Disney Legend Howard Ashman. This led to the establishment of Walt Disney Theatrical Productions, where Ron served as president for the early years of Disney on Broadway.

beauty and the beast live on stage

Credit: Becky Burkett

Ron Logan’s legacy and contributions are honored with his very own window on Main Street, U.S.A., high above the Emporium at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. His window reads, “Main Street Music Co.—Ron Logan—Conductor —Leading the Band into a New Century,” fitting for someone who got his start as a trumpet player at Disneyland.

Main Street USA Tribute Windows: The Originals – World Of Walt

Credit: World of Walt

Our condolences to the family and friends of Ron Logan on this sad day. We are forever grateful for his contributions to our Disney Parks experience.

About Becky Burkett

Becky's from the Lone Star State and has been writing since she was 10 and encountered her first Disney Park when she was 11. It was love at first Main Street Electrical Parade. Joy is blank lined journals, 0.7 mm pens, and all things Walt, Woody and Buzz, PIXAR, Imagineering, Sleeping Beauty (make it blue!), Disney Parks history and EPCOT. At Disney World, you'll find her croonin' with the birdies at the Enchanted Tiki Room or hangin' with Woody and the gang at Toy Story Land. If you can dream, you really can do it!