So I think that I didn’t have to have any stipulations with that. I ha I, I just had to believe that it was actually gonna happen. ’cause if it didn’t happen then I was with, without a job. And it, when I took the job in 93, we didn’t… Read More
It, it, sure it was more money, but that was quite a bit more money. But it was just, I had been consulting on the project. I knew Joe Rodie very well. I believed it was gonna ha and I thought it was Disney now was gonna build a zoo… Read More
So Disney, I could do it right, and they would, and they would listen. It was a risk, but it was definitely a risk worth taking because there’s no way I wouldn’t have ever gotten that experience. And the resources they had were just amazing. Do you ask for any… Read More
But, but, but you stuck with it and then it, it all worked out for the best. So in, in 93, you’re, you’re take, you’re not going to Orlando, but you’re full time at, at Disney. What did they, what kind of offer did they make you that you said,… Read More
So, you know, it’s, it, it it’s definitely time to go when, when you know, you, you get, you get moved over to, to something else that you didn’t really want to do, you know?… Read More
No, they gave me the Children’s Zoo because Dolan was not happy with me. So I came in one day and I was told that you’re gonna be in the Children’s Zoo. And he thought that that, I don’t know what he thought, but you know, and he didn’t explain… Read More
So it, it, it turned out much better than I thought. But then, and then that’s why I had the time also to do, to do the Disney consulting. Read More
Or is this now your responsibility?… Read More
I, I was not getting along as well with, with Jim Dolan. And just because, you know, you just have different opinions and you’re the, you’re looking at where zoos are going and you’re working for somebody that likes where zoos are now and doesn’t want to change Because at… Read More
Is this added on to your responsibilities as curator?… Read More
I mean, you’re doing Not, not at San Diego. San Diego. There was so much backup there. The San Diego, the job was getting easier, not harder in some ways. And I had time to do it and you know, I was still five days a week at, at the… Read More
And there was a lot of, a lot of hurdles as we’ll talk about later. But I said yes. And on, I think it was on December 6th, I, my last day of work was December 3rd, and I guess that was 1993. December 3rd, I left the San Diego… Read More
And does this responsibility take you away from your full-time job?… Read More
And, and I was, Diane and I were pretty happy in San Diego. But again, Michael Eisner came out to the zoo at San Diego. I gave him a tour. He assured me personally, we’re gonna build this park, Rick. Because when I took the job, most of my colleagues… Read More
And Joe Rodey wanted me, said, how about we bring you in and give you this opportunity?… Read More
And, and Art would’ve said, yeah, well Rick, you know, Rick worked at the Safari Parks before. So I thought it was a recommendation from them. I thought they just cold called. I didn’t know until years later that Bill Conway was consulting for him. And when he left, he… Read More
And I had to go to Doug Myers at that point, the director, and said, Doug, do you mind if I do this?… Read More
You know, I’m, I’ll take my own days off. Just, he goes, where are they building? I said, in Florida. He goes, are you sure? I said, yes. He says, if it’s in Florida, you can go. If it’s, if it’s in LA you’re not going. So, and, and then… Read More
And, and they said something like, do you have anybody there with Safari experience?… Read More
Well, you know, you know the answer to that, but, ’cause we talked about it earlier. I’m sitting at my desk and I get a call from Art Risa’s office and there’s somebody that from Disney that wants to talk to you. And I said, okay. And I talked to… Read More