Disney: Howard Roland, who helped shape Contemporary, Polynesian, has died
Howard Roland, a longtime Disney executive who had a role in the making of the original hotels at Walt Disney World, has died. He was 88.
Roland was vice president of purchasing and construction contracts when he retired in 1995. His early duties with the company included acting as a liaison between Disney and U.S. Steel, a manufacturer for Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
He was returning from a business trip to Chile for Sheraton Hotels in 1969 when he wrote a letter to Roy O. Disney, who was in charge of building the Central Florida resort after the death of Walt Disney, his brother.
“I addressed the letter to Roy because it was the only name in the company I had,” Roland told the Disney Parks Blog last year as part of the resort’s 50th anniversary celebration. He expressed interest in working on Disney’s Florida project. Roland was hired on by John Curry, Disney World’s first hotel executive.
“He was a risk taker. … But when he was ready to move on, he was ready to move on,” said Lenore Roland, his wife of 63 years. “The reason he decided to leave Sheraton was, ironically, was traveling so much for them. … After he signed on with Disney, he did nothing but fly everywhere.”