James B. Cora

James B. Cora

December 03, 1937 - March 21, 2021
Orange California

James B. Cora

December 03, 1937 - March 21, 2021
Orange California

Obituary

There will be a private family service for Jim.

Cards of condolence may to sent to Jim’s family at:
Mary Ann Cora
P. O. Box 465
Trabuco Canyon CA 92678-0465

 

Jim Cora was born and raised in the Catholic faith, and carried his faith in God through his life. He was known by those that love him as Jimmy, Dad, Grandpa, Brother, Uncle, Cousin, and Friend. His wisdom, humor, and love kept us centered and inspired us to grow throughout our lives. He served in the Air Force and Army before starting his career with Disney. Jim’s passion for Disney was evident in his work, and he carried that magic with him in all of his endeavors. He loved all things Lebanese, especially his large extended family. We are all blessed to have been a part of his life. May he rest in peace. We love you Jimmy, God bless you.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to the healthcare professionals at St. Joseph’s Hospital of Orange. The excellent nursing care Jim received was always filled with compassion and grace.

In lieu of flowers, Jim had asked that donations please be considered for these two organizations. He worked closely with them for many years. Donations by check can be mailed to:

St. Joseph Hospital Foundation
In Memory of Jim Cora
1100 W. Stewart Drive
Orange, CA 92868
http://www.sjofoundation.org/JimCora

Or

Taller San Jose Hope Builders
P.O. Box 685
Santa Ana CA 92701
(Please reference Jim Cora in the memo)
https://tsjhopebuilders.org/

 

The following, written by Brady MacDonald for the Orange County Register, details Jim’s career and legacy.

Disney Legend Jim Cora’s influence at the company was so vast ” stretching around the globe from Disneyland to Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris ” that it took multiple windows dedicated in his honor on Main Street U.S.A. to capture all of his contributions.

Cora, of Orange, passed away on Sunday, March 21 after a brief hospitalization at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, according to Disney officials. He was 83.

Cora started at Disneyland in 1957 as a part-time attractions host polishing 3D glasses at the Mickey Mouse Club Theater and retired 43 years later as chairman of Disney International.

Cora credited his rapid rise to company founder Walt Disney who set his career path in motion with a promotion into a training and development role. The boss sent the teenager over to the Disneyland administration building to find Disney University founder Van Arsdale France with the admonition: “Tell him Walt sent you. I think he may have something for you.”

Disney Parks chairman and former Disneyland resort president Josh D’Amaro called Cora one of the company’s last connections to Walt Disney.

“Very few people have a Disney legacy that reaches as far and wide as Jim Cora,” D’Amaro said in a statement. “His dedication to bringing Disney magic to people around the world was only matched by the passion he exuded throughout his career and for the many years that followed. I always loved hearing Jim’s thoughts about our business. He was one of our last connections to Walt Disney and he will be missed dearly.”

In 1971, Cora implemented the “Disney Way of Leadership” program at the Magic Kingdom with the opening of the Florida theme park.

Ahead of the 1983 opening of Tokyo Disneyland, Cora was named managing director of operations for the Japan theme park before being promoted vice president of Walt Disney Productions Japan, overseeing Disney’s operational and design standards.

“My dad didn’t speak Japanese fluently, but he learned the things he needed to successfully communicate how a park should run and make sure the brand was safe,” said his son, Jim, in a statement released by Disney.

After Tokyo Disneyland, Cora switched his attention to master planning and site research for Euro Disneyland, which would later be renamed Disneyland Paris.

In the 1990s, Cora was responsible for the creative direction of Tokyo DisneySea. He retired as chairman of Disney International in 2001. Cora was named a Disney Legend in 2005.

Cora was a role model and mentor to many of his fellow Disney cast members, according to his son.

“As I talk to his colleagues and friends, I’m finding that so many people are telling me, ‘He was like a dad to me, too,'” said his son, who has worked at Disneyland for 33 years.

In retirement, Cora volunteered with Taller San Jose Hope Builders and served on the board of directors of St. Joseph Hospital in Orange. His memoir, “Not Just a Walk in the Park: My Worldwide Disney Resorts Career,” will be published later this year by Disney Editions.

Cora is survived by his wife, Mimi; daughter Rene Wong and her husband Kelly; his son Jim, and his wife, Bonnie; two grandchildren, Kayleigh and Joshua; and siblings Marilyn and John.

 

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40 responses to James B. Cora

  1. I have known Jim during the Disneyland Paris development for close to 5 years.
    I remember that Jim liked people.
    He inspired motivation, respect and kindness.
    He truly represented the Disney values.
    My thoughts are with him.

    Jacques Demol
    Geneva
    Switzerland

  2. Jeff Hawkins says:

    When I moved from Anaheim to Noisy le Grande, France in December 1991 to be part of the opening team for Disneyland Paris, it was Jim’s leadership and motivation that got me through some tough days as we worked incredibly hard to be ready by April 12, 1992. The memories of those times have had a tremendous impact on my life. Thank you Jim for all you have taught me.

  3. John McCoy says:

    I have long contended that there have been 3 Disney eras … (1) the Walt Era (2) the Post Walt Era and (3) the Fortune 500 Disney Era. The Post Walt Era is significant in that it was characterized by those individuals who worked with Walt or who were ‘directly’ influenced by Walt’s direct impact on individuals like Jim Cora. Jim was one of the staples/principles of the Post Walt Era … Jim had the good fortune and privilege of working directly with Walt in Jim’s early Disney years … He learned at the master’s feet and then carried on the Disney Magic for 55 years after Walt’s death … some of us were fortunate enough to work with Jim and be a part of continuing the Magic Jim perpetuated. Jim shared many characteristics of Walt … he was detail oriented … he understood the design process … he demanded perfection from his operations and when he entered the arena of directing project work in 1975 with Space Mountain Disneyland and the Tokyo Disneyland project in 1979, he demanded the same perfection and adherence to Disney standards and procedures. I saw him hold true to these principles as the Fortune 500 Disney Era came into being … it was sometimes not a pleasant scenario, but Jim remained true to the Disney philosophy and principles he had learned directly from Walt himself. Then he made sure that those principles were strictly adhered to as we journeyed into the international resort market with Tokyo Disneyland. With Jim’s leadership, dedication and commitment, we moved forward with confidence to bring the full Magic Disney Experience to the people of Japan and the world. From there, the rest is history .. but all done under the leadership and direction of a Post Walt Era presence in Jim Cora. There are many who had the good fortune of working with and for Jim during that era … it was a distinctly unique experience to be introducing the true Disney values, Magic and experience and maintaining them in the projects we did under the Tokyo Disneyland Preopening Division, Disneyland Inc. and ultimately Disneyland International organizations. Jim’s status as a worldwide Disney Legend was hard earned and well deserved … there are many who have no idea of the endless commitment on the part of Jim and his core people to make these resorts not only happen, but in the case of Tokyo Disneyland and the Oriental Land Company, remain overwhelmingly successful for over 38 years currently, because they remain true to the very precepts that Walt put into play in 1955 at Disneyland and that remain in place today at the Tokyo Disneyland Resort and other Disney experiences thanks to Jim. He saw to it that the foundation and opening Day experiences (and every day afterwards) of those resorts gave guests the same Magical Disney Experience as if Walt had himself orchestrated the development of the Resort Experience from the Design/Architecture to the attraction, food, merchandise and cast interaction. Jim’s passing meant more than the loss of a Disney Legend … it meant the closing of the Post Walt Era with very few left … Thank you Jim for your endless commitment and your sharing the true ‘Disney Magic’ with us and the opportunity to have been a small part in the ‘Post Walt Era’ activity you perpetuated. Thank you Mimi (and family) for sharing Jim with us and for a tremendous journey to success he shared with all who worked with him.

  4. Nachtergaele says:

    Si vous n’aviez pas été là ! il est certain qu’il y a tellement de chose qui auraient été bien différentes. Plus que jamais encore Merci pour cette croisade, car sans vous nous en serions pas là. Vous étiez et resterez un bâtisseur, mais avant tout vous étiez un humain respecté et respectable comme on n’en croise peu dans notre vie professionnelle. Le projet de DISNEYLAND PARIS était un grand projet pas très simple, vous l’avez rondement bien mené et les souvenirs de l’époque ne manquent pas, même si de mon côté je suis arrivé très peu de temps avant l’ouverture…Milles respects Monsieur CORA.
    Mes pensées vous accompagnent ainsi qu’auprès de votre famille.
    CMS 92 Laurent – France.

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