10 Facts About Harrison Price

Harrison Alan "Buzz" Price was an American research economist specializing in how people spend their leisure time and resources.

Harrison Price was born in Oregon City, Oregon on May 17,1921, and moved with his family to San Diego in 1930.

Harrison Price earned his undergraduate degree in 1942 from the California Institute of Technology, where he majored in mechanical engineering.

Harrison Price served in the United States Army during World War II and then spent three years as a sales engineer in South America before returning to the United States to attend Stanford University, where he earned a Master of Business Administration degree in 1951.

Harrison Price considered several locations in Southern California for the company's first theme park, suggesting that Disneyland be located in Anaheim after considering accessibility, climate and projected profitability.

Harrison Price performed research in the 1960s for a Disney park to be located on the East Coast, Harrison Price considered prospective locations in Florida, New York City and Washington, DC before deciding that the Orlando, Florida area would be the preferable site for Walt Disney World given its mild winters.

Harrison Price helped in the selection of Chiba, Japan for the site of Tokyo Disneyland.

Harrison Price went into business for himself and formed Economics Research Associates in 1958, which he sold off in 1969.

Harrison Price was one of the founders of the California Institute of the Arts, created based on a concept of Walt Disney that became the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the performing arts.

Harrison Price was survived by his wife, the former Ann Shaw, as well as by two daughters, two sons, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.