His father
Don DeFore was the only person to own a food establishment in Disneyland bearing the name of a real person, Don DeFore's Silver Banjo Barbecue Restaurant, which operated from 1957-1962. One year at the annual Disneyland Christmas parade,
Walt Disney's grandchildren were supposed to ride in a horse drawn carriage with him. Parade time was approaching and his grandchildren had not yet shown up. Disney called
Don DeFore in a panic and asked if he could borrow two of his children, because he couldn't ride in the parade without kids in his carriage. So DeFore generously offered up two of his kids, Ronnie and his sister
Dawn DeFore to ride in the carriage that year with
Walt Disney, and they dutifully waved to the crowd. This is a fond childhood memory of the two.
