Please tell us about your Coronado Memory
Betty Godfrey Wells was a beloved, long-time resident of Coronado. She spent much time at the Hotel Del as student of the Beach School in the 1920’s. The Hotel Del became an even greater part of her life when she met her future Naval Officer husband there. Betty and Jack Wells went on to have three sons: Frank Godfrey Wells, John Godfrey Wells and Robert Godfrey Wells. In 1988, Frank provided his mother another special Hotel Del memory, one that would ultimately connect Coronado, The Del, the Godfrey/Wells families, and the Disney Corporation.
Frank Wells, born (March 4, 1932) and raised in Coronado; became the man with the keys to the kingdom, the Walt Disney Kingdom. Roy E. Disney and Stanley Gold personally recruited Wells to become Disney's President and Chief Operating Officer, a role he fulfilled from1984 until his death in1994.
One of Frank’s mayor projects was the building of the Grand Floridian Resort in Florida. Frank treasured his mother! In 1988 he took Betty to the Resort opening. Betty must have been speechless to see and learn that the design of the Grand Floridian Resort was modeled after the Hotel Del Coronado --in honor of his mother Betty.