Live the Dream

Walt Wednesdays

A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow

Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse!

On November 18, 1928 Mickey Mouse made his grand debut. The cute little mouse, dreamt up out of desperation took the world by storm, taking his creator to places he had only imagined.

The children of the world instantly embraced this spunky little mouse who paved the way for a worldwide Disney empire. It truly all started with a mouse.

Even babies who know nothing of Walt Disney or DISNEYLAND are drawn to the lovable Mickey Mouse. He's still the most recognized star in the world, just the way his father dreamed.

"Think beyond your lifetime, if you want to do something truly great.”

-Walt Disney

Walt Wednesdays: Richard Sherman Remembers

"Walt was always a great believer in the team. He felt that the team made the pictures, and he was the captain of the team. He just got the best of everybody in the world. So, I’ve always felt very happy that people know our songs, and I feel very lucky that I was a part of that team."

-Richard Sherman

A Tribute to Mr. Disney

Not many people can say they changed the world. Even fewer can claim to have changed it for the better, but Walt Disney did both. 

His name will never be forgotten; almost fifty years after his death, the characters he created still put smiles on the faces of children and his Magic Kingdom still entertains millions every year.

Mr. Disney remains a hero and an inspiration to many. If anyone knew the secret of making dreams come true, it was him. And he made many of his biggest dreams a reality.

“Every day in some small way, we are a part of Walt’s dream, whether walking through the park, watching amazing movies or television, or just spending time together. It all started with a young cartoonist landing in Los Angeles, his friend Mickey Mouse in his heart, a trunk full of dreams and ambitions, and most importantly, a lifetime of stories to tell.”

-Noah

“Walt Disney’s secret was to do things you don’t need, and do them well. And then you realize you needed them all along.”

-Ray Bradbury

“One of the things that I’ve learned from Walt that I use in my everyday work and life is that nothing is impossible. The quote of his that I love the best is, ‘Actually, it’s kind of fun to do the impossible.’ I try to remind myself and others of this every day.”

-Ralph Castaneda

"I grew up with DISNEYLAND. I can't imagine my world without it. Walt put it best when he said 'DISNEYLAND is a work of love'. And like all happy endings, it will be ours to treasure forever more."

-Neil Patrick Harris

"Like a bolt out of the blue. Fate steps in and sees you through. When you wish upon a star your dreams come true."

Playing Walt Disney

Only three people have officially portrayed Walt Disney in filmed productions. The first person to do so was Roy E. Disney, Walt's nephew. He played his uncle in an internal film used at the studio in the late 1980's.

In 1993, Walt Disney Television produced a biopic based on Annette Funicello's life. This time, Len Cariou played Walt Disney.

The most recent actor to portray Mr. Disney was Tom Hanks, who put his spin on the world famous entertainer in Saving Mr. Banks.

Two lesser known films recently portrayed Walt Disney as a young man. In As Dreamers Do, he was portrayed by Olan Rogers.

While the other film entitled Walt Before Mickey features Eddie Kaye Thomas as Walt.

Of course, nobody can quite replace the "Mousetro" himself.

Anaheim's Walt Disney Elementary School

One of the first schools named after Walt Disney was opened in Anaheim, California just a few miles northwest of DISNEYLAND.

As you can imagine, Mr. Disney was proud of this honor and lavished the school with special attention. He even declared a school holiday, inviting all of the children to DISNEYLAND.

Walt Disney's Dreaming Tree Collapses

The "dreaming tree" that inspired Walt Disney as a child has sadly collapsed in Marceline, MO after a strong windstorm. The tree had been a tourist attraction in the small city, as thousands trekked to the town to see the sights that had inspired Mr. Disney as a child.

While this very special tree may no longer be alive, the dreams that it inspired will always be with us.

(The Story of DISNEYLAND will return next week.)

A Special Gift

The scene in Lady and the Tramp where Jim Dear gives his wife a special Christmas gift presented in a hat box is a treasured Hollywood moment that still enchants audiences to this day.

Most people don't know that this scene was inspired by a real life Christmas gift that Walt Disney made to his wife Lillian. His long nights at the studio meant that Mrs. Disney had to spend many hours alone. Eager to give her a "friend" to keep her company, he presented her with a "Lady" of her very own- in a hat box just like in the film. It was a romantic gesture that has inspired many a gift giver to this day.

"A Kiss Goodnight"

One of the first DISNEYLAND traditions was the nightly fireworks display. In the early days of the park, funds were hard to come by. DISNEYLAND's managers felt that they could save money by eliminating the fireworks since it was believed that park guests weren't necessarily coming to the park just to see them; nor would they stop coming if the fireworks ended.

Walt Disney, however, vetoed the idea. In his mind, the fireworks were a gift from him to his guests. They had chosen to come from around the world to visit his Magic Kingdom and he wanted to send them off with what he called a "Kiss goodnight"- a way of showing his appreciation to his beloved guests. This tradition remains to this very day.

#wdis4u: Disneyland Dream

One of the questions I'm frequently asked is what turned me into a Disney Super Fan. I have always loved Disney; if given a choice as a toddler, I would always gravitate to anything Disney, especially Mickey Mouse. Disney has always been a part of my life, but the turning point was my first trip to a very special place.

I can still remember it vividly. My parents were taking my sister and me to a magical place where all our Disney friends lived, designed by a very special man. I recall seeing it from afar as we walked through the parking lot that magical day. I could hardly believe we were there- at DISNEYLAND!

Upon entering the park, we walked through the right-side tunnel. I stared up in wonder- I had never seen anything so magical in my young life. By the time we left Town Square and started making our way down the street, my eyes caught the most amazing and beautiful building I had ever seen- Sleeping Beauty Castle. That cinched it. I loved this place, the characters and the amazing attractions. I decided then and there that I would try to learn as much as I could about this magical place and the man behind it. From then on I was hooked.

When I started reading everything I could about Walt Disney, I discovered an amazing coincidence- he was born on December 5th. I was born on December 5th! I couldn't believe that I shared my birthday with one of my heroes!

I still love visiting DISNEYLAND and I still get that wonderful feeling of magic when I walk inside the park today. I have always considered DISNEYLAND to be like a second home to me. When I walk into DISNEYLAND, I'm just like a kid again, if only for the day.

Laugh-O-Grams

Prior to heading out to California to follow his dreams, Walt Disney tried to make a go of it in Kansas City. His first job was with the Pesman-Rubin Studios where he met Ub Iwerks, who would soon become his good friend. The two friends soon grew tired of producing the same old types of films over and over again for their unimaginative bosses and decided to setup their own company. "Iwerks-Disney Studios" was supposed to be a place where the partners could do things their way and experiment with different styles.

Unfortunately, they didn't have much success and soon found themselves working for the Kansas City Film Ad Company. They soon caught the eye of the Newman Theater, which was unimpressed with what Kansas City Film Ad was producing for them. They offered Walt and Ub the opportunity to step out on their own and provide Newman with exclusive content. The guys could then work on whatever else they could dream up for other clients.

Thus Walt and Ub started up Laugh-o-Gram Films, luring away some of their other friends from Kansas City Film Ad. Unfortunately, Walt's dedication to quality and his inventive mind meant that Laugh-o-Gram's costs often exceeded its revenue. They soon found themselves bankrupt and out of options. Laugh-o-Gram Films closed forever.

Walt soon decided that his dreams were never going to come true in Kansas City. So he rounded up all the money he had, packed up his worldly possessions into a suitcase and took a train out to California. Once there, he would find success beyond his wildest dreams.

Great Moments with Mr. Disney's Hero

Walt Disney has become a hero to many. But who was his hero? For the answer to that, we can look way back to his school days. Asked to prepare a presentation in grade school, he chose to dress up as his hero- Abraham Lincoln. His presentation was so good, the principal pulled Walt out of class to give it to all of the other classes at the school. That's Walt pictured below on the right with his friend Walt Pfeiffer.

Years later, when Mr. Disney wanted to show the world his new technology called Audio-Animatronics, he featured his favorite hero- Abraham Lincoln.

Premiering at the 1964 World's Fair, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln would eventually move out west to DISNEYLAND, entertaining Mr. Disney's guests to this day.

Strange But True: Walt's Sweltering Night

When The Disney Studios in Burbank was being designed, Walt Disney participated in every planning session. This studio was to be his pride and joy so he involved himself in every facet of its design.

Mr. Disney even played a role in the design of the state of the art cooling and heating system, which would ensure that the temperature was always at a comfortable level. Walt feared, however, that an open window could ruin the temperature levels. Despite the protests of the architects, the windows were designed without any way to open them.

This worked perfectly- until one hot Los Angeles night. Mr. Disney was working late and decided to sleep in his office instead of drowsily driving home. As he started to fall asleep, the cooling system shut off and his office quickly became a sauna. Struggling with the heat, Mr. Disney had to break one of the windows to get some cool, fresh air in his office. He ordered the windows retro-fitted with opening levers the very next day.

Walt's School Days

Before Walt Disney left his mark on the world, the naughty youngster left his mark at his Marceline school. Little Walt carved his initials into his desk, a little bit of hooliganism that turned a regular desk into a priceless item.

The very same desk that Walt sat in and defaced is now on display at Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studio park. A picture of Walt pointing at the carving was taken when his adopted hometown gave him a hero's welcome after the opening of DISNEYLAND.

Walt Disney, Grandfather

The world may have seen Walt Disney as a visionary genius, but sometimes even when he was at his Magic Kingdom he was just "Grandpa".

Walt Disney: 12/5/1901 - 12/15/1966

"Mr. Disney's dedication was not just making people smile- he taught in his very special way respect for life and land the world over making people realize if you wish upon a star, fantasies really can come true. Many times I visited his Magic Kingdom and believe me when I say my dreams came true.

In 1966 the world was saddened hearing of Mr. Disney's death- but it's such a comfort to know his soul lives on together with his dreams and his memory will live forever in my heart."

-Annette Funicello

Happy Birthday, Walt Disney!

On this day in 1901, a baby was born in Chicago, Illinois who would change the world. Named after his family's pastor Walter Parr, the baby's famous name would become known by billions around the world- Walt Disney.

His father wouldn't provide him with much encouragement when it came to artistic pursuits, but his Aunt Maggie would sneak him the crayons, pencils and paper that would guide him to his destiny.

Animation, film, theme parks- Walt Disney conquered every field he chose to engage in. But every legend has to start somewhere and today we celebrate his beginnings. Happy Birthday, Walt Disney!

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls- in 1923 Walt Disney arrived in California to follow his dreams. Dreams which led to extraordinary achievements and wondrous adventures! Adventures where natural majesties, bustling communities and groundbreaking discoveries would all find a place in his heart. Today we invite you to explore your dreams as you experience your very own California Adventure!”

-Disney California Adventure Opening Announcement

“Every day in some small way, we are a part of Walt’s dream, whether walking through the park, watching amazing movies or television, or just spending time together. It all started with a young cartoonist landing in Los Angeles, his friend Mickey Mouse in his heart, a trunk full of dreams and ambitions, and most importantly, a lifetime of stories to tell.”

-Noah

“I do what I do because of Walt Disney- his films and his theme park and his characters and his joy in entertaining.”

-John Lasseter

“One of the things that I’ve learned from Walt that I use in my everyday work and life is that nothing is impossible. The quote of his that I love the best is, ‘Actually, it’s kind of fun to do the impossible.’ I try to remind myself and others of this every day.”

-Ralph Castaneda

“Walt Disney’s secret was to do things you don’t need, and do them well. And then you realize you needed them all along.”

-Ray Bradbury

“Think beyond your lifetime, if you want to do something truly great.”

-Walt Disney

“I still think about Mr. Disney all the time. It’s funny but sometimes when I feel discouraged or have a problem I can’t work out, I find myself thinking ‘If only Mr. Disney were here, he would know what to do.’ And I’m sure he would.”

-Annette Funicello

"I am so honored. You cannot have any idea what a feeling it is for me to be here at DISNEYLAND today to wish him a Happy Birthday. I know that you all love and enjoy and feel these wonderful experiences when you come to DISNEYLAND and you see his films and everything, but to have been part of the team to have been part of the gang that put together some of these enchanting experiences- there’s no words to describe it."

-Richard Sherman

"His dedication was not just making people smile- he taught in his very special way respect for life and land the world over making people realize if you wish upon a star, fantasies really can come true. Many times I visited his Magic Kingdom and believe me when I say my dreams came true."

-Annette Funicello

Walt Disney's Firsts: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

It all led up to this- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs! Walt Disney's ever changing improvements and projects were specially designed to get his staff up to the level they needed to be to do what many saw as impossible- make a feature length animated film.

It would need to be something really special in order to keep audiences interested and it was. A gloriously animated masterpiece that still enthralls families even today. It would be the first time that "they" called a project "Disney's Folly". It wouldn't be the last time that Walt Disney would prove "them" wrong.