Fact 1: The First Character to Have a Voice
Mickey Mouse is a beloved character worldwide, but did you know he was not the first character to have a voice in Walt Disney cartoons? The first character to ever have a voice was Mickey's love interest Minnie Mouse. Way before Mickey uttered his first words, Minnie spoke in a 1928 cartoon ‘The Karnival Kid’, making her the first Disney character ever to have a spoken dialogue.
Fact 2: The Original EPCOT Plan
EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) at Disney World was originally intended to be a functioning city. Walt Disney himself intended this to be a community, complete with homes, jobs, and transportation systems that would remain forever cutting-edge. However, after Walt Disney’s death, this dream was scrapped and EPCOT became another amusement park instead.
Fact 3: Mickey Mouse Was Not Initially Mickey
Walt Disney's iconic mascot was originally named Mortimer Mouse. It was Walt Disney’s wife, Lillian, who suggested the change to ‘Mickey’, which Walt agreed sounded less pompous.
Fact 4: The Longest-Running Prime-Time TV Series
The "Wonderful World of Disney" has been on air since 1954, making Disney the company responsible for the longest-running prime-time series in history. Rebranded and relaunched multiple times over the years, the series has shaped the childhoods of generations.
Fact 5: Animated Fairytales were Almost a No-Go
Largely known today for its animated fairytale movies, Disney almost abandoned the genre after multiple box office failures. It was “The Little Mermaid” released in 1989 that saved the genre, becoming a huge hit and launching the Disney Renaissance.
Fact 6: The Curse of the Ninth Symphony
Fantasia, the music-filled Disney classic, was intended to be continuously revised and updated. After its release, Walt planned to swap out old segments with new ones. However, that plan failed due to the film’s initial box office underperformance.
Fact 7: The Disney Point
In the Disney Parks, the cast members are trained to point with two fingers rather than one. The reason is two-fold: single finger pointing can be considered rude in some cultures, and two fingers are simply more visually impactful.
Fact 8: Cinderella’s Castle Isn’t Just for Show
The iconic Cinderella’s Castle in Disney World actually houses Cinderella's Royal Suite inside. The castle features a fully furnished dream-come-true room, complete with two beds, a pull-out sofa, and an ornate bathroom finished with a fireplace and hot tub.
Fact 9: The Disney Vault
Disney has a strategy of taking home video releases out of print for extended periods. This creates scarcity and demand, resulting in higher sales when the movies are re-released.
Fact 10: Disneyland Resort’s Secret Club
Club 33, located in Disneyland, is one of the most exclusive clubs in the world. The club is hidden away and only accessible to members, who reportedly pay an initiation fee of $25,000 plus annual membership dues.
Fact 11: The Prolific Yellow Shoes Creative Group
Disney has its very own advertising agency - the Yellow Shoes Creative Group. They take care of all of Disney’s advertisement, including print adverts, radio commercials, and even park brochures.
Fact 12: From Oswald to Mickey Mouse
Before Mickey Mouse, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was Disney's first animated character to have his own series. But due to copyright issues with Universal, Disney lost ownership of Oswald - leading to the creation of Mickey.
Fact 13: Pseudonym Revelations
Walt Disney himself often took on the pseudonym "Retlaw Yensid" – that’s ‘Walter Disney’ spelled backward, and used this name when checking into hotels or restaurants to maintain his privacy.
Fact 14: The Cherished Symbol: the Castle
Every Disney park in the world has a castle as its iconic symbol, and every castle is unique to its park. They range from Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland to Cinderella Castle in Walt Disney World.
Fact 15: Disneyland’s Only Tragic Incident
Despite having millions of visitors yearly, Disneyland has only recorded one tragic incident, which was an accidental airplane crash on the park property in 1940.
Fact 16: The Sword in the Stone is Real
In Disneyland, near the King Arthur Carrousel, there is a stone with a sword stuck in it. Every day, they pick a child to try and pull it out. The sword is real, but it’s rigged to not come out.
Fact 17: The Secret Tunnel System
Disney World has an underground tunnel system called "Utilidors" that allows staff to move around the park out of guests' sight.
Fact 18: The Disney Theme Song Legacy
The song “When You Wish Upon A Star” from the movie Pinocchio has become a theme song for The Walt Disney Company itself and can be heard in the opening sequences of all their movies.
Fact 19: World’s Largest Wardrobe
Disney World holds a Guinness World Record for having the largest functioning wardrobe in the world, required to outfit over 60,000 cast members in their various costumes.
Fact 20: The Disney Legacy with Academy Awards
The Walt Disney Company holds the record for the most Academy Awards earned by any one individual, with 22 Oscars from 59 nominations. All these were awarded to Walt Disney himself.