Right now, our second 2012 dream kiddo Jamie and her family
are in Disney Land. Since we are sending a few kiddos
there this year we thought it would be fun to share a little information on the
man that started the Disney Empire, Walt Disney.
Walt Disney was born December 5, 1901.Walt always had strong
interests in art and drawing. During the fall of 1918 he tried to enlist in the
military, but because he was only 16 he wasn’t allowed. Instead he joined the
Red Cross and was sent to France.
He spent a year there driving an ambulance and being a driver for Red Cross
officials. His ambulance was unlike the rest- instead of being painted the
standard camouflage his was covered in Disney cartoons. When he returned from France he tried
his hand in commercial art. He started a small company but it soon went
bankrupt. After it failed, he packed his suitcase and took $20 to do what every
person that wants to try to make it big does. He moved to Hollywood.
Walt’s first success was called “Alice Comedies” and because of it he became of recognized Hollywood figure. In 1932 he won one of his first Academy
Awards. It was for his movie called “Flowers
and Trees”, which also happens to be the first color cartoon. December 21,
1937 was the original release date of a movie we all know and love. Snow White
and the Seven Dwarfs premiered at the Carthay Theater in Los Angeles. The total price of production
for the movie was $1,499,000 which was a totally unheard of price at that point
in the Depression. During the next five year Walt released other full length
classic such as Pinocchio, Fantasia,
Dumbo and Bambi.
Not only was Walt Disney one of the greatest animators of
all time, he was also the original mind behind creating a clean, organized
amusement park. That dream of his came true in 1955 when Disneyland Park
opened.
It’s pretty cool to think that everything that the Disney
industry has become came from the dreams of one man. It really shows what can
happen if you dream big!
