From the time he was a child, Walt Disney loved to draw. At first, he wanted to draw cartoons for newspapers, but as a young man, he discovered his love of animation, so he started making short cartoon movies in his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. Eventually, Walt and his brother Roy moved to Hollywood, California, where they started a small movie company that grew into the Disney empire that we know today. The company’s star was, of course, Mickey Mouse.
As a filmmaker, Walt Disney won 22 Academy Awards. And as a businessman, he started an entire industry: theme parks. When Disneyland opened in 1955, some people thought it wouldn’t work. But they were wrong. Very wrong! The company Mr. Disney started is still growing today. And just think: It all started with a mouse!
5 Quotes from Walt Disney
“Get a good idea, and stay with it, and work it until it’s done and done right.”
“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates’ loot on Treasure Island, and, best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life.”
“When you’re curious, you can find lots of interesting things to do.”
“The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing.”
About Disneyland
It’s a Fact: Walt Disney got the idea for Disneyland after taking his daughters to ride the merry-go-round at Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California.
It’s a Fact: When Disneyland opened in 1955, the master of ceremonies was an actor named Ronald Reagan. Mr. Reagan went on to become president of the United States.
It’s a Fact: The actual bench where Walt got the idea for Disneyland is on display near the entrance of a Disneyland attraction called Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.
It’s a Fact: There are tunnels beneath Disneyland that allow characters and employees to move around the park without being seen.
It’s a Fact: Before he chose Disneyland’s 160-acre site in Anaheim, California, Mr. Disney almost put his park on a small 7-acre site in nearby Burbank. The much smaller site would have been a tiny amusement park, not a true theme park. Thank goodness Mr. Disney decided to dream big!