The Whole World's A Disney Expert

By Katina Brady


Nearly everyone in the entire world has grown up with Disney, watching cartoons on TV, movies in the cinema, characters on clothes and lunch-boxes and played with plushies and action figures. This means everyone is a Disney expert in their own right through their own experiences. All have opinions, specialist knowledge and fond memories.

The Disney franchise is immense and covers a wide range of businesses which produces movies, TV channels, shops, merchandise, spectaculars and adventure parks. Everybody at some point in their life has had some interaction with Disney as a corporation whether it is watching a movie, visiting a resort or purchasing company merchandise.

Since the start of the twenty-first century Disney as a brand has sky-rocketed, opening numerous amusement parks and stores. Additionally the Muppets, the virtual world for kids, Club Penguin, Pixar Animation and Lucas Film and the Stars Wars brand have all been acquired by the Disney company. There is also a Disney cruise line with two ships, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy making their first journeys in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

The history of Disney is a long one starting in 1923 when the Disney Brothers Studio, as it was called then, signed a contract to produce Alice Comedies. Most self-styled experts know that Mickey Mouse, originally Mortimer Mouse, appeared a little later in 1928 in the first short, Steamboat Willie, which also starred Minnie Mouse. Mickey Mouse was himself considered a major celebrity and was the first animated character to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

It was not until 1934 that Donald Duck, another favourite character was introduced to the family, with the first colour Mickey cartoon appearing the following year. At this time Disney held the patent on Technicolor meaning he was the only animator making colour films. Mickey was also the first cartoon character to talk, saying the profound words 'Hot Dog!', in 1929 in The Karnival Kid.

These tried and tested characters (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Pluto) were popular for decades, and even started making 'guest appearances' in other movies. For fans who care to look closely, in the opening scenes of the Little Mermaid, Goofy, Mickey and Donald Duck can be seen in the background crowd. I'll wait while you go and look.

In The Rescuers (1977) the production team had snuck a nude lady picture into the background meaning 2.4 million videos had to be recalled. There are theories of other hidden messages and oddities in the movies if you know where to look.Several dog characters from Lady and the Tramp also appear in a pet shop window in 101 Dalmatians which only die-hard fans would notice.

Even Walt Elias Disney, the founder of the company, liked to appear in his own movies, albeit surreptitiously. For example he appears in the 1940s classic, Fantasia. The sorceress, Yen Sid was Disney's name backwards. His name is also referenced in the 2008 film Wall-E, the name of a loveable robotic garbage collector.

Throughout his lifetime, Walt Disney won 53 awards, including the largest number of Academy Awards, at twenty-six won. He was also given an Oscar with seven dwarf Oscars for Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1938). This history of award winning animation will only continue as the studios continue to grow.




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