Walt Disney Trivia!

Recently, I was asked to answer questions for a 3rd grader in Washington state, doing a long range project on Walt Disney!  I was honored to be asked and thought that Tiggerific Tuesday would be a perfect place to share these questions (and my answers) with you!

How do you think Walt came up with Snow White?
Snow White was first published by the Brothers Grimm in 1812.  This tale became a Broadway play in 1912 and also a movie.  Walt saw a version of the movie, starring Marguerite Clark (check out you tube!) in 1916 in Kansas City.  He started making this film in 1934 – the first full length feature animation movie.  People thought he was nuts!

What is an unknown fact about Walt Disney?
When Walt Disney first starting making Mickey Mouse cartoons, he couldn’t find anyone to get the voice exactly as he wanted it, so he voiced Mickey himself!

What other things did like to do besides drawing?
Walt began drawing as a kid (read about that here: http://www.waltdisney.org/content/important-women-disney-history-aunt-margaret), but he had many hobbies over the years. He became fascinated by miniatures (think doll house sized things) and thought about creating a traveling miniatures show. (http://www.waltdisney.org/content/tiny-story-about-big-disney-influence) Then, with his lifelong fascination of trains, he bought a 1/8 sized model train, which he named the Carolwood Pacific, and had a working boxcar train in his backyard! (http://www.disneybabiesblog.com/2013/09/tiggerific-tuesday-trivia_16.html)

What is something nobody knows about in Disneyland? 
Disneyland was created in a YEAR! 366 day

When was Minnie Mouse created?
Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse both have the same ‘birthday’ - though Mickey had a few shorts before, their first big cartoon was Steamboat Willie in 1928

Why did Walt Disney want to start Disneyland?
Walt used to take his two daughters, Diane and Susan to a park and sit on a bench while they rode on a carousel.  He wanted a place that the entire family could go together and enjoy themselves together as a family. He first thought about his world of miniatures, Disneylandia, and he loved his backyard train, though eventually he had to stop letting everyone and anyone (legal/safety reasons) go for a ride.  He decided to create a park and found a little land to build on!

Do you know what grade school Walt went to?
Benton Grammar School in Kansas City, MO. He then went to McKinley HS in Chicago and dropped out at 16 to try to enlist in the Army to fight in WW1.  He was too young, and still forged his birth certificate to join the Red Cross to drive in Europe.

What was one of Walt’s most famous movies, besides Snow White?
There are SO many – Peter Pan, Dumbo, Mary Poppins, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty. 2 that WALT was particularly fond of that didn’t receive the amount of credit he expected: Fantasia and Alice in Wonderland

What was the first ride made in Disneyland?
Much of opening day Disneyland was built so quickly I’m not sure there is one ‘first’ attraction, but I would say the train was one of the key attractions!

Is there anything else I should know about Walt Disney or Disneyland?  
Too much! I’ll give you a couple of Walt Disney World trivia facts – Walt died in 1966, only 2 short months after announcing what he called “The Florida Project” – the idea of a permanent World’s Fair – EPCOT – the Experimental Prototype City (community – he used both of these words) of Tomorrow. After his death, because of lung cancer, the park plans stalled and his older brother, Roy, kept his dream alive and made the Florida park happen.  The Magic Kingdom opening in 1971, 5 years after Walt’s death and Roy died shortly after that.  His dream of EPCOT was never fully realized and the park we know as EPCOT didn’t open until 1982.