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DisneyDisney is short for The Walt Disney Co., a century-old entertainment brand responsible for some of the world's most iconic and influential movies. In his career, Walt Disney won 26 Oscars—the most by any person.
Walt Disney started as an animator before forming his own small operation creating animated newsreels for movie theaters. After declaring bankruptcy, Disney moved to Hollywood with his brother, Roy, and formed the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio.
Disney then began experimenting with synchronized sound, leading to "Steamboat Willie" and "Snow White." The latter was the first major Hollywood animated feature film, the highest-grossing movie of 1938, and the recipient of an honorary Academy Award.
After Walt Disney's death, the company floundered creatively, though that changed with 1989's "The Little Mermaid," which brought theatrical storytelling and animation back to the Disney universe.
In the 2000s and 2010s, it began acquiring other creative brands. The company remains a powerful creative entity, bringing in over $5B in 2024.Explore Disney
What we've found
Everything Disney, from a regularly-updated news sourceWDWNT is a daily-updated fan publication tracking news across Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California, with its own podcast and a self-described mission to be the worldwide leader in Disney park news. WDW News TodayWatch Dalí's surreal collaboration with DisneyProduction for "Destino," a surreal short by Salvador Dalí and Walt Disney, began in 1945 but stalled when the Walt Disney Company ran into financial trouble due to the commercial failure of "Fantasia" and the economic downturn of World War II. It was finally released in 2003, after Disney animators completed it based on Dalí's original storyboards. mantroskyloWalt Disney World essentially ran its own local government for more than 50 yearsDisney's Reedy Creek Improvement District granted the company county-level authority to construct roads, issue bonds, and self-regulate for decades. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dissolved the arrangement in 2023 after a public dispute with the company. NBC MiamiDisney movies grossed $6.58B in 2025The worldwide box office figure was $1.5B higher than 2025's take, propelled by movies like "Zootopia 2," "Lilo & Stitch," and "Avatar: Fire and Ash." The haul was the biggest from a studio since 2019. Screen DailyDisney funded his first theme park by agreeing to host a weekly show on ABCWalt Disney was determined to open a theme park, but had numerous issues with funding. A break came when ABC offered to cover a signifcant portion of the construction, though it came with a catch: Walt would host a weekly Disneyland TV show (and provide them part-ownership of the park). NewsweekDisney chipped away at its debt by creating propaganda during World War IIDisney began producing training videos for the Navy and propaganda films for US involvement in World War II, including the shorts "Der Fuehrer's Face," "The Spirit of '43," and "Donald Gets Drafted." The effort provided a much-needed cash injection, allowing Disney to continue producing films. Smithsonian MagazineDisney was saved by 'Cinderella,' which brought the company out of debtProducing war propaganda and training films helped the company towards solvency, but the military content wasn't a cure-all. Disney wasn't in the clear until 1950's "Cinderella," a much-needed hit. The movie's success was largely due to the return of the company's best writers and the work of Mary Blair, a watercolor artist who brought a more whimsical style to the film. Smithsonian MagazineImagining if Disney films about animals were scientifically accurateThen when Scar took over from Mufasa, he would have likely killed all of the existing cubs in the pride, including Nala. Or when Nemo's mom died, his dad would technically have become a female. Be SmartDisney World's Magic Kingdom includes an underground utilidorWalt Disney viewed everything happening in his parks as a performance and didn't like it when that performance was disrupted by necessary aspects of the park's maintenance, like trash collection. With Florida's Disney World, the company corrected that problem by building a massive area underneath the park to be used as a "backstage." The MouseletsDisney World is mosquito-less, thanks to civil engineer Joe PotterAs a former governor of the mosquito-prone Panama Canal zone, Potter understood the danger of standing water. At Disney, Potter built ditches to reduce moisture, designed buildings to channel water away, and more. His efforts help make Disney the magical kingdom it is today. The MouseletsDisney World tickets cost 56% more now than in 2014The prototypical middle-class American family vacation has been a staple for decades. But in the last 10 years, the cost—over $5K for a 5-night stay for a family of four—has placed the trip out of reach for many. CNBCA Disney architect designed Epic's headquartersEpic Systems provides electronic medical records in the US—but its offices are far from bland. The HQ has five different campuses that are inspired by "Harry Potter," "The Wizard of Oz," and "Alice in Wonderland." The Wall Street JournalDisney Research developed a haptic interface where you can feel a fireworks displayDisney’s “Feeling Fireworks” uses water jets and a latex screen to replicate fireworks for blind individuals. Such technology may also provide inclusive experiences for the deaf community, though as of 2024, there are no plans to implement them in Disney parks. Popular ScienceDisney World was originally known as the 'Florida Project'Between 1964 and 1965, Disney quietly bought over 27,000 acres under fake names to keep prices low. But when the Orlando Sentinel exposed the scheme, Disney had to go public—forever changing Florida’s tourism industry. 1440Biggest moments that defined DisneyWalt Disney’s first studio went bankrupt, but he and his brother Roy started over in 1923, eventually building an entertainment empire. From "Snow White" to "The Little Mermaid," Disney shaped animation and expanded into TV, theme parks, and major acquisitions like Pixar and Marvel. 1440Disney movies pulled in over $5B in 20242024 was a banner year for Disney, with the global film studio finding success with "Inside Out 2," "Moana 2," and "Deadpool & Wolverine." While Disney has faced criticism for its reliance on sequels, reboots, and offshoots, the 2024 numbers suggest the public is still eager for its content. The Walt Disney Co.How Disney World keeps out mosquitosDisney World may have been built on a swamp, but it's nearly free from the annoyance of mosquitos. That hasn't been an easy task; Disney has worked with engineers and pest specialists on minimizing the invasive bugs through a variety of different methods. This Reader's Digest article breaks down how they've successfully kept the park free from these unwanted guests. Reader's DigestDisneyland's drinkers once had their own unofficial mascotDisney has countless subcultures and unofficial fan clubs, including D3, also known as the Disney Day Drinkers. Founded in 2021, the club began informally meeting near a trashcan, nicknamed Binny, in Disney World’s Epcot park … until it mysteriously disappeared in 2023. YahooHow Walt Disney's life impacted his businessWalt Disney has a legacy of ingenious innovation and undying creativity. This podcast walks listeners chronologically through the major events of his life, as reported in Neal Gabler's biography "Walt Disney: the Triumph of the American Imagination," and explains how they led to his groundbreaking work in film, storytelling, and business. Founders PodcastWhat killed the Disney RenaissanceDisney aficionados consider the late 1980s and 1990s to be the Disney Renaissance, a period that found the House of Mouse returning to its roots: animated musicals aimed at children and their families. This in-depth video essay argues that the end of the company’s most popular period was caused by shortsighted business decisions and changing technologies. Matt DraperDisneyland’s opening day was called 'Black Sunday'A rushed, hectic construction process left the park was in bad shape for its opening, leading to a disastrous first day at the park, which employees came to call “Black Sunday.” SFGateUnderstanding the Disney adult phenomenonDisney isn’t just for kids, at least according to Disney adults, who dress up as their favorite characters and make pilgrimages to the company’s parks. They’re often considered immature, unrefined, or worse, but the members of this subculture don’t see anything wrong with their passionate devotion to Disney. This article explores the phenomenon through interviews with actual Disney adults, offering a more nuanced take on the reasons behind the much-maligned trend. BuzzFeed NewsDisney’s IP problem, according to industry expertsDisney seems to be an unstoppable force in the entertainment industry, but after an unprecedented high point in 2019, the company began losing money. In this podcast, two industry veterans discuss what they see as Disney's existential problems: an overreliance on preexisting material and an inability to innovate as it once did. Plain English with Derek ThompsonDisneyland opened in 1955Walt Disney teased the amusement park a year in advance through his ABC show, "Walt Disney's Disneyland." This episode was from the park's opening day, an event that necessitated a news-like live broadcast and walked viewers through the park's attractions and amenities. One in three Americans watched the broadcast, despite its numerous technical difficulties. YouTubeDisney animators went on strike in 1941, protesting unpaid overtimeDisney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was a notoriously messy production—exceeding the budget by 400 hours—though it was also a massive success, grossing $75M and establishing Disney as a major Hollywood player. Disney’s animators, though, alleged they weren’t compensated for their overtime. Cartoon ResearchDisney was originally called the Disney Brothers Cartoon StudioIn 1923, brothers Walt and Roy formed what would later become The Walt Disney Co. They began by continuing to produce Walt's "Alice Comedies" and a series based on Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a precursor to Mickey Mouse. HistoryWatch Walt Disney's early innovative film, 'Alice's Wonderland'This 1923 short, "Alice's Wonderland," was the first volume in what would come to be known as the "Alice Comedies." It features a young girl who ventures into Disney's animated world—a technique that might seem quaint now but was groundbreaking in the silent film era. Magic Mice & Lucky RabbitsWalt Disney’s Laugh-O-Gram Studio featured his earliest innovations in animationBefore he founded his iconic film company, Walt Disney was a young animator in Kansas City, Missouri. After scoring a contract to create animated newsreels for local movie theaters, Disney formed Laugh-O-Gram Studio, where he created innovative animated shorts that set the path for his later work. San Francisco Silent Film FestivalThe Walt Disney Co. has existed for over 100 yearsOctober 16, 2023, marked the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Co. In that time, it has evolved from a modest animation studio called the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio to a massive, billion-dollar conglomerate. TIMEImagining the memoirs of aging Disney princessesThis resource shares a collection of drawings that humorously imagine the books Disney princesses would write as middle-aged women. See Cinderella’s guide to passive income or Sleeping Beauty’s story of becoming sober in this creative collection of comics. Edith ZimmermanWalt Disney holds the record for the most Oscars won by an individualDisney received 59 nominations and a total of 22 competitive awards and four honorary awards. Walter Brennan, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Jack Nicholson all have the most awards for male actors (three each), while Katharine Hepburn is the actress with the most awards, winning four times. USA TODAYIn 2024, the league signed a 11-year deal with Disney, Amazon, and NBC UniversalThe $2.2B deal was widely applauded in the media, but the Players Association questioned how the NBA arrived at the valuation and why the deal gives players less than 10% of total revenue compared to the NBA’s 50%. The NextThe fascinating world of Disney's themed trash cansOne man's trash can is a literal treasure trove for Steve Tanner, the impassioned curator of this gallery of Disney's hundreds of distinct trash cans at its many parks and resorts. For 15 years, Tanner has researched and photographed the varying styles and themes of the trash cans and posted images and descriptions of them on his site, organized by location. Dive into the world of trash here. Magical TrashDisney fans categorize the company's films into specific erasSuperfans break the company's animated films into chronological eras: the Golden Age, the Transitional Era, the Disney Renaissance, the Modern Era, and the Revival Era. Joe The Disney GuyWalt Disney's 1957 corporate strategy documentFrom TV to music to amusement parks, Disney is widely regarded as one of the most successful American companies of all time. That's partly because Walt Disney was carefully building a corporate strategy from day one that accounted for the company's publications, merchandise licensing, comic strips, and more. See his 1957 corporate strategy document for yourself (spoiler alert, it's covered in Mickey Mouse illustrations). FlowingDataA scrollable history of LA's Walt Disney Concert HallWorld-renowned architect Frank Gehry designed Los Angeles' symphony hall in the 1980s after the city received a $50M grant from Walt Disney's widow, Lillian. The eventual building took on Gehry's trademark modern look imbued with elegance, becoming a fixture of the LA skyline. Scroll through this visual-rich interactive to see the building's construction from ideation to ribbon-cutting. J. Paul Getty TrustVisual History of Walt Disney WorldHistorical maps highlight the Magic Kingdom’s dramatic transformation from swampland to the biggest theme park in the world. Visual CapitalistRevisiting the short-lived 1960s Space Race theme park in AlabamaIn 1964, a Huntsville, Alabama, entrepreneur announced a $5M space-themed park amid the burgeoning Space Race—just as Walt Disney was quietly planning a similar futuristic park outside Orlando. Space City USA collapsed by 1966, leaving only concrete ruins in a housing development. JSTOR DailyThe film ‘Coco’ sparked global interest in the Day of the DeadThe holiday figures prominently in the 2017 Disney film, which inspired an uptick in Day of the Dead merchandise being carried by national chains like Target and Michaels, sold alongside Halloween merchandise. Smithsonian MagazineThe 31 best science fiction films everThis list refreshingly starts off with the best first—1968's "2001: A Space Odyssey," Stanley Kubrick's cerebral, futuristic icon. Coming in at 31st is Disney's "Wall-E." EW'Bluey' actors didn't meet for four years, and the kids' identities are secretThe hit cartoon show from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation first debuted in 2018 and later became a global hit after being licensed to Disney. Main voice actors Melanie Zanetti and David McCormack recorded their voices for four years before meeting in person ahead of an appearance on Jimmy Fallon. Learn more tidbits about the show here. Bounty ParentsThe first Trader Joe's opened in California in 1967Joe Coulombe was inspired by his travels outside the United States and wanted to open a store that offered some of the flavors he'd tasted abroad. Now, the store's unique products attract international visitors, who view it as a tourist destination. CNN'Toy Story' was the first fully computer generated film to win an Academy AwardBefore it was acquired by Disney, Pixar was a small studio exploring the possibilities of computer animation. “Tin Toy,” a 1988 short film that would inspire 1995’s “Toy Story,” was one of its most successful experiments, earning Pixar’s first Academy Award for best animated short film and becoming the first fully computer-generated film to win an Oscar. Although you won’t find Woody or Buzz, it’s fascinating to observe the seeds for what would come later. YouTube‘Fantasia’ initially failed at the box officeAfter finding success with “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” Disney set out to prove he could make more sophisticated art. He collaborated with conductor Leopold Stokowski on “Fantasia,” an elaborate animated feature set to classical music that flopped to the tune of $15M and nearly bankrupted Disney’s company. Smithsonian Magazine‘Snow White’ was honored by the Oscars two years in a row“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was not only Hollywood’s first full-length animated film—it was also Disney’s first massive hit and, at the time, was the highest-grossing film of all time. The Academy Awards honored the film in 1937 with a nomination for best music, though the film didn’t win the award. The following year, the Academy explicitly acknowledged the film’s unprecedented success with a one-of-a-kind award, a rarity in the Academy’s storied history. Screenrant'Steamboat Willie' was the first film to feature Mickey MouseThis short film introduced Mickey Mouse, the character who would define the Disney brand, to the world. It might be almost 100 years old, but you'll be surprised at how much humor still holds up. Did You Catch This?'Steamboat Willie' was inspired by 'The Jazz Singer'Walt Disney was mesmerized by Al Jolson's "The Jazz Singer" and the way it used synchronized sound, which synced film with audio. He replicated that effect in “Steamboat Willie," producing the first animated film to do so. Library of CongressGlobal box office revenues hit $33.5B in 2025The number was a marked improvement from 2024, up 12% from a particularly sluggish year. Disney films—including "Lilo & Stitch" and "Zootopia 2"—were some of the year's biggest earners. DeadlineDigital re-aging and de-aging of faces in film and TV has become increasingly commonTraditional techniques for accomplishing this process were slow and labor-intensive, and often required manual frame-by-frame edits, forcing them to be reserved for "hero characters" and close-up shots. Deep learning methods used by Disney and other production companies now provide fully-automatic and production-ready methods to produce such deepfakes for entertainment purposes. DisneyResearchHubTurning 2D illustrations into 3D models with ARColoring books capture the imagination of children and provide them with one of their earliest opportunities for creative expression. This two-minute video shows an augmented reality coloring book app in which children color characters in a printed coloring book, their drawing is detected and tracked, and the video stream is augmented with an animated 3-D version of the character that is textured according to the child’s coloring. Disney Research Hub
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