One Man's Dream

[kandb]

I went into the attraction for the first time and saw the movie 5 times in a row since my son had fallen asleep and I held him while he was sleeping. The movie was very interesting and I have a great admiration for Walt now. What a fighter and a great American and a NON-quitter, he got back up when things got bad and kept forging ahead. I admired him for admitting to having a breakdown. He seemed like such a real person. The one thing I thought the film was missing was the end of his life and maybe if his family kept his legacy going at all?

 

[LittleMissMagic]

His family and company wanted to make sure that Walt's name remained a legacy, which may be why they stayed in the shadows and worked very hard to keep Walt's vision alive.

This is just rough history, but gives you a little bit about how his family carried on his name -

Walt's older brother, Roy O. Disney, remained the president of the Walt Disney Company until 1968 (died in 1971). Roy's son and Walt's nephew, Roy E. Disney, was elected to the board of directors of the Walt Disney Company in 1967, but resigned in 1977. He passed away in December, 2009.

Walt's son-in-law, Ronald W. Miller (husband of Walt's oldest daughter, Diane), became president of Walt Disney Productions in 1980 and CEO in 1983.

It was actually Roy E. Disney who fought to replace Miller with Eisner in 1984. Roy E. also fought to replace Eisner with Iger in 2005.

Walt's wife, Lillian, remarried in 1969 to John L Truyens (only 3 years!?!). He passed away in 1981. She donated $50 million to the construction of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, California, which opened in 2003. Lillian died of a stroke in 1997 (which occured exactly 31 years after the death of Walt).

Walt's youngest daughter, Sharon, died of breast cancer in 1993.

He is survived by his oldest daughter, Diane, and her husband, Ronald. They have operated Silverado Vineyards Winery in Napa since 1981.

There is an interesting interview in People Magazine of Diane - http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20127119,00.html

In 2007, Diane voiced her opinion about Neal Gabler's Walt Disney Biography Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination - "a monstrous piece of libelous junk. My parents were not the people he creates in this book, and I cannot understand why all of you who aided and abetted Gabler in writing this book, and who praise it and promote it, can do so without suffering serious qualms."

Diane and Ronald had seven children - Chris Miller, Joanna Miller, Tamara Scheer, Jennifer Miller-Goff, Walter Elias Disney Miller, Ronald Miller and Patrick Miller.

Sharon had three - Victoria Brown, Brad Lund and Michelle Lund

I wonder where they are today?

 

[KapBoy77]

I seriously want to watch this film when I attend in December.

 

[kandb]

Thanks for the info on what happened to him and his family. Whatever happened to his family, his legacy has lived on.

 

[Buckalew11]

When I'm "Queen of the World", everyone going into a park will first watch this movie.

It is a must see...with tissue in hand for me!

 

[jvptravels]

Diane Disney Miller and Walter E.D. Miller (Walt's grandson) co-founded The Walt Disney Family Museum, which opened On October 1, 2009 at San Francisco's historic Presidio. This wonderful museum is an amazing tribute to Walt, that covers his life and career. A very touching and moving exhibit at the end of the museum tour takes a look at Walt's death, the world's reaction, the impact on the company and more.

One Man's Dream is a nice tribute at WDW. But the best part of the Walt Disney Family Museum is that it's not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company at all. It's a Disney purist's dream. This is a first-class, wonderfully organized and amazing place to visit.

I highly recommend visiting this museum if you're ever in San Francisco.