"That Walt Disney Dude"

[BoardWalkBelle]

My niece had to do some sort of project for school last yr and she did it on walt disney, made me proud

 

[CentralFloridian99]

 

[poohbear13]

It's easy for old(er) farts like myself to assume that the whole world knows Walt and his accomplishments, the only thing worth watching on a Sunday evening in my youth was his Wonderful World. I agree with the poster who recommended 'One Man's Dream', I'd make it a requirement for first time visitors.

I am a young(er) fart and assume the same.
Those girls should have been guided through the doors so they could have learned about that Walt Disney dude. Poor man is probably rolling in his grave.

 

[mdsoccermom]

I think the dramatics here are a bit much. I highly doubt Walt Disney expected or cared if guests knew his life story or the details behind the creation if the parks.

So two girls referred to him as "that Walt Disney dude." As long as they were enjoying themselves, who cares? And for all anyone knows, they knew perfectly well who Walt Disney was and were maybe, oh, just talking like teenage girls.

 

[duffy]

That made me smile... BUT if anyone does step into the world you should know at least a LITTLE history of how everything came to be ... and the one who started it all pixuedust:

I'm going to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg next week. Does anyone know the history of Busch Gardens? I have no idea of its history, OR who started it all!!

 

[Poohforyou]

What I find sad about it (among other things), is that Walt Disney's story is not just WDW or DL history. It is American History.

It is something in the history of our country that impacted many people. Not just the people who go to Disney for vacation (the 'regulars' or the once-in-a-lifetimers). Not just the thousands upon thousands of people employed because of him. Not just the entire city of Orlando. Not just the economic impact on the state of Florida. It is all of that plus more.

I know so many kids who hate History class because it is boring. But it isn't. History can be fun and exciting and interesting. And this is just one in many examples of that. One Man's Dream is a requirement for my family - I want my kids to be exposed to as much "fun" history as they can so that see how fun and interesting our past can be. And in turn, that has sparked their desire for knowledge on other historical subjects. Both of my older kids love watching history and discovery type channels (though some of those airwaves are being lost to reality crap as well). My younger son devoured the non-fiction books on his summer reading list while dragging his feet on the fiction books (which surprised me). I'd like to think that their desire for knowledge and learning is in part because I've instilled a sense of importance in them ... and not just "read your history text book because you have to", but because "stories of people in our history can be fascinating".

I can't imagine not wanting to know about the world around me, how it got there, how it affects other people ... etc. Disneyworld isn't any different.

(I'm 42 and miss Sunday Night TV - I'm trying to recreate that for my kids as much as possible. I try for a weekly "Disney Movie Night" - doing themes, some of which I got here from that huge thread about theme movie nights.)

Ok, but maybe those girls know the life story of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Asa Candler or the Wright brothers. Not knowing the history of Walt Disney is not an indictor of the demise of our society.

Don't get me wrong, Disney is lots of fun but so is a week at the beach. I don't get the eat, sleep, breathe everything Disney mentality.

 

[msjprincess]

That made me smile... BUT if anyone does step into the world you should know at least a LITTLE history of how everything came to be ... and the one who started it all pixuedust:

Why? Do you research the founder of every business you frequent?

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

You act like not knowing about Walt Disney is putting these girls on the road to ruin.

I am 43. I've been to Disney over 40 times and was never taught about him by my parents nor have I really felt a burning desire to seek out that knowledge. My kids have been there many, many times and of all the things I feel they should know and learn, the topic of Walt Disney has never come up.

And it's ok.

Ruin....no....but if you knew a little about the man and his ideals and dreams......you would better understand what Disney is all about. He was indeed a American original

This may give you a better idea why he was so specail:

Eric Sevareid's eulogy of Walt Disney captured how many people felt about Walt's life and influence.

“It would take more time than anybody has around the daily news shops to think of the right thing to say about Walt Disney.

He was an original; not just an American original, but an original, period. He was a happy accident; one of the happiest this century has experienced; and judging by the way it’s been behaving in spite of all Disney tried to tell it about laughter, love, children, puppies and sunrises, the century hardly deserved him.

He probably did more to heal or at least to soothe troubled human spirits than all the psychiatrists in the world. There can’t be many adults in the allegedly civilized parts of the globe who did not inhabit Disney’s mind and imagination at least for a few hours and feel better for the visitation.

It may be true, as somebody said, that while there is no highbrow in a lowbrow, there is some lowbrow in every highbrow.

But what Walt Disney seemed to know was that while there is very little grown-up in a child, there is a lot of child in every grown-up. To a child this weary world is brand new, gift wrapped; Disney tried to keep it that way for adults…

By the conventional wisdom, mighty mice, flying elephants, Snow White and Happy, Grumpy, Sneezy and Dopey – all these were fantasy, escapism from reality. It’s a question of whether they are any less real, any more fantastic than intercontinental missiles, poisoned air, defoliated forests, and scraps from the moon. This is the age of fantasy, however you look at it, but Disney’s fantasy wasn’t lethal. People are saying we’ll never see his like again.”


Eric Sevareid
CBS Evening News
December, 1966

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Ok, but maybe those girls know the life story of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Asa Candler or the Wright brothers. Not knowing the history of Walt Disney is not an indictor of the demise of our society.

Don't get me wrong, Disney is lots of fun but so is a week at the beach. I don't get the eat, sleep, breathe everything Disney mentality.

Quite frankly.............Walt Disney's achievements put gates jobs and candler to shame!

He certainly is head and shoulders above any politician, business, entertainment or religious leader in the world today

AKK

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I'm going to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg next week. Does anyone know the history of Busch Gardens? I have no idea of its history, OR who started it all!!

It was started as varied themes parks centered around the breweries to make the breweries a travel destinations.

Basically just another set of Disney wannabe parks. However the Williams burg park is pretty nice.

AKK

 

[mdsoccermom]

Ruin....no....but if you knew a little about the man and his ideals and dreams......you would better understand what Disney is all about. He was indeed a American original

This may give you a better idea why he was so specail:

Eric Sevareid's eulogy of Walt Disney captured how many people felt about Walt's life and influence.

“It would take more time than anybody has around the daily news shops to think of the right thing to say about Walt Disney.

He was an original; not just an American original, but an original, period. He was a happy accident; one of the happiest this century has experienced; and judging by the way it’s been behaving in spite of all Disney tried to tell it about laughter, love, children, puppies and sunrises, the century hardly deserved him.

He probably did more to heal or at least to soothe troubled human spirits than all the psychiatrists in the world. There can’t be many adults in the allegedly civilized parts of the globe who did not inhabit Disney’s mind and imagination at least for a few hours and feel better for the visitation.

It may be true, as somebody said, that while there is no highbrow in a lowbrow, there is some lowbrow in every highbrow.

But what Walt Disney seemed to know was that while there is very little grown-up in a child, there is a lot of child in every grown-up. To a child this weary world is brand new, gift wrapped; Disney tried to keep it that way for adults…

By the conventional wisdom, mighty mice, flying elephants, Snow White and Happy, Grumpy, Sneezy and Dopey – all these were fantasy, escapism from reality. It’s a question of whether they are any less real, any more fantastic than intercontinental missiles, poisoned air, defoliated forests, and scraps from the moon. This is the age of fantasy, however you look at it, but Disney’s fantasy wasn’t lethal. People are saying we’ll never see his like again.”


Eric Sevareid
CBS Evening News
December, 1966

And why do I need to understand better a place I've been going to since December 1971?

Really. Walt Disney was not G-d. He was a man who created a place loved by many. The worship of him on these boards is crazy. I mean, it's just so odd that one unknown girl calls him "that Walt Disney dude" and people are acting as if she and her friend (and their parents) are the dumbest creatures on earth.

 

[heartse]

We happened to be in DHS on Walt's birthday last year (didn't realize it until we walked past and the CM there had a button on that said that said she was celebrating "Walt's birthday". And even though we have watched it before, DD (5 yo) wanted to go watch it. She sat still and mesmerized during the whole movie. She is her daddy's little girl.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

And why do I need to understand better a place I've been going to since December 1971?

Really. Walt Disney was not G-d. He was a man who created a place loved by many. The worship of him on these boards is crazy. I mean, it's just so odd that one unknown girl calls him "that Walt Disney dude" and people are acting as if she and her friend (and their parents) are the dumbest creatures on earth.

He is admired by millions around the world, we should all do so well with our lives..and all I said was you could understand Disney in general if you knew of the man. The same for the girls........no one I saw called them dumb........but that statement does help you to mock the other posters.

Your choice, no one says you have to..and no one is putting you down if you don't......yet you like to mock others...........very sad!

AKK

 

[duffy]

It was started as varied themes parks centered around the breweries to make the breweries a travel destinations.

Basically just another set of Disney wannabe parks. However the Williams burg park is pretty nice.

AKK

Thanks! We've never been there.

By the way, has anyone heard the stories of what a racist Uncle Walt was? How he thought hiring African-Americans would "have spoiled the illusion at Disneyland"?

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Thanks! We've never been there.

By the way, has anyone heard the stories of what a racist Uncle Walt was? How he thought hiring African-Americans would "have spoiled the illusion at Disneyland"?

If you have not been there.go its well worth the trip and to the restorations

Not true........goggle it up............the same story about him on the Jewish folks have been passed along...........also not true.

A book or 2 has stated that, Eb Iworks his number one animator and developer of the details of Mickey (Walt was Mickeys first voice) left Disney and started his own studio and a few people started saying Walt hated Jews......not true, in fact Eb came back to Disney and headed and developed a number of patents for cameras, etc. Eb own son has flat out stated Walt and his father were good friend and the Walt was not anti-sementic.

But he did drink, cuss and smoke like a chimney, and was a republican in later life....and liked a off color joke as long as it wasn't in or around the parks or studio.

He also had a temper and did not give praise easily..........so.he was not the easiest person to work for, .yet.........there are thousands of long time Disney employees that admired the man, his abilities and what he did and was trying to create.

AKK

 

[Poohforyou]

Quite frankly.............Walt Disney's achievements put gates jobs and candler to shame!

He certainly is head and shoulders above any politician, business, entertainment or religious leader in the world today

AKK

You're obviously entitled to your opinion but that's all this statement is. Frankly it's one I whole heartily disagree with.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

You're obviously entitled to your opinion but that's all this statement is. Frankly it's one I whole heartily disagree with.

To each their own........

AKK

 

[DCTooTall]

You're obviously entitled to your opinion but that's all this statement is. Frankly it's one I whole heartily disagree with.

It's definitely an opinion that is worth an argument. Walt (And Roy) can be credited with a lot of impressive technical feats, and a decent number of social ones as well.

The bringing of Animation into a totally legitimate full-length form is worth noting (without Snow White, it's possible we wouldn't have Pixar, Dreamworks Animation, or any number of Computer animation films we do today).

Creation of the Multi-plane camera which allowed depth in an economical way in films.

Steamboat Willy with the synced Audio and Video in a cartoon.

Actually... Just look at the number of Technical Oscar's the company received during some of those early years.

Outside of that.... We have Disneyland, a precurser to every themepark you see today. It could even be credited in some way for the evolution of many of the modern amusement parks into what they are today.

There are the robotics and automation advances brought about thru things such as the early audioanimatronics. Sure.... today they may seem like old-hat, but at the time Disney introduced them it was groundbreaking.


Walt was truly a dreamer whose greatness could easily be argued by the time spent as a major innovator. (from the 20's with Mickey and the Silly Symphonies, Up until his Death in the 60's). Of course, Roy often gets the short end of the stick in history since Walt tends to get all the praise, but if it weren't for Roy it's highly unlikely Walt would've had the success, freedom, or resources to put towards his dreams.

Was he perfect? Not at all. No man is.... and I do believe he was definitely a product of his generation in that some of the things he get maligned for these days weren't even on the radar as an issue in his day.


Jobs I would say is the closest we have in the modern era with both his ability to dream and bring those dreams to life, as well as some of the cult of personality factors.

Gates.... not so sure. I'd say the jury is still out on where he'd place in these rankings IMHO. MSDOS was a big innovation and improvement.... but a lot of Microsoft's later stuff I'd say came more from it's position, size, and ability to market, then true innovation. I will say however that what i've seen/heard of Gate's Post-microsoft ventures is quite promising.



Either way... I totally agree that it's an opinion on Walt's place in history, but ultimately I do feel that he deserves a place in the argument no matter which side you may be on.


(Also of note: the Disney 3D camera that was developed for Magic Journeys has more in common with modern 3D cameras than the more 'traditional' blue/red shift 3D that was used for years. While it came after Walt's era, It was still in many ways a result of the legacy of innovation that Walt left the company with.)

 

[Karl66]

For anyone interested in learning more about Walt Disney's life there is a movie called "Walt: The Man Behind the Myth". It is narrated by Dick Van Dyke and was made with the permission and help of Walt's family. It is available on YouTube and the link is below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zflYLPCiglk&list=FLJDjIKKRZjpiQ6LwUfkN-wQ&index=1&feature=plpp_video

 

[PoohsFan1]

For anyone interested in learning more about Walt Disney's life there is a movie called "Walt: The Man Behind the Myth". It is narrated by Dick Van Dyke and was made with the permission and help of Walt's family. It is available on YouTube and the link is below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zflYLPCiglk&list=FLJDjIKKRZjpiQ6LwUfkN-wQ&index=1&feature=plpp_video

I love this movie and actually have it on DVD. It really goes into depth of Walt's life from his birth, his death, and all the wonderful accomplishments in between .