10 Shocking Facts About Disney:

10 Shocking Facts About Disney:

10. The famous main character of the Walt Disney movie Wall-E was, in fact, named after co-founder Walter Elias Disney

The famous main character of the Walt Disney movie Wall-E was, in fact, named after co-founder Walter Elias Disney

The adorable science-fiction/romantic movie, Wall-E, was released in 2008. It was produced by Pixar, and distributed by Disney. Even though the name sounds strange at first, it was inspired by Walter Disney, who co-founded Disney along with his brother. What a sweet way tribute!

9. Steve Martin’s first job was in Disneyland

Steve Martin’s first job was in Disneyland

Another one of the shocking facts about Disney is that Steve Martin would sell guidebooks at Disneyland on weekends and during his summer vacations from school. This lasted three years, from 1955 to 1958. During this time he even frequented Main Street Magic shop, where he learnt how to demonstrate tricks to potential consumers.

8. Steve Jobs was Disney’s largest single shareholder (7 percent) and was on the board of directors

Steve Jobs was Disney’s largest single shareholder (7 percent) and was on the board of directors

Jobs’ 2006 sale of Pixar Animation Studios to Disney gave him a 7.3% stake in the media giant and a seat on its board. His legacy, which is a shocking fact about Disney, that it can be seen in virtually every corner of Disney, from the budding resurgence of Walt Disney Animation Studios to the $1-billion overhaul of Disney’s California Adventure and the expansion of its cruise line, according to the accounts of about a dozen current, and former, executives of Disney and Apple.

7. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was a make-or-break for Disney

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was a make-or-break for Disney

It cost Disney’s studios $1.4m to create. It was widely derided as Disney’s Ruin, by people who were later proved very, very wrong. Adjusted for inflation, it is one of the 10 highest grossing films ever made!

6. The ideas for Wall-E, Monsters Inc, A Bug’s Life and Finding Nemo came from a single lunchtime brainstorming session in 1994

The ideas for Wall-E, Monsters Inc, A Bug’s Life and Finding Nemo came from a single lunchtime brainstorming session in 1994

Here come another shocking fact about Disney! During the Summer of 1994, while producing their first feature film Toy Story, the key Pixar creative minds had a now famous lunch in a diner in Point Richmond. During this lunch meeting they ended up brainstorming the ideas that eventually became the films A Bug’s Life, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo and WALL-E. The story has become a part of film animation legend, mythical, and a cornerstone moment for Pixar. So much so that it was even featured in the teaser trailer for WALL-E.

5. The ‘two minute’ storm in The Little Mermaid took 10 special effects artists over a year to finish

The ‘two minute’ storm in The Little Mermaid took 10 special effects artists over a year to finish

Yes folks, which has two other sequels and was a huge hit. But remember that two minute storm scene in The Little Mermaid? Yep. The shocking fact about Disney here is that it took ten special effects artists more than a year to make! That is a very long time. But with the lack of water movement technologies at the time, I can imagine why it would take that long.

4. Monster’s Inc.’s character Sulley has more than 2.3 million delicately animated individual hairs

Monster’s Inc.’s character Sulley has more than 2.3 million delicately animated individual hairs

That explains why a single frame of sully took an average of 12 hours to produce. Engineers at the Pixar studios were scratching their heads. One of them was trying to figure out a reasonable and efficient way to deal with the movement and feel of one of the main character’s fur. The two tests produced were not satisfactory in their results, where due to the sheer quantity of fur, it was getting caught in different objects. In the end, Pixar set up a new department and worked on a fur simulation program – Fizt. This allowed Sulley’s fur to move in a natural way by being attached after Sulley’s movement had first been animated. His fur was so accurate in its movement that it would even take into consideration the forces of wind and gravity. This is definitely one of the shocking facts about Disney.

3. For five years Disney and Technicolor were in contract

For five years Disney and Technicolor were in contract

In 1928, Walt Disney created the first ever animated cartoon with sound. This was ground breaking. So when in 1932 Herbert Kalmus approached Disney to make a film using the new three color process, Disney quickly accepted. Even though many of his colleagues, including his brother, completely disagreed with Disney for dumping a movie which was already in production for a new process, he went on with it. And he turned out to be right. Flowers and Trees, the movie re-made with the new technology, was a sensation, winning an Oscar.

2. It would take 68.5 years to sleep in every single room at Disney world

It would take 68.5 years to sleep in every single room at Disney world

With more than twenty five thousand rooms available at the Disney World Resort, it will exactly take you 68.49 years to sleep in every single one of those lovely rooms. That’s a whole lifetime, people!

1. The Disney world resort is about the same size as San Francisco

The Disney world resort is about the same size as San Francisco

The Walt Disney World Resort, also known Disney World, was first opened in October, 1971, Florida. It has more than 52.5 million visitors annually. Of course, it is owned by the Walt Disney Company. The property is almost as large as the city of San Francisco. Yep! Both expand to more than 40 square miles of land. Disney houses four theme parks, 24 themed resorts, two water parks, and several additional entertainment and recreational venues. But Disney doesn’t use much of the land, as it is officially a wild life area. These shocking facts about Disney must have you wide-eyed and slack mouthed. They sure had that effect on me!