Walt Disney Day is annually celebrated on every first Monday of December, this year it falls on December 5th. This day celebrates and honors the legacy created by Walt Disney, the founder of Disney!
We all grew up watching cartoons and movies by Disney, and they are an essential part of our childhood and the man behind it is none other than the legend Walt Disney, hence his legacy must be appreciated for making our childhood much special through movies and also theme parks.
Today, Disney is known all over the world and is the brand name of characters and stories that are cherished and beloved the world over. Behind all of this wonder, the voices of Mickey Mouse and the seemingly endless parade of characters that the company put out was the vision of one man, Walter Elias Disney.
| Event | Walt Disney Day |
|---|---|
| Date | December 5, 2022 |
| Day | Monday |
| Significance | The day celebrates and honors the legacy created by Walt Disney, the founder of Disney! |
| Observed by | United States |
Walt Disney Day History:
Walter Elias Disney was born on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Flora Disney and Elias Disney, a Canadian-born farmer and businessperson. He had Irish, German, and English ancestry. Walt moved with his parents to Kansas City at age seven, where he spent the majority of his childhood. At age 16, during World War I, he faked his age to join the American Red Cross. He soon returned home, where he won a scholarship to the Kansas City Art Institute. There, he met a fellow animator, Ub Iwerks. The two soon set up their own company. However, soon the company got bankrupt. The two then went to Hollywood in 1923.
Walt then started work on a series around a new animated character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. This series was successful, but in 1928, Walt discovered that M.J. Winkler and her husband, Charles Mintz, had stolen the rights to the character away from him. Later, while taking the train home, Walt started doodling on a piece of paper. The result of these doodles was a mouse named Mickey, and that's how Mickey Mouse was created. Soon three Mickey Mouse cartoons were quickly produced. The first two didn't sell, so Walt added synchronized sound to the last one, Steamboat Willie (1928), and it was immediately picked up. With Walt as the voice of Mickey, it premiered to great success.
After a few years, Disney began developing feature-length cartoons such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, Bambi, Cinderella, and Mary Poppins. Disney made these animated creations during the 1940s to 1960s. Due to the success of these cartoons, it was not a surprise when Disney won 22 Oscars for his role as an American animator, film producer, and voice actor. However he didn't stop there as in 1955 he opened a theme park in southern California: Disneyland. It was a place where children and their parents could take rides, just explore, and meet the familiar animated characters, all in a clean, safe environment. It was another great success.
Even after that, Walt continued to forge onward, with plans to build a new theme park and an experimental prototype city in Florida. He did not live to see the culmination of those plans, as he died of a heart attack following cancer surgery on December 15, 1966 at age 65. But not even his death, it seemed, could stop him. Roy carried on plans to build the Florida theme park, and it premiered in 1971 under the name Walt Disney World. His company continues to flourish, still producing animated and live-action films and overseeing the still-growing empire started by one man: Walt Disney, who will never be forgotten.
Walt Disney Day Significance:
An animator, artist, entrepreneur, and producer, Walt Disney gave his name to the most famous brand of family entertainment in the world and that is Disney! Today Disney is not just the biggest animation based company but it is also one of the biggest conglomerate of our world. And all of these had been made possible by Walt Disney, the founder of the company. Hence Walt Disney also serves as an inspiration for all the aspiring industrialists on how to create a large empire with such a great impact on the society.
Disney's imagination and energy, his whimsical humour, and his gift for being attuned to the vagaries of popular taste inspired him to develop well-loved amusements for "children of all ages" throughout the world. His achievement as a creator of entertainment for an almost unlimited public and as a highly ingenious merchandiser of his wares can rightly be compared to the most successful modern industrialists in history as he completely revolutionized the animation industry of our world.
The Walt Disney Company is one of the world's largest entertainment companies and is considered to be a pioneer in the animation industry, having produced 790 features with 122 of the being animated films. Many of their films are considered to be the greatest of all time, including films such as Pinocchio, Toy Story, Bambi, Ratatouille, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Mary Poppins, and more. Disney has been ranked number 53 in the 2022 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue and number 4 in Fortune's 2022 "World's Most Admired Companies".
Like everything created by Disney revolves around fun and adventure, Walt Disney Day is a fun celebration to feel nostalgic by watching some great cartoons from Disney. This day honors all of the achievements made by Walt Disney as Disney today plays a very major part in the nation's economy and employment hence this day also makes us aware about the importance of Disney! This day also brings people together as people from all different countries and cultures and have grown up watching animated contents of Disney so this day works as an opportunity for all of them to come together and celebrate.
Walt Disney Day Celebrations:
The best way to mark the celebrations of Walt Disney Day is to get in and watch as many Disney films as you can cram into a single day, especially if you've never seen them before. You will not have to worry about content as Disney releases a good amount of movies or series every year. So there are a lot of movies or shows actually waiting for you to be watched.
If you are one of those who grew up with Walt Disney as the heart of your childhood experience, then this is a perfect opportunity to take a walk down memory lane. Get together a bunch of themed food and sweets and enjoy your day with a group of friends to make this moment much more special and memorable, because Disney has always been about family.
You may also want to use Walt Disney Day an an occasion to plan a trip to one of the Disney theme parks around the world. Disneyland needs no introduction. This is a place where dreams become a reality. Whether you are able to go next year or in ten year's time, we are sure you will get there, and it is never too early to plan! So do try to plan your visit for this amazing wonderland especially if you have kids.
Most Searched FAQs on Walt Disney Day:
1. When is Walt Disney Day celebrated?
Walt Disney Day is annually celebrated on every first Monday of December.
2. Why is Walt Disney Day celebrated?
We celebrate Walt Disney Day in remembrance of the legendary Walter Elias Disney for the magic which he brought to our world by founding Disney!
3. Where are the 6 Disney parks in the world?
There are Six Disneylands—that is, "castle parks" around the world in California, Florida, Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. Each Disney resort has one "Disneyland" or "castle park" and four resorts have other parks as well.