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The 10 Best Books on Walt Disney

Essential books on walt disney.

There are numerous books on Walt Disney, and it comes with good reason, he was an American animator, film producer, and entrepreneur. As a pioneer of the animation industry, Disney introduced several developments in the production of cartoons, and as a film producer, he holds the record for most Academy Awards earned and nominations by an individual, having won 22 Oscars from 59 nominations.

“All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me…You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you,” he remarked.

In order to get to the bottom of what inspired one of history’s most consequential figures, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best books on Walt Disney.

Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination by Neal Gabler

Walt Disney was a true visionary whose desire for escape, iron determination, and obsessive perfectionism transformed animation from a novelty to an art form, first with Mickey Mouse and then with his feature films – most notably Snow White, Fantasia,  and  Bambi . In his superb biography, Neal Gabler shows us how, over the course of two decades, Disney revolutionized the entertainment industry. In a way that was unprecedented and later widely imitated, he built a synergistic empire that combined film, television, theme parks, music, book publishing, and merchandise. Walt Disney is a revelation of both the work and the man – of both the remarkable accomplishment and the hidden life.

Disney’s Land by Richard Snow

One day in the early 1950s, Walt Disney stood looking over 240 acres of farmland in Anaheim, California, and imagined building a park where people “could live among Mickey Mouse and Snow White in a world still powered by steam and fire for a day or a week or (if the visitor is slightly mad) forever.” Despite his wealth and fame, exactly no one wanted Disney to build such a park. Not his brother Roy, who ran the company’s finances; not the bankers; and not his wife, Lillian. Amusement parks at that time, such as Coney Island, were a generally despised business, sagging and sordid remnants of bygone days. Disney was told that he would only be heading toward financial ruin.

But Walt persevered, initially financing the park against his own life insurance policy and later with sponsorship from ABC and the sale of thousands and thousands of Davy Crockett coonskin caps. Disney assembled a talented team of engineers, architects, artists, animators, landscapers, and even a retired admiral to transform his ideas into a soaring yet soothing wonderland of a park. The catch was that they had only a year and a day in which to build it.

On July 17, 1955, Disneyland opened its gates…and the first day was a disaster. Disney was nearly suicidal with grief that he had failed on a grand scale. But the curious masses kept coming, and the rest is entertainment history. Eight hundred million visitors have flocked to the park since then.

Walt Disney: An American Original by Bob Thomas

Walt Disney is an American hero. From Mickey Mouse to Disneyland, he changed the face of American culture. His is a success story like no other: a man who developed animated film into an art form and made a massive contribution to the folklore of the world.

After years of research, respected Hollywood biographer Bob Thomas produced a definitive biography of the man behind the legend of Disney: the unschooled cartoonist from Kansas City who when bankrupt on his first movie venture and developed into the genius who produced unmatched works of animation, and ultimately was the creative spirit of an international entertainment empire that has enchanted generations.

Buying Disney’s World by Aaron H. Goldberg

In November of 1965, after numerous months of speculation surrounding a mystery industry that had been purchasing large amounts of land in central Florida, Walt Disney finally put an end to the rumors. He announced to the public his grandiose plans for the thousands of acres he had secretly purchased.

For the eighteen months prior to the announcement, Walt entrusted a small group of men to covertly make these purchases. Next, they were tasked with drafting a legislative act to submit to the state of Florida that would allow Disney to wield nearly absolute legal control over the property under a quasi-government municipality.

As told through the personal notes and files from the key figures involved in the project,  Buying Disney’s World details the story of how Walt Disney World came to be, like you’ve never heard before.

From conception to construction and everything in between – including how a parcel of land within Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort was acquired during a high-stakes poker game – explore how the company most famous for creating Mickey Mouse acquired central Florida’s swamps, orange groves, and cow pastures to build a Disney fiefdom and a Magic Kingdom.

The Imagineering Story by Leslie Iwerks

The highly acclaimed and rated Disney+ documentary series, The Imagineering Story , becomes a book that greatly expands the award-winning filmmaker Leslie Iwerks’ narrative of the fascinating history of Walt Disney Imagineering. The entire legacy of WDI is covered from day one through future projects with never-before-seen access and insights from people both on the inside and on the outside.

So many stories and details were left on the cutting room floor – this book allows an expanded exploration of the magic of Imagineering. So many insider stories are featured. Sculptor Blaine Gibson’s wife used to kick him under the table at restaurants for staring at interesting-looking people seated nearby, and he’d even find himself studying faces during Sunday morning worship.

“You mean some of these characters might have features that are based on people you went to church with?” Marty Sklar once asked Gibson of the Imagineer’s sculpts for Pirates of the Caribbean. “He finally admitted to me that that was true.”

Walt’s Disneyland by Marcy Smothers

Walt Disney’s personal imprint remains firmly intact at Disneyland. Walt’s Disneyland allows guests to walk around Disneyland identifying the attractions and landmarks Walt championed, touching what he touched, and seeing his original Magic Kingdom through his eyes. Walt’s Disneyland is organized land by land, clockwise, beginning with Main Street, U.S.A. then on to Adventureland, Frontierland, New Orleans Square, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland.

Walt’s Apprentice by Dick Nunis

Walt’s Apprentice: Keeping the Disney Dream Alive is the memoir of Disney Legend Dick Nunis. It is a warm personal reminiscence of learning directly from Walt Disney for 12 years, followed by more than 30 years devoted to championing his vision and standards as the Disney empire grew.

The story covers Disney’s highlights, including the 1960 Winter Olympics, 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair, and the development and opening of Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris.

Unlike other Disney books, this story is told from the perspective of operations rather than Imagineering. It touches on decisions that defined the guest experience and Disney’s reputation for quality in areas ranging from capacity and people-moving, training, delivering a consistent “good show,” food service, and more.

The Disney Story by Aaron H. Goldberg

Welcome to  The Disney Story , this gem among books on Walt Disney provides a decade-by-decade account of the man, the mouse, and the theme parks. From Mickey Mouse’s debut at the Colony Theatre in November 1928 to the opening of Shanghai Disneyland in 2016 – and everything in between.

The Walt Disney Film Archives by Daniel Kothenschulte

One of the most creative minds of the 20th century, Walt Disney created a unique and unrivaled imaginative universe. Like scarcely any other classics of cinema, his astonishing collection of animated cartoons revolutionized storytelling on screen and enchant to this day across geographies and generations.

This expansively illustrated publication on Disney animation gathers hundreds of images as well as essays by Disney experts, taking us to the beating heart of the studio’s “Golden Age of Animation.” We trace Disney’s complete animation journey from the silent film era, through his first full-length feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Fantasia (1940), right up to his last masterpieces Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966) and The Jungle Book (1967).

With extensive research conducted through the historical collections of the Walt Disney Company, as well as private collections, editor Daniel Kothenschulte curates some of the most precious concept paintings and storyboards to reveal just how these animation triumphs came to life. Masterful cel setups provide highly detailed illustrations of famous film scenes while rare pictures taken by Disney photographers bring a privileged insider’s view to the studio’s creative process.

The Gospel According to Disney by Mark I. Pinsky

Religion journalist Mark Pinsky explores the role that the animated features of Walt Disney played on the moral and spiritual development of generations of children. Pinsky explores thirty-one of the most popular Disney films, as well as recent developments such as the 1990s boycott of Disney by the Southern Baptist Convention and the role that Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg played in the resurgence of the company since the mid-1980s.

The Walt Disney World that Never Was by Christopher E. Smith

On an alternate earth, Walt Disney World guests are taking in the thrills of Thunder Mesa, braving the Beastly Kingdom, marveling at Villains Mountain, and staying the night at Disney’s Persian Resort. Want to join them? This is your guidebook to the theme park that Disney never built.

In this unique, extensively researched book, Christopher Smith discusses the many attractions, shows, and resorts that were planned for Walt Disney World, from opening day to the present day, but that exist only in the minds of Imagineers.

You’ll find old “favorites” such as Thunder Mesa and Beastly Kingdom, as well as those lost to the pixie dust of time, like Dick Tracy’s Crime Stoppers, the Enchanted Snow Palace, and Buffalo Junction. Smith looks at the politics and internal struggles behind the decision to shelve each concept, and imagines what guests might have experienced.

If you enjoyed this guide to essential books on Walt Disney, check out our list of The 5 Best Books on Steven Spielberg !

• Entertainment

26 Books Every True Disney Fan Should Have in Their Collection

Updated on 4/20/2020 at 7:10 PM

If you always know where to find the best Disney snacks (the correct answer is the Disneyland churro carts) and you would never mistake Goofy for Pluto, you may be obsessed with Disney . And, if you are always looking for ways to add just a little more Disney magic to your everyday life, we found the books that you are going to want to read.

Whether you're into the stunning costumes , the ahead-of-its-time animation, or the man himself, Walt Disney, these books will give you a glimpse through the looking glass into the history, the art, and the magic of Disney. Take a look, because you are going to want to add all of these to your collection.

— Additional reporting by Lauren Harano

The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned From 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company

Robert Iger became CEO of The Walt Disney Company in 2005, right when the company was facing some of its biggest challenges yet. With rapidly changing technology and competition more fierce than ever, Iger's leadership, dedication, and optimism got Disney to where it is today. The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned From 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company tells the story of how Iger reinvented one of the most celebrated companies in the world, all while doing so with courage and curiosity.

Walt Disney’s Disneyland

With a gorgeous visual history of the park, Walt Disney's Disneyland is filled with pictures from private archives and historical collections that document every step that it took to get the park built. From the concept to the launch, Walt Disney's Disneyland tells the tale of the happiest place on Earth.

The Disney Story: Chronicling the Man, the Mouse, and the Parks

With a decade-by-decade look into Walt and the parks, The Disney Story: Chronicling the Man, the Mouse, and the Parks tells all. From some of the company's most memorable moments to lesser-known facts, this book is filled with everything true fans have wanted to know.

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2020

If you're looking for a comprehensive planning guide for your next Disney trip, look no further than The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2020 . With insider information on the hotels, restaurants, and attractions, this book ensures you don't waste a minute (or dollar!) while you're at the park.

Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service

The revised and updated edition of Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service informs readers on how to exceed expectations in the realm of customer service — something Disney has been doing for decades. With concepts and ideas not found in the traditional workplace, the company has soared to new heights in the industry. See how they did it here.

Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies From a Life at Disney

Lee Cockerell, former executive vice president of operations for Walt Disney World, shares the lessons he learned about leadership and decision-making in Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney . From training employees to recognizing that great ideas come from all levels of a company, Cockerell's time at Disney taught him the leadership skills of a lifetime.

The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation

The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation offers a comprehensive history into the world of Disney animation. If you are into animation (or have an aspiring animator in your life), this is a must read.

Disney Villains: Delightfully Evil

Have you always identified a little more with the Evil Queen than Snow White? Disney Villains: Delightfully Evil celebrates all things wicked in the world of Disney, including their (evil) origins and how they were brought to life.

Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making More Magic Real

Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making More Magic Real gives readers a chance to see how Disney Imagineers bring the world of fantasy to life. You'll find drawings, conceptual models, and insider stories that reveal how Disney attractions are taken from concept to reality.

Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse — The Ultimate History

They say it all started with a mouse, right? Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse — The Ultimate History takes you through Mickey's 90-year evolution, from the earliest sketches to the fun-loving mouse we know today.

Extra Secret Stories of Walt Disney World: Extra Things You Never Knew You Never Knew

Attractions that never saw the light of day. Rumors that have been spread so far and wide that most Disney fans never question whether or not they are actually true (no, Cinderella Castle cannot be disassembled in the event of a hurricane). Jim Korkis addresses these and other secrets you've never been told about Walt Disney World in Extra Secret Stories of Walt Disney World: Extra Things You Never Knew You Never Knew . If you like his work, check out his earlier books like Secret Stories of Walt Disney World and Other Secret Stories of Walt Disney World .

Eat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food

Yes, you can dine on burgers and ice cream cones when you visit Disney, but true foodies know the culinary delights of the Disney parks go far beyond such basic fare. Eat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food brings to life the wonderful world of dining at Disney.

Ink & Paint: The Women of Walt Disney's Animation

Women have long worked behind the scenes in many industries, but Ink & Paint: The Women of Walt Disney's Animation celebrates the extensive role women played in Disney's animated films from the very beginning. With never-before-seen photographs and artwork, this well-researched and aesthetically appealing book is an instant coffee table classic.

Travels with Walt Disney: A Photographic Voyage Around the World

Somehow among all of his hard work, Walt Disney found time to travel the world (which most certainly had a direct impact on said work). Travels with Walt Disney: A Photographic Voyage Around the World is a mostly visual account of his wanderings, accompanied by anecdotes and recollections from Walt and those who were lucky enough to interact with him on his travels.

Magic Journey: My Fantastical Walt Disney Imagineering Career

Being an Imagineer seems like a dream job and, let's face it, it probably is. Magic Journey: My Fantastical Walt Disney Imagineering Career takes you behind the scenes with 40-year Disney Imagineering veteran Kevin Rafferty. Kevin was involved in many of Disney's most memorable attractions, as well as Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway .

One Day At Disney: Meet the People Who Make the Magic Across the Globe

Disney Cast Members truly make magic for those whose lives they touch. From performers to veterinarians, One Day At Disney: Meet the People Who Make the Magic Across the Globe shows you what an ordinary (or not-so-ordinary) day in the life of a Disney Cast Member is really like.

Cleaning the Kingdom: Insider Tales of Keeping Walt's Dream Spotless

Disneyland isn't just The Happiest Place on Earth, it's also the cleanest. Cleaning the Kingdom: Insider Tales of Keeping Walt's Dream Spotless , the memoir of two longtime members of the Disneyland custodial team, will show you exactly how they got it done.

Maps of the Disney Parks: Charting 60 Years from California to Shanghai

If you love collecting maps at the Disney parks (they make great souvenirs), you'll want to pick up a copy of Maps of the Disney Parks: Charting 60 Years from California to Shanghai . Some reviewers were disappointed that there weren't more images of those collectible maps, but the concept art and maps that are included will take you on a cartographer's journey through Disney history.

Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets

If you are your family's certified Disney expert, the 2020 version of Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets will bump your knowledge to the next level. They'll be beyond impressed when you point out the hundreds of Hidden Mickeys found throughout the Disney parks.

How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life

If, like so many others, you have always been fascinated by Walt Disney, How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life will give you a glimpse into the imagination, talent, and business savvy that helped Walt bring to life the world of Disney we know today. The lessons in this book can help to add a little extra magic to even your everyday life.

I Am Walt Disney

I Am Walt Disney is a kid-friendly biography that tells the story of the man behind their favorite mouse. Young readers will love learning about Walt's life — from his childhood in Marceline, Missouri, to the development of Disneyland and beyond.

Marc Davis in His Own Words: Imagineering the Disney Theme Parks

Marc Davis in His Own Words: Imagineering the Disney Theme Parks tells the story of Disney legend Marc Davis. Marc began as an animator and went on to play an integral role in some of Disney's most popular attractions. Featuring never-before-seen works from the Imagineering archives and based on hours of interviews with Marc himself, this book is a must for any Disney history buff.

Yesterday's Tomorrow: Disney's Magical Mid-Century

With the opening of Disneyland in 1955 and numerous theatrical releases, the 1940s and 1950s were an important time in Disney history. Yesterday's Tomorrow: Disney's Magical Mid-Century demonstrates just how far-reaching Disney's style was in America's postwar era and still is today.

The Art of Disney Costuming: Heroes, Villains, and Spaces Between

Costumes help to tell a character's story, but some costumes have their own stories to tell. The Art of Disney Costuming: Heroes, Villains, and Spaces Between shares the tales behind some of Disney's most iconic ensembles. There's even a full case study on the many iterations of Cinderella's ballgown, if you're into that sort of thing (we're pretty sure you are).

Travels With Figment On the Road in Search of Disney Dreams

Before his passing in 2017, Marty Sklar spent more than 50 years with The Walt Disney Company, making many notable achievements along the way. Travels With Figment On the Road in Search of Disney Dreams is Marty's first-person account of his acclaimed Disney career.

The Disneyland Railroad: A Complete History in Words and Pictures

No trip to Disneyland is complete without a tour around the park aboard the Disneyland Railroad. The Disneyland Railroad: A Complete History in Words and Pictures provides an in-depth education on the happiest locomotive on Earth.

• Book Roundup

The Best Books About Walt Disney

If you're looking for the best books about Walt Disney, look no further! This list has everything from biographies to behind-the-scenes looks at his life and work.

Do you love Walt Disney? Then you need to read these books about the man behind the magic.

These fascinating reads offer insights and stories that are sure to entertain and educate. Whether you're looking for a biography or a coffee table book, I've got you covered.

Keep reading to learn more about the best books about Walt Disney! I know you'll love them just as much as I do.

How I Choose

You want to read a good book about Walt Disney, but there are so many to choose from.

It can be hard to determine which book is the best one to read about Walt Disney. There are so many books on the topic, and it's hard to know which one will be the most informative and enjoyable.

I've done the work for you and picked out the five best books about Walt Disney based on reviews from readers like you. These books offer a variety of perspectives on Walt Disney's life and legacy and will keep you entertained while you learn.

I Am Walt Disney

Why i love it.

I am Walt Disney by Brad Meltzer is a biography of the man who created the Disney character and the world of theme parks and movies. The book begins with Walt as a young boy living in Marceline, Missouri. Using colorful illustrations by Christopher Eliopoulos, this book takes readers on Walt's life journey, from his early years to his early successes. Throughout the story, readers will learn more about Walt's determination and his love of cartoons and movies.

A Disney fan will enjoy the Easter eggs in this book. Hidden Mickeys are everywhere. In-jokes about Meltzer's own family are sprinkled throughout. There are references to other Disney properties throughout the book, including the famous Disneyland Hotel. And if you have a child who loves Disney, you will enjoy the book's celebration of the Walt Disney brand and all that it stands for.

This book will make you want to celebrate the man behind the iconic Disney character! The book contains a timeline of events throughout the life of the character, photos, and comic-book-style illustrations. It also highlights childhood moments that shaped the hero. There are plenty of fun facts and virtues about the hero, as well as the people who helped him become what he is today.

What You Should Know

This biography is written in a condensed manner and skips a lot of material. It spends about a third of its pages on Disney's life before he came to fame. There are many anecdotes and stories about his early days as an animator, from delivering newspapers to his life in Kansas City. While Oswald is not mentioned in the book, the author does briefly touch on his early years and how he came to be associated with Disney and his animated features.

As with all Disney bios, this one is not a dry read. It's full of colorful illustrations, which capture the essence of Walt's early years. While he struggled to make a living in his early days, his love of animated movies and creativity led him to eventually become the man who made the Disney empire possible. I am Walt Disney by Brad Meltzer will be an exciting read for anyone who wants to learn about the life and career of the man who made our childhoods so special.

Walt Disney: An American Original

Why I Love Walt Disney: An American Original is a compelling and entertaining biography about the man who changed the face of cartoons and entertainment forever. Bob Thomas paints a compelling picture of Walt Disney, from his humble beginnings to the heartbreak and pitfalls of his life. We see his dwarves, his castle, his evil villains, and his triumph over all odds. As we follow the life of Walt Disney, we learn a lot about what drives this incredible man.

Although Bob Thomas' access to Walt Disney was unrestricted, he did cover controversial aspects, including labor relations and politics. Although Bob Thomas does not go into exaggerated details, the book is a valuable addition to any Disney fan's library. It's a wonderful book that will make any Disney fan want to read more.

The biography includes sections that are based on interviews and correspondence. The correspondence includes documents that tell show contract negotiations and notes Walt provided to artists working on his projects.

Bob Thomas' book is full of fascinating details about the man behind Disney's incredible success, from his early days as a small-town cartoonist to his bankruptcy and life insurance. Even though his life was full of ups and downs, his determination led to the creation of Disneyland and Mickey Mouse, two icons of American culture. In this biography, you'll learn about Walt Disney's personal and professional struggles and how his dreams were shaped by his environment.

This book begins with Walt Disney's early years when he was still a child. Walt's father was an extremely difficult man to please, so he learned early on that hard work was necessary to become a successful cartoonist. He also had to leave home to serve in the war effort, so he learned how to deal with adversity. Thomas uses primary and secondary sources to paint a clear picture of the man, with both the ups and downs of his life. As a Disney fan, you'll be thrilled to learn all about the man behind the legend! The book is inspiring, fascinating, and even uplifting!

How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life

The Orlando Magic's vice president and manager, Pat Williams, has given inspirational speeches at major companies and written more than 100 books. Pat Williams started with nothing and built his dream from the ground up. His personal experiences as a Disney fan and the struggle to start an NBA franchise also inform the book's lessons.

As children, Walt and Roy worked for their father without pay, and this forced them to work all day, including weekends. They would get up early to deliver the papers for the day and then prepare for the next day's deliveries after school. Walt and Roy often dreamt about the snowstorms they were forced to endure as children. This book teaches us how to live our lives as if we were Disney.

In "How to Be Like Walt", Pat Williams cites six characteristics of Disney's genius. In fact, Walt Disney is a humble man. Once, while building Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland, he spotted a Louisiana native. Then he asked him if there was something missing that was missing from the Caribbean island. The worker told him that he missed the sound of crickets. So, Disney had his sound engineers add the sound of crickets to the ride. This is just one example of how Walt Disney was always looking to improve his product.

A humble and kind person, Walt Disney is still remembered as one of the world's greatest creators. Walt Disney was willing to give up his time and money to help others, and he also acted as a good example to others. His example continues to inspire us today.

While many people believe that Disney was a "visionary" and a "creative genius," few people understand his unique vision. Disney was a pioneer in the movie business, and he encouraged experimentation and discovery among his staff. He also believed in quality at all costs, hiring only the best people, and directing the final outcome. Disney was able to have a keen sense of what would sell and what the public would like to see.

This book offers lessons to help readers live more fulfilled lives. The book is a great choice for anyone interested in learning more about the life and legacy of the great Walt Disney.

Who Was Walt Disney?

It's not surprising that Disney fans love to talk about the man behind the mouse. Walt started admiring President Abraham Lincoln at an early age. He decided to pay homage to the president on Lincoln's birthday. In fifth grade, he converted his father's derby into a stovepipe hat with cardboard, borrowed his father's church-deacon coat with a swallowtail, and added crepe hair to his chin and a wart on his cheek.

Walt and Lillian Disney shared a wonderful love story. The couple was longtime lovers, raising two daughters and founding the Disney Company. While Lillian worked behind the scenes and took care of the home, Walt was in the public eye. Lillian preferred Walt's public engagement. Their marriage was a happy one. Despite his personal life, Lillian was an excellent wife and father. While it's hard to imagine that Lillian Disney wished to marry someone who was so private, they had a happy marriage.

The Walt Disney Company went from a small animation studio to an industrial giant. This entrepreneur was concerned with details rather than the big picture, and his earliest works showcased human emotions. His fascination with the ancien regime inspired the theme parks he created. But as his career progressed, the Walt Disney Company grew into a force to be reckoned with. During this time, his films inspired the creation of more animated movies and a global corporation.

If you've ever wondered who Walt Disney was, this biography by Whitney Stewart is the book for you. The book follows Walt Disney from his early years to his adulthood and shares his struggles and triumphs along the way. Detailed timelines and historical events provide background information. A list of Disney movies is also included. The book makes for a fun read. Whether you love Walt Disney or not, you'll enjoy this biography.

This biography is not endorsed by the Walt Disney Company, but it does feature a wealth of black-and-white illustrations. You'll learn that Walt Disney was an independent artist who loved life in a small town. While he was famous for the creation of Mickey Mouse and Disney World, he also had a steady personal life. This book will give you a glimpse into the life of this fascinating man. Walt Disney was a man who believed in himself and had the courage to follow his dream.

The Story of Walt Disney: A Biography Book for New Readers

As a young man, he had dreams of creating movies and making money from them. He studied animation and drew cartoons for his school papers. As an adult, he is still able to enjoy the fruits of his labor through his production company and theme parks.

Lilly was a flirt. Walt often spoke positively about her. He deferred to her authority in the house and even let her pick hotel rooms. Lilly Marie Bounds was born in Spalding, Idaho, on February 15, 1899. Until that point, she kept her age secret. She was three years older than Walt. This makes the story of their romance all the more compelling. However, the story is not without its ups and downs.

At the same time, Walt Disney was determined to be financially conservative but, at the same time, adventurous. He and Roy agreed to make live-action films. In 1954, they made the Oscar-winning film, Seal Island. Both were shot in England and featured actors such as Bobby Driscoll, Robert Newton, Ralph Truman, and Walter Fitzgerald. Walt Disney's live-action films followed the storyboard method.

He was an inattentive student who drew all the time. He eventually decided to join the army and was sent to France to drive an ambulance. However, he was turned down due to his age, so he forged his birth certificate. After the war, he joined the Red Cross, and a year later he was sent to France to work as a driver for the Red Cross.

As a child, Walt Disney loved to draw, and soon started creating memorable characters that we love today. He spent the next half of his life entertaining millions of people through his creations and even became a surrealist himself. He became famous for his films and is now the head of Disney and Disneyland. However, you don't have to be a Disney fan to appreciate the magic that he has created.

Walt Disney wasn't exactly a genius when he started his business. He had failed in two previous ventures, but he had faith in his dream implicitly and unquestionably. He packed his favorite can of chili and headed for Hollywood. Throughout his life, his legacy will continue to inspire millions of people around the world. Hopefully, you can see how Walt Disney's legacy lives on today.

Honorable Mentions

We all know that the best books about Walt Disney are his own memoirs, but what about the other great books out there? and there have been a lot of great books written about the man and his legacy. Here are some of my favorites that didn't quite make it to the top of my list but are still worth reading.

Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination

If you've ever wondered why Walt Disney became so famous, this book is the one to read. Written by Neal Gabler, this biography will teach you everything you've ever wanted to know about the man who made cartoons popular. It also gives you a better understanding of what Disney was really like, and why his creations are so beloved today. You'll also learn why Walt Disney was a great businessman and a great inspiration.

Walt Disney's life was not a happy one, but it certainly helped him create his own vision of a perfect utopia. He calculated everything to make his creations as stable as possible and as exciting as possible for his audience. As such, his efforts were rewarded with the success of his theme parks. But what exactly was Walt Disney like? Whether he was a visionary or a control freak, Gabler is an insightful writer about the man.

The Disney Story: Chronicling the Man, the Mouse and the Parks

The book is a delightful story of how Walt and his family became the foundation for Disney theme parks and its iconic characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Fans of Disney movies will find much to enjoy here. Goldberg's witty and entertaining writing will draw readers in with the stories of Disney characters and big-screen adventures.

Goldberg has devoted a great deal of time to researching the history of the Disney Company and offers a distilled version of its rich history. It is a good choice for Disney history enthusiasts or those who want to gain a better appreciation of the company. The book includes a wealth of reprinted articles from various media outlets. For an even greater insight into Disney's history, Goldberg offers a site containing original scans of these articles.

Throughout the book, Goldberg covers the major events of each decade. Highlights include the birth of Diane Disney, the introduction of Technicolor into Disney animation, and the premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Goldberg has visited the Disney theme parks more times than he can remember. A must-read for any Disney fan.

Quotable Walt Disney (Disney Editions Deluxe)

You've probably heard of "quotable Walt Disney" before, but what exactly does this book mean? Well, this book is an in-depth exploration of Walt Disney's life and dreams. In it, you'll find out what makes this visionary tick and learn about the philosophies that guided his life. It's a great read and will leave you awestruck.

This is a collection of quotes from the man who made Disney famous, from his earliest childhood to his most famous work. These inspiring words capture the genius of Walt Disney and reveal how he pushed through discouragement and even bankruptcy to achieve his dreams. A collection of these quotes, the book's design makes it a delightful gift. Whether you are looking for a gift for a friend or family member, this book will satisfy both needs.

Dave Smith is the co-founder of the Walt Disney Archives and has been its chief archivist for over forty years. He is a frequent speaker at Disney events and has even written introductions to various Disney books. Dave Smith started answering trivia questions for the Disney fan community in 1983 with a column that began in Disney Channel Magazine. The column was carried on through several publications, including Disney Insider and the D23 Web site, and has been expanded into a full-blown book. He has also written Disney Trivia from the Vault, co-authored the Ultimate Walt Disney Trivia Book 1, and compiled 29 years of his renowned "Ask Dave" column for fans and readers.

Whether you want to relive the magic of Disney's magic by reading The Quotable Walt Disney by Dave Smith, this book is a must-have for anyone interested in the history of the company. Dave Smith's background in history and the Walt Disney Archives have made him the definitive authority on Disney's history. So, whether you are a Disney fan or just a fan, this book will provide hours of enjoyment and educational value.

The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney

"The Animated Man" is an extraordinary biography of the man who transformed the world of entertainment. Not only did Disney create an enduring legacy for animated films, but he was also a creative force who changed the history of American business. Michael Barrier's biography offers a fascinating look at the man who changed the face of entertainment forever. This is a must-read for anyone who loves Disney!

This book is based on decades of research in the Disney studio archives and interviews with 150 former coworkers dating back to 1922. The resulting portrait of Walt Disney is a compelling one, combining his own recollections with those of others. While the creator of the most famous Disney films of all time was far from perfect, his innovative methods and dedication to his craft earned him worldwide recognition.

Among the many insights revealed by Michael Barrier in his biography is that Disney fought for the interests of his employees, often sacrificing his own financial security to pay their bills. Although he fought against the studio's sour relations, he was willing to sacrifice his personal wealth for the welfare of his employees, even when it meant sacrificing a good career. Ultimately, he was right about the importance of his team's sense of adventure and was willing to take large pay cuts and accept lesser positions to make sure that his employees could stay happy.

The Animated Man: A Life of the Disney Company by Michael Barrier shows the evolution of animation and the role of Disney Studios. The author focuses on the three little pigs, which are among the most influential cartoons ever made. The Three Little Pigs is a revolutionary film that paved the way for the creation of character animation. The book compares the work of Fred Moore and Norm Ferguson, who were responsible for the animation of the cartoons. Likewise, a short film called The Pied Piper shows how the studio artists created Piggy and Mouse.

Walt before Mickey: Disney's Early Years, 1919–1928

If you are looking for an interesting biography of Walt Disney, you may want to read Walt Before Mickey Disney's Early Years, 1919-1928 by Timothy S. Susanin. Most Disney biographies start with the production of Steamboat Willie in 1928. This book covers Walt's life from this early period, as well as his early experiments with animation. The book begins with a brief overview of Disney's early years and includes a discussion of Walt's early successes and failures.

This biography reveals how Walt Disney struggled to create and produce animation for ten years before creating the iconic character. The author focuses on his reflections on these early years and examines the studios in which he worked, including the Kaycee and Laugh-O-gram, Disney Brothers, and several dozen of his colleagues. Despite his failures, he was a relentless worker.

A fascinating history of the life of the founder of Disney's famous characters. Before Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney had experience creating silent cartoons. In fact, he had created the first animated short, "Steamboat Willie," which screened at AMC Theaters Downtown Disney, the Cobb theater chain, and the Harkins and Logan theater chains. During this decade, the development of Mickey Mouse's character began.

There are a lot of questions that come up when you start reading about Walt Disney. I'm going to try and answer some of those frequently asked questions for you here, with a few recommendations of my own. So buckle up, because it's time to get started on this magical journey!

Why is Walt Disney so famous?

Walt Disney is famous because he was a pioneer in the field of animation. He also created some of the most iconic characters in American pop culture, including Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. In addition, he was a successful businessman who built a global empire.

What made Walt Disney so successful?

Walt Disney was successful because he had a clear vision for his projects and he was willing to work hard to see them through. He was also a master of marketing and knew how to get people interested in his products.

What are some of the best books about Walt Disney?

Some of the best books about Walt Disney include The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney, Walt before Mickey: Disney's Early Years, 1919–1928, and Quotable Walt Disney.

What are some of the best movies about Walt Disney?

Some of the best movies about Walt Disney include Fantasia, Snow White, the Seven Dwarfs, and Mary Poppins.

Why did Walt Disney create Mickey Mouse?

Walt Disney created Mickey Mouse because he wanted to create a character that would be recognizable around the world. Mickey Mouse was an instant success and helped put Walt Disney on the map.

How did Walt Disney make his first movie?

Walt Disney made his first movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, by using a process called cel animation. This process involved drawing each frame of the film by hand and then painting them onto cells.

What was Walt Disney's first theme park?

Walt Disney's first theme park was Disneyland in Anaheim.

How much money did Walt Disney leave behind for his heirs?

Walt Disney left behind an estimated $100 million for his heirs. However, much of this money was tied up in the company, and it was not easy for them to access it.

How did Walt Disney die?

Walt Disney died of lung cancer on December 15, 1966. He was cremated and his ashes were interred at the family plot in Los Angeles.

When is Walt Disney's birthday?

Walt Disney's birthday is December fifth.

What was the last movie that Walt Disney worked on before he died?

The last movie that Walt Disney worked on before he died was The Jungle Book. He passed away before it was completed, but his team was able to finish it using his storyboards and notes.

What is the name of Walt Disney's first film?

Walt Disney's first film was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

What was the first thing that Walt Disney ever animated?

The first thing that Walt Disney ever animated was a short film called Alice's Wonderland. It was based on the Lewis Carroll story "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."

What was the name of Walt Disney's first animation studio?

Walt Disney's first animation studio was called Laugh-O-Gram Films. It was located in Kansas City, Missouri.

What did Walt Disney do before he became an animator?

Before Walt Disney became an animator, he worked as a newspaper delivery boy, a farmhand, and a commercial artist. He also served in the Army during World War I.

What is considered the Walt Disney World Resort?

The Walt Disney World Resort is a collection of theme parks, hotels, and other attractions in Orlando, Florida. It is the most visited vacation resort in the world, with over 52 million visitors each year.

What is Walt Disney Studios?

The Walt Disney Studios is a film studio and a division of the Walt Disney Company. It produces live-action films, animated films, and television shows.

Is Disneyland and Disney World the same?

No, Disneyland and Disney World are not the same. Disneyland is located in Anaheim, California, and Disney World is located in Orlando, Florida. They are both owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company.

How does someone become a part of the Walt Disney Imagineering team?

There is no one specific path to becoming a part of the Disney Imagineering team. However, it is generally recommended that interested individuals have a background in fields such as architecture, engineering, or design.

What is a Disney cast member?

A Disney cast member is an employee of the Walt Disney Company. Cast members typically work in roles such as tour guides, character performers, and attraction operators.

The right book for you!

If you want to learn more about the man behind the magic, or are just looking for a good read about Disney parks, check out my recommendations above. Whether you’re a Disney superfan or just getting started, these books are sure to give you a new appreciation for the genius of Walt Disney.

Thanks for reading!

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Walt Disney

Walt Disney was an American motion picture and television producer and showman, famous as a pioneer of cartoon films, including Mickey Mouse, and as the creator of the amusement parks Disneyland and Disney World.

(1901-1966)

Who Was Walt Disney?

Walter Elias "Walt" Disney co-founded Walt Disney Productions with his brother Roy, which became one of the best-known motion-picture production companies in the world. Disney was an innovative animator and created the cartoon character Mickey Mouse. He won 22 Academy Awards during his lifetime, and was the founder of theme parks Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Walt Disney’s Parents and Siblings

Disney’s father was Elias Disney, an Irish-Canadian. His mother, Flora Call Disney, was German-American. Disney was one of five children, four boys and a girl.

Walt Disney’s Childhood

Disney was born on December 5, 1901, in the Hermosa section of Chicago, Illinois. He lived most of his childhood in Marceline, Missouri, where he began drawing, painting and selling pictures to neighbors and family friends.

In 1911, his family moved to Kansas City, where Disney developed a love for trains. His uncle, Mike Martin, was a train engineer who worked the route between Fort Madison, Iowa and Marceline. Later, Disney would work a summer job with the railroad, selling snacks and newspapers to travelers.

When Disney was 16, he dropped out of school to join the Army but was rejected for being underage. Instead, he joined the Red Cross and was sent to France for a year to drive an ambulance. He moved back to the U.S. in 1919.

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Walt Disney’s First Cartoons

In 1919, Disney moved to Kansas City to pursue a career as a newspaper artist. His brother Roy got him a job at the Pesmen-Rubin Art Studio, where he met cartoonist Ubbe Eert Iwwerks, better known as Ub Iwerks. From there, Disney worked at the Kansas City Film Ad Company, where he made commercials based on cutout animation.

Around this time, Disney began experimenting with a camera, doing hand-drawn cel animation. He decided to open his own animation business. From the ad company, he recruited Fred Harman as his first employee.

Disney and Harman made a deal with a local Kansas City theater to screen their cartoons, which they called Laugh-O-Grams . The cartoons were hugely popular, and Disney was able to acquire his own studio, upon which he bestowed the same name.

Laugh-O-Gram hired a number of employees, including Iwerks and Harman's brother Hugh. They did a series of seven-minute fairy tales that combined both live action and animation, which they called Alice in Cartoonland .

By 1923, however, the studio had become burdened with debt, and Disney was forced to declare bankruptcy.

Walt Disney Animation Studios

Disney and his brother Roy moved to Hollywood with cartoonist Ub Iwerks in 1923, and there the three began the Disney Brothers' Cartoon Studio. The company soon changed its name to Walt Disney Studios, at Roy’s suggestion.

The Walt Disney Studios’ first deal was with New York distributor Margaret Winkler, to distribute their Alice cartoons. They also invented a character called Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and contracted the shorts at $1,500 each. In the late 1920s, the studios broke from their distributors and created cartoons featuring Mickey Mouse and his friends.

In December 1939, a new campus for Walt Disney Animation Studios was opened in Burbank. In 1941 a setback for the company occurred when Disney animators went on strike. Many of them resigned. It would be years before the company fully recovered.

One of Disney Studio’s most popular cartoons, Flowers and Trees (1932), was the first to be produced in color and to win an Oscar. In 1933, The Three Little Pigs and its title song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" became a theme for the country in the midst of the Great Depression .

Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse and Other Characters

Disney’s first successful film starring Mickey Mouse was a sound-and-music-equipped animated short called Steamboat Willie . It opened at the Colony Theater in New York November 18, 1928. Sound had just made its way into film, and Disney was the voice of Mickey, a character he had developed and that was drawn by his chief animator, Ub Iwerks. The cartoon was an instant sensation.

The Disney brothers, their wives and Iwerks produced two earlier silent animated shorts starring Mickey Mouse, Plane Crazy and The Gallopin' Gaucho , out of necessity. The team had discovered that Disney’s New York distributor, Margaret Winkler, and her husband, Charles Mintz, had stolen the rights to the character Oswald and all of Disney’s animators except for Iwerks. The two earliest Mickey Mouse films failed to find distribution, as sound was already revolutionizing the movie industry.

In 1929, Disney created Silly Symphonies, featuring Mickey's newly created friends, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto.

Walt Disney Movies

Disney produced more than 100 feature films. His first full-length animated film was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , which premiered in Los Angeles on December 21, 1937. It produced an unimaginable $1.499 million, in spite of the Great Depression, and won eight Oscars. This led Walt Disney Studios to complete another string of full-length animated films over the next five years.

During the mid-1940s, Disney created "packaged features," groups of shorts strung together to run at feature length. By 1950, he was once again focusing on animated features.

Disney's last major success that he produced himself was the motion picture Mary Poppins , which came out in 1964 and mixed live action and animation.

A few other of Disney's most famous movies include:

• Pinocchio (1940)
• Fantasia (1940)
• Dumbo (1941)
• Bambi (1942)
• Cinderella (1950)
• Treasure Island (1950)
• Alice in Wonderland (1951)
• Peter Pan (1953)
• Lady and the Tramp (1955)
• Sleeping Beauty (1959)
• 101 Dalmatians (1961)

Disney’s Television Series

Disney was also among the first people to use television as an entertainment medium. The Zorro and Davy Crockett series were extremely popular with children, as was The Mickey Mouse Club , a variety show featuring a cast of teenagers known as the Mouseketeers. Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color was a popular Sunday night show, which Disney used to begin promoting his new theme park.

Walt Disney Parks

Disney's $17 million Disneyland theme park opened on July 17, 1955, in Anaheim, California, on what was once an orange grove. Actor (and future U.S. president) Ronald Reagan presided over the activities. After a tumultuous opening day involving several mishaps (including the distribution of thousands of counterfeit invitations), the site became known as a place where children and their families could explore, enjoy rides and meet the Disney characters.

In a very short time, the park had increased its investment tenfold, and was entertaining tourists from around the world.

The original site had attendance ups and downs over the years. Disneyland has expanded its rides over time and branched out globally with Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida, and parks in Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Sister property California Adventure opened in Los Angeles in 2001.

Walt Disney World

Within a few years of Disneyland’s 1955 opening, Disney began plans for a new theme park and to develop Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT) in Florida. It was still under construction when Disney died in 1966. After Disney’s death, his brother Roy carried on the plans to finish the Florida theme park, which opened in 1971 under the name Walt Disney World.

Walt Disney’s Wife, Children and Grandchildren

In 1925, Disney hired an ink-and-paint artist named Lillian Bounds. After a brief courtship, the couple married.

Disney and Lillian Bounds had two children. Diane Disney Miller, born in 1933, was the couple’s only biological daughter. They adopted Sharon Disney Lund shortly after her birth in 1936.

Diane and her husband, Ronald Miller, had seven children: Christopher, Joanna, Tamara, Walter, Jennifer, Patrick, and Ronald Miller Jr.

Sharon and her first husband, Robert Brown, adopted a daughter, Victoria Disney. Sharon’s second husband, Bill Lund, was a real estate developer who scouted the 27,000 acres in Orlando that became Disney World. Their twins, Brad and Michelle, were born in 1970.

Sharon’s side of the family became embroiled in a controversy after her death in 1993, when her trust became available to her three children. The trust included a caveat that allowed her ex-husband Bill Lund and sister Diane to withhold funds if they could show that Sharon’s children couldn’t properly manage the money. This led to accusations of conspiracy and mental incompetence, insinuations of incest, and an ugly two-week-long battle of a trial in December 2013.

READ MORE: Is Walt Disney's Body Frozen?

When and How Walt Disney Died

Disney was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1966 and died on December 15, 1966, at the age of 65. Disney was cremated, and his ashes interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

QUICK FACTS

• Name: Walt Elias Disney
• Birth Year: 1901
• Birth date: December 5, 1901
• Birth State: Illinois
• Birth City: Chicago
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Walt Disney was an American motion picture and television producer and showman, famous as a pioneer of cartoon films, including Mickey Mouse, and as the creator of the amusement parks Disneyland and Disney World.
• Astrological Sign: Sagittarius
• Kansas City Art Institute and School of Design
• Chicago Art Institute
• McKinley High School
• Nacionalities
• Interesting Facts
• When Disney was just a teenager, he joined the Red Cross in 1918 and was sent to France for a year to drive an ambulance to help with the war effort.
• Disney experienced many failures — including filing for bankruptcy — before he became a hugely successful animator and amusement park creator.
• When Disneyland opened in 1955, it reportedly cost $17 million to make.
• Death Year: 1966
• Death date: December 15, 1966
• Death State: California
• Death City: Burbank
• Death Country: United States

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CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Walt Disney Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/business-leaders/walt-disney
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E Television Networks
• Last Updated: January 7, 2022
• Original Published Date: April 3, 2014
• Laughter is America's most important export.
• There's nothing funnier than the human animal.
• I love Mickey Mouse more than any woman I have ever known.
• You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.
• I don't believe in talking down to children. I don't believe in talking down to any certain segment. I like to kind of just talk in a general way to the audience. Children are always reaching.
• Money doesn't excite me–my ideas excite me.
• Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts that have created America...with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to the world.
• [Y]ou'll not find a single mousetrap around the house. I've never forgotten it was a mouse that made me what I am today.
• The age we're living in is the most extraordinary the world has ever seen. There are new concepts of things, and we now have the tools to change those concepts into realities. We are moving forward.
• Life is composed of lights and shadows, and we would be untruthful, insincere, and saccharine if we tried to pretend there were no shadows.
• I don't care about critics. Critics take themselves too seriously. They think the only way to be noticed and to be the smart guy is to pick and find fault with things. It's the public I'm making pictures for.
• For years afterward, I hated Snow White because every time I'd make a feature after that, they'd always compare it with Snow White, and it wasn't as good as Snow White.
• I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know that life is a complex matter. With the laugh comes the tears and in developing motion pictures or television shows, you must combine all the facts of life — drama, pathos and humor.
• All our dreams can come true — if we have the courage to pursue them.
• Never do anything that someone else can do better.
• Everybody in the world was once a child. We grow up. Our personalities change, but in every one of us something remains of our childhood.

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The Truth About Walt Disney’s Frozen Head and His Quest to Live Forever

He imagined the world of tomorrow. Fifty-seven years after his death, could he come back to life in the future he envisioned?

Sixty years ago this month, on April 22, 1964, the New York World’s Fair opened in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York. The Fair had the theme of “Peace Through Understanding,” and was dedicated to “Man’s Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe,” as symbolized by the 140-foot-tall stainless-steel globe, known as the “Unisphere,” that towered over a massive reflecting pool.

The 1964 World’s Fair wasn’t the first one held in Flushing Meadows; the Unisphere was built on the same ground once occupied by the similarly spherical “Perisphere,” which was constructed for the 1939 World’s Fair. To kick off the 1964 Fair, President Lyndon B. Johnson delivered opening remarks that evoked the ‘39 edition, which imagined the 1960s of the future:

“The last time New York had a World’s Fair, we also tried to predict the future. A daring exhibit proclaimed that in the 1960s, it would really be possible to cross the country in less than 24 hours, flying as high as 10,000 feet; that an astounding 38 million cars would cross our highways. There was no mention of outer space, or atomic power, or wonder drugs that could destroy disease.”

But Johnson’s reflections on human progress weren’t all positive. “No one prophesied that half the world would be devastated by war, or that millions of helpless would be slaughtered,” the President noted, just months after he approved the controversial National Security Action Memorandum 288 escalating the U.S.’s involvement in the Vietnam War. “No one foresaw power that was capable of destroying man, or a cold war which could bring conflict to every continent.”

Johnson’s presence at the 1964 World’s Fair underscored the somber reality facing America at the time. After all, an assassin’s bullet killed the intended speaker, his predecessor, John F. Kennedy , thrusting him—a representative of Washington D.C.’s “old guard”—into the role intended for JFK, a symbol of the “New Frontier.”

So, who could Fair attendees turn to for hopeful visions of “Peace Through Understanding,” and “Man’s Achievement on a Shrinking Globe”? Only one man: Walt Disney .

Disney, who had been a weekly presence in American homes for the last decade through his television show, Walt Disney’s Disneyland— later titled Walt Disney Presents —created four attractions for the ‘64 World’s Fair. These exhibits were a hit, drawing 135,000 visitors per day during the first season alone, according to The Walt Disney Family Museum .

Disney’s attractions included “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” at the Illinois Pavilion, an animatronic replica of another President who represented hope, and who was also assassinated ; “Ford’s Magic Skyway” for the Ford Motor Company, where guests rode in Ford vehicles past animatronic dinosaurs; and the now-iconic “it’s a small world,” which Disney’s Imagineers built in collaboration with Pepsi-Cola as a tribute to UNICEF.

But it was the “Carousel of Progress,” located in General Electric’s “Progressland” pavilion, that most epitomized Walt Disney’s vision of the future. The rotating animatronic show guided audiences through the history of human innovation and provided a comforting escape with its optimistic theme song by the Sherman Brothers , promising, “There’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow/Shining at the end of every day.”

In the aftermath of a national tragedy, Walt Disney became a beacon of optimism for fairgoers, and for Americans. His presence fostered a belief in a “great big beautiful tomorrow.”

Perhaps it’s that enduring optimism that fuels the persistent conspiracy that Disney, who died in 1966, might still be among us, secretly preserved in hopes of one day being revived.

The “Final” Years of Walt Disney

In 1964, besides contributing to the World’s Fair, Disney also released his most acclaimed live-action film yet: Mary Poppins . Just a few years earlier, during a screening of To Kill a Mockingbird , Disney had reportedly lamented , “That’s the kind of film I’d like to make, but I can’t.” Now, his tender musical adaptation of P.L. Travers ’ novel had achieved the same milestone as Universal’s adaptation of Harper Lee ’s seminal work: a nomination for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

With his status finally solidified in the entertainment industry, Disney turned his sights to the future—not of his film studio, but of humanity. Intent on using his renowned imagination to forge a brighter tomorrow, Disney envisioned a utopia designed to last forever. In 1964, the future looked bright for Walt Disney.

In less than three years, he would be dead.

On December 15, 1966, Walt Disney died as a result of complications from lung cancer. As Biography notes , “a private funeral was held the next day, and on December 17, his body was cremated and interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.”

Some conspiracy theorists, however, believe that Disney’s remains aren’t actually at Forest Lawn. They’ll tell you, according to Biography , that Disney’s body is instead “suspended in a frozen state and buried deep beneath the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, awaiting the day when medical technology would be advanced enough to reanimate the animator.”

Why Do People Believe Walt Disney Is Frozen?

The rumored cryonic freezing of Walt Disney has no clear origin point that Biography could confirm . But its first documented mention is in a 1969 Ici Paris article, reportedly as a prank concocted by “disgruntled animators” who once worked for Disney “seeking to have a laugh at their late taskmasker employer’s expense.” Their motive was seemingly revenge for Disney’s strict oversight, an aftermath of a labor uprising in the late 1930s that is chronicled in depth in The Disney Revolt: The Great Labor War of Animation’s Golden Age .

Initially, whispers suggested Disney’s entire body was preserved in a secret facility, but soon the tale focused on the animator’s head alone, frozen beneath iconic Disneyland attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean, the Matterhorn, the Partners statue at the center of the park, and even the Magic Kingdom castle. Over time, it seems every corner of Disneyland has been rumored to shelter its founder’s frozen head.

The notion of Walt Disney’s icy remains hiding within park attractions might stem from the actual secrets of Disneyland. There is indeed a hidden space at the top of the Matterhorn, but it’s home to a basketball court for bored Disney staff, not a frozen former CEO. And while early versions of Pirates of the Caribbean did feature real skeletons from UCLA’s medical school, according to SFGate , none belonged to Disney himself.

The grim idea that only Walt Disney’s head was placed in cryostasis might have caught on due to its eerie, sci-fi feel, with modern cryonics offering both full-body and head-only preservation options. That singular detail adds a creepy wrinkle to the conspiracy, evoking images more akin to the 1962 horror flick The Brain That Wouldn’t Die than the reality of a Hollywood mogul’s legacy.

Nevertheless, the tale of Walt Disney’s “frozen head” persisted, specifically resurfacing in two biographies released years after his death: Leonard Mosely’s 1986 Disney’s World and Marc Eliot’s 1993 Walt Disney: Hollywood’s Dark Prince , which further embedded the legend into popular culture.

Eliot’s controversial biography, which was criticized by Disney’s family and historians alike for its speculative content, included unfounded allegations against Disney, including claims that he was an FBI informant (which evidence suggests he was not ), and that he refused to have flags at half mast at Disneyland when JFK died (which photographic evidence disproves ). Nevertheless, Hollywood’s Dark Prince fed into a desire to find the dark side of a man often propped up as the symbol of Americana, pushing both the cryonics rumor and the assertions of Disney’s rampant antisemitism (also notably debunked ) into the mainstream.

Disney’s family has firmly denied the rumor that he was cryogenically frozen, and as Biography points out, it has been “further discredited by those pointing to the existence of signed legal documents that indicate Disney was in fact cremated and that his remains are interred in a marked plot (for which his estate paid $40,000) at Forest Lawn, the exact location of which is a matter of public record.” Plus, the first instance of a person being cryopreserved after his death, James Bedford , didn’t occur until nearly a month after Disney’s cremation, debunking the timeline of the rumor that Disney was frozen.

Diane Disney, Walt’s daughter, wrote in a 1972 biography about her famous father that she “doubted her father had even heard of cryonics.”

Nonetheless, even skeptics who reject the frozen head story might concede that Walt Disney, a famously forward-thinking futurist, could have been aware of cryonics. The concept gained attention in 1964, the same year Disney shifted his focus from film to envisioning his utopian future.

The Futurist Who Inspired Walt Disney

If you were browsing the “New Releases” shelf at a bookstore in 1964, you might stumble upon an intriguing non-fiction book in between copies of Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast and the Warren Commission’s The Warren Report : Robert Ettinger’s The Prospect of Immortality .

“Most of us now living have a chance for personal, physical immortality,” Ettinger claims in the very first sentence. All you need to do, Ettinger says, is join one “established fact” with one “reasonable assumption.”

The fact: “At very low temperatures it is possible, right now, to preserve dead people with essentially no deterioration, indefinitely.”

The assumption: “If civilization endures, medical science should eventually be able to repair almost any damage to the human body, including freezing damage and senile debility or other cause of death.”

Six decades later, while we haven’t mastered the art of repairing all human body damage, our cryopreservation methods have advanced significantly, particularly with the introduction of vitrification by Greg Fahy and William F. Rall in the 1980s. And recent scientific advancements suggest that what we currently understand as death might be more reversible than previously thought.

Some excerpts from Ettinger’s book resonate with the futuristic optimism of Walt Disney’s Tomorrowland. For example, Ettinger writes,“If civilization endures ... if the Golden Age materializes, the future will reveal a wonderful world indeed, a vista to excite the mind and thrill the heart.” However, even if Disney had encountered Ettinger’s work, his imagination had already been sparked by another piece of literature before he died.

In May 1960, Horizon magazine published “Out of a Fair, a City,” an article in which architect Victor Gruen envisioned transforming the 1964 World’s Fair site into a domed city to test solutions for societal challenges. According to Imagineer Marty Sklar’s 1999 book, Remembering Walt , Gruen’s philosophy (further elaborated in Gruen’s 1964 work, “The Heart of our Cities: The Urban Crisis, Diagnosis and Cure,”) was a significant influence on Disney during his final years—so much that he began an ambitious plan to build a community in Florida that would “never cease to be a living blueprint of the future.”

Disney, utilizing land his corporation discreetly bought in Florida, set out to build an “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow” adjacent to his planned East Coast theme park. The community aimed to eliminate traffic jams, offer abundant green spaces, and showcase efficient public transportation with the use of a monorail system.

After Walt Disney’s death, the Florida land earmarked for his future city was transformed into EPCOT, the second theme park at Walt Disney World Resort. EPCOT features a “Future World” section with educational attractions and a World Showcase with international pavilions, operating as a “perpetual World’s Fair.”

Why People Want To Believe Walt Disney Is Frozen

In his last years, Walt Disney was introspective, focusing not on the “prospect of immortality,” but on a different sentiment. While the 1964 song “Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” planted the seed in millions of young minds, it was another tune by the Sherman Brothers from the same year that resonated deeply with Disney as he reflected on his life. Richard Sherman recalls :

“On Fridays, after work, Walt Disney would often invite us into his office and we’d talk about things that were going on at the Studio. After a while, he’d wander to the north window, look out into the distance and just say, 'Play it.' And Dick would wander over to the piano and play 'Feed the Birds' for him. One time just as Dick was almost finished, under his breath, I heard Walt say, 'Yep. That’s what it’s all about.'”

There is little left of the 1964 New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows—Corona Park. The spot where the “Carousel of Progress” once played in GE’s Progressland is now an athletic field. The Vatican pavilion has been replaced by a stone bench. The Unisphere, however, still remains, towering over a park whose occupants have little memory, or even awareness, of the “Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” promised at the park 60 years ago.

For the Baby Boomers who experienced Disney’s contributions to the 1964 World’s Fair, the event offered hope and a last optimistic vision of the future from “Uncle Walt.” And while today, these visitors can encounter preserved pieces of the Fair at the Queens Museum and experience “it’s a small world” at Disney parks worldwide, they can’t turn that athletic field back into Progressland. And they can’t bring back the man who made it possible.

Walt Disney’s legacy extends far beyond his films and theme parks. He symbolizes something greater than a sprawling entertainment empire. As biographer Neal Gabler put it in the final pages of Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination , “he demonstrated how one could assert one’s will on the world at the very time when everything seemed to be growing beyond control and beyond comprehension.”

For conspiracy theorists who want to believe Walt Disney is a frozen head, waiting for revival, perhaps it’s because they want to believe he asserted his will over the one thing no one has been able to do before. That maybe, “if the Golden Age materializes,” Walt Disney could even come back to life. And with him would come, once again, the promise of a “Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow.” A promise he made in Queens 60 years ago.

Michael Natale is the news editor for Best Products , covering a wide range of topics like gifting, lifestyle, pop culture, and more. He has covered pop culture and commerce professionally for over a decade. His past journalistic writing can be found on sites such as Yahoo! and Comic Book Resources , his podcast appearances can be found wherever you get your podcasts, and his fiction can’t be found anywhere, because it’s not particularly good. 

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Osamu Tezuka was the “Walt Disney of Japan.” His beautiful manga biography shows why.

This massive biography in comic form has finally been translated into English — and it's more than worth the wait.

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Share All sharing options for: Osamu Tezuka was the “Walt Disney of Japan.” His beautiful manga biography shows why.

The combined aesthetic of anime and manga may be Japan’s greatest and most influential cultural export, but it wouldn’t exist without one man — a man who looms over Japanese pop culture and who is known throughout Japan as its most legendary modern artist. That man is Osamu Tezuka, frequently nicknamed the "god of manga," the "godfather of anime," and the "Walt Disney of Japan."

At long last, a new biography of Tezuka has arrived in the US — 14 years after its Japanese debut. Recently translated by Frederik L. Schodt and released by Stone Bridge Press, The Osamu Tezuka Story — first published serially in Japan between 1989 and 1992 — is a massive, 900-page tome that explores Tezuka’s life, Japanese postwar society, and the way Tezuka changed Japanese culture forever.

Naturally, The Osamu Tezuka Story is a must-have for die-hard Tezuka fans. But it’s also essential reading for anyone who already loves or wants to understand the history of manga and anime, as well as anyone fascinated by postwar Japan and its transition into a major modern industrialized society.

Many of Tezuka’s best works are still little-known in the US

Always arrayed in a beret, thick-rimmed glasses, and a smile, Tezuka was an artistic genius who created more than 700 manga titles — comprising 150,000 pages of hand-drawn art — and more than 60 anime in his lifetime, making him one of the most prolific Japanese manga creators in history.

The impact of Tezuka’s career on Japanese culture far exceeds his actual artistry, though his artistry is incredibly influential. But of equal importance is his role in creating the longstanding industry around taking Japanese comics, or manga, developing them into animated Japanese TV series, or anime, and exporting them around the globe.

Tezuka began this work in the late 1960s with his iconic manga Astro Boy , which he adapted into a wildly successful anime. This process of close adaptation, along with the many animation techniques Tezuka pioneered in Japan to speed up the adaptation process, started an industrial tradition that continues into the present; the manga/anime industry, with its distinctive Japanese artistic style and identity, has profoundly shaped Japanese culture.

In the US, Tezuka is mainly known for the manga and anime Astro Boy , the manga Buddha , and the anime Kimba, the White Lion , which was originally published as the manga Jungle Emperor. But despite Tezuka's status as an artistic legend, the vast majority of his work remains unpublished in America — both because there is so much of it and because the process of licensing, translating, and publishing manga overseas is an arduous process.

But even though he isn’t a household name, Tezuka’s influence in the US has been palpable — most notably in the works his art style and stories have influenced. Stanley Kubrick admired Tezuka and asked him to serve as the art designer for 2001: A Space Odyssey (though Tezuka had to refuse the offer because he had too much work to do in Japan).

And just five years after Tezuka’s death from cancer in 1989 at the age of 60, Disney apparently flagrantly plagiarized one of Tezuka’s most beloved works, Kimba, the White Lion , by all appearances lifting whole plot points and multiple direct artistic references from the anime for its massive blockbuster The Lion King.

The opening theme to Kimba the White Lion shows off many hallmarks of Tezuka’s animation style.

While Tezuka’s influence on the landscape of American animation has mostly been indirect, his fans have been doing their best to make up for this deficit. In the age of the internet, manga fans have crowdfunded new editions of several of Tezuka’s works, which still retain, even after all these decades, unique and visceral emotive properties:

The Osamu Tezuka Story ’s long road to US publication

The Japanese edition of The Osamu Tezuka Story first began publishing in serial installments in 1989, shortly after Tezuka’s death. It began as an actual manga — an educational, serialized Japanese comic — and ran in a Japanese newsweekly starting in 1989. The final version was first published in full book form in 1992, the year the serialization ended.

The lack of easy resources for publishing manga overseas may be why it’s taken 14 years for the book to reach the states. Of course, there’s also another reason: It’s huge — a hefty 928 pages in all, and an impressive addition to a bookshelf.

The book is read as all traditional manga is read, from right to left and "back to front" instead of left to right and front to back. It is a Japanese comic, but it’s not a work of fiction; rather, it’s an embellished true story that goes into breathtaking detail about Tezuka’s life and, crucially, the background context of the Japanese political tensions and cultural shifts in which he began his work.

The entire work was written and drawn by the mangaka (manga artist) Toshio Ban, who worked as an assistant to Tezuka for the better part of 15 years. As a longtime colleague and friend of Tezuka’s, Ban bore the responsibility, while working on the manga, of not only faithfully recounting his former boss’s life but also capturing the essence of his incredibly distinctive drawing style.

To achieve the goal of historical accuracy, Ban meticulously researched the historical and visual settings of Tezuka’s manga, often using interviews with people close to Tezuka and basing manga panels on real-life photographs. He also worked direct historical quotes and images from Tezuka’s manga into his panels — nearly all of which are packed with visual and factual detail:

To achieve the goal of affecting Tezuka’s style, Ban used one of Tezuka’s own characters, a pleasant old man with a deceptively gruff mustache, dubbed Shunsaku Ban, or "Mustachio." Mustachio serves as the narrator for the reader’s journey through Tezuka’s rich life.

The book often seamlessly blends Tezuka’s own artwork into the mix with Ban’s, indicating the transitions only in small print. Occasionally Ban will use Mustachio to comment on the development of Tezuka’s artwork, drawing Mustachio commenting on a reprint of Tezuka’s art, in one of many moments where the past and future of manga artistry seem to converge in a literal conversation.

Like Ban, Schodt, the translator for the new English language-edition, was a longtime colleague of Tezuka’s who began translating his work in the late '70s, after Tezuka had begun making a name for himself overseas. In the foreword to the book, Schodt notes his surprise at discovering, while translating the manga, that he was actually drawn into it at one point — he’d become a background character in a broad and monumental life.

The Osamu Tezuka Story is part anecdote, part biography, and part history lesson

The Osamu Tezuka Story serves three functions. It’s an entertaining tale of a hardworking visionary, a biographical account of Japan’s most famous artist, and an in-depth history of 20th-century Japan, starting before World War II and continuing into the modern era. It’s hardly a surprise that manga fans in the US have been looking forward to the English-language publication of this tome with something like holy reverence .

Beginning with Tezuka’s childhood and his fascination with the famous all-female Takarazuka Revue , the biography follows Tezuka’s life as closely as possible: chronicling his time at a rigorous military academy as Japan was on the brink of war, his first forays into drawing, his discovery of American comics, his experiences in medical school, and his pursuit of and lifelong passion for his art.

Through it all, the wider global and political context — the international theater of war, the postwar industrial boom, and Japan’s emergence as a modern nation — rotates in and out of the detailed focus on Tezuka’s career.

The comic manages to encompass the unbelievably small and the unbelievably huge all at once, sometimes within the same frame — for instance, sequences like the one that lays out Tezuka’s love for insect collecting against the backdrop of Japanese imperialism and the march of the war through the Pacific Theater. Ban often dramatically renders these war scenes in jutting, uneven panels filled with darkness.

Ban takes pains to spell out the influences that marked Tezuka’s path along the way, both Japanese and multicultural. Schodt’s translation and Ban’s artwork easily convey the glee and sense of joy Tezuka gets from his interactions with Western culture — for example, his ongoing interest in international classical composers or his love of international cinema, as we see in this depiction of Tezuka watching Carol Reed’s famous film noir The Third Man :

Moments like these provide stark contrast to the scenes that depict Tezuka’s experience with the atrocity of war. The backdrop of the war takes up about a fourth of the entire volume — both because of its impact on Tezuka individually and its impact on Japanese society as a whole. Often, Ban lets Tezuka’s autobiographical art speak for itself, particularly in a harrowing sequence featuring panels reprinted from Paper Fortress , Tezuka’s manga about the 1945 firebombing of Osaka.

It’s striking, then, that utterly absent is any mention of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — a brief textual timeline mentions them, but they have no utterance in the story of Tezuka’s life. It’s a deafening silence that ends without comment on August 15, 1945, the day Japan surrenders to America. By the time the Allied victory is declared and Japanese society begins to pick up the pieces, the comic is bursting with activity, a kind of frenzied desperation to suggest new life and vigor.

In this moment, we get what may be the manga’s most unforgettable images: zombielike caricatures of starving Japanese citizens, dropping dead in the fields from malnourishment. The bodies are depicted with a horrifying, exaggerated comic grotesquerie that bears no resemblance to the realism of the previous sections dedicated to chronicling the war. It’s as if the horror of the war has simply, briefly, left Japan, or Japan as seen through Tezuka’s eyes, with no emotional space left for visual realism.

Tezuka’s exhausting work ethic makes for a busy narrative — but one focused on process rather than inspiration

After the war, exaggerated comic art briefly takes over the narrative and begins to transform and revive Tezuka, just as it is helping to transform and revive Japan around him. The biography continually explains and reminds us what the state of the manga industry in Japan was before, during, and after the war.

Following Japan’s surrender, the popularity of manga rose as the public sought it out for its escapist properties; this was just as Tezuka, finding his way into the publishing world, was beginning to address more serious topics in his artistic work.

His journey from there is fascinating, busy, and intense, full of details about the joys and frustrations of the postwar publishing industry — and, later, the animation industry. There’s a constant refrain surrounding Tezuka’s brutal work ethic, which he seemed both wary of and resigned to. At one point, he’s depicted as using sea urchin as an energy boost to keep working, despite having gone many hours without sleep.

One wonders if his deep industriousness was a way to cope with the immense societal changes happening around him, both during and between various wars — World War II, the Korean War, the Arab-Israeli War — all of which sent shocks through Japanese society. It may also have been a way to sidestep his dislike, recurring throughout the biography, of various trends and fads in the world of manga publishing.

By the same token, the pace of Ban’s manga sometimes feels relentless, as if he is, in Tezuka’s honor, pushing himself to furiously transcribe every moment of the great artist’s life as a mangaka and animation pioneer. Art students and anyone interested in the production of manga and anime will undoubtedly be fascinated by the depictions of these industries — little details like Ban’s explanation of what a "drawing bank" is and various descriptions of the shortcuts animators took to speed up their turnaround time help even the inexperienced reader through the denser, production-laden sections.

But the reader looking for glimpses into the sources of Tezuka’s ideas, the spark of his creative genius, may have a bit more work to do. At times, the presentation of Tezuka’s many ideas seems deceptively straightforward, and far more emphasis is given to his bursts of productivity than to the creative origins of his work.

Perhaps as a fellow animator, Ban focused on what he knew — Tezuka’s work ethic, his processes, his public statements about his work, and his lived history — rather than what he did not know: the genesis of ideas and ways in which Tezuka went about crafting and shaping his plots, inventing and building his characters, and generally thinking about the stories he spent so much of his life creating.

Still, in the epic sweep of The Osamu Tezuka Story , there’s plenty to delight the eye and capture (and educate) the mind, from the copious changing visual details of Japan over the 50-year history the book covers to the way Tezuka himself emerges as a character on the page, alternately eager and impatient, brimming with energy almost until the final pages of his life.

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The Best Documentaries on Disney Plus Right Now

In the mood for some learnin'?

There’s a whole lot of hot content to pick through on Disney Plus , including hours of Spider-Man cartoons of wildly variable quality and two different versions of Adventures in Babysitting . But if you’re in the mood for more educational fare, don’t worry – Disney+ has got you covered. (Although I would argue there is plenty to learn from Vincent D’Onofrio ’s scene in Babysitting in which he plays an auto mechanic who may or may not be the Mighty Thor.) It’s a little clunkily organized, but there’s plenty of documentary fare available on the streaming platform to sate your appetite for knowledge. We've assembled a list of some of the best titles, covering a wide range of topics including nature films, undersea exploration, the history of Disney, and the making of the Star Wars trilogy (the good one). Below, check out our list of the best documentaries on Disney Plus right now.

For more recommendations, check out our list of the best movies on Disney Plus , best documentaries on Netflix , and best documentaries on Hulu .

Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Disney+.

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

Rotten tomatoes: 99% | imdb: 8.0/10, summer of soul.

The Oscar-winning documentary tells the untold story of the 1969 Harlem Culture Festival, a six-week celebration of Black culture, music, and fashion. During the same summer as Woodstock, the Harlem Culture Festival featured legendary performances from Stevie Wonder , Nina Simone , and Gladys Knight & the Pips , just to name a few. Despite its popularity at the time, the documentary explores why the historic festival faded into pop culture obscurity. Part music film and part historical record, Summer of Soul revives the once lost festival for a new generation and stands as a testament to the power of great music in the midst of a tumultuous time in American history, past and present. — Meredith Loftus

Watch Trailer Watch on Disney+

Rotten Tomatoes: 81% | IMDb: 6.9/10

Stan Lee is a fantastic documentary that follows the spectacular life and amazing career of the face of Marvel Comics. Featuring archival interviews from the man himself and behind-the-scenes footage of Lee throughout the creation of the multimedia empire that Marvel has become since the inception of the brand in the late 1930s, director David Gelb manages to capture the essence of what made Lee such a force in the industry. Though the doc could stand to give a little more credit to Lee’s biggest collaborators Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko , it is a wonderfully nostalgic journey through the philosophy of one of the most revered and celebrated creatives in comics. – Tauri Miller

Science Fair

Rotten tomatoes: 97% | imdb: 7.5/10.

An engaging and entertaining documentary about a selection of top-tier high school science students, Science Fair explores the fascinating world of academic competition peppered in with adolescent infatuations. Hormones rage in this documentary, which follows nine rival students as they grapple for the title of “Best in Fair.” Directed by Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster ( Own the Room ), who also wrote the documentary with Jeff Plunkett , Science Fair explores how intellect works hand-in-hand with courage and determination, showcased by these remarkable individuals. – Yael Tygiel

Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u (a SOUR film)

Imdb: 7.2/10.

This documentary follows young singer Olivia Rodrigo as she reflects on her debut album Sour while driving from Salt Lake City, Utah to Los Angeles, California . In driving home 2 u, Rodrigo’s poignant insight is combined with new arrangements of her songs that show how far the singer has come in the year since her song “driver’s license” propelled her into the spotlight. The vulnerability present in her music continues into the documentary – she’s upfront about how challenging it was to follow the success of her first song. But it’s clear that this experience has given Rodrigo valuable insight and closure. Her youthful perspective gives her a wise outlook on life and relationships that is easy to lose track of as we get older. Even if you’re not a Rodrigo superfan, driving home 2 u is the perfect lowkey watch for all ages. - Brynna Arens

The Beatles: Get Back

Rotten tomatoes: 93% | imdb: 9.0/10.

Just when you think you’ve seen and heard enough about The Beatles, Peter Jackson comes along. In 1970, the documentary of their album Let It Be was released. Jackson obtained all the hours of unaired footage and cut it down into a three-part documentary . The stress amongst the group is clear, but the musical genius pouring out of them effortlessly is what you can’t look away from. It’s a feeling of being in the room with the most famous band that ever lived as they look inside their instruments and produce some of the most recognizable songs in history. Watching Paul McCartney goofing around on a guitar when suddenly he’s written the titular song, "Get Back," is a moment you won’t regret witnessing. And seeing the band as bandmates, goofy pals, husbands, and fathers is just about as intimate as you ever thought you could get with a band that has always seemed so untouchable. By the time the rooftop concert starts at the end, you’ll feel like you’ve been through something with them and be saddened knowing that this will be the last time they perform together. - Jennifer McHugh

Folklore: The Long Pond Sessions

Rotten tomatoes: 100% | imdb: 8.4/10, folklore: the long pond studio sessions.

Join Taylor Swift at the historic Long Pond Studios for a personal concert in the comfort of your home. Directed by Taylor Swift herself, Folklore: The Long Pond Sessions is an intimate look inside her GRAMMY-winning Album of the Year alongside her co-producers, Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner . It includes stripped-down performances of each track from folklore , which are the first in-person performances since recording the album remotely. Plus, Taylor also takes the time to reveal the creation and intended meaning behind each track. This documentary is not just for Taylor Swift fans but every music lover who wants to know more about the creative process of one of the best songwriters in the industry today. — Meredith Loftus

Rotten Tomatoes: 94% | IMDb: 7.5/10

Howard Ashman , the lyricist and screenwriter behind some of the most successful films of the so-called Disney Renaissance. But his unparalleled winning streak was tragically cut short when he contracted HIV and died of AIDS before Beauty and the Beast was even released (the film is dedicated to him). Writer/director Don Hahn, who worked with Ashman on Beauty and the Beast and who directed Waking Sleeping Beauty (also on this list) tenderly recounts Ashman’s life, from his childhood putting on shows for his sister using toys as performers to his life as an Off-Broadway wunderkind to his devastating debut on Broadway that helped lead him to Disney. Like with Waking Sleeping Beauty, Hahn stays away from talking head interviews, instead letting new and archival audio interviews run over old footage, photographs and clips from the movies he worked on. (Composer Alan Menken still sounds broken up about Howard’s death.) It’s a story that is told free of sentimentality but one that will, nonetheless, still make you cry buckets. Ashman died so young and worked on so few films; it’s amazing to think what he could have accomplished and how many lives he would have touched if he’d survived. – Drew Taylor

Rotten Tomatoes: 98% | IMDb: 8.1/10

Free Solo follows rock climber Alex Honnold as he sets out to do a free climb of Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan. Free climbing, for the uninitiated, is climbing without any harness or safety line. Basically, it’s the scariest activity human beings can engage in that doesn’t involve space travel and/or uncaged lions.

Free Solo won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2018, and it’s easy to see why when you watch it. Honnold’s trip up the 3,000 foot rock formation is dizzying, and if you’re like me, you will spend the entirety of the film with your butt firmly clenched. Relaying the minor spoiler that Honnold is alive and well at the time of this writing might alleviate some of the tension for you, but his quest is still undeniably thrilling to watch.

Waking Sleeping Beauty

Rotten tomatoes: 71% | imdb: 7.5/10.

If you have any interest whatsoever in the Disney Renaissance, you absolutely have to watch Waking Sleeping Beauty right this second. It’s a surprisingly candid look at Disney’s revitalization in the late 80s and early 90s, thanks to a string of hits like The Little Mermaid , Beauty and the Beast , Aladdin , and The Lion King .

Narrated and directed by Disney producer Don Hahn , the film is composed entirely of archival interviews with Disney animators and executives and personal footage shot by the various employees working behind-the-scenes during what is arguably the most important period of the company’s history. Like I said, it’s surprisingly candid and doesn’t paint Disney in the most flattering light, although most of the shade thrown is cast in Jeffrey Katzenberg ’s direction, the one-time head of film at Disney who resigned in the mid-90s to found DreamWorks. There’s clearly no love lost there.

The Imagineering Story

Rotten tomatoes: 100% | imdb: 8.9/10.

At the time of this writing, The Imagineering Story is still an ongoing docuseries, but it’s absolutely worth watching for anyone interested in Disney’s history. It chronicles the creation of Disneyland and the various Disney theme parks, from Walt Disney’s initial vision to the design and construction of the actual rides to how the company has continued creating entertainment destinations in the decades since Walt’s death.

“Imagineers” are the engineers that design the attractions that Disney’s theme parks, and they’ve done some undeniably incredible work over the years. (The Haunted Mansion in particular is a landmark of special effects wizardry.) The six episode series was produced by Leslie Iwerks , an accomplished documentary filmmaker who also happens to be the granddaughter of Disney legend and Mickey Mouse co-creator Ub Iwerks . (Her film The Pixar Story is slated to come to Disney Plus in 2021.)

Born in China

Rotten tomatoes: 83% | imdb: 7.1/10.

A joint production between Disneynature and Shanghai Media Group, Born in China follows four different animal families living in mainland China. If you have the desire to watch adorable snow leopard cubs, adorable panda cubs, adorable Tibetan antelopes, or an adorably cheeky golden snub-nosed monkey, this is the film for you. If none of those things appeals to you, you are a robot trying to hide amongst us, and we have just discovered your secret.

It’s narrated by John Krasinski , who successfully anthropomorphizes the actions of the various furry stars to make them more relatable. Much like the other films in the Disneynature catalogue, the animals’ lives are full of cinematically dramatic moments. The antelopes have to defend their young from a band of hungry wolves. Tao, the monkey, falls in with a group of jackass monkeys and eventually learns that they don’t really have his best interests in mind. The snow leopard mother makes a series of heroic sacrifices to protect her two cubs. And the panda mom just kind of dotes on her frolicking baby, which is admittedly what all of us would do in her position. Just like the other Disneynature films, Born in China is loaded with beautiful footage of an area of the world most of us never get to see, and Amazon’s Jack Ryan does a fine job talking us through it all.

Disney is changing its DAS program: What guests with disabilities should know

Walt Disney World and Disneyland are changing their policies for guests with disabilities .

The Florida and California resorts will keep their popular Disability Access Service (DAS), but adjust qualifications, registration procedures, and length of validity to help ensure guests receive the accommodations they need.

“Disney is dedicated to providing a great experience for all guests, including those with disabilities, which is why we are so committed to delivering a wide range of innovative support services aimed at helping our guests with disabilities have a wonderful time when visiting our theme parks,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement.

Here’s what travelers with disabilities should know:

What is DAS? 

Disney World and Disneyland previously described their Disability Access Service as a program “to assist guests who have difficulty tolerating extended waits in a conventional queue environment due to a disability.”

Guests who qualify for and enroll in DAS wait just as long as guests in the standby line, sometimes a little longer, but they don’t have to physically stay in the queue. Instead, they can join the line virtually, wait out the designated time elsewhere in the park, and then return to the attraction for a shorter in-person wait.

Who qualifies for DAS at Disney?

Not all disabilities impact the ability to tolerate long waits in traditional queues. For example, guests in wheelchairs or electric conveyance vehicles may still be able to wait in many lines in their mobility devices. 

New updates to the resorts’ accessibility webpages further clarify DAS’ intended audience: “Guests, who due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.”

How do you qualify for a Disney disability pass?

Registering for DAS involves meeting with a specially trained cast member, who can determine if DAS is the right fit.

In the past, that could be done in advance online or in person at both resorts. The conversation lasts just minutes, though online waits have historically taken longer.

Need accomodations? Travelers with disabilities will need this card at some theme parks

How is DAS changing?

Starting May 20 for Disney World, guests may only enroll in DAS with a virtual video meeting, not in person at the parks. It’s highly recommended to do so in the planning stages of the trip, but virtual chats will also be available on the day of visits. Again, they will no longer be available in person at Disney World.

Disneyland guests may continue to register for DAS with a virtual video call ahead of their trip, which is strongly encouraged, or in person on the day of visits, but starting June 18, the location for registration will move from Guests Services inside the parks to the outside esplanade area between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

Virtual video calls will be similar to what existing and past DAS enrollees are used to having with cast members, but Disney is also partnering with Inspire Health Alliance , whose experts may be brought in.

DAS may be used by the enrollee and up to four companions (or more if there are more than four immediate family members who all want to experience an attraction together).

How long is DAS at Disney good for?

Guests who have already enrolled in DAS may use it for 60 days from their date of registration, with no changes required.

New enrollees registering between now and May 19 at Disney World or June 17 at Disneyland will have up to 30 days to use the service, starting from their date of registration.

Beginning May 20 at Disney World and June 18 at Disneyland, new DAS enrollments will be valid for 120 days, double the previous 60.

Why is Disney making these changes?

DAS has become the most requested service at Disneyland and Disney World in recent years, with the volume of users eclipsing the program’s intended audience and numbers only expected to grow. That in turn impacts waits and experiences for those who need the accommodations. 

The changes are designed to help ensure DAS reaches its intended audience. Meanwhile, Disney is also increasing the number of specially trained cast members to help guests with other access needs find the right accommodations. 

Those may include American Sign Language interpretation, Disney Handheld Devices that provide captions and visual descriptions for guests with hearing impairment, braille guidebooks and maps, sensory guides for attractions, and at Disneyland, Location Return Times for guests with mobility devices or other physical needs that can’t be accommodated by older, non-wheelchair accessible attraction queues.

What does Disney consider a disability? 

Disney recognizes all kinds of disabilities and access needs, many of which are invisible.

While guests won’t find an exhaustive list of disabilities on Disney’s websites, their newly updated accessibility pages serve as a first stop in navigating accommodations.

Cast members are also available to answer questions in staffed virtual chats. 

Does Disney request proof of disability?

Disney does not require documentation proving disability or access needs, nor will they be required with these upcoming changes.

Disney Parks Now Allow Obscene, Suggestive Clothing

in Disneyland Resort

The Disney dress code became a hot-button topic in 2022 after a viral TikTok encouraged guests to wear inappropriate clothing to the Disney theme parks. After a few Disney cast members gave complimentary t-shirts to guests who accidentally violated the attire policy, social media users tried to purposely get “dress-coded” for a free souvenir.

In response, Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort stopped offering free clothing to anyone violating the theme parks’ dress code. Security cast members still cracked down on violations but forced guests to purchase their own replacement shirts or change at their Disney Resort hotels or vehicles.

The Disney dress code trend spread like wildfire. People who’d never visited a Disney park in their lives suddenly knew in great detail that Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort didn’t allow shirts held together by ties, bra-style tops, and more. Some felt it was too strict, calling it misogynistic to police women’s clothing. Others felt like the Mouse could go further.

Now, though, Disney Parks fans say that some cast members have stopped enforcing the existing attire rules. This week, Disneyland Resort fans on Reddit discussed inappropriate clothing they spotted at Disneyland Park, Downtown Disney, and Disney California Adventure Park.

“My sister and I were fascinated with an older woman who had come to the park wearing one of those pink towel dresses with terry cloth straps that you wear at pools or around your house,” u/Kip-Anna recalled. “…The fact that she wasn’t wearing a bra or any leggings and just a pair of flip flops made it look like she had just got out of the shower. It remains the weirdest/most interesting outfit I ever saw at Disneyland.”

“We…notice a lot of shorts that are like a second pair of underwear – the kind where you know when they sit down the… bottom part of their butt is touching whatever they’re sitting on every time,” u/Carrie_Oaki e replied.

Much of the offensive clothing wasn’t revealing but featured controversial messaging.

“There are some very interesting choices of clothes, though, that make me wonder how they got into the park,” u/ChewieBee wrote. “Some people wear clothes that my wife calls ‘confident’ because of how revealing they are. Yesterday I saw a political shirt that said ‘ Gina Carano Was Right!’ in bold block letters and another political shirt that said ‘Raise Lions, Not Sheeps.’”

“Last month I saw a man wearing a shirt that said ‘f**k Joe Biden’ in huge letters on the back,” said u/febfifteenth . “I thought it was wildly inappropriate for a family friendly park, but I guess people have to make statements.”

If you’re unsure about one of your planned Disney Park outfits, it’s best to choose something else. Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort forbid costumes and masks for guests 14+, “clothing with objectionable material, including obscene language or graphics; excessively torn clothing or loose fitting clothing which may drag on the ground and create a potential trip hazard; bare feet; clothing which, by nature, exposes excessive portions of the skin that may be viewed as inappropriate for a family environment; [and] visible tattoos that could be considered inappropriate, such as those containing objectionable language or designs.”

Should Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort have a stricter dress code? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments.