On October 16th, 1923, Walt Disney and his brother Roy founded the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. Today is October 16, 2023, and today marks the centennial of Disney. Throughout its century of existence, it would fill the hearts of billions of people with love, joy, and magic. I love Disney. In fact, I want to work for the Walt Disney Company when I grow up, and throughout this article, I intend to show you why. We will go through the history of Disney, the ups, the downs, and everything that was created because of this company. As we continue on, remember, it was all started by a mouse…

Chapter 1 – When You Wish Upon a Star

Walter Elias Disney was born on December 5, 1901 in Chicago. Walt, from the first moment he came into the world, was a dreamer. His brother, Roy, was 8 years older than him, and was a father figure to his younger brother. In 1906, the Disneys moved to Marceline, Missouri. In Marceline, Walt was at his happiest. During his time in the sleepy town, he drew paintings with tar on the side of his family’s barn, and was the class clown in school. Walt was told that he would never succeed, and that he was too focused on his drawings. Shortly after, Walt’s father Elias fell ill, and the family had to move to Kansas City. Walt was devastated. At only 16, Walt enlisted in the military for World War 1. Being too young, he was rejected, but he did go overseas to drive a red cross ambulance. After the war, Walt returned to Kansas City, but knew he wanted to follow his dream, his wish upon a star. In his few years back in the city, he marketed himself as a cartoonist, but didn’t get many sales. In the August of 1923, Walt moved to Hollywood with nothing but a few pencils and drawing materials, $40 in his pocket, and a dream. He eventually convinced Roy to help him, and the brothers pooled their resources. On October 16, 1923, exactly 100 years ago today, Walt and Roy founded the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, which would eventually become the Walt Disney Company.

Chapter 2 – The Humble Beginnings

If we are being specific, it wasn’t all started by a mouse. It was actually all started by a girl. This girl was named Alice, and was the star of Walt and Roy’s Alice Comedies, the first productions that the studio made. It was a mixture of live action and animation, and Walt was truly having fun. However, there’s something about Walt’s contract that we need to realize. Walt was signed on by Marget Winkler, the wife of Charles Mintz. Mintz worked for Universal Studios, and Walt’s contract binded him to the company. Walt, in this time, was animating with his long time friend, Ub Iwerks. Ub was Walt’s friend since Marceline, and was an extremely talented animator. Walt, under the contract with Mintz, created a new character after Alice was done. In 1927, Walt Disney created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Oswald was a smash hit, quickly becoming one of the most famous animated characters of his day. However, tragedy would soon strike. Just like a real villain in one of Disney’s future films, Mintz hired away all of Walt’s animators behind his back, and stole the rights to Oswald. Walt, now crushed, only had Ub and Roy at his side, along with his wife, Lillian. On the train ride back to Hollywood, Walt Disney made history, and forever changed the world. On that train ride, Walt Disney made the first sketch of Mickey Mouse.

Chapter 3 – The Mouse

Once Walt got home, Ub, the co-creator of Mickey, began to animate him. Roy started balancing the books to keep the studio afloat. Lillian decided to rename the mouse to Mickey, instead of Mortimer, a decision that would reverberate the ages. On November 18, 1928, Mickey Mouse was introduced to the world at the Colony Theatre in New York City with Steamboat Willie. This was the first short in history to synchronize sound and animation, and propelled Mickey to stardom. Through Mickey, the studio stayed afloat, and were able to perfect animation. Walt always wanted to be perfect, and introduced technicolor into his films throughout the 1930s. In 1937, however, the studio would forever change, by releasing the first fully animated film in history. This was Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs, and would become the highest-grossing film of all time when it was released. In the depression, Walt was able to use the Snow White money to propel the studio into its next age.

Chapter 4 – The Art of Animation

Disney was releasing quality film after quality film, all raking in the studio money. From Pinnochio to Bambi, this is the Golden Age for the Studio. Everything was going incredibly well, and it didn’t seem like anything could stop the Disney Studio. Until, not only Disney was stopped, but the whole world was as well. We enter into the Wartime Era, where Disney were contracted to make anti Nazi Propaganda during World War Two. The United States Military actually commandeered the new Disney studio in Burbank, California, and used it as a military base. During this time, Donald Duck rose to a higher level of fame than Mickey, and was a symbol of American Determination. After the war, the Company entered into the Silver Age, ushering in a new level of creativity never seen before in the Company’s history. From Cinderella to Peter Pan, the Company reached a new high. Walt, ever the dreamer, had his eye on one thing, and one thing only, and that was… Disneyland.

Chapter 5 – Disneyland

Walt always dreamed of Disneyland, and saw it in his head ever since he was young. When he was at the park with his two young daughters, Walt always used to sit on a bench and watch the girls play. He would always have a snack of peanuts, and would watch and sit. Walt, on that day, saw how dirty the parks were. In the 1940s and 50s, parks were dirty, and were used for adult entertainment. Walt knew that his park would never be like that, and on that day, Walt Disney dreamed up his Magic Kingdom. It started as “Mickey Mouse Park”, just a little park across the street from the studio, but Walt, ever ambitious, wanted to turn his dreams into reality. The budget inflated widely, and the project was moved to Anaheim, California. After a year of building and planning, ABC broadcasted the opening of Disneyland on July 17, 1955 to 90 million viewers. Walt opened the presentation with a speech, a speech I know to heart. Starting with, “To all who come to this happy place, welcome.” The opening, however, was a disaster. Women’s heels melted into the not yet hardened concrete, and the bathrooms aren’t working. Walt, however, considered the opening a success, and Disneyland quickly became the most popular attraction in the world. However, Disney was about to enter a terrifying new reality. One that had them questioning, “What Would Walt Do?”

Chapter 6 – The Dark Age

On December 15, 1966, Walt Disney passed away from lung cancer. Walt was a heavy smoker his whole life, and passed away due to this. The Company, and the world, were shocked. Roy, always determined, picked up the reins, and continued his brother’s dream. Walt’s last project was the Florida Project, or, as you may know it as, Walt Disney World. Roy continued his dream, and Walt Disney World was opened on October 1, 1971. Roy Disney passed away two months later, almost like he was hanging on to finish what he and his brother started. Without a Disney running Disney, the Company was in shambles, and would go on to fight a hostile takeover attempt, lose money at all new theme parks, including Euro Disneyland (now Disneyland Paris), and release horrible new films that suffered at the box office. However, although Disney’s magic was dimmed, the flame was never out, and when Micheal Eisner entered as the new CEO, the candle flared up once more.

Chapter 7 – The Disney Renaissance

In the Disney Renaissance, new CEO Micheal Eisner, and Co-Ceo, Frank Wells, would go on to reignite Disney. Although Eisner made some interesting decisions in his time, there is no understanding the importance of what he did. The Disney Renaissance included films such: Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, the Lion King, and Aladdin, and so many more. These films changed the Company forever. The parks started to pick up steam once more, as Disneyland celebrated its 30th. The first Disney store was opened, and the Company was full steam ahead. However, at the end of the Renaissance, the Studio started to lose steam. Eisner, now replaced with Bob Iger, knew that something had to be done, and that’s when the Magic happened.

Chapter 8 – From Studio to Empire

Throughout the 2000s, Disney, under the leadership of Iger, turned into the Multi-Media conglomerate we know it as today. In 2006, Disney bought Pixar, helping to take the weight off of its own failing films at the box office. However, this was only the beginning. In 2009, Disney bought Marvel Entertainment, securing the rights to Spider-Man and all of the other heroes from Marvel. Under Disney, Marvel continued to make the MCU, becoming the most successful box office franchise in history. In 2012, Disney then bought Lucasfilm, securing the rights to Indiana Jones and Star Wars. Under Disney, the extremely controversial sequels trilogy were made for Star Wars, but there is no doubting that they were massive box office hits. Finally, in 2019, Disney made the biggest purchase it had ever made. For 71 billion dollars, Disney bought Fox, bringing characters like Homer Simpson under the Disney Umbrella. This was all preparing for the launch of Disney+ in the Fall of 2019, propelling Disney into the Streaming Wars. Disney is now 100 years old today, and this brings us to the present of this amazing Company.

Chapter 9 – 100 Years of Wonder

Disney holds a special place in my heart, and the hearts of billions. I decided I wanted to work at Disney a couple of years ago, and that is because of everything I said in this article. Disney is a shining beacon of all that we hold dear in this world, and the magic that it can create is in all of our hearts. Now, Disney is faced with new challenges. From fighting political battles, to dealing with low box office returns, Disney has it out for them heading into the next century. However, if we’ve seen anything from what I’ve told you all today, Disney is always ready for the next challenge. This is all the surface level information, although I’m sure this seems very in depth. I collected this knowledge through my passion, and have this in my head like a book. That’s the magic that Disney can create. And, as Walt always said, “If you can Dream it, you can do it.”. The Walt Disney Company is truly special. The next few years will be hard, but I know that they can do it. For as long as there are dreamers in this world, there are always stars for them to wish upon. And because of those stars, and those dreams, there will always be… magic.