Disney at 100: A Personal Retrospective

I’ve been searching for exactly what the right words are to say on The Walt Disney Company and its 100^th Anniversary. As plentiful as the thoughts may be, the form and the coherency play over in my mind. I mean, how do you talk about a brand that is beyond "just" a brand? A company that is so multi-faceted that its many concepts and intellectual properties have played out in so many areas of my life?

Pictures of two-year-old me at Disneyland on family trips. Stories of screaming my head off when Chip (or was it Dale?) started pushing me in my stroller. Memories of playing the “Mickey Mouse Club – Mouskedances and Other Mousketeer Favorites” LP, and learning the special days of the week; I still know that Tuesday is the best day for a Guest Star! Turning on the Disney Channel during free preview weekends on cable TV to watch “Good Morning Mickey!” and Mousercise. Watching “The Little Mermaid” on a rental from Blockbuster Video and realizing Disney was truly beginning a renaissance in their animated films. 

I went through so many VHS cassettes recording those preview weekends....

Going on a class trip to Disneyland my freshman year of high school, riding the Skyway and watching the Main Street Electrical Parade from above. Buying the Mary Poppins soundtrack and discovering the magical Sheman Brothers in an interview on that same soundtrack. Discovering how much more the Sherman Brothers had shaped my childhood through so many things, inside AND outside of Disney. Going to see “Fantasia” on its 50^th Anniversary re-release and becoming enthralled – although I was very aware of Walt Disney, this movie really started me off on my journey of discovering more about the man.



Getting hired on as an opening team Cast Member at our local Disney Store and learning how dangerous a cast discount on minimum wage can be. Soaking up Dave Smith’s “Disney A-Z” book in the breakroom until I bought my own copy. Becoming my store’s three-time Disney Trivia representative for the district competition (nope, never made it to nationals, but was happy to make it as far as I did).

Meeting my future wife while a Cast Member and bonding over more than just our love for Disney, although it certainly was a plus! Getting married and honeymooning at Disneyland, and then planning lots of future visits together. Discovering a love for the music of the theme parks on top of a deep established love for Disney music in general thanks to “Disneyland Forever” kiosks. Making friends though an online Disney community, forging bonds that continue today.



When our Wendy met Peter.

Having a daughter and being able to share our love of Disney with her. Taking her to Disneyland at 20 months old, watching her take in every ride with a very concentrated and serious interest. Taking her to her first movie, “Tangled,” listening to her sing the songs throughout the house, and repeating the process with more Disney movies at home and on the screen. Watching her joy as (her favorite) Peter Pan came out of the parade to have a Peter-Wendy moment we will never forget. Experiencing our first Disney Cruise, with a stop at The Walt Disney Family Museum. Seeing a very human side of Walt, something that can easily be missed in the mythos of the Disney universe.



Visiting Walt's bench from Griffith Park at the Walt Disney Family Museum

Watching Disney Theatrical’s shows such as “Newsies” and watching my daughter become immersed in a world of theatre in ways that are shaping her own future. Having the opportunity to have a featured piece in Jeff Kurtti’s amazing book “Practically Poppins in Every Way,” discussing one of my favorite subjects – storytelling. Working on Disney projects behind the scenes, reminding myself that I will always be a lifelong student and there is ALWAYS more to learn. Taking those learning moments to begin to craft a story of Disney over the past 100 years – a project that WILL continue until all 100 years are covered. Taking my family’s many trips to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Disney Cruise Line with our knowledge and experience into the world of travel agency. Writing these many experiences knowing there are so many I have not mentioned and so many more we have yet to experience…

Seeing my writing in print in a bookstore is something I've always dreamed of seeing, and to be part of this amazing collaboration was an even bigger dream come true!

And I’m realizing that, at the heart of it, those ARE the right words right now. The memories of what the word “Disney” means to me. It may not be my life, but is definitely a big part of my life – even defining in multiple ways. It’s the beauty of a company that was started by a cartoonist who had ambitions way beyond a cartoon mouse, yet never failed to forget what that mouse meant for him. It was a man who dreamed, worked, succeeded, and failed. It went from a small studio in California to a multi-faceted company with worldwide reach and influence. It’s brought smiles to faces and tears to eyes. It’s not a Midas-like company that turns everything it touches to gold, but has touched lives in many different ways. Say “Mickey Mouse” to a child and watch their eyes light up. Mention Disneyland to an adult and often they can relay favorite childhood memories of their own family vacation. Hum a bit of “Chim Chim Cher-ee” or “Part of Your World,” and others recognize the tune and say, “Oh, I loved that movie!” or “That’s my favorite Disney song!” Wear a character shirt in public, and it sparks the same type of conversation. Read countless stories of how Disney and Make a Wish have partnered together to make so many children’s dreams come true. Talk to a new friend and learn about how a story or song helped them through a difficult time in their life…

These days, we’ve become a very reactive society. Information pops up so rapidly, as does misinformation. We’ve made up our minds about movies, mergers, theme park additions, and more before they’ve happened. Some ideas get people very excited, while others make people quite upset. We bemoan the changes to our norm, and can view the new with a skeptical eye. Not every idea will be a “hit,” and some ideas that may be a miss for one person may be a new memory for another. This especially holds true for the Walt Disney Company. It’s not the Disney of my childhood, but then, it’s also not the Disney of my father’s childhood. My daughter’s Disney will be different from mine as well. It’s the beauty of Disney – it holds different memories… different meanings… for everyone.

As Walt Disney once said, “Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” As The Walt Disney Company looks towards its coming years, change is bound to occur. It may not be the Disney we knew, but the memories that helped shape us into fans, collectors, historians, music lovers, theme park enthusiasts, and storytellers will remain thanks to the true magic that Disney holds in the hearts of millions worldwide.

And there are more memories to be made.

"Just a Dream Away!"



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