The Wonderful World of Disney.

[Bugman]

Who didn't love Disney as a child? Walt was born December 5, 1901 in Chicago. As a child he lived in Canada, Florida, Kansas and Missouri. The building where he founded the Laugh-O-Gram company in Kansas City Missouri is still standing, but was in bad shape the last time I was there. When the company went bankrupt Disney moved to Los Angeles, and was on his way to becoming an American Icon. His TV show was a must see when I was a kid. Shows such as The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh (based on a real man but heavily fictionalized) and Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier (also largely fictional but that's Hollywood) bring back many fond memories. And the films, so many classics. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Pinocchio, The Jungle Book.

When Walt died December 15, 1966 at 66 it broke my heart. A lot of the magic went out of Disney Studios for me. It was not until many years later that I learned about his actions during the early years of the cold war, and the charges of anti-semitism that were leveled against him. Today, I have mixed feelings about him. A brilliant man, but that dark side bothers me if it's true. We don't like learning our childhood heros are human afterall.

 

[venray]

We recently watched Emil and the Detectives and the 3 part Scarecrow of Romney Marsh.... I first saw these on the Wonderful world of Disney when I was a kid and wanted to expose my son to the things I used to watch...

He loved them both.....now for Davy Crocket and Daniel Boone...

 

[phant0m]

Consider this and the time he grew up in. Almost every white person was anti-Semitic to some degree back then. Even before Hitler Jews were seen as second class citizens in most countries. Walt was not an activist anti-Semite, but he was probably as bad as your own great grandparents were (unless you're Jewish yourself).

 

[Knox The Hatter]

Re Walt's anti-semitism: Michael Eisner. Ha ha!

 

[Bugman]

Consider this and the time he grew up in. Almost every white person was anti-Semitic to some degree back then. Even before Hitler Jews were seen as second class citizens in most countries. Walt was not an activist anti-Semite, but he was probably as bad as your own great grandparents were (unless you're Jewish yourself).

Oh, I know that's how things were then. I'm not at all naive about our history, or history in general. I just wanted to believe Walt was different I guess. No, my family is not Jewish.

 

[Bugman]

We recently watched Emil and the Detectives and the 3 part Scarecrow of Romney Marsh.... I first saw these on the Wonderful world of Disney when I was a kid and wanted to expose my son to the things I used to watch...

He loved them both.....now for Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone...

The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh was a great, albeit short, series. For three years running, I insisted mom make me a Scarecrow costume for Halloween. 😀

 

[Rustenexcel87]

I recently watched Johnny Tremain after reading about the Liberty Tree in Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom on the Disney Parks blog. A nice experience might I add.
Yes Walt did have his dark side as all Disney movies do, but one got to take the good with the bad. For his many faults he also created a lasting legacy that to this day brings joy to both the young and young at heart. Next month I will be going to both Disney Land in California for three days and Disney World in Florida for 8 days. I happen to be a ride guy and while one of my many happy places is Splash Mountain I can spend a day in any of those parks not riding the rides just looking at the happy faces of the people there. To watch a child experience Disney is just pure magic, for them and you. The way my three year old niece's eyes light up when she tells us that we are going to eat dinner in "Cindy's Castle" when we are at "Mickey's House", is just the best.
Yes Walt was human and like all of us he was a prick at times. With that said though, with the "magic" (for the better term) his products create be it through the movies, merchandise, theme parks, or other forms of media; I personally believe that all the good Walt did outweighs his dark side. My childhood would not have been the same had there not been a Walt Disney.

 

[milagros317]

I watched the Disney television show every week as a child. He was a genius at animation and entertainment in general.

 

[paracarl44]

Walt was a Dreamer. The World is a better place because of his visions.

 

[Bugman]

I recently watched Johnny Tremain after reading about the Liberty Tree in Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom on the Disney Parks blog. A nice experience might I add.
Yes Walt did have his dark side as all Disney movies do, but one got to take the good with the bad. For his many faults he also created a lasting legacy that to this day brings joy to both the young and young at heart. Next month I will be going to both Disney Land in California for three days and Disney World in Florida for 8 days. I happen to be a ride guy and while one of my many happy places is Splash Mountain I can spend a day in any of those parks not riding the rides just looking at the happy faces of the people there. To watch a child experience Disney is just pure magic, for them and you. The way my three year old niece's eyes light up when she tells us that we are going to eat dinner in "Cindy's Castle" when we are at "Mickey's House", is just the best.
Yes Walt was human and like all of us he was a prick at times. With that said though, with the "magic" (for the better term) his products create be it through the movies, merchandise, theme parks, or other forms of media; I personally believe that all the good Walt did outweighs his dark side. My childhood would not have been the same had there not been a Walt Disney.

While I've never been to any of the Disney parks, I find nothing here to disagree with. I suppose I've pretty much come to terms with the facts. As I mentioned earlier, learning that those we idolized as children have feet of clay is a bit of a let down, no matter how late in our own lives it happens.