Walt Disney - Florida Attractions

Walt Disney - A Magic Journey

While Walt Disney is an American icon and known around the world, some of the perceptions of him and his story are more a result of clever public relations than of reality. Born in Chicago in 1901, his family life was hardly ideal. His father, in constant search for always elusive success, had little affection for his children but plenty of physical punishment. Disney's first escape from the realities of his family lay in his discovery of art. And while it may have been partly motivated by patriotism, his decision to join the Red Cross ambulance service at age 16 (his mother changed his birth date to make him appear to be 17) during World War I was almost certainly motivated by his desire to get away from home.

The story of how Walt Disney persevered in the face of problems that would have broken others, is remarkable. From arriving in Los Angeles, down to $40, and about to give up on animation, to winning twenty-two academy awards and building what's become the world's largest media company which now earns revenues in the 30 billion dollars a year range, is a classic American success story. Rife with difficulties and betrayal, Disney's journey is all the more fascinating because he was a closed, even suspicious person with a drive to control. His fascination with animation and incorporating the latest technology into his cartoons and films made him a leader and innovator.

His astute perception of what the public was looking for in entertainment, particularly in family-centered entertainment was probably one of the essential elements of his success. Critics, of course, tend to disapprove of Walt Disney and his works as being derivative, sterile and avoiding the hard edges of reality. Disney was building his own view of a better, cleaner world with fewer troubles and more safety and security. If it was unreal, it certainly was not unappreciated by real people. Popular culture is less about the hard edges and nastiness of life, than about getting away from exactly those features of our lives. Is it any wonder that the magic Disney wove through his cartoons, films and later his theme parks, has such a powerful appeal for children and parents who spend most of their time dealing with the difficulties of life?

Walt Disney's greatest masterpieces are really the theme parks he built and inspired. Using technology in the service of life-size three dimensional animation, he brought the magical worlds to life. His vision still guides the growth of the Disney resorts worldwide. The technical excellence and attention to the smallest details shown by Disney designers and engineers are the basis of the illusionary realities of the theme parks. The rides and attractions can be exciting but are never truly dangerous or extremely frightening. If they are a little scary, it's a happy, excited kind of scary. If the parks are cleaner, safer and better organized than any city - would you blame Disney for creating such a thing or question why the cities aren't more like Disney's theme parks? Only one thing can really account for the incredible popularity of the works of Walt Disney and that is that they touch and fulfill a deep need in people to escape a bit, to relax from 'reality' and to do it in an environment that's pleasant, appealing and even a little magical.

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