Did you Know Walt Disney Style?

Here are some little known facts about Walt Disney:

Walt tried to join the Army to fight in World War I. The problem was that he was too young. He was only 16 at the time. Walt went to work for the Red Cross where he was an ambulance driver.

Walt's first venture went bankrupt. In 1922, he founded the animation company Laugh-O-gram. The company ran into trouble and Walt sold his only movie camera for a one-way ticket to Hollywood.

Before Mickey Mouse, there was Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Walt helped create the character for Universal Studios in 1928.

Walt tried several sketches before settling on a mouse. Originally, Walt wanted to name Mickey Mortimer Mouse.

Walt's first full-length animated movie, Snow White, was not expected to do well. He ran well over budget (1.5 million dollars) and had to sell his house to get a loan for the movie. It became a huge success and made over 66 million in the United States alone. Today, the movie has made over 184 million dollars. Not bad for a movie created in 1937.

Walt was a train lover. He built a miniature railroad in his backyard. It had over 2,615 feet of track and even included a tunnel. His backyard railroad become an inspiration for the Disneyland park.

Walt respected his father greatly. Walt's dad made about $1.00 per day. Although Walt's dad didn't get to see Disneyland, there is a lamp in his window that is always lit in his honor.

Walt's bronze statue in Disneyland has a tie with the letters S, T, and R. This stands for Smoke Tree Ranch, Walt's ranch in Palm Springs California.