Walt Disney

**Walther Elias "Walt" Disney** (1901-1966) is the historic businessman, animator and voice-actor who co-founded the Walt Disney Company and WED Enterprises. A fictionalized, romanticized version of the historic figure appears in the continuity of *Tower of Terror* attractions.

## History

### Biography

Both *Tower of Terror* and *The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror* have alternate-history versions of Walt Disney. While *Tower of Terror* and *The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror* have continuities which can be lead back to one another, they are not immediately connected and follow different themes in their respective depictions of Walt Disney.

#### Tower of Terror

Unlike his real-world counterpart, this Walt Disney was born at-least 20 years prior to 1908. In 1908, Walt and his brother Roy travelled to the British colony of Mystic Point, New Guinea to attend the opening of the colony to the public as hosted by British colonizer, Lord Henry Mystic. In the 1920, Walt seemingly worked for the colonial *Jungle Navigation Company* where he approved boat designs.

By the 1930s, Walt was the head of the successful Walt Disney Company and its many subsidiaries. In 1941, Walt, his wife Lillian and their affiliates went on a vacation to South America with the south American tour-guide, "Trader Sam". Walt and Sam became friends with Walt regularly visiting Sam's bar in Polynesia where he was considered to be Sam's best customer. Walt and Sam's relationship seemingly continued into the 1960s with a photo of Walt having been hung in the bar's sister-location.

#### Buena Vista Street

Walt Disney was an American animator who came to Los Angeles in 1923. During this time, Walt spent much time on Buena Vista Street where he and his brother Roy made cartoons called *The Alice Comedies*. These cartoons involved girls filmed in live-action alongside a cartoon character named Julius the Cat, seemingly inspired by Buena Vista Street resident Julius Katz. Also while living on the street, Walt made a comic called, "Merry Menagerie" which would be published in *The Buena Vista Bugle* newspaper.

In 1928, Disney found success the cartoon *Steamboat Willie* and character of Mickey Mouse, inspired by Buena Vista Street business-owner Mortimer McKenzie. The success of Mickey Mouse lead to to the successful Walt Disney Company. Walt is referenced as having worked alongside a living Mickey Mouse born on the November 18 of 1928, presumably created from Walt's artwork.

Many of the characters which Walt created were inspired by the figures whom he encountered during his time on Buena Vista Street. Artists for the company would include those hired from the neighbourhood such as various employees from the Atwater School of Art. In 1937, Walt and his company made the first full-length animated feature film *Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs* which debuted in the *Carthay Circle Theatre*. At the film's debut was a young Shirley Temple whom Walt took a photograph alongside.

## Tower of Terror connections

### Buena Vista Street

Buena Vista Street is themed to being a fictionalized depiction of Los Angeles that an in-universe Walt Disney lived in when he first arrived in the city in the 1920s. Many of the elements throughout the street are themed towards Walt's history such as *Elias & Co.* being named for Walt's father Elias Disney, and *Lounge 1901* being named for Walt's birth-year. Walt's likeness can also be found throughout the area such as a bronze statue of a young Walt with Mickey Mouse and a 1939 photo of him and Shirley Temple in the *Carthay Circle Restaurant*.

#### Buena Vista Bugle

He is frequently referenced as an in-universe character in The Buena Vista Bugle newspaper.

#### Carthay Circle

Two photographs of Walt appear within the Carthay Circle Theatre. One shows him alongside a young Shirley Temple at the premiere of Snow White while another shows him and his brother Roy with child-actress Margie Gay from their 1920s cartoons, *The Alice Comedies*.

#### Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe

The Silver Lake Sisters are implied to have inspired Walt's 1933 animated short *The Three Little Pigs*. Advertisements asking for actresses to play Alice in the Alice Comedies are posted on a bulletin-board.

#### Julius Katz & Sons

Walt Disney appears at the end of KBVS', "Scary Symphony" performance.

#### Oswald's

Walt Disney appears at the end of KBVS', "Scary Symphony" performance.

#### Red Car Trolley

The ad for Elias & Co. shows a man resembling Walt.

### S.S. Columbia

In Disneyland Paris' Main Street, U.S.A., there is a mural advertising Cornelius Endicott II's business, the *U.S. Steamship Company*. On this mural, Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse are visible on the deck, holding hands.

### Sunset Boulevard

#### Once Upon a Time

Photographs of Walt at the premiere of Snow White are hung up in the Carthay Circle Theatre.

#### Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith

The Walt Disney Company's music division were clientele of G-Force Records.

### Other connections

#### Disney's Hollywood Studios

Walt and The Walt Disney Company are referenced throughout this fictionalized depiction of Hollywood.

#### Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT!

The Collector has a vintage map of Disneyland in his office along with assorted vintage Disney paraphernalia. Rocket Racoon says he can see Disneyland from the top of the Collector's fortress. Walt Disney also makes a photo cameo in the queue of *Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind* in EPCOT.

#### Jungle Cruise

Walt's signature, "**W.E.D.**" is on the blueprints for boats used by the Jungle Navigation Company in the 1920s. In the Skipper Canteen, is a book titled, "True Life Adventures" by W.E.D. and a, "Merry Menagerie" comic signed by him, pinned to the bulletin-board in the mess-hall. Photographs of Walt also appear in the *Trader Sam's* bars which explain he met Sam on his 1941 goodwill tour in South America then later became his, "Best customer". The Disney Broadcasting Company is also referenced as broadcasting *AWOL Airwaves*, a Jungle Navigation Company broadcast run by Skipper Albert Awol. Main Street, U.S.A. identifies Walt as founder of the, "Disneyland Casting Agency", an organization which included Trader Sam and hired skippers for the Jungle Cruise.

#### Mystic Manor

A photograph in Mystic Manor shows Walt and Roy Disney as young men, in attendance of Lord Henry Mystic opening Mystic Manor up to the public in 1908.

#### Tower of Terror

Walt is not referenced in this attraction but is connected to other characters in its backstory. In *Mystic Manor*, Walt and his brother Roy are shown at Lord Henry Mystic's opening of Mystic Point in 1908. In *Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar*, Walt is established as having been a close friend of Trader Sam since 1941, Sam being the alleged grandson of Billamongawonga. In the Magic of Disney Animation and Hollywood Hotel, Harrison Hightower IV is mentioned as having worked for *Disney Pictures* as a screenwriter on *The Bride of Frankenollie*.

#### Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Walt's creation Mickey Mouse is referenced in the attraction. On the October 31 of 1939, child-actress Sally Shine had a plush Mickey Mouse toy when she boarded the elevator which killed her and sent her to the 5th Dimension. In the library of the Hollywood Tower Hotel is a copy of the 1927 album, *What! No Mickey Mouse?* by Irving Caesar.

## Trivia

* In-universe, Walt is referenced as having worked alongside a living Mickey Mouse whom he also created. This seems to follow the lore of the film *Who Framed Roger Rabbit* (1989) in which cartoon characters or, "Toons" are sentient creatures created by cartoon artwork; with Walt himself having been referenced as a major creator in the film. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is also connected to the backstory of Buena Vista Street and was a major source of theming for *Disney's Hollywood Studios*.
* In real-life, Mickey was co-created by Ub Iwerks who was largely betrayed by Walt. Iwerks is referenced as a denizen of Buena Vista Street though it is unclear if in-universe he assisted in Mickey's creation.

## Gallery

A photo of Walt and Shirley Temple on Buena Vista StreetIn *Once Upon a Time*Alongside Roy Disney and Margie Gay in a Carthay Circle photo
## References

1. ↑ https://dlrmaps.com/buena-vista-bugles/
2. ↑ http://findingmickey.squarespace.com/other-hidden-dca/buena-vista-street/16003134
3. ↑ https://www.mouseplanet.com/10464/D23\_Expo\_\_Broadcasts\_From\_Buena\_Vista\_Street
4. ↑ https://allears.net/2012/06/22/a-tour-of-buena-vista-street/
5. ↑ https://secretsdisney.com/2019/12/15/mickey-se-cache-a-bord-du-paquebot/
6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4vlDgGE9GY
7. ↑ https://duchessofdisneyland.com/california-adventure/buena-vista-street-mailboxes/
8. ↑ https://orlandoparkstop.com/news/feature/hidden-things-roger-rabbit-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/