Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

[Disney Wrassler]

If this is in the wrong forum, please move it to a more, well suited forum moderators .


All of us Disney fans know who Walt Disney is. But it seems to me that many of the younger generations have little knowledge about him and his accomplishments. Heck, a lot of them probably would not even know who he is unless you brink up stuff like the Disney Channel, VMK, Disneyland, and Mickey Mouse.

So with the rising of newer generations of children, do you think the image of Walt Disney is currently fading away into Yesterland?

[Nancywitt]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

Like most things in life, we must teach our children the things we think are important. My two boys, 10 and 6, diffinitly know who Walt is, because I told them all about him.

I don't think the image of Walt Disney is fading away. Because of Disneyland, he will live forever. But it wouldn't hurt to bring him up in conversation every now and again and to tell children about him when the opportunity arrises.

[duckiedianne]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

I went to Disneyland on Monday with some friends from Michigan. As we reached the hub, one of them pointed to the Walt and Mickey statue and asked, "Who's that?" I was flabbergasted!

[FantasyWatersDude]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

I've noticed that too, I have asked several people at my school if they know who Walt Disney is or happened to mention them in one of my sentences and they respond something like this: "hey Walt Disney, is he that guy who built that place in california?" and I get all kinds of dumb answers, some don't even know who he is.

[barfownz]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

I went to Disneyland on Monday with some friends from Michigan. As we reached the hub, one of them pointed to the Walt and Mickey statue and asked, "Who's that?" I was flabbergasted!

Ive been through that situation before.

[Radiobarry]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

I've noticed that too, I have asked several people at my school if they know who Walt Disney is or happened to mention them in one of my sentences and they respond something like this: "hey Walt Disney, is he that guy who built that place in california?" and I get all kinds of dumb answers, some don't even know who he is.

I see the point, but by the same token there are schoolkids who can't tell George Washington from George Bush to George of the Jungle. Some kids also can't find California on a map.

Still, this is a point addressed by Diane Disney-Miller in an interview with Leonard Maltin on the newest Disney Treasures DVD, that to a lot of folks now the name Disney is just something that's part of the company logo.

It's up to all of us to keep Walt's memory and legacy alive, and I think the company could do more to than end as well.

--Barry

[Walt Jr.]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

Walt Jr. Challenge- Educate at least 30 People about Walt Disney in the New Year.

[FrumiousBoojum]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

People really don't know what he looks like anymore, I've learned. Most seem to think that the statue of Roy and Minnie at Magic Kingdom is Walt. Sad, really, especially when they think he's also the one in the Partners Statue (which at least they're right about).

[DisneyIPresume]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

People really don't know what he looks like anymore, I've learned. Most seem to think that the statue of Roy and Minnie at Magic Kingdom is Walt. Sad, really, especially when they think he's also the one in the Partners Statue (which at least they're right about).

Is this the statue that is in the hub at MK? Because I thought that was an exact duplicate of the Walt/Mickey statue at DL?

[FrumiousBoojum]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

At Magic Kingdom, they have the same statue in the hub as Disneyland. However, in honour of Roy O. Disney's contribution to taking over and seeing WDW to opening, there's a statue of Roy on a bench seated next to Minnie Mouse. It's a bit more hidden, a little more out of the way. Easy to miss for most people. But it pretty much is a good show of the characters: Walt the prominent frontman, Roy the behind-the-scenes man that stayed out of the public eye. In some ways, I like the Roy statue better. For one thing, you can actually go up to it and sit down in between Roy and Minnie.

[Wren]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

Is this the statue that is in the hub at MK? Because I thought that was an exact duplicate of the Walt/Mickey statue at DL?

Theres a bench near the hub in the Magic Kingdom I believe with statues of Roy and Minnie sitting in them near the Partners statue.

[Disney Wrassler]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

I see the point, but by the same token there are schoolkids who can't tell George Washington from George Bush to George of the Jungle. Some kids also can't find California on a map.

Still, this is a point addressed by Diane Disney-Miller in an interview with Leonard Maltin on the newest Disney Treasures DVD, that to a lot of folks now the name Disney is just something that's part of the company logo.

It's up to all of us to keep Walt's memory and legacy alive, and I think the company could do more to than end as well.

--Barry

EXACTLY! These days people only see Disney as a company and don't even know it's history. It's one reason why I wish Disney Channel would air some of the classic Disneyland shows again on television.

[mainstreetcm]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

I hate to say it, but I think most people view the name Disney as a giant corporation these days. Not to say that the founders image is beginning to fade, as I feel that Walt Disney himself gave so much to our world that he will never completely just disapper. However, a majority of non-Disney fans do look at Disney as just another company in our capatilistic world. I've made it a pretty damn good notion to try and at least educate them about the companies beginnings and what it has given to the world or entertainment and engineering.

[Disneyland Daddy]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

All of us Disney fans know who Walt Disney is. But it seems to me that many of the younger generations have little knowledge about him and his accomplishments. Heck, a lot of them probably would not even know who he is unless you brink up stuff like the Disney Channel, VMK, Disneyland, and Mickey Mouse.

So with the rising of newer generations of children, do you think the image of Walt Disney is currently fading away into Yesterland?

Sadly, I think you are correct. Many just see the name "DISNEY" as a corporation or a 'brand' - they forget that there was a family named "DISNEY" and it was an empire created by them.

How can people, today, be educated in this?

[Disney Wrassler]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

Sadly, I think you are correct. Many just see the name "DISNEY" as a corporation or a 'brand' - they forget that there was a family named "DISNEY" and it was an empire created by them.

How can people, today, be educated in this?

I think one way is for Disney to do a big push involving Walt Disney and the history of the company. It would be neat if they also aired his shows again on Disney channel. Thankfully with the Disney Treasure releases we can purchase shows that showcase Walt and his creations and show them to the young ones around us. But it's definatly the parents, family and friends that are the most influential at teaching the children about Walt Disney. I think many of the young kids would find information about Walt and his creations to be quite interesting.

[Gemini Cricket]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

Walt who?
:lol:


People should never forget him.

[desertdweller]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

I believe this is probably true but not surprising. Every era has their icons and celebrities and some continue to be adored for decades and others fade into hazy oblivion.

Disney enjoyed great celebrity throughout most of his adult life. He was the most recognized studio executive of his time and the move into TV only fortified and increased his status and made him recognizable to many more millions of people.

Before him there were numerous icons that were beloved by the public and became household names. But, unlike most of them Walt Disney was closely associated with a whole entertainment empire and style.

While the actual man will become pretty much forgotten by future generations, the name will always be with us.

[Hayley B]

Re: Is Walt Disney becoming a forgotten figure?

When I was a kid and got to see Walt Disney for the first time on tv. I was asking a bunch of questions like "Who is he?" and my father would reply "That's Walt Disney. He's dead" . I remember being very clueless thinking Walt Disney is just a word to me (Meaning cartoons,Donald Duck,Mickey Mouse) and I was probably clueless of my father telling me he's dead while Walt Disney is talking to us on tv right now.

But every question I asked that night; was always ended with "He's dead".

I remember asking "Walt Disney is a real person?" and then my father would answer "Yes he was a real person. He's dead".

When I think about this very short memory I kind of wonder if they said something that was considered stupid to my father. Because my question is now; why did he kept repeating like that? and I was too young to catch what they were saying.

But that is how I got to learned that Walt Disney existed and has always been that he was no longer with us.