Disney wasn’t the original surname of Walt Disney. What was it?

Walt Disney’s original surname was ‘d’Isigny’ (pronounced Deez-nay) since his ancestors originated from France. Thankfully, they changed it in time otherwise Disney World would have been d’Isigny World.

What was the academic qualification of the world’s most famous entertainer?

Walt Disney didn’t graduate from High School. In fact, he dropped out from McKinley High School at the age of 16. He, however, won honorary degrees from noted universities such as, Yale, Harvard and UCLA.

Walt Disney suffered from which disability?

Walt Disney was dyslexic and overcame the odds to build the Disney Empire. Dyslexia is a learning difficulty condition where the person has difficulty reading and writing, as well as spelling.

Where did Walt Disney conceive his most popular character and what was its first name?

When Walt Disney was told to face a budget cut by Universal Studios in the late 1920s, he decided to replace Oswald the lucky Rabbit, not a Disney-property, with a new character. On a train journey from New York to California in 1928, he recalled a mouse he had tamed during his days in Kansas City. It was this memory that inspired him to conceive Mortimer Mouse, a name that was later changed to Mickey Mouse on his wife‘s suggestion. And the rest is history. (In reality, Walt Disney was afraid of mice!)

What odd jobs did Walt Disney take before becoming a tycoon?

Walt Disney delivered newspapers as a paper boy when he was young, while during the World War I, he worked as an ambulance driver for the Red Cross although he wasn’t 18 then. He also temporarily worked at a studio named Pesmen-Rubin Arts Studio, as a cartoonist before opening his own company.

Walt Disney used Aliases at times but all these pointed to him. How?

Walt Disney is reported to have used the names ‘Retlaw Elias Yensid’ or ‘Retlaw Yensid’. These are both his real name spelled backwards.

What makes the name of Mickey Mouse’s character in Fantasia significant?

In Fantasia, Walt Disney named the Sorcerer Yen Sid is his own last name spelled backwards.

Was a Disney character ever banned in any country for any reason?

No. There was an urban myth that Donald Duck was banned in Finland since he never wore pants, but as it turned out, there was no such ban on the Duck or any other Disney character.

How many Oscars has Walt Disney won and what is special about this achievement?

Walt Disney has won more Oscars than anyone else: 32 during his 43-year career. No person is even near Walt Disney in this race!

How did the US Postal Service pay tribute to Walt Disney after his death?

Walt Disney’s picture appeared on a six cent US commemorative postage stamp issued in his honour in 1968 — nearly two years after his death.