9 Wild Disney Conspiracy Theories That Will Never Die

Nowadays it seems to be any big company, franchise or celebrity Fair game for conspiracy theorists, so it’s not surprising that Walt Disney and his living empire have been the subject of a great deal of far-fetched speculation. But even by the standards of the Conspirasphere, conjecture surrounding Disney tends to be downright odd.

Here are 10 of the most enduring and bizarre of the many myths and misconceptions that have sprung up around the House of Mouse over the years.

1. Walt Disney’s head is in a cryogenic storage

This might be the most widespread and popular of all the myths about Walt Disney and Disney Corporation. The story goes that when Walt died in 1966, his head (or, in some versions of the story, his entire body) was cryogenically frozen, to be revived once the appropriate technology became available. It seems the story may have appeared first 1967 in the tabloid The National Spotlight, later in the French magazine Ici Paris, and again in The National Tattler.

It is true that the first instance of cryogenic freezing of a human In 1967, there is no evidence that the Disney creator’s head or body was frozen. 1972, his daughter Diane, publicly rejected the idea. Speculation may have been fueled by Walt’s particularly private funeral. In fact, he was cremated, and his buried ashes at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

2. Walt left micromanagement videos for his executives for five years

Walt Disney, left, stands next to animator Ward Kimball, both men bending over a light box under a large circular lamp in front of a wall covered in storyboards for a 1950's series called Tomorrowland

This might be the least far-fetched theory on this list. Walt’s death from lung cancer was relatively sudden and came at a pivotal moment for the company. Walt Disney World was still under construction, and Walt’s brother Roy postponed his retirement to oversee the project. The myth persists that in his last days, Walt recorded a series of shorts specifically aimed at Disney executives and containing secret directions about the company’s future, including a list of films that were never made for the (yet not invented ) movie should be released. home video market. The theory goes that Walt’s vision was so important to Disney that he detailed every step he wanted his followers to take.

The popular fact check website snout has already moved on, pointing out the misconception that Walt had a tight handle on the small things of the company. In fact, by the time of Walt’s death, Roy Disney was already running most of the day-to-day operations. Walt’s role at the time was more akin to that of a creative consultant, and he held far less than a controlling interest in the company. The idea that he leaves these kinds of personal rundowns for his subordinates is highly unlikely.

3. Walt Disney left money in his will for the first man to conceive

In a 1951 black-and-white portrait, Walt Disney holds a stuffed Donald Duck on his lap as he reads from an issue of Alice in Wonderland

A completely bizarre entry here. Self snout cannot help us with an explanation of where this strange idea came from, other than pointing out that the image of an eccentric rich man leaving strange wishes and provisions in his will is very old. However, it must be said that while Walt Disney was a creative thinker, he was not particularly eccentric. Walt certainly had a strong interest in technologies that could enhance human potential in a way, but nowhere did he write or speak about human reproduction.

Unlike some of the items on this list, this one can be put to bed with relative ease now that Walt’s will is out a matter of public records. It is easy to see that Walt left 45% of his estate to his wife and children and 45% to the Disney Foundation. The rest were divided among other relatives, with no future pregnant man on the list.

4. Walt Disney was born out of wedlock

In an undated black-and-white portrait, Walk Disney crouches behind his wife Lillian and a Mickey Mouse doll, both of whom are sitting on an old-fashioned wooden sled with metal runners outside in the snow

If it’s in print, it must be true, right? This cracker can be traced back to a single book published in 1994 with an ominous title Walt Disney: Hollywood’s Dark Prince. It was written by a man named Marc Eliot, and within its pages are allegations that Walt was antisemite and a spy for the House Un-American Activities Committee, and that he forged his birth certificate since he was actually born to a peasant woman in Europe.

In fact, it’s well documented that Disney was born in Chicagoand Marc Eliot has been thoroughly discredited by pundits including Disney historian Didier Ghez, who labeled the book as “So full of mistakes, guesswork, willful lies, and unwitting ignorance that it’s hardly worth mentioning.” Eminent animation historian Michael closet agrees, describes dark prince as “by far the worst Disney biography I’ve ever read”.

5. Cinderella Castle can be disassembled and moved

A stock image of Cinderella Castle in Orlando, Florida's Walt Disney World Resort

Although the origins of this are unclear, this myth at least makes sense. Florida regularly suffers from extreme weather conditions due to its proximity to the tropics. Hurricanes are a regular occurrence, especially during the summer months when Disney World welcomes the greatest number of visitors. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so surprising if one of the theme park’s most popular attractions, the 54-meter-tall Cinderella Castle, could be dismantled in an emergency.

There is however No truth to this rumor. The castle was completed in July 1971 after 18 months of construction. 600 tons of steel bracing together with a reinforced concrete wall and a concrete substructure ensure that the building can allegedly withstand wind speeds of up to 200 km/h. The exterior design of the castle is inspired by real medieval castles around the world. It’s not a modular piece of architecture designed to be easily disassembled and moved.

6. Disney World is covered by a huge protective dome

U.S. Senator Mel Martinez smiles in the pouring rain at an outdoor podium with a Mickey Mouse head with the American flag on it during a mass naturalization ceremony at Walt Disney World in Florida July 4, 2007

This is another of the most persistent myths on this list, and it seems like some people live to fuel it, judging by some of the posts on Quora. Incredibly many people continue to believe that a giant invisible dome covers Disney World, keeping both inclement weather and pesky insects out.

This story is easily disproved by the number of holiday blogs who recommend the best times to visit Disney World to avoid rain. Further proof is the fact that the theme park has pre-planned bad weather backups, including a special Rainy Day Parade. The origins of this story may come from a real project for an air-conditioned dome originally intended to be at the heart of Disney World. Tentatively dubbed the “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow,” the idea was abandoned before construction began.

7. Nobody can die in a Disney park

Dancers dressed as colorful skeletons perform during the Halloween parade at Tokyo Disneyland on October 22, 2018

A macabre entry here, and a surprisingly popular one. To be clear, no one is claiming that Disney properties emanate magical life-giving energy, at least as far as we know. Rather, it is claimed that no one has ever been legally pronounced dead at a Disney park. This myth claims that Disney employees always remove deceased bodies from park grounds before notifying authorities, presumably to avoid negative publicity.

Aside from the legal implications of such an act, snout come to our aid again. The fact-checking website has unearthed at least three documented deaths on Disney properties, including four from the 1980s and another from 2018, when a utility worker at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort died after the wagon he was working on worked, tipped over and pinned him to the ground. While Disney has certainly been accused of being overzealous in protecting its public image, in this case it is clear.

8. The busts in the Haunted Mansion are modeled on Walt Disney’s face

Disneyland in California, Disney World in Florida and Tokyo Disneyland all feature the Haunted Mansion, a popular ride attraction that uses a mix of ancient theatrical techniques and cutting-edge technology to conjure a variety of spooky surprises. Some of the Haunted Mansion’s most famous residents are the Singing Busts, a group of five armless plaster torsos whose heads come to life and, thanks to a few subtleties, delight visitors with harmonious singing projected video effects.

In some versions of this myth, one of the busts is based on Walt Disney himself. In other versions, they are all. While Walt was known to be a versatile performer, that’s another theory that can easily be dismissed given that the Actor and singer identities behind the busts are known. Verne Rowe, Thurl Ravenscroft, Chuck Schroeder, Jay Meyer and Bob Ebright are the talents on display.

9. Walt Disney was a Nazi sympathizer

A stock photo of Walt Disney as the Grand Marshal of the Rose Parade in 1966, seated next to a costumed performer as Mickey Mouse, both of whom waved to the audience

At least part of the seditious theory that has been debunked goes back to Marc Eliot’s discredited book, Walt Disney: Hollywood’s Dark Prince. But modern cartoon comedies are also popular robot chicken And family Guy have shown jokes alluding to this myth. During World War II, Walt participated in the making of top-secret training films for the US military, which would have required the highest level of security. He also produced many propaganda short films criticism of the Nazis.

It is true that the German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, whose documentaries glorified Hitler’s regime, visited Disney Studios in 1938. She was in America to promote her new film about the Olympics. Walt invited her to tour his studio, however, refused to screen or endorse her film. Stories that Walt also met Benito Mussolini in Italy are false, and there is no credible evidence that Walt was anything other than an American patriot.