While Disney may be best known for turning folktales into multi-million-dollar animated dreams, it also sometimes draws inspiration from real life.
Between 2006 and 2011, Disney featured a CGI intro at the beginning of all of its films, with elements that were dear to the creator, Walt Disney.
The intro begins with a bright star shining in the night sky, with the brightest star representing the second star to Peter Pan’s right.
The ‘camera’ then descends into the Magic Kingdom and crosses a bridge over a river to the sea as a train descends a railroad track.
He then flies over the top of a castle that looks like both Sleeping Beauty Castle and Cinderella with a flag bearing the Disney family crest, while fireworks go off and a glowing arch flies overhead.
While many may recognize the famous castle and star from Peter Pan, people often don’t realize that the river and bridge are inspired by a river in a valley near Idaho and Washington.
Between 2006 and 2011, Disney featured a CGI intro at the beginning of all of its films, with elements that were dear to the creator, Walt Disney.
The river and bridge represent the Snake River in the Lewiston Clark Valley, which borders the states of Idaho and Clarkston, Washington.
The reason this particular river appears before the beginning of every Disney movie is due to its special connection to the studio’s creator, Walt.
The valley is near Lewiston in Idaho, where the creator’s wife, Lillian Marie Disney, moved in 1920 and went to business school.
The river and bridge represent the Snake River in the Lewiston Clark Valley, which borders the states of Idaho and Clarkston, Washington.
The reason this particular river appears before the beginning of every Disney movie is due to its special connection to the studio’s creator, Walt.
The valley is near Lewiston in Idaho, where the creator’s wife, Lillian Marie Disney, moved in 1920 and went to business school.
In December 1923, Lillian moved to Los Angeles to be with her sister looking for work and ended up at Disney Brothers Cartoon Studios after Walt asked her to work for him.
In 1925, the couple ended up returning to Lewiston to get married at his brother’s house.
In December 1923, Lillian moved to Los Angeles to work with her sister and ended up at Disney Brothers Cartoon Studios after Walt asked her to work for him.
In 1925, the couple ended up returning to Lewiston to get married at his brother’s house.
According to the official Walt Disney fan club, Lillian and Walt were together on a train from New York bound for Los Angeles in 1928 when Lillian came up with the name ‘Mickey’ for the iconic anthropomorphic mouse.
According to the official Walt Disney fan clubLillian and Walt were together on a train from New York bound for Los Angeles in 1928 when Lillian came up with the name ‘Mickey’ for the iconic anthropomorphic mouse.
Although Walt decided to call him ‘Mortimer Mouse’ and told Lillian about it, she decidedly replied: ‘Not Mortimer.’ It’s too formal. How about Mickey?
A real-life incident between the couple involving their dog also served as inspiration for the movie Lady and the Tramp, according to T.The Walt Disney Family Museum.
At the age of 98, Lillian suffered a stroke on December 15, 1997, the same day as Walt’s death in 1966, and died the next day.
The couple is buried at Forest Lawn in California.