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10 Surprising Disney Facts That Sound Made Up But Are Absolutely True

BBG News

A well-established media corporation with roots dating back to 1923 offers a wealth of fascinating tales about its origin and development. Known initially as Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, a studio founded by brothers Walt and Roy Oliver Disney, it has undergone numerous transformations throughout the years. The company’s output diversified from animation into live-action productions and various other media forms. Additionally, Disneyland, reflecting the company’s significant impact on popular culture, has also evolved over time.

Various tales about Disney frequently re-emerge over time. Stories such as Walt Disney supposedly uttering “Kurt Russell” as his last words or claims of hidden messages in cartoons have been proven false. Many of these stories twist the truth, like the misconception that Disney wrote “Kirt Russell” (misspelled) on a paper before he died. However, amidst the conspiracy theories and distorted facts, there are some strange anecdotes about Disney that actually hold truth, despite sounding utterly implausible.

Disney’s Subliminal Messaging Is Not a Theory in This Case

For years, there’s been talk about Disney being involved in theories surrounding subliminal messaging. However, the claim that the letters S-E-X appear in the sky during “The Lion King” has been found to be baseless. According to animator Tom Sito, who worked on the film, these letters actually spell out the common abbreviation for “special effects” (SFX). The animators reportedly added this cheeky signature as a nod to their significant role in the production of “The Lion King”. Nonetheless, not all claims of subliminal messaging in Disney cartoons have been discredited; some have indeed been verified. In the case of “The Rescuers”, the existence of hidden images is not an urban myth at all.

1977 saw the debut of the film “The Rescuers.” This movie was re-released on VHS tapes in 1992. In one scene where Bernard, Bianca, and their albatross friend Orville are riding in a sardine can, there were brief appearances of a woman with no top for less than a second during two instances. It wasn’t until the second VHS release in 1999, 22 years after its initial release, that these mature images were noticed. Disney looked into it and eventually admitted that the original animation had always contained this imagery. The conclusion was drawn that the movie was tampered with during the final stages of production, but the culprit remains unknown. The woman in the images continues to be a mystery as well. Due to these explicit scenes, Disney had to withdraw millions of copies and release a censored version.

Even Humans Sounded Scarier Than Real Lions

Many people are taken aback to discover the methods behind creating sound effects in films. However, professionals within the movie industry understand that this assumption is far from the truth. Most folks believe that the sources of sounds in animated productions are clear-cut, but in reality, foley artists play a crucial role in filmmaking, often employing unrelated objects to create the foleys that will not match what’s depicted onscreen. For example, you might expect lion roars from “The Lion King” to be actual lion sounds, but surprisingly, many of the movie’s sound effects in those scenes were actually produced by other animals or even people.

In the 1994 animated film, “The Lion King,” it’s interesting to note that most of the roaring sounds you hear are actually from tigers and the voice of Frank Welker. Since a lion’s roar wasn’t intense enough to convey the movie’s intended message, the creators opted for a unique blend instead. It’s worth mentioning that in this animated portrayal, lions are not exactly like their real-life counterparts, and accuracy was not a primary concern. However, it’s thought-provoking to consider how many children, upon watching this classic, formed their understanding of lions and their sounds, which may have been quite different from reality. Many adults today might still imagine lions as sounding like a mix of a tiger and a man.

UCLA Donated a Skull to Disneyland

At Disneyland, you’ll find a lot of unusual stories circulating, but there are just as many fascinating facts that get mistaken for urban myths. One such oddity concerns the presence of real human remains within the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at the park. This Magic Kingdom attraction debuted in 1967 and later served as the inspiration for the 2003 film and its subsequent franchise.

For over five decades, since Pirates of the Caribbean debuted in 1967, the authentic human skull and crossed bones displayed on the Captain’s bed in the Captain’s Quarters scene have remained genuine artifacts. The park acquired these bones from UCLA’s medical department as a donation. During your visit to Disneyland, you can verify this fact by inquiring about it with cast members or staff, who will confirm that this is not merely a legend. Initially, there were more skulls when the attraction first opened, but currently, only one remains.

The Characters Were Inspired by the Band

Between 1964 and 1970, The Beatles were the leading stars in five feature films and numerous promotional ones. Their cinematic journey kicked off with their memorable debut in “A Hard Day’s Night”. At that time, their demand as a musical act was unprecedented. Given this popularity, it’s no surprise that Disney wanted to collaborate with them during the 1960s. Intriguingly, the vultures in Disney’s 1967 film “The Jungle Book” were conceptualized with The Beatles in mind, and they were invited to lend their voices to the characters. However, the specifics of what transpired between The Beatles and Disney remain unclear. What we do know is that initially, The Beatles agreed to the offer but eventually decided to withdraw from the project.

According to the stated explanation, the Beatles declined a cameo due to scheduling issues, but it’s whispered that John Lennon was the one who rejected the idea. He reportedly told their manager, Brian Epstein, they were too busy for such a venture. Some speculate that Lennon disliked appearing in animated films, though if true, this would imply he specifically disfavored Disney animations since the Beatles released “Yellow Submarine” in 1968. An intriguing tie between the band and Disney is that John Lennon signed the document dissolving the Beatles while at a Disney resort.

Disney Missed the Opportunity To Explore This

Although it might seem unlikely because they haven’t interacted before, Ariel and Hercules share a familial relationship as first cousins once removed. This isn’t speculation, but a reality rooted in the origins of their respective stories. While their tales are independent narratives, they both draw inspiration from Greek mythology to varying extents. The original Hercules is a demigod hero, being the son of Zeus and a mortal woman. Disney adapted much of this background while making some adjustments. Unlike Hercules, Ariel isn’t based on any figures from Greek mythology, but another character in her story does have those connections.

In simple terms, Ariel from “The Little Mermaid” is the grandchild of Poseidon since her father is Triton, who is Poseidon’s son. Interestingly, Poseidon and Zeus are brothers, making Hercules (a character from another tale) an uncle to Ariel and a cousin to her father. Now, while it’s not explicitly mentioned in “The Little Mermaid” that King Triton is a sea god, his underwater kingdom of Atlantica strongly suggests he rules over the entire ocean. In the 80s and 90s, when these animations were first released, the idea of combining characters from different franchises wasn’t as popular as it is today. So, it might have never occurred to Disney to create a movie where Ariel and Hercules attend a family gathering.

The Iconic Drag Queen Is the Inspiration Behind Ursula

Many Disney characters draw inspiration from well-known figures in popular culture. While it’s clear that The Beatles served as the basis for the Vultures in “The Jungle Book,” other connections might not be immediately obvious. It seems surprising to envision how a figure like Divine, renowned drag queen and director, could have any connection to a children’s animation. However, despite not being asked to voice Ursula, Divine was an enormous influence on the development of Ursula’s appearance and character.

Known for his bold and unsociable demeanor, Divine was recognized for his provocative remarks and breaking traditional gender norms, both within and beyond queer communities, using male pronouns even when in drag. Divine’s appearance was characterized by tall white wigs reminiscent of Ursula’s, copious amounts of hairspray to keep them standing upright, flamboyant dresses, jewelry, and makeup. The concept of creating a glamorous antagonist inspired by Divine is brilliant, given that Divine served as a cultural adversary in the media himself. Regrettably, Divine passed away on March 7, 1988, more than a year before The Little Mermaid was released on November 17, 1989. Fans can only speculate about Harris Glenn Milstead’s feelings towards Ursula, but many believe he would have appreciated the character.

Lilian Disney Convinced Walt To Change the Mouse’s Name

Drawing influence from silent-film icons like Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks, Mickey Mouse debuted in the 1928 animated film “Steamboat Willie.” It’s challenging to envision Mickey Mouse under a different name or identity, but he initially went by another moniker. Thanks to Lilian Disney, an ink artist and Walt Disney’s wife, the mouse’s name was altered from Mortimer to Mickey. While it’s unclear why Walt Disney preferred Mortimer, he certainly held a fondness for the name. He retained the name and later assigned it to one of Mickey’s adversaries.

According to multiple credible sources, it was Disney’s wife who suggested using a cheerier name instead of Mortimer for the main character. In honor of this quirky detail, various characters within the Mickey Mouse universe have been named Mortimer over time. Interestingly, another character, Goofy, initially had a different name when he first appeared in 1932 – Dippy Dawg. Unfortunately for him, Goofy did not receive a name change prior to his debut.

The Disney Animation Has Seven Elvis Songs on the Soundtrack

In the animated film “Lilo & Stitch,” Elvis Presley plays a significant role since he is Lilo’s most cherished musician. During the story, Lilo makes Stitch dress up as Elvis after sharing tales about Elvis Presley with her new extraterrestrial companion. As the King of Rock and Roll, Stitch performs at the beach, drawing crowds who snap pictures. The movie features five original songs by Elvis Presley, along with two of his tunes re-recorded by other artists. Interestingly, this film includes more Elvis songs than any movie in which he personally appeared ever had.

Beginning with “Love Me Tender,” Elvis Presley played leading roles or himself in approximately thirty films shown in theaters from 1956 to 1972. He was featured in legendary musicals such as “Jailhouse Rock,” which had music scores created by other artists. Songs like Jailhouse Rock gained popularity following the release of Elvis’ movies. Interestingly, Elvis only sang six songs in a single film, unlike the Beatles who made films about themselves fictitiously, such as “Help!” and others. Unlike the Beatles, Elvis was not just a performer but an actual actor, appearing in concert documentaries. However, unlike the Beatles’ self-created fiction for their fans in movies like “Help!”, Elvis did not produce exclusive fiction solely for his audience.

Beauty and the Beast Was the First Disney Animation To Have a Proper Script

Prior to Linda Woolverton joining the team for “The Lion King,” no Disney animated film had begun with a fully written script from its inception. The 1991 classic marked Disney’s debut of using a completed script before any storyboarding or animation started. Before the 1990s, pre-production would typically start with general storyboards and key scene sketches. Nowadays, it’s common practice to have the script finished before moving on to storyboarding and animation.

In its early stages, the unique choice behind “Beauty and the Beast” was reportedly driven by the intricacy of the original fairytale and Disney’s vision for the narrative, particularly in the second act. Woolverton’s initial script lacked music and presented a more somber interpretation of the story. Following several revisions, the movie evolved towards its final form. Eventually, “Beauty and the Beast” underwent numerous modifications during animation production, ultimately reshaping Disney’s approach to animation forever.

Animator Frank Thomas Fought for the Scene

Disney animations have left indelible moments in cinema, such as the iconic spaghetti-sharing kiss from the 1955 film “Lady and the Tramp.” It may come as a surprise that Walt Disney, often revered as a genius, was also fallible. One of his missteps lies in his initial dismissal of dogs sharing a romantic moment while enjoying spaghetti. Originally, Disney himself was hesitant to include this scene, but it eventually made its way onto the big screen.

It’s fortunate that animator Frank Thomas was tenacious. He pushed for the scene to stay, otherwise, it might have been eliminated. Initially, Walt Disney thought it was unusual for dogs to share food, even for an animated film. He worried that such a scene would seem silly rather than romantic. Despite his boss rejecting the idea during storyboarding, Thomas still animated the scene. Eventually, Disney appreciated it and the heartwarming moment made its way into the movie.

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2025-06-03 01:37

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