Walt Disney

Hello there. My name is Walt Disney. When I was a little boy, long before I made movies, my favorite thing in the whole world was to draw. I didn't have fancy paper, so I drew on anything I could find. I drew funny pictures for my family and even doodles on the side of our barn. We lived on a farm with pigs, chickens, and cows, and I loved drawing my animal friends. They had such fun personalities. I always dreamed of making my drawings feel real, like they could jump right off the page and say hello to you.

One day, I had a big idea. What if my drawings could move and dance and sing? With my brother Roy, I started a little studio to make cartoons. My most famous friend came to me on a train ride. He was a cheerful little mouse with big round ears. My wife, Lillian, helped me give him the perfect name: Mickey Mouse. We made his first talking cartoon on November 18th, 1928, and everyone loved him. He wasn't just a drawing anymore; he was a friend to children all over the world. Making people happy with my stories was the best feeling ever.

But I had an even bigger dream. I wanted to build a magical place where you and your family could step right into a fairytale. A place with castles, pirates, and rocket ships. So, on July 17th, 1955, I opened a park called Disneyland. I wanted it to be the happiest place on Earth, where everyone could be a kid again. I hope my stories and parks always remind you that if you can dream it, you can do it. All it takes is a little bit of imagination and a great big smile.