100 Disney Facts That Might Surprise You

ByEmily Dawson
Emily Dawson
Latest posts by Emily Dawson (see all)
  • 1st Animated Feature: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was Disney’s first full-length animated feature film, released in 1937.
  • 22 Oscars: Walt Disney won a record 22 Academy Awards during his lifetime.
  • 59 Disney Animated Feature Films: As of September 2021, Disney has produced 59 feature films in its main animation canon.
  • 14 Acres: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the immersive Star Wars-themed land, spans 14 acres at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
  • 6 Disney Parks Worldwide: Disney operates a total of 6 theme park resorts around the world.
  • 2 Official Mascots: Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse are considered the official mascots of the Disney brand.
  • 1st Sound Cartoon: Disney’s Steamboat Willie (1928) was the first synchronized sound cartoon.
  • 12 Disney Princesses: There are a total of 12 official Disney Princesses in the franchise.
  • 999 Happy Haunts: The Haunted Mansion attraction boasts 999 ghosts in residence.
  • $17,000 for a Day: The cost of renting out Disneyland’s most exclusive venue, 21 Royal, for a private event starts at $17,000 per day.
  • 4 Hours to Record: It took Sterling Holloway only four hours to record all of his lines as Winnie the Pooh in 1966.
  • 90 Feet Tall: Cinderella Castle in Walt Disney World stands at an impressive 90 feet tall.
  • 1st Animated Soundtrack: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first film to release a soundtrack album.
  • 80 Different Names: Before settling on the name “Mickey,” Disney considered 80 different names for the character.
  • 27,000 Acres: Walt Disney World in Florida spans a massive 27,000 acres.
  • 13 Years of Construction: It took 13 years to complete the construction of Disneyland Paris.
  • 9 Old Men: Walt Disney’s core team of animators was known as the “Nine Old Men.”
  • 3 Tons of Food: Disney donates an average of 3 tons of food daily to food banks in Orange County, California.
  • 18 Feet Tall: The animatronic figure of Abraham Lincoln in Disneyland’s “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” attraction stands at 18 feet tall.
  • 300,000+ Costumes: Walt Disney World has over 300,000 costumes for its cast members.
  • 1st TV Show: “The Mickey Mouse Club” was Disney’s first television show, debuting in 1955.
  • 1.2 Million Glasses: Disney’s 3D attractions use about 1.2 million pairs of 3D glasses each year.
  • 100 Million+ Visitors: Over 100 million people visit Disney parks around the world annually.
  • 7,500+ Hotel Rooms: Walt Disney World Resort has over 7,500 hotel rooms on its property.
  • 20,000 Lightbulbs: Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland features approximately 20,000 lightbulbs.
  • 2,400 Paintings: Disney’s Animation Research Library houses around 2,400 original concept art paintings from Disney films.
  • 70,000+ Employees: Walt Disney World is the largest single-site employer in the United States, employing over 70,000 cast members.
  • 50 Years of Haunted Mansion: The Haunted Mansion attraction celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019.
  • 4 Billion+ Views: Disney’s “Frozen” song “Let It Go” has over 4 billion views on YouTube.
  • 1st Disneyland Ticket: The first Disneyland ticket was purchased by Roy O. Disney for $1 in 1955.
  • 1st Theme Park: Disneyland, which opened in 1955, was the first Disney theme park.
  • 53,000 Costumes: Disneyland Resort has over 53,000 costumes for its cast members.
  • 6,000+ Performers: Disney’s Broadway productions have employed over 6,000 performers since 1994.
  • 1st Live-Action Remake: Disney’s first live-action remake of an animated film was “101 Dalmatians” in 1996.
  • 34 Animated Sequels: Disney has produced 34 direct-to-video animated sequels, prequels, and spin-offs.
  • 12,000 Plants: EPCOT’s Living with the Land attraction features over 12,000 plants.
  • 1,000 Audio-Animatronics: Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean attraction features over 1,000 audio-animatronic figures.
  • 4.4 Light Years Away: Space Mountain’s destination, the star Polaris, is 4.4 light years away from Earth.
  • 500 Acres of Forest: Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park features over 500 acres of forest and savannah.
  • 107 World Records: Disney’s animated films have set a total of 107 Guinness World Records.
  • 92 Years Old: As of September 2021, Mickey Mouse is 92 years old, having first appeared in 1928.
  • 10,000+ Balloons: Disney parks sell over 10,000 Mickey Mouse balloons each day.
  • 18 Different Languages: Disney’s “It’s a Small World” attraction features the song in 18 different languages.
  • 13,000 Parking Spaces: Disneyland Resort’s parking structure has space for 13,000 vehicles.
  • 1st Animated Film in Space: Disney’s “The Lion King” was the first animated film to be shown in space.
  • 5 Academy Awards: Disney’s “Mary Poppins” won five Academy Awards in 1965.
  • 120 Feet Long: Disney’s Main Street, U.S.A. parade route is 120 feet long.
  • 15 Original Lands: Disneyland opened with 15 original lands and attractions in 1955.
  • 1st Disney Animated Film in 3D: Disney’s “Chicken Little” was the first Disney animated film released in 3D in 2005.
  • 7,500 Square Feet: Walt Disney’s private apartment in Disneyland is approximately 7,500 square feet.
  • 4 Parks in Walt Disney World: Walt Disney World Resort is home to 4 distinct theme parks.
  • 200+ Films: The Walt Disney Company has produced over 200 live-action films.
  • 1st Disney Channel Original Movie: “Northern Lights” (1997) was the first Disney Channel Original Movie.
  • 2,000 Tons of Ice: Disney’s “Frozen” ice palace scene used 2,000 tons of computer-generated ice.
  • 1st African American Princess: Princess Tiana from “The Princess and the Frog” (2009) was Disney’s first African American princess.
  • 8 Billion+ Box Office: Disney’s “The Lion King” is the highest-grossing animated film of all time, with over $8 billion in worldwide box office revenue.
  • 3,500+ Props: Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” Broadway musical featured over 3,500 props
  • 1st Disneyland Parade: The first parade at Disneyland was the “Christmas in Many Lands” parade in 1955.
  • 3 Circles: Mickey Mouse’s iconic design consists of 3 circles, representing his head and ears.
  • 10,000 Lights: Cinderella Castle in Walt Disney World is illuminated by over 10,000 lights during nighttime spectaculars.
  • 1st Animated Film to Gross $1 Billion: Disney’s “Frozen” (2013) was the first animated film to gross over $1 billion at the box office.
  • 55 MPH: Disney’s Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster accelerates from 0 to 55 mph in 2.8 seconds.
  • 2,000 Speakers: Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A. features over 2,000 speakers for its immersive audio experience.
  • 24 Animated TV Shows: Disney has produced 24 animated TV shows based on its popular films.
  • 3,000+ Performances: Disney’s “The Lion King” Broadway musical has had over 3,000 performances since its debut in 1997.
  • 2,500+ Acres: Disneyland Paris covers over 2,500 acres, making it the largest Disney park in Europe.
  • 1st Disney Animated Film in IMAX: Disney’s “Fantasia 2000” was the first Disney animated film released in IMAX format.
  • 100+ Restaurants: Walt Disney World Resort has over 100 restaurants on its property.
  • 3.2 Million Bricks: Cinderella Castle in Walt Disney World is made of 3.2 million bricks.
  • 1st Disney Cruise Ship: The Disney Magic was the first ship in Disney Cruise Line’s fleet, debuting in 1998.
  • 36,000 Hotel Rooms: Walt Disney World Resort has over 36,000 hotel rooms across its property.
  • 100+ Attractions: Disneyland Resort is home to over 100 attractions across its two theme parks.
  • 5,000+ Cast Members: Disneyland Paris employs over 5,000 cast members.
  • 1st Disney Animated TV Show: Disney’s “The Wuzzles” (1985) was the first animated TV show produced by Disney.
  • 180 Feet Tall: Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life stands at 180 feet tall.
  • 50 Animated Short Films: Disney has produced over 50 animated short films featuring Mickey Mouse.
  • 40+ Attractions: EPCOT features over 40 attractions and pavilions.
  • 1st Computer-Animated Disney Film: Disney’s “Dinosaur” (2000) was the first computer-animated film produced by Disney.
  • 4,000+ Plants: Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise attraction features over 4,000 plants from around the world.
  • 1st Disneyland Resort Hotel: The Disneyland Hotel was the first hotel to open at the Disneyland Resort in 1955.
  • 500 Million+ Guests: Over 500 million guests have visited Disneyland since its opening in 1955.
  • 1st Disneyland Nighttime Show: “Fantasy in the Sky” was the first nighttime fireworks show at Disneyland, debuting in 1958.
  • 16 Acres: Disney California Adventure’s Cars Land spans 16 acres.
  • 1st Disney World Resort Hotel: Disney’s Contemporary Resort was the first hotel to open at Walt Disney World in 1971.
  • 2,500+ Cast Members: Disney Cruise Line employs over 2,500 cast members across its fleet.
  • 60+ Live-Action Remakes: Disney has produced over60 live-action remakes and adaptations of its animated films and properties.
  • 2nd Animated Feature: Disney’s “Pinocchio” (1940) was the studio’s second full-length animated feature film.
  • 6,000+ Animals: Disney’s Animal Kingdom is home to over 6,000 animals across 250 species.
  • 1st Disney Animated TV Series Spin-off: “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” (1988) was the first Disney animated TV series based on a film.
  • 4,000+ Props: Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” Broadway musical featured over 4,000 props.
  • 3 Official Disney Cruise Line Ships: Disney Cruise Line has three official ships: Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, and Disney Dream.
  • 40th Animated Feature: Disney’s “The Emperor’s New Groove” (2000) was the studio’s 40th animated feature film.
  • 200+ Retail Stores: Disney operates over 200 retail stores worldwide, selling Disney-themed merchandise.
  • 1st Disney Animated Film in Widescreen: Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp” (1955) was the first Disney animated film released in widescreen format.
  • 5 Theme Parks in Asia: Disney operates 5 theme parks across Asia, including Disneyland Tokyo, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Shanghai Disneyland.
  • 45,000+ Costumes: Tokyo Disneyland Resort has over 45,000 costumes for its cast members.
  • 2nd Disneyland Resort Hotel: Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel was the second hotel to open at the Disneyland Resort in 1984.
  • 3 Academy Awards: Disney’s “Zootopia” (2016) won 3 Academy Awards, including Best Animated Feature.