On July 17, 1955 Disneyland opened to the world. The Happiest Place on Earth opened its gates to a hand selected crowd of influencers who simply came to experience the joy and wonder of Walt Disney’s Dream. The wisdom behind all of this is immense! Everything was intentional. Everything.
The personalities who narrated and emceed the event were the most popular of that time: Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings and “Ronny” Reagan. Someone told me that Art Linkletter was paid more for his speaking appearance that day than any other speaker in recorded history. Whaaat? Consider this (I assume it to be true). Linkletter with his TV shows “People Are Funny” and “House Party”, and his “Kids Say The Darnedest Things” was arguably the most popular TV personality in America. Walt Disney was in debt over his head when the park opened and couldn’t afford his dear friend’s standard speaking fee. So Walt offered to pay Art “union scale” pay, a minimum wage level of pay. Art countered, “OK, but I have one other request. I’ll do your event for “scale” if you will give me the camera and film concession for the first 10 years of Disneyland.” Walt agreed. (Talk amongst yourselves dear readers.)
Among the many enlightened marketing ideas from that day is this: Walt invited the Foreign Dignitaries from around the world who were based in the USA to bring their families to the opening day. What do you think they talked about with their colleagues back home the next day, week and month? That not only diminished the need for international marketing, it got free promotion for the park around the world.
Never had the world seen such a deep, wide, tall, and exciting example of all the happiest and most endearing images, experiences, sights and sounds as Disneyland. Even the smells were considered. The popcorn shop on Main Street, the Candy Parlor, Ice Cream Parlor and other shops lured everyone.
I had a brief chance to know Art Linkletter. He was a member of the National Speakers Association, of which I was the President in 1988-89. We chatted backstage between presentations and he told many stories of his days with Walt Disney and their respective families. Art was with Walt long before Disneyland on a trip to Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. While there Walt pointed out how the tree lights didn’t have a single burned out bulb, the park benches were freshly painted and the bathrooms were clean. Then he said, “Art, I’m going to build a place like this for families!” And he did.
When I was a kid my family would watch Art’s TV show People Are Funny and we’d eat fresh toll house cookies Mom had made. I treasure that memory. In 1993, in Dallas, Texas at the National Speakers Association convention, I received the lifetime award known as The Cavett Award, after our founder Cavett Robert, another friend of Art Linkletter. When I accepted the award in front of over 2,000 fellow speakers, I told the audience of my days watching Art Linkletter on TV. Then I paused and added, “And tonight, he’s watching me.” (Wink). Art graciously stood up in the audience and “tipped his hat” to me. I love that memory too.
Disneyland and the entire Disney empire has touched almost every life on Earth! It all started with the dreams of one man. A cartoonist. He didn’t do it alone. Thousands became enraptured by his dream and joined to help it come true.
What is your dream? It needn’t be as big as Walt’s but it needs to be bigger than your “today” is. If you have a dream, that is a symptom that it is trying to become true. And you are the steward of that future truth. Desire is possibility seeking to be expressed in reality. Don’t discard your dreams, nurture them, invite others to join the quest. Discover how much more successful you could be. I’m happy to help. Contact me. info@cathcart.com
Ronald Reagan at Disneyland’s Opening
Walt Disney at the opening of Disneyland in 1955