Madyson Hauff
Prof. Hammet
ENG 1301
10 December 2024
Walt Disney Conspiracy Theory
What really happened to Walts's dead body?
Where is his body now?
Was he cremated?
Was he frozen?
Who was Walt disney?
It all started on December 5, 1901, in Chicago Illinois, when Walt Disney was born. He was raised on a farm in Missouri where drawing and sketching was one of his favorite hobbies. In 1910, Elias Disney, Walt's father, had to sell the farm due to his health conditions and moved the family to Kansas City, Missouri. During his time in Missouri, Walt fell in love with films. He later met Walter Pfeiffer who introduced him to the world of theater, and as he learned more and more about theater, his passion for film continued to grow. He attended many different art and theatre institutions. Walt Disney married his wife, Lillian in 1925, and shortly after Disney had his first child; a daughter named Diane, and he later adopted a daughter named Sharon (IMBD).
In 1919, he moved to Kansas City, where he decided to become a newspaper artist. Through this job, he met Ubbe Iwerks, a cartoonist. Together they decided to start their own commercial company called Iwerks—Disney commercial artists. This company failed shortly after it began. Walt then transitioned into cutout animations, which was the start of his big career. He began screening his animations at the local theaters; these were called "Laugh-O-Grams." He later moved to Hollywood to set up a studio called Disney Brothers’ Studio. While in Hollywood, more shows were released. Such as Alice in Wonderland, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, and Mickey Mouse. Mickey Mouse became extremely popular, and Disney even won a special Academy Award. Throughout his life, he produced many other cartoons and movies, and as a result, he gained millions. His most popular film is Cinderella. His career began to expand towards bigger enterprises, not just films (IMBD). In 1940, he began work on Disneyland which opened in Los Angeles in 1955. A second park, Disney World was under construction when Mr. Disney died, and later opened in Florida in 1971 (Crowther.).
Disney enjoyed playing Polo at the Rivera Club, located in Hollywood. Although this was fun, it did have its consequences. In 1966 Walt had to have surgery on his neck, due to playing Polo for so long. When he was undergoing surgery, the doctors found a tumor throughout his left lung (IMBD). They removed the left lung and informed Disney that he wouldn't live for any longer than two years. Just a short month later, on December 15, 1966, Disney passed away due to more lung complications (Markel).
Where is Disney's body now?
When Walter Elias Disney passed away due to lung cancer, multiple conspiracy theories arose as to what was done with his body after death. One theory suggests that his body was cremated at the family's request and laid to rest peacefully at a memorial park (“Walt Disney”). Another theory, which is known to be the most gruesome, is that his body was put in a cryogenic chamber, hoping to be revived by scientists at a later date (1). A third theory claims his dead body is hidden underneath his own theme park ride at Disney World: the Pirates of the Caribbean (1).
On December 15, 1966, Walt Disney passed away due to lung cancer at St. Joseph's Hospital in California (1). Shortly after his death, a vast number of rumors spread about what truly happened to Walt's dead body. His obituary states that on December 17, 1966, his ashes were placed at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park (1). Is this the truth? Or is there a hidden secret that the family is trying to keep from the world?
It did not take long for even more theories to spread. Many stated that his body was frozen and stored by scientists to later be revived. This theory may have been what made his death a legend. How did these rumors begin? In 1966, a reporter snuck into the hospital where Walt had died. He dressed as if he worked there and supposedly found the room where Disney’s body was being kept (Markel). He then claimed that the body was in a Cryogenic Metal Cylinder (1). This story was told to many news reporters and spread around the globe. Many twisted this story, and the conspiracy grew.
After this conspiracy evolved, Disney’s coworkers and employees confirmed that it was true. They claimed Disney was a fan of science looking forward to the future of scientific advances. Meaning that when he died, it was his idea for his body to be frozen. The creation of EPCOT (Experimental Prototype of the Community of Tomorrow) would indicate that he was indeed a fan of science. It proved that he looked forward to the future of science. Walt communicated the possibility of immortality in his conversations and his movies which strengthened the legitimacy of the cryogenic theory. However, in 1972, Disney's daughter Dianne wrote, “There is no truth that my father, Walt Disney, wished to be frozen. I doubt that my father had ever heard of cryonics.” (Markel). Even with this statement from his daughter, rumors continued to circulate.
After the world received news that Walt’s dead body was supposedly frozen, new questions arose. Where is Walt’s body being kept? Is Disney frozen? These questions led to the start of another rumor beginning to spread. Newspapers and magazine articles began to share that his frozen body was located under the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Walts's very own theme park (Mikkleson). In spite of all the rumors, no one could find any proof that he was frozen at all. Newspapers such as The New York Times and The Guardian posted about these theories, but none ever proved fact or fiction (1).
Conclusion
Throughout the late 1900s, many people were unsure about the fate of Disney's body. Was it cremated and buried, frozen and stored, or buried in an exotic location? Although the theory of cryogenics propagated by Disney's love of science, and news reporters seeking a sensational story is fun and exciting, it falls short of factual evidence. In contrast, the more mundane theory that is reported by his family, of a cremation with a small family funeral, is accepted as truth (“Walt Disney”).
Works Cited
Markel, Howard. “How a strange rumor of Walt Disney’s death became legend.” PBS, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/how-a-strange-rumor-of-walt-disneys-death-became-legend. Accessed 15 November 2024.
Mikkelson, David. “Was Walt Disney frozen?” Snope.com, Snopes Media group Inc.19, October 1995, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/suspended-animation/
“Walt Disney.” pbworks,http://rumsage.pbworks.com/f/Walt%20Disney%5C.pdf.
Crowther, Bosley. “Walt Disney”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2024, https:britannica.com/biography/Walt-Disney. Accessed 8 September 2024.
Steven Watts, Walt Disney: Art and Politics in the American Century, Journal of American History, Volume 82, Issue 1, June 1995, Pages 84–110, https://doi.org/10.2307/2081916