Walter Elias Disney once said "...it was all started by a mouse." However, it was all started by a boy with a pencil and a dream.

December 5, 1901

Walter Elias Disney "Walt" was born. He was born in Hermosa, Illinois son of Elias and Flora Disney. He was born the fourth of five children.

1906

Walt's father bought and moved the whole family to Marceline, MO. While living on the farm Walt developed a love for drawing. When Walt was nine years old, his family had to move again because his father got sick. This time they moved to Kansas City, MO. Walt starts delivering the paper after moving to help his family. Kansas is where Walt fell in love with trains and movies.

1917

Walt Disney furthered his passion for drawing at McKinley High school, where he took photography and drawing classes. He also wrote a cartoon for his school paper. Walt also took classes at the Chicago art institute.   

1919

Walt returns to Kansas City to pursue a career as a newspaper artist. He gets a job at the Pesmen-Rubin Art studio thanks to his brother Roy. Walt then moved on to the Kansas city film ad company, where he learns about cutout animation.

1922

Walt creates a company called Laugh-O-Grams with his friend Fred Harman. Where they created seven minute fairy tale cartoons. These cartoon were a combination of live action and animation. After a year, Walt is forced to declare Bankruptcy. Walt and his brother Roy then move to California.

1925

Walt meets and marries the love of his life Lillian Bounds. Walt met Lillian through work where she was an ink and paint artist.

1927

Walt begins Disney Brother's Studio after moving to California. This is where they created their Alice and Oswald the lucky rabbit cartoons. Oswald was later stolen from Walt. On his way back to California, to tell his brother about the news, Walt comes up with the idea of Mickey Mouse.

1927

Walt Disney continues to make films and eventually a television series. Later Walt creates a place where families can have fun and enjoy time as a family; Disneyland.