There are so many things to be thankful for when it comes to the many worlds of Disney this month. One of the things that seem almost to be a no-brainer is the idea that Walt Disney had while sitting on a bench at Griffith Park. Now found at Disneyland in the Opera House, this is the bench that is credited as the place where Walt Disney first thought of the idea for Disneyland. Found at the entrance of the Opera House, the bench has a plaque on it that says “The actual park bench from the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round in Los Angeles, California where Walt Disney first dreamed of Disneyland.“
“The idea for Disneyland came about when my daughters were very young and Saturday was always Daddy’s day with the two daughters. . . and as I’d sit [on a bench] while they rode the merry-go-round . . . I felt that there should be something built where the parents and the children could have fun together. So that’s how Disneyland started. [I]t all started from a daddy with two daughters wondering where he could take them where he could have a little fun with them, too.”
– Walt Disney on the origin of Disneyland idea.
I love the idea of Walt Disney sitting up at Griffith Park watching his daughters have fun and then his imagination wandering around to how it could be better. This would lead to the eventual creation of Disneyland and all of the happiness and magic it has brought to the world in the decades since. I’m so thankful that Walt Disney didn’t just have imagination, but he also had that vision and drive to pursue his dreams and make them a reality. Not only did this lead to Disneyland eventually opening in 1955 and all that comes with it, but it also gives a wonderful example of leadership and success.
Many things have changed since Walt Disney sat on that bench. The world is completely different. However, some things are exactly the same. For example, Walt’s example of how to succeed hasn’t changed at all. Just a quick look at what he would do and one can see that he would:
- Imagine and dream
- Come up with an idea
- Build a vision for the idea
- Share the vision with others and build excitement
- Build the vision into a plan
- Act on the plan and make the dream a reality
- Evaluate and reevaluate the dream
- Keep making it better
This is a rough look at what Walt Disney would do. However, it is a wonderful way to see an idea and dream come to fruition. It is an example that I am thankful for today. I am also thankful that the bench sits in the Opera House at Disneyland to be a reminder that we can make our dreams into a reality.
As we continue 24 Days of Thanksgiving, please feel free to chime in and add to each day’s focal point of thankfulness! We’d love to hear you build on this idea in the comments below! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
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