Surprising Disney facts you probably didn’t know

From a cartoon rabbit that came before Mickey Mouse to a futuristic city that never materialised, Disney’s history is filled with surprising turns. Behind the famous characters, films and theme parks are stories about lost creations, ambitious ideas and even a private apartment hidden above Disneyland’s firehouse. (wikimedia commons)

Mickey Mouse Wasn't Disney's First Star: Before Mickey Mouse became the face of Disney, Walt Disney and animator Ub Iwerks created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. The character debuted in 1927 after Disney signed a deal with Universal Studios. Oswald became popular, but Walt eventually lost the rights to the character following a dispute with Universal, prompting him to develop a new character, Mickey Mouse. (wikimedia commons)

Mickey's First Words Were “Hot Dog”: Mickey Mouse did not speak in his earliest cartoons, making sounds such as whistling and laughing. His first spoken words came in the 1929 short The Karnival Kid, when he worked as a hot-dog vendor. Mickey's first words were “Hot dog!” The voice was provided by Carl Stalling, while Walt Disney voiced Minnie Mouse in the same film. (wikimedia commons)

Snow White Was Called “Disney's Folly”: When Walt Disney began making Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, some people doubted that audiences would sit through a feature-length animated film. The project took three years and cost far more than expected. Walt even mortgaged his home to help finance it. The 1937 film eventually became a huge success and helped transform Disney's studio. (Wikimedia commons)

EPCOT Was Supposed to Be a City: EPCOT was originally much more ambitious than the theme park that opened in Florida in 1982. Walt Disney envisioned the “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow” as a futuristic city where people would live and work while experiencing advances in technology and urban planning. After Walt's death in 1966, the original plan was abandoned and transformed into the theme park concept. (wikimedia commons)

Walt Disney Had an Apartment Inside Disneyland: Walt Disney had a private apartment built above the firehouse on Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland. He used it while supervising construction and later watched visitors from the window. After his death in 1966, the apartment was preserved, and a lamp in its window has traditionally been kept lit as a tribute to Disney. (instagram: thethemeparkdad)

Snow White Earned a Very Unusual Oscar: The success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs earned Walt Disney a special Academy Award in 1939. Instead of receiving just one standard Oscar statuette, Disney was presented with a full-size Oscar accompanied by seven smaller statuettes representing the seven dwarfs. The award recognised the film as a significant innovation in motion pictures. (wikimedia commons)