Disney fans love the stories behind the movies just as much as the movies themselves. Over time, rumors and fan theories have sprung up, and sometimes these stories have even become accepted as part of Disney’s official history – even if they’re not actually true. If you’re a big Disney fan, you’ve probably heard at least one ‘fact’ that turned out to be false.
Even popular Disney beliefs aren’t always accurate. Misunderstandings can arise around core story elements – like the sibling rivalry in The Lion King – and even famous quotes attributed to Walt Disney himself. It’s unclear how these inaccuracies spread, but thanks to dedicated fans, new stories, and insights from Disney’s creative teams, we can now clarify five commonly held beliefs about Disney and reveal the true history.
5) Mufasa and Scar Are Biological Brothers
For years, people have seen Mufasa and Scar from Disney’s The Lion King as competitive brothers. But according to director Rob Minkoff and producer Don Hahn, they weren’t originally meant to be related by blood. The filmmakers based the lions’ dynamic on actual lion behavior, and it’s unusual for male lions to peacefully coexist if they aren’t father and son. In reality, when an older alpha lion gets challenged, a younger, new lion will often kill him, take control of the pride, and even kill the older lion’s cubs.
As a critic, I’ve always found the dynamic between Scar and Mufasa fascinating, particularly how Scar felt like an outcast. The new prequel, Mufasa: The Lion King, really digs into that backstory and adds a surprising twist: Mufasa wasn’t born into royalty, he was actually taken in and raised by Scar’s family, making them adopted brothers. This changes everything! It’s no longer about a fight over birthright, but a simmering jealousy and resentment that grew from being raised so closely together. It’s a smart move that adds layers to their already complex relationship.
4) Elsa Is a Disney Princess
Although Elsa is incredibly popular in recent Disney films, she isn’t officially considered one of the Disney Princesses like Cinderella, Mulan, or Ariel. This is because Elsa isn’t a princess – she’s a queen! Throughout both Frozen movies, she’s shown ruling the kingdom of Arendelle, first taking the throne in the first film and becoming a legendary figure by the second.
Becoming an official Disney Princess isn’t as simple as being a well-known female character. There’s a specific set of rules: a princess must be born into royalty or marry into it, and star in a popular animated movie released in theaters. While Elsa meets some of these requirements, her strong royal status actually makes her too regal for the princess line-up. Even Anna wasn’t officially a princess until the sequel, Frozen II, hinted at her coronation.
3) Walt Disney Said, “If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It”
The famous quote, “If you can dream it, you can do it,” is often credited to Walt Disney, but he never actually said it. Research shows the line first appeared in the 1983 EPCOT attraction Horizons. It was written by Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald for the ride, which presented hopeful visions of the future, including space colonies and underwater living.
The line appeared within the ride’s storytelling and visuals, delivered in a style that sounded just like Walt Disney himself, leading many fans to believe he’d actually said it. Because Horizons was frequently seen as a continuation of Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, this connection to Walt was strengthened. While he didn’t actually utter the words, the quote perfectly captures the spirit of his beliefs and vision.
2) Ariel’s Crab Pal Was Named Sebastian
Most people know Sebastian as the musical crab from The Little Mermaid, but it turns out “Sebastian” isn’t actually his first name! According to Disney Wiki, his full name is Horatio Felonius Ignacius Crustaceous Sebastian. That means “Sebastian” is his last name, and everyone in Atlantica has been mistakenly using it as his first name all along.
It’s a minor point, since people often go by their last names, and Sebastian is actually his name. However, fans still debate it online, and many are surprised to learn he was formally introduced by the seahorse in The Little Mermaid.
1) Walt Disney’s Body Is Somewhere In the Park
One of the most persistent rumors about Disney is that Walt Disney had his body frozen after he died in 1966, hoping to be brought back to life someday. Some versions of the story even claim he’s buried beneath the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. However, all the facts – including his death certificate – show that Walt Disney was actually cremated and his remains were placed at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
The story about Walt Disney being frozen after his death probably started because he was so interested in the future. It’s easy to imagine him wanting to find a way to live on in that future world. When cryonics – the process of preserving bodies at extremely low temperatures – became possible in the 1960s, the rumors really took off and have stuck around as a kind of unofficial legend about Disney. And just to be clear, that story about his head being frozen on its own isn’t true.
Were you fooled by any of these statements? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!
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2025-11-05 01:17