Is Disney's body cryopreserved under the Pirates of the Caribbean?
When explaining cryonics to someone who isn’t familiar with the subject, the first comment we hear is, “Ohh, just like Disney!”
A lot has been speculated about Walt Disney and his supposed cryopreservation. If he were, that would make him one of the most famous “frozen” people (or cryopreserved) in the world.
But was he really cryopreserved? Rumors have surrounded the renowned animator's death for decades that it can be difficult to tell fact from fiction. We at Tomorrow Bio, the first cryonics organization in Europe, are interested in cryopreserved (or not) people. So, let’s have a look at what happened to Walt Disney and how these rumors came about.
Walt Elias Disney, along with his brother Roy, founded the Walt Disney Company in 1923. At the time, it was a small animation studio focusing on short animated silent films - years before Mickey Mouse came to life. Today, Disney is one of the largest companies in the world by market capitalization. Just look at the numbers: 1400 live-action movies, 400 animated movies, 12 theme parks, 51 resorts and 350 shops across the globe. For generations, Disney has been entertaining and shaping the imagination of kids and adults all around the world.
With such a worldwide reputation, it’s hard to avoid rumors. Most notably for Walt, rumors surrounding his death and alleged cryopreservation.
If a genius like Walt Disney were able to extend his life, who knows what they would be creating with modern animation techniques and technology.
But what exactly is Disney's link to cryonics? Was he really cryopreserved? First, we need to examine Walt’s death.
Throughout most of his life, Walt was a prolific smoker. In early November 1966, Disney was diagnosed with lung cancer, and less than a month later, died of circulatory collapse on December 15th.
So, that’s how he died, but where did the rumors come from?
Starting in 1967, different media outlets published pieces referring to Disney’s hypothetic cryopreservation.
So, what’s the verdict? Was Walt Disney cryopreserved?
The answer is…no.
Nothing but a traditional death ceremony for dear O’l Disney and his family.
Two days after his death, a private funeral was held by his family, while his body was cremated and interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. Fun fact: the CSC (Cryonics Society of California) performed the first human cryopreservation only a few weeks after Disney’s death.
Although there are legal documents proving it, many people around the world suspect that things went differently. According to some, Disney’s body (or head) was cryopreserved and is now kept hidden under his most famous attraction: the Pirates of Caribbean at Disneyland Anaheim, California. Or, according to others, under Sleeping Beauty's castle, waiting for medical technology to develop enough to treat cancer and bring this genius back to life.
It is true that Disney was fascinated with death. At the same time, he was very much interested in technology and innovation. Just think of his EPCOT - “Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow” project, a themed park opened only after his death that was dedicated to the celebration of human future achievements and cultures.
But, as Disney’s daughter Diane wrote in 1972, “There is absolutely no truth that my father, Walt Disney, wished to be frozen. I doubt that my father had ever heard of cryonics.”
We can’t really tell if Disney knew of the existence of cryonics. There is a chance that he did read Robert Ettinger’s book The Prospect of Immortality that, at the time of Disney’s death, was a much debated book. This is probably another reason why this rumor spread rapidly. However, there is no solid evidence, no document, and no credible witness to prove Disney was cryopreserved.
In addition, cryonics was in its infancy at the time. If a prominent figure like Disney had chosen to be cryopreserved, no cryonics society would have kept it a secret. Just consider how much publicity cryonics would have gained back then having Disney as the first ever cryopreserved human.
The truth is that many people around the world would be happy to know that Disney was “frozen”, and that he will eventually come back to life, drawing cartoons again for future generations to love and admire. This is probably why the rumors endure, even if the evidence against it is strong.
Cryopreservation is currently, however slim a possibility, the only chance for anyone to come back to life. We all would love to know that the people we love, if anything happened to them, they could live again. This chance may be still low, considering cryonics and medical technology have a long way ahead, but it is still better than having no chance at all.
If you are interested in cryonics, for you or for the people you love, you can schedule a call with us. We would be happy to discuss the topic with you and show you how cryonics is an actual possibility today. And if you already know this is what you are looking for, you can sign up and join Tomorrow!