It's a Small World

An Astrological Look at the Life of Walt Disney

Both adults and children stood on the platform, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the next train of cars to whisk them away on a magical journey around the world. I was among them. To be honest, I was just as excited as everyone else there, feeling as though I was about to set off on an extraordinary adventure to distant places. After all, we were at Disney World, ready to experience "It's a Small World". This was what Walt Disney's legacy message seemed to be...

Walt Disney, an American animator, producer, and entrepreneur, transformed the entertainment industry by creating cherished characters like Mickey Mouse and establishing renowned attractions such as Disneyland and Disney World. Born on December 5, 1901, in Chicago, Disney started his animation career alongside his brother Roy, pioneering new cartoon methods and venturing into full-length animated movies and television. His legacy encompasses over 100 feature films, 22 Academy Awards, and theme parks that continue to operate globally.

Walt Disney's Birth Chart

When we explore Walt's birth chart the whole story is there. Starting with his expansive and enthusiastic natal Sun being domiciled in the zodiacal sign of Sagittarius at 12 degrees and 26 minutes. This is the energy of the explorer, adventurers, far-away places and long journeys, television, and voyages. Sagittarians are known for going big, casting a wide net, being broad-minded, an expansive nature, and possessing a philosophical bent. If you have any familiarity with Walt Disney, and I think it's safe to say most people do, this is a man who believed in going big! He was also quite philosophical, expressing beliefs about life, imagination, optimism, freedom, and the role of creativity. He often spoke about the importance of dreaming big, perseverance, and the value of maintaining high moral and spiritual standards in both work and life.

Adding to Walt's natural desires to create was an especially auspicious placement of the planet Uranus conjunct his natal Sun. Uranus is the rebel, possessing a desire to be unique, different, and a lover of freedom. There is a degree of genius enveloped in the Uranian archetype (especially in the third house of all things cognitive), this is the energy of inventors, matters of science fiction, originality, and disruption. An example of this is well represented by Walt Disney's pioneering in animatronics. His fascination with a mechanical bird toy he found in New Orleans in the 1950s inspired him to develop what is now known as Audio-Animatronics—technology that combines mechanics, electronics, and sound to create lifelike moving figures. Uranus being in Sagittarius only amplified Walt's to be different and to blaze some new trail.

Interestingly, with his natal Sun in the third house, there was an inherent conflict seeking resolution. Here, the broad and expansive archetype of Sagittarius is situated in the house that governs one's local environment and neighborhood. This is similar to confining an African gazelle in a backyard in Cincinnati. Walt desired to expand, create, and explore the world. So, what did he do? He brought the world to the neighborhood. By acquiring large areas of land, he was able to build theme parks, known as Disneyland and Disney World. These are places where people can embark on journeys, from an African Safari, a Tour of the World (It's a Small World), Fantasy Land, and even into the World of Tomorrow. This represents an incredible alchemical blend of expansive enthusiasm manifesting in a single location.

An integral part of Walt's success was aided by his brother Roy. They collaborated developing innovative cartoon techniques and expanding into feature-length animated films and television. Roy's role was more one of a finance and management. He secured funding and managed budgets, enabling Walt to focus on creative endeavors. Roy was instrumental in securing bank loans for productions such as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," a risky but ultimately successful venture. This led me wonder if such an influential person as Walt's brother, Roy, would appear as an asteroid in his birth chart? And being an astrologer, I couldn't help but muse that it would be amazing if it was also in his third house which is the house of siblings in astrology.

There is an asteroid named Roy and at the time of Walt's birth it was in his third house at 24 degrees and 19 minutes of Scorpio and in a conjunction with Walt's Mercury located at 27 degrees and 26 minutes of Scorpio. I know, you just can't make this stuff up. Walt's brother is in his house of siblings and when you consider the sign of Scorpio into the equation this represents of shared resources, crises, death, and legacies. After Walt's death in 1966, Roy postponed his retirement to oversee the construction and opening of Walt Disney World, which he successfully opened in 1971. Roy remained actively involved in the company until his death in 1971.

Asteroid Roy in the Third House

Considering that the asteroid Roy is conjunct with the planet Mercury, we can gain a more detailed perspective of Roy Disney. Roy's responsibility was to manage the "business end" of the company with a straightforward, no-nonsense approach. He was in charge of raising funds and overseeing the company's financial aspects, exercising caution in spending. This sometimes led to disagreements with Walt's creative investments, though they both respected each other's strengths and roles. Roy managed various mercurial tasks, including agreements, contracts, advertising, bookkeeping, business locations, communications, and distribution, among others. Many of these are also matters of the third house. Yes, Roy's role in his brother's life was written in the stars.

Though the most iconic character to come out of the wonderful world of Walt Disney is Mickey Mouse, there was another character millions know of... Donald Duck. He was introduced to serve as a comic foil and companion to Mickey Mouse, bringing a new kind of humor through his rougher, more irritable personality compared to Mickey's gentler demeanor. The character was designed to have universal appeal and relatable human traits, such as frustration and perseverance, making Donald an enduring and popular Disney icon. Is there an asteroid, Donald Duck? And if so, where would this asteroid have landed in Walt Disney's chart at birth?

Dipping our toes into the waters of named asteroids, we find that there is an asteroid Donald Duck, asteroid number 12410. This asteroid, when placed in Walt's birth chart, finds itself at 0 degrees and 59 minutes of Cancer in his tenth house. It is further in an almost exact conjunction by degree to Walt's Neptune planetary placement at 0 degrees and 34 minutes of Cancer. It struck me that both of these bodies were retrograde at the time of his birth, and in the sign of Cancer, which deals with water, ponds, lakes, and marshes. Do you get my drift? Neptune, the planet of imagination, fantasy, illustrators, fictitious names, films, and crazy persons, is unified with an asteroid, Donald Duck, in the zodiac sign associated with water! Further, individuals with retrograde planets often act or process differently than the mainstream or familial/cultural expectations regarding the planet’s themes. This likely manifested through a deeply internalized process in which Walt explored a fantastic array of imaginary characters who he ultimately considered family, which is also associated with Cancer. Lastly, these two reside in the tenth house of public image and contributions to the world. Hopefully, I generated a jaw-dropping response among a few readers with this incredible synchronicity.

Asteroid Donald Duck in the Tenth House

Let's delve further into Walt Disney's chart and explore some of the less commonly discussed named asteroids. The asteroid Musa, numbered 600, was positioned at 8 degrees and 43 minutes of Sagittarius, forming a wide conjunction with Walt's Sun and a close sextile to his natal Moon in the first house at 9 degrees and 10 minutes of Libra. In astrology, Asteroid 600, Musa, signifies a collective muse energy, embodying inspiration, creativity, and the ability to inspire others. One of the nine Muses of Greek mythology, Musa represents the essence of artistic and poetic inspiration, suggesting a person who is easily inspired and, in turn, inspires others. When prominent in a natal chart, Musa indicates an individual with a heart and soul attuned to beauty, love, and creative musings, often viewing life as a form of art. It symbolizes grace, charm, numerous artistic talents, and the ability to transform ordinary life into poetry and art.

When this energy merges with the expansive and philosophical traits of Sagittarius and a harmonious sextile to Walt's moon in Libra, representing a need for artistic expression and prominently positioned in his first house, influencing how others see him, it becomes evident why Walt felt driven to express himself. Furthermore, the third house, linked to ideas, thoughts, and communication, reinforces this narrative.

Another asteroid of interest is Urania, asteroid number 30. When Walt was born, this asteroid was domiciled on the cusp of his fourth and fifth houses at 27 degrees and 32 minutes in the sign of Capricorn. Additionally, it was in conjunction with Walt's natal Venus, placed at 29 degrees and 42 minutes of Capricorn on the cusp of the fifth and fourth houses. An important note about Venus at 29 degrees is that this is a degree commonly associated with someone who pushes boundaries, is futuristic with their thinking, and often is a dynasty-founding type. This is a truly remarkable combination, joining these two houses with this asteroid and planet. The asteroid Urania deals with innovation and creative thought and is associated with one who thinks outside the box.

When combining this energy with Venus, the planet most associated with artistic expression, in the ambitious and enterprising sign of Capricorn with the asteroid Urania also in the same sign, we find the placements that I believe lead to Walt's entrepreneurial achievements as an animator who was committed to establishing a unique and reputable company that is as creative as any in history. Additionally, mixing the themes of the fourth and fifth houses in this instance signifies Walt considering the creations of his imagination to be family and with whom he felt a deep emotional bond (fourth house & fifth house). A great example of this is a 1948 essay titled “What Mickey Means to Me,” in which Walt describes Mickey Mouse as an extension of himself and something deeply personal, showing that he saw these characters as living beings with significance.

“The life and ventures of Mickey Mouse have been closely bound up with my own personal and professional life… He still speaks for me, and I still speak for him.” — Walt Disney

A final asteroid placement I want to explore is the placement of the asteroid Circe at 18 degrees and 36 minutes of Aries in Walt's eighth house. This is the asteroid connected to magic. The backstory indicates that this is the daughter of Helios and Greek Goddess of magic. The placement of the asteroid Circe marks where one possesses the ability to work magic in their life. Walt's Circe is in his house of others and dealings with the public. And what did Walt Disney consider his parks? Magic Kingdoms... His famous welcome phrase, spoken during Disneyland's opening day in 1955, was: "To all who come to this happy place: Welcome." This encapsulates the inclusive, magical spirit he wanted his parks to embody, a place for families and dreamers to enjoy together.

Disney saw his parks as places where guests of all ages could experience nostalgia, fun, inspiration, and hope, where the older generation could recapture the magic of yesterday, and younger visitors could see the promise of tomorrow. He believed the parks were more than entertainment; they were a space to awaken creativity, imagination, and happiness. Interestingly, it wouldn't be a stretch to say people often feel spellbound during their visits to a Disney park or even watching many of the company's vast catalog of films.

Interestingly, Circe forms two positive aspects in Walt's chart with the planets Uranus and Pluto, a trine and a sextile. Given that these planets are associated with innovation and transformation, it's unsurprising that Disney's magic has achieved precisely that, flowing with ease and embraced by the public.

Walt Disney died of lung cancer-related complications on December 15, 1966, following a period of illness, and his legacy continues through his foundational work in animation and theme parks.