Disney Family's Financial Fears and Fortunes
Walt Disney's wife Lillian expressed concerns about their financial security due to the majority of their wealth being tied up in the company. In a quote from an episode of the Acquired podcast, she said, 'I've always been worried. I have never felt secure. Never.'
The couple's financial situation was precarious at times, with Walt selling his car, mortgaging their house, and borrowing against his life insurance to complete Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1934.
Disney did not hoard money; instead, he lived a lavish lifestyle and formed Retlaw Enterprises, a privately held company that controlled merchandising rights to Walt's name and earned him a percentage of Disney's merchandising deals.
The majority of the company's value was created after Walt's death in 1966. In fact, more than 99.5% of the company's wealth was generated in the decades following his passing, with the company's market cap increasing from $90 million to $186 billion.