13 Things The Walt Disney Company Does With Your Money

12. Develops Merchandise

The creation of every successful entertainment property is closely followed by the creation of merchandise to capitalize on its success.  If Disney wasn’t the first company to cash in on this phenomenon – as some believe – they certainly weren’t far behind.  And while the first Disney character to be featured on merchandise was technically Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Mickey Mouse followed soon after in 1929 when a man offered Walt Disney $300 to let him feature Mickey Mouse on a pencil tablet for kids.  The rest, as the say, is history and the amount of Disney merchandise available for purchase is seemingly endless.  Including Oswald the Lucky Rabbit merchandise after the Walt Disney Company regained the rights to the character in 2006.  We love a happy ending!  Photo credit Disney