The Walt Disney Company Disney Media Networks, and Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International. Disney also owns and operates the ABC broadcast network; cable television networks such as Disney Channel, ESPN, A&E Networks, and Freeform; publishing, merchandising, music, and theater divisions; and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, a group of 14 theme parks around the world. The company has been a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since 1991. Mickey Mouse was created in 1928 and is the signature mascot and emblem for Disney and one of the world's most recognizable characters. On December 14, 2017, Disney announced an agreement to acquire 21st Century
Criticism of The Walt Disney Company cast members and that 8,000 workers out of 62,000 do not greatly impact operations. It has been criticised also for its lack of Union representation and denial of Insurance benefits by the company. The Reedy Creek Improvement District is the immediate governing jurisdiction for the land of the Walt Disney World Resort. When initially planning the resort back in the 1960s, Walt Disney felt that it would be easier to carry out his proposals with more flexibility and independence with his own specialized, personalized government. Among his ideas for his Florida project was his "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow", which