Before creating Disneyland in California, Walt Disney spent the better part of a year traveling the world to speak with owners and managers of amusement parks of every description. One after another, they told him his vision was impossible, that people would not pay the admission price he suggested, that they would not come in the numbers he projected, that they would not stay as long as he expected, and that it was extremely unwise to invest $24 million in such a foolhardy project.
But the analysts at Stanford Research Institute said otherwise. More importantly, Walt Disney believed otherwise and proceeded to build his “foolhardy” dream. In the end, his projections were not only met, but also far exceeded.