To some, they’re an evil empire worthy of the Dark Lord of the Sith. To others, they’re guardians of “the happiest place on Earth.” However, whatever your persuasion on The Walt Disney Company, chances are strong that the media conglomerate that started simply with a mouse has touched your life in some pretty profound.

Indeed, this week’s announcement that Disney plans to develop a stage musical based on last year’s box office smash Frozen only serves to remind us just how much the House of Mouse has expanded in the past couple of decades, when it was known almost exclusively for animated features like Aladdin and The Little Mermaid and its numerous theme parks. In fact, today’s incarnation of the beloved juggernaut that shaped many a childhood includes a number of divisions that might surprise you.

Below are 5 such elusive pieces of the Disney empire (not including obvious elements like Disney parks, The Disney Channel, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and other films proudly bearing the Walt Disney banner). WARNING: The following may cause you to wander down memory lane. Read on at your own risk.

ABC Television

Back in the 1990s, ABC was one of the most reliable sources for family television, with series like Home Improvement, Family Matters and the omnipresent Full House (see above). No surprise then that the public barely batted an eye when the network became part of the Disney-ABC Television Group in 1996. The network’s Friday night line-up – dubbed T.G.I.F. – was a collection of such family-friendly programming for years, and since then, the channel’s name has since been extended to the Disney-owned ABC Family, which has in and of itself become a haven for series that the whole family can watch together. Furthermore, ABC has developed into the natural television destination for any number of Disney-related projects, including Marvel’s current Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (more on that later).

The Muppets

Rights to the “most sensational, inspirational, celebrational” comedy troupe ever to grace screens both big and small have changed hands over the years, with Disney at one point losing the opportunity to officially induct Kermit the Frog and company into the family. However, the family of Muppet creator Jim Henson ultimately re-purchased their company from German conglomerate EM.TV, and Disney finally formed The Muppets Studio LLC in 2004, solidifying the union between the Mouse and the Frog. It’s a fitting partnership, given the universal appeal of both brands, and one that has paid off for both fans and Disney, with the Muppets franchise big-screen relaunch in 2011. The sequel, Muppets Most Wanted, hits theaters in March.

Pixar Animation Studios

Longtime fans of Pixar’s trademark storytelling might be surprised to know that the company wasn’t always an official part of the Disney empire. Sure, Toy Story – the company’s 1995 feature debut -was distributed by Disney, but despite Buzz and Woody’s appearances in Disney parks the world over, Pixar actually started as a division of George Lucas’ Lucasfilm before Disney bought the company in 2006 at valuation of $7.4 billion. Not a bad sum for a company that has become synonymous with the most acclaimed animated films of the past two decades, including Oscar-winning classics like Finding Nemo, Up and The Incredibles. Even before Disney’s own animation studios experienced its second Renaissance with Tangled in 2010, Pixar was keeping the Disney magic alive.

Marvel Entertainment

Thanks to the $1.5 billion worldwide gross of The Avengers, even the non-comic book fans out there are well-versed in the ways of Marvel Comics. Following the success of Iron Man, Disney shrewdly scooped up the company in 2009 for a cool $4.6 billion, an amount that has more than recouped itself thus far. After all, Disney’s holdings include the full range of Marvel properties and all the films, television series, video games, toys and – yes – comic books tied to its endless assortment of characters. The fact that Fox and Sony still retain the movie rights to the X-Men/Fantastic Four and Spider-Man franchises makes the future a bit more uncertain than the above childhood favorites. Even more complicated is the current existence of Marvel attractions at Islands of Adventures, owned by Disney’s theme park competitor Universal.

Lucasfilm

Apparently, Disney’s reach even extends to a galaxy far, far away. The company’s $4 billion purchase of Lucasfilm (and the accompanying announcement that Star Wars: Episode VII would relaunch the film franchise in 2015) was the biggest entertainment news story of 2012. To be fair, the writing had been on the wall for years. Disney has been hosting Star Wars Weekends at its Hollywood Studios park in Orlando since 1997 and first opened its Star Tours ride ten years earlier. So the fact that Disney finally acquired the company behind both the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises seemed like a no-brainer. However, it’s too early to tell exactly how this creative partnership will turn out. Let’s hope Episode VII director J.J. Abrams is up for the task of living up to the saga that inspired millions of little boys to start mimicing the distinctive hum of a lightsaber.

 

In recent years, Disney has proven that it’s more determined than ever to remain the leader in family entertainment, amid increasing competition from the likes of Dreamworks Animation Studios and Warner Bros. (the studio behind DC Comics films as well as the Harry Potter franchise). However, with its smart cherry-picking of such beloved properties as those listed above, it’s safe to say that Disney’s place in our hearts remains safe for generations to come.

Did we forget your favorite arm of the Disney empire? Comment below with your thoughts!