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Walmart is a retail giant operating not just in the US but over the world. It is known as ASDA in the UK, Seiyu in Japan, and Wo Er Ma in China. However, a rather odd name for Walmart seems to be called the Walley World. Why do people call Walmart Walley World?
The name ‘Walley World’ is inspired by the amusement park ‘Walley World.’ This amusement park is fictional and is featured in the 1983 comedy film National Lampoon’s Vacation. The name sounded close enough, and soon people began calling Walmart’ Walley World’, and the nickname remains popular today.
This article explores why Walmart gets the nickname ‘Walley World’, as well as answer some common questions you may have about Walmart.
We explore if Walmart has other nicknames and the things you can do when visiting Walmart.
How Big Is Walmart Corporation?
Walmart is the world’s largest corporation by revenue. This means it makes more money in sales than Apple or Amazon. Walmart runs around 10,500 stores, clubs, and online stores under 46 brands, in over 24 countries worldwide; the company also employs over 2.3 million staff members around the world.
Walmart started as a general grocery store in a small town near Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962. It was founded by Sam Walton. Over the years, Walmart continued to grow to eventually dominate the retail landscape in the US and soon began to expand worldwide.
Walmart is the world’s largest company by revenue, raking in around $570 billion in revenue in 2021. This is larger than some of the world’s largest companies, such as Apple ($378 billion), Amazon ($469 billion), or Microsoft ($168 billion).
Walmart is also the world’s largest private employer, with over 2.3 million staff members worldwide. Of these staff members, 1.6 billion are based in the United States.
Walmart also operates in over 24 countries around the world. The operations could be under the actual Walmart name or another name. Walmart does expand by buying other businesses, which means they also retain the branding. For example, ASDA in the United Kingdom, Seiyu in Japan, or Flipkart wholesale in India.
Walmart runs its operation under different types of stores. The Walmart Supercenters are the largest, usually around 178,000 square feet (16,500 square meters.) These supercenters may host not just groceries, but also local businesses such as hair salons, bank branches, restaurants, and many more.
Smaller stores such as Walmart Discount Stores are also smaller in scale compared to Supercenters. Smaller still are the Neighborhood Markets, focusing on grocery and fresh goods.
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Why Do People Call Walmart Walley World?
People call Walmart’ Walley World’ because of the amusement park ‘Walley World.’ This fictional amusement is featured in the 1983 comedy National Lampoon’s Vacation. Because of the almost-cult following, people like to casually call Walmart “Walley World,” and eventually, the name sticks.
The name Walley World originates from the movie National Lampoon’s Vacation. In the movie, Clark Griswold took his family on a national tour, traveling from Chicago to LA to visit the amusement park ‘Walley World.’ The trip was full of hiccups and hurdles, but they reached it.
The name “Walley World” is actually a creative play on the place Walt Disney World. The movie understands that if they use the name as it is, they may be liable for a lawsuit, which makes them change the name slightly.
The name “Walley World” is probably chosen as it is different from Walt Disney World, which means they would not be sued. At the same time, the name does remind people of Walt Disney World.
Eventually, the movie became a box office hit and developed a cult-like status. These movie fans started calling Walmart’ Walley World’ since Walmart is probably as big as Walley World. The name Walley World also sounded close enough to Walmart.
Eventually, the nickname spreads and sticks with the public to this day.
What Are The Other Names People Call Walmart?
Walmart also has other nicknames, which may be unflattering such as Hellmart, Balls-mart, Wal-fart, or Gualmart. Walmart may also be called different names overseas, depending on the country. For example, Walmart UK may be called ASDA, and Walmart China is called Wo Er Ma.
Walmart may have other names, which can generally be broken down into two major types: nicknames and brands.
When it comes to nicknames, Walmart may be called:
- Walley World
- Hellmart
- Balls-mart
- Wal-fart
- Gualmar
- Wallymart
- High-School hangout
- Datenight
Some of the nicknames are rather unflattering and rather crude words. You probably may not really use them unless you are with people you are comfortable with.
As for its international operations, Walmart may have other names, depending on how Walmart entered those countries.
For example, Walmart bought one of the United Kingdom’s retail companies ASDA in 1999. Walmart retained the brand and the name rather than renaming the stores Walmart. Some of the malls Walmart operates in India are called Flipkart.
In China, Walmart started a partnership with a local operation. The partnership decided to reuse the name Walmart but in Chinese. The name Wo Er Ma is the word Walmart pronounced in the closest sounds possible in Mandarin Chinese.
Here are some other names Walmart may be called overseas:
- Jumbo
- Bodega Aurrera
- Maxxi
- Seiyu
- Cambridge Food
- Makro
- Superama
- Nacional
Is There A Place Called Walley World?
In actuality, there is no such place called the Walley World, as it is a fictional name. However, suppose you take the actual location used to shoot the movie. In that case, you are looking at the Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park in Valencia, California.
To answer the question if there is actually a place called Walley World, you can look at it from two angles.
One is the name itself. If you look at the question from this angle, there is no place called Walley World, as it is a fictional place. The name is used in the 1983 movie National Lampoon’s Vacation.
Suppose that you look at the question from another angle, the set where the scenes of Walley World were shot. If such is the case, then there is a physical place called the ‘Walley World’
For the 1983 movie, the scenes for Walley World were shot at the Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park in Valencia, California. The park may also be called Magic Mountain and is a large park, at 262 acres in size. The park is about 35 miles (56KM) northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
Another remake of the same movie in 2015 featured another ‘Walley World.’ This time, instead of shooting it at the same place, the set was moved to Six Flags Over Georgia. This amusement park is located near Austell, Georgia. It is larger than Magic Mountain, at 290 acres.
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What Can You Do In Walmart?
At Walmart, you can do more than just shopping for groceries. This is because Walmart combined groceries with amenities, allowing you to get most of your daily things done. This includes banking, dining, grooming, auto maintenance, photo printing, and many more services.
One of the main reasons Walmart is successful is because it made itself into a grocery outlet and a services center. This is particularly noticeable in Walmart Supercenters, where the groceries and services can pretty much function like a small town.
Groceries
You can purchase a wide array of groceries at Walmart. Walmart has everything from fresh produce such as vegetables, meat, fish, and poultry. Milk-based products such as cheese, yogurt or milk are also available, with plenty to choose from.
You can also shop for dried and canned foods and purchase ready-to-eat meals right at the delicatessen. Many Walmart also sells freshly baked bread and pastries.
Clothing
Walmart also offers a wide selection of daily clothing needs for people of all ages and gender. You may shop for pants, shorts, shirts, underwear, and children’s clothing in Walmart. Many Walmart stores also sell shoes and accessories such as bags, belts, wallets, and brooches.
Electronics
Walmart also sells electronics and may offer prices better than major electronics retailers such as BestBuy. Choose from various electronics, TVs, computers, laptops, tablets, and phones.
There may also be sections dedicated to gaming, meaning you can purchase consoles, games, and accessories such as custom game controllers and wireless receivers.
Dining
Some Walmart supercenters may have shops that allow you to dine in. Expect to find it hard to decide where to eat. There may be quick and no-fuss food courts. You may also see your favorite fast food restaurants such as Chick-Fil-A, Popeyes, or Subway. There may also be sit-in restaurant chains such as Olive Garden and TGIF.
Home Supplies and Furniture
Walmart also offers a wide variety of products you can use at home. There may be sections dedicated to home appliances, such as blenders, radios, telephones, lights, and microwaves.
You may also shop for home furniture in Walmart and pick up couches, bed frames, mattresses, racks, and shelves. This makes Walmart a true rival to Ikea.
Banking
Many Walmarts also may have bank branches, allowing you to perform your banking tasks as you do your groceries. Get a new checkbook, make deposits and withdrawals, and pay your mortgage and credit card bills here.
Grooming
Many Walmarts also have services dedicated to helping you achieve your best look. For men, you may see barber shops. Hair salons and centers may also offer beauty services such as waxing, nail manicuring, and more.
Pet Supplies
Walmart is also where you may get supplies to keep your pet happy at home. Expect to find pet foods for your lovely furry buddy at home. There may also be toys, leashes, and accessories to keep your animal friend occupied and comfortable.
