Tag Archives: Walt Disney

Walk In Walt’s Footsteps

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Walt’s apartment above the Firehouse. Light in window is a tribute to Walt.

Something we had been wanting to do for a long time was the Walk In Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps Guided tour.  This is a tour that is unique to all the Disney parks as this is the only park that was complete before his passing in 1966.  The tour takes guests around the park and over the areas where Walt walked and envisioned this magnificent place that would become the gold standard in theme parks.

At the beginning of our tour, each guest was issued a headset that provides clear communication from our guide and the sound clips of Walt explaining areas of the park.  We then met our guide Sam who would take us back to the early days of Disneyland.

We began outside the Firehouse.  This is significant because the top floor houses “Walt’s Apartment.”  This was an area where he could work, rest and Continue Reading →

Walt’s Barn, 2017 Visit

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“Yes, in one way or another, I have always loved trains.” – Walt Disney

It has been a year since our last visit to Walt Disney’s Barn in Griffith Park.  Little has changed, but it was nice so see some Disney friends and make new ones.  On this day in January, visitors were treated to the chance to meet and visit with Disney Legends Bob Gurr and Floyd Norman.  More on these two in a moment.

Walt’s work bench.

Trains were such a large part of Walt’s life.  As a boy, he worked on several railroad companies in 1916 selling newspapers and snacks.  Once the Walt Disney Studios were running, Walt’s love of trains carried on to the point that he had a model train in his office.  He became interested in scale model live steam trains after discovering that two of his animators, Ward Kimble and Ollie Johnson had railroads at their homes.  Walt eventually created his Carolwood Pacific Railroad that ran Continue Reading →

Walt Disney Family Museum

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A must-see for any Disney aficionado, the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco is a place containing everything one would want to see or know about the man himself.

One of three walls displaying Walt’s lifetime of achievements, awards and citations.

Created by Walt’s daughter, Diane in 2009, the museum tells about the Disney family history, from their migration from Ireland, through Walt’s childhood years and his eventual rise to the icon that he has become.

Entering the museum, a visitor is brought into the award gallery.  In here are the awards, achievements and citations that Walt received during his lifetime, including a Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964.  We always associate Walt with his Emmy awards, including the special one created for Snow White, but it’s amazing to see all the Continue Reading →

50 Years in Passing

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Partners Statue in Disneyland.

December 15, 1966.  Not a day to celebrate, like a wedding anniversary or Independence Day, but a day of remembrance like Pearl Harbor or 9-11.  Ten days after his 65th birthday, Walter Elias Disney passed away following complications from lung surgery, 50 years ago today.

While Walt normally worked very hard not to let the public, especially the kids, see him smoking, he was a heavy smoker from his early years and it took its toll on his life.  In November, 1966, Walt was to undergo surgery to repair a neck injury that he had suffered in a polo accident.  An X-ray taken prior to surgery revealed a dark spot on his left lung that was identified as cancer.  He recovered from the lung surgery and initially returned to work, but began feeling ill by the end of the month.  He spent Continue Reading →