Disneyland – IAMNOTASTALKER

July 22, 2014July 22, 2014

The “Walk in Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps” Tour

I have long considered myself a Disneyland expert (or a “foamer” – a term I learned from Pinky Lovejoy, of the Thinking Pink blog, that refers to those who foam at the mouth over all things Disney). I have visited The Happiest Place on Earth more times than I can count and know its layout like the back of my hand. I even had the amazing opportunity to dine at the park’s ultra-exclusive Club 33 back in 2009. So I was shocked when fellow stalkers Kim, Lavonna, Katie and Kaylee, while preparing for their June trip to Los Angeles, told me they were buying tickets for the Walk in Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps tour, during which guests are taken inside Walt Disney’s Main Street apartment. I had no idea such a tour existed (though James Franco did) or that visitors were ever allowed inside the hallowed walls of the Disney apartment! Kim and Lavonna were nice enough to gift me with a Walk in Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps ticket for my birthday and we wound up spending two glorious days at The Happiest Place on Earth, of which the tour was the definite highlight.

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The tour, which lasted about three hours, kicked off at the Disneyland Tour Gardens kiosk on Main Street, where we were introduced to our guide and each given a headset to wear. The excursion included a free lunch and, upon arrival, we were asked to choose a meal. Several dining options were available, including Chicken Salad, Caprese and Roasted Turkey sandwiches, as well as Roasted Vegetable and Jolly Holiday salads. Desert was also included. Our group was especially excited about the White Chocolate Matterhorn Macaroons.

The tour got started promptly at 9:30 a.m. and we headed down Main Street, U.S.A. . . .

. . . towards Sleeping Beauty Castle. Along the way, we stopped at several spots and were told historical anecdotes about Walt’s creation of the park. There were even sound clips of some of Walt’s speeches that were played at key locations throughout our journey. I got goose bumps listening to his Fantasyland dedication while standing in the shadow of the Sleeping Beauty Castle. Fantasyland was the land dearest to Walt’s heart and the last to be unveiled on Disneyland’s opening day, July 17th, 1955. In his speech, he said, “Now the plaque reserved for last. A few words of dedication for the happiest kingdom of them all, Fantasyland. Here is the world of imagination, hopes and dreams. In this timeless land of enchantment, the age of chivalry, magic and make-believe are reborn and fairy tales come true. Fantasyland is dedicated to the young and the young-at-heart, to those who believe that when you wish upon a star, your dreams do come true.” The castle’s drawbridge was then lowered and the 28,000 guests present that day allowed to venture forth into Fantasyland. Yep, you read that right – the Sleeping Beauty Castle drawbridge is operable! It has only been publicly lowered twice, though – on opening day and then again almost thirty years later, upon the unveiling of Fantasyland’s 1983 remodel.

Our guide took us through almost every square inch of the park, sharing details and stories each step of the way. I should point out here that it is a walking tour and, boy, did we do a lot of it! If you decide to partake of Walk in Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps yourself, be sure to wear comfortable shoes!

Because it was our second full day at Disneyland, the stroll really took it out of us. I turned around during one of our stops to see Kim like this. Smile

The Walk in Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps tour included a visit to two attractions – and yes, we got to skip the line both times! At one point, we passed by someone who said, “Those people are on some sort of VIP tour.” Yep, that’s how we roll! The first ride we were taken to was Peter Pan’s Flight, one of my all-time favorites. The ride was also one of Walt’s favorites and has been in operation since Disneyland’s opening day, which is incredible to me! I was so thankful that we got to bypass that particular line as it is invariably one of the park’s longest, no matter what time of day.

The second “ride” we got to experience was Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at the Main Street Opera House, which, as luck would have it, was the attraction that Lavonna most wanted to see while visiting the park due to its appearance in a Season 3 episode of Modern Family.

In the episode, aptly titled “Disneyland,” Jay Pritchett (Ed O’Neill) drags his family to watch Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, which holds special meaning for him thanks to a visit he had there with his children, Mitchell Pritchett (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Claire Dunphy (Julie Bowen), when they were young.

Sadly, our experience was not as favorable as Jay’s. The show features a short film about the life of Abraham Lincoln and then culminates with an animatronic version of the former president delivering a mash-up of several of his famous speeches. Our guide had really talked up the fabulous and technologically-advanced animatronics used to create Honest Abe. Too bad we never got to see it.

As the music flared into a loud crescendo and the curtain pulled back to reveal the Lincoln figurine, something went awry. While we heard the former president’s voice, all that we saw during his speech was a black hole of darkness and two hazy lights. (Yes, I took a picture of it.) None of the Disney cast members noticed anything was wrong – not even our tour guide, who was texting at the time – and the unseen Abe was allowed to finish out his speech in obscurity. Our group kept looking over at Lavonna who was NOT a happy camper at that point. The rest of us were in hysterics, though.

At the end of Abe’s speech, the music swelled, the curtain fell and a graphic reading “America, Keep on Dreaming” appeared, while a hologram of an eagle flew in front of us. At that point we all pretty much died laughing (well, excluding Lavonna) and “Keep on Dreaming” became our catchphrase for the rest of the trip.

As we walked out of the theatre into the Opera House lobby, our guide apologized for the mishap and then led us through an exit hallway, where we were shown photographs of Disney and plaques displaying some of his famous quotes. It was at that point that she told us about Walt’s sudden passing on December 15th, 1966. It was a somber moment and I had tears in my eyes as she spoke of Roy Disney saying goodbye to his beloved brother while standing at the foot of his hospital bed.

In a bit of unfortunate timing, at that same moment a Disney cast member came out to shut down Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln “due to technical difficulties.” When she posted a sign reading, “This attraction is currently unavailable,” we could not suppress our laughter. Our guide was NOT amused at our hysterics and probably would have kicked us out had the tour not been nearing its end point. We, of course, had to pose for a photo in front of the sign before heading out of the theatre. Keep on dreaming, Lavonna!

Then came the moment we had all been waiting for – the visit to the Walt Disney apartment. The dwelling is situated on the second floor of the Disneyland Fire Station. In its central window, which overlooks Main Street, is the famous Disney lamp. For those not in the know, whenever Walt visited the park, the lamp in that window would be turned on to alert cast members to his presence. Upon his death, the lamp was lit permanently in his memory. Every time I enter Disneyland, I make sure to look up at the lamp, so the thought of seeing it from the other side of the window was almost too much excitement for me to bear.

Walt’s apartment is reached via a set of outdoor stairs located behind a locked gate to the right of the Fire Department. The studio is tiny (500 square feet!) and consists of one room and one bathroom. The main room features a small kitchenette, two large couches that convert into single beds (where Walt and Lillian would sleep when visiting the park) and a few sitting areas. The bathroom, which boasts pink tiling, is comprised of a toilet, sink and shower. The apartment also has a fairly large back patio. The Victorian-themed space was decorated by Academy Award-winning Disney set designer Emile Kuri. While most of the original furniture has been removed (some of it is housed at The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco), the look has been kept reminiscent of how it was in Disney’s day. You can see a photograph of Walt in the apartment here and you can check out some great pictures of the interior here. Venturing inside was definitely a magical experience – one that I will never forget. (Sadly, we were only permitted to take one photograph while there.)

After the tour, we were served lunch at the Jolly Holiday Café. The Roasted Vegetable & Whole Grain Salad (recipe here) I had ordered was fabulous. And the much-anticipated Matterhorn Macaroons did not disappoint. Sadly though, I was not able to partake of them. Darn diabetes!

I cannot more highly recommend taking the Walk in Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps tour. Even for a Disneyphile like me who knows everything there is to know about the park, it was an informative and mesmerizing experience. Well, aside from the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln debacle, that is. (Pictured below is the commemorative pin that guests are given following the tour.)

For more stalking fun, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Los Angeles magazine online. And you can check out my other blog, The Well-Heeled Diabetic, here.

Big THANK YOU to Kim and Lavonna for not only finding out about the tour, but for booking it for us! Smile

Until next time, Happy Stalking! Smile

Stalk It: The Walk in Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps guided tour is offered everyday at 9:30 a.m. Tickets are $109 per person, but 20% discounts are available to Disneyland Annual Passholders and AAA members. Tickets can be purchased 30 days in advance by calling (714)781-TOUR. You can find out more information about the tour here.

August 9, 2010August 7, 2010

The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco

Last Sunday morning, after checking out of the spectacular San Francisco loft where my bachelorette party was held, my friend Nat and I headed over to the historic former Presidio Army Base to stalk the recently-opened Walt Disney Family Museum. Knowing what a Disney freak I am, Nat figured that the museum would be right up my alley, which it, of course, was! The Walt Disney Family Museum, which was founded by Walt’s heirs through the Walt Disney Family Foundation, first opened a little under two years ago on October 1, 2009. After the Presidio Army Base closed down in 1989 and the property was taken over by the US National Parks Service five years later, the Walt Disney Foundation set about renovating three of the former bases’ main buildings to house their new museum. And while it might seem a bit random to open a gallery about the world’s most famous animator on a former Army Base, I must say that the place’s setting is nothing short of spectacular!

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As you can see in the above-pictured photographs, the museum boasts absolutely gorgeous – albeit majorly fog-filled – views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Amazingly enough, I had never actually heard of the museum before this past weekend and was shocked to discover that the legendary imagineer had a museum dedicated to him in the City by the Bay, because, as far as I knew, he had no connection to the area. As it turns out, though, Walt’s eldest daughter Diane Marie Disney, moved to Northern California in the early 1970’s and still lives there to this day. Because the museum focuses on the history of Walt’s life and career and boasts a massive collection of memorabilia from both, it makes sense that it would be opened in the city where his closest living heir now lives. And once you see the museum’s breathtaking surroundings, it makes sense why Dianne chose to honor her father there.

The Walt Disney Family Museum consists of ten permanent galleries, each of which focuses on a different aspect of the icon’s life, including his early years, his arrival in Hollywood, his animation, the historical 1937 production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, his marriage to Lillian Disney, and, of course, the creation of Disneyland. Sadly, though, no photographs of any kind were allowed in any of the galleries. Pictures were allowed in the museum’s lobby area, though, and, amazingly enough, Walt’s Academy Award collection was displayed there, so I did get to snap some photographs of that. As it turns out, Walt Disney has the distinction of holding the record for most Academy Award nominations received by a single person in the history of the Academy – he was nominated a whopping 59 times! He won 26 of those nominations, including an honorary Oscar in 1939 for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first full-length animated feature film. The award, whose inscription reads, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, recognized as a significant screen innovation which has charmed millions and pioneered a great new entertainment field”, is the only Academy Award of its kind and befittingly features one large Oscar statuette flanked by seven miniature ones.

I cannot tell you how absolutely floored I was to be seeing that Oscar, which was presented to Walt at the 11th Annual Academy Awards Ceremony by a then-six-year-old Shirley Temple, in person. I had first read about the one-of-a-kind award many, many years back and had thought it was just about the coolest thing ever! So, when I read in the museum’s brochure that some of Walt’s Oscars were on display in the main lobby, my mind immediately flashed to that Snow White award, but, because it is so valuable, never in my wildest dreams did I think it would actually be there. So, as you can imagine, I just about died upon seeing it! So darn cool!

Also on display in the museum’s main lobby is a furniture set that used to be housed inside of the Disney Family Apartment, which is located inside of the original Disneyland theme park, above the Disney Fire House on Main Street U.S.A. I had never actually heard about the private apartment until fellow stalker Kerry pointed it out to me last summer after the two of us had eaten at Club 33. According to Kerry, whenever Walt stayed at the apartment, the lamp in the main window was lit to alert Disney Cast Members of his presence. Following his death on December 15, 1966, the lamp was turned on and has been left permanently lit ever since. The Walt Disney Family Museum also boasts an absolutely GINORMOUS 3-D diorama of the “Disneyland of Walt’s imagination” in one of its galleries and if you look at it closely you can see an apartment located above the Disney Fire House – and there is, of course, a lamp flickering inside of the window. So darn cool! You can read more about the Disney Family Apartment and see photographs of the inside of it here.

The Walt Disney Family Museum is an absolutely fascinating place and I honestly can’t recommend stalking it enough. It was such a treat to learn about the life and times of the man who created one of my favorite places in the entire world. Walt truly was a fascinating person and I was amazed to discover how little I knew about him before visiting the museum. More than just an innovator and an animator, Walt was a family man who loved his wife and children above all else. It was absolutely heartwarming to learn about the incredible love that he had for them. I also highly recommend stalking the museum’s gift store as they have some FABULOUS items in there!

Big THANK YOU to Nat for taking me stalk this location!

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: The Walt Disney Family Museum is located at 104 Montgomery Street, on the former Presidio Army Base, in San Francisco. You can visit the museum’s official website here. The museum is closed on Tuesdays and all major holidays. Tickets for adults are $20, seniors and students are $15, children ages 6-17 are $12.50, and children ages 6 and under are free.

February 22, 2010February 20, 2010

Disneyland’s Club 33

I must preface today’s blog with an apology, as this is one post that is far too long overdue! Well over six months ago – yes, I am talking about waaaaaaaaaay back in July of 2009 – my good friend and fellow stalker Kerry invited me to share in her birthday celebration at the Happiest Place on Earth, aka Disneyland. But this wasn’t just any ordinary birthday celebration as Kerry had magically secured us a reservation at the park’s ultra-exclusive, members-only, virtually-impossible-to-get-into Club 33 restaurant. For those non-Disney fanatics, unlike myself, Club 33 is the “secret”, private, fine-dining establishment that Walt Disney had built inside of New Orleans Square. To eat there one must either be a member (and there are only 487 of them at the present time) or know a member who would be willing to make them a reservation. Like I said, it’s virtually impossible to get in. But, thankfully, Kerry doesn’t know the meaning of the word impossible. So when she called me up in early 2009 to tell me that she had made it a goal to spend her July 29th birthday at Club 33, I had no doubt she’d make it happen. And, sure enough, she did! Through a big-wig at ESPN whom she has known for years, she was able to secure a lunch reservation for 6 – Kerry and her husband, Jim, their friends Ken and Anita, who flew in from Washington for the occasion, and me and my fiancé. And, let me tell you, I could NOT have been more excited as I had been dying to eat at Club 33 for just about as long as I can remember.

Walt Disney originally envisioned Club 33 as an elegant, but private sort of VIP lounge where he could entertain visiting dignitaries, movie stars, and Disneyland’s corporate sponsors. He was inspired to build the club after seeing similar such establishments at the 1964-1965 World’s Fair. Disney enlisted artist Dorothea Redmond to paint the original conceptual drawings of the club and then commissioned interior designer and former studio art director Emile Kuri to design and decorate the space. Walt then traveled to New Orleans, along with his wife, Lillian, and designer Kuri, to purchase authentic Bayou-inspired decor and antiques to furnish his restaurant, which he dubbed Club 33. There are varying reports as to how Walt came up with that name, the two most persistent being that the name was derived from the club’s address – 33 Royal Street – and also that it was christened in honor of Disneyland’s 33 original corporate sponsors. No one has ever been able to say for sure, though, and the name remains one of the club’s greatest mysteries. Club 33 finally opened its doors in May of 1967. Sadly, though, Walt never got to enjoy it, as he passed away five months prior to its completion. His brainchild enjoyed immediate success, though, and fairly soon memberships were being offered. As of 2007, the club had 487 registered members, all of whom belong either individually or through a corporation. But, let me tell you, the cost of belonging is steep! An individual membership has an initiation fee of $9,500 and annual dues of $3,175, while corporate memberships cost $5,925 in annual dues with a $20,000 initiation fee. The only way a new membership opens up is when a current member drops out of the club, which rarely ever happens. Rumor has it that people on the waiting list can expect to wait over 14 years before a spot becomes available! Not kidding! And sadly, the waiting list is currently at full capacity and is not accepting any new applicants. Also not kidding! And while not a filming location, because of its excellent food and shroud of secrecy, the club has long been a celebrity magnet. Just a few of the stars who have dined there over the years include Barbra Streisand, Robert Wagner, Mickey Rooney, Sammy Hagar, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Phoebe Cates, Fess Parker, Bernard Fox, Geena Davis, Mira Sorvino, Christopher Backus, Elton John, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tommy Smothers, Michael Eisner, John Lasseter, Mike Ness (from the band Social Distortion), Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Kline, and Buddy Ebsen. Club 33’s most famous guest, though, has to be none other than the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson, who was a frequent visitor. 🙂 The entrance to Club 33 (pictured above) consists of a non-descript grey door sandwiched between the Blue Bayou Restaurant and the Le Specialty Gourmet Shop. One could easily walk right past it without knowing anything was there. Save for a mirrored plate featuring the Club 33 logo and two tiny gold speaker boxes, the entrance is largely unmarked.

And, let me tell you, we were just about dying of excitement as we walked up to it! 🙂 To gain access to the club, one must press a button on the top gold speaker box located to the left of the front door and speak the name of the person who holds the reservation. No sound will come back to greet you, but if your name is on the hostess’ list, the grey door will magically open. The whole thing is very hush-hush and reminded me of what a speakeasy must have been like back in the day. 🙂 Apparently at one time, members would simply slip their membership cards through a little slot located in the speaker box to gain access to the club, but that is no longer the case. Pictured above are both me and Kerry at the front door.

Just beyond the entrance door lies a tiny lobby area lobby whereupon one checks in and is given the option to either use the wraparound staircase to access the club’s second floor . . .

. . . or to take a ride in the famous antique glass elevator, which Walt had built in exact replication of one he had seen in a Parisian hotel. Kerry and I, of course, opted to take the elevator.

I just about died when we got up to the second floor as the place is absolutely beautiful inside. Club 33 has a very old-Hollywood feel to it, with dark wood flooring, deep red walls, antique wall sconces, wooden chandeliers, and ornate detailing throughout.

And there are arrangements of fresh flowers literally everywhere you look!

Once we reached the second level landing, the hostess led us to our table. The club is made up of two eating areas, the first of which is known as the Main Dining Room and it features carved wooden chandeliers . . .

. . . and a private balcony area which overlooks New Orleans Square and the Rivers of America.

The second dining area is Club 33’s legendary Trophy Room, which is where we got to eat.

The Trophy Room is famous thanks to the fact that Walt originally envisioned it to have an array of animatronic creatures on display, all of whom would be able to hold conversations with his guests, thanks to the use of hidden microphones and an actor who would be voicing the animals from inside the confines of a hidden sound booth. And while his plan never saw fruition, an animatronic vulture from Walt’s original design is still on display in the Trophy Room to this day, although it sadly does not talk to the Club 33 patrons. 😉

The Trophy Room is richly decorated with cypress wood walls,

large and ornately carved display cases,

original Disneyland concept drawings,

and a few pieces from Walt’s wife Lillian’s butterfly collection.

The 33 logo is present on pretty much everything at the club, from the menus,

to the china,

to the post-meal mints. And, let me tell you, Kerry, Anita, and I pretty much wanted to take home anything and everything that featured that logo. We even stuffed a few Club 33 cocktail napkins in our purses. 😉 Not kidding!

A meal at Club 33 costs about $100 per person when all is said and done, but along with a reservation comes free admission to both the Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks, so the meal pretty much pays for itself. 🙂 From what I hear, Club 33’s lunch menus are changed seasonally, but usually consist of five different dining options, all of which cost the same amount. I opted for the certified organic free range chicken with truffled mac & cheese. And, let me tell you, it was A-MA-ZING! Especially the mac & cheese!!!!!

But before our meals were served, we were instructed to graze at the club’s amazing buffet. Pictured above is the hallway which leads to the buffet room . . .

. . . which is where the famous harpsichord that was custom made for Lillian Disney is displayed. The harpsichord, which is trimmed in real life gold leaf and features a Disney artisan hand-painted picture of New Orleans Harbor circa the Nineteenth Century, is in working order and may be played by guests of the club. According to several of the staff members I spoke with, Elton John even played an impromptu performance on it once. Love it!

Also on display in the hallway is a table that appeared in the movie Mary Poppins, but unfortunately I didn’t get a great picture of it.

Club 33’s extensive buffet consists of a salad bar, a fresh fruit and imported cheese bar, a shellfish and oyster bar, and a freshly baked bread and cold cuts bar. And I swear I could have dined on just the buffet items and been happy as a clam!

Oh, and did I mention there’s also an all-you-can-eat dessert bar, as well? Diners are even invited to partake in the desert bar before their meal is served, if they’re so inclined. LOVE IT!

Club 33’s most famous desert is its S’mores martini, which is, unfortunately, only available on certain days of the week. And even when it is available, only a select few are made and once they run out, they run out. So, when we arrived at the club, Kerry, Anita, and I immediately headed over to the desert bar to snatch up a martini. Sadly, though, once there we discovered that we were dining on a non-martini day. But being that this was Disneyland – purveyor of the finest customer service in the world – once our waitress heard how disappointed we were over the lack of S’more martinis, she ran directly to the kitchen and had a batch made up especially for our table! How incredibly cool is that???? And I have to say that they also were pretty A-MA-ZING! In fact there wasn’t a single item served at the club that wasn’t A-MA-ZING! I literally could have gorged myself there all day! In fact, being that our meal took over two and a half hours from start to finish, by the time I had finished my desert and had carefully documented the entire place in photographs, I could have easily sat back down to do it all over again. LOL

Oh, and because it was her birthday, Kerry even got a special Mickey Mouse desert. 🙂 Love it!

Club 33 also has a full bar and is, in fact, the ONLY place in Disneyland that serves alcohol. So, I, of course, had to partake in a glass of champagne while there. 🙂

Just around the corner from the bar is the club’s foyer area,

which features the famous Club 33 display case where various items featuring the Club 33 logo are for sale. Said items can only be purchased at the club – or on eBay, of course – and because of that are pretty hot commodities.

Also on display in the foyer is the antique glass phone booth which was used in the 1967 Disney movie The Happiest Millionaire. The phone is in working order and is available for use by Club 33 guests.

And, of course, I just had to take a few pictures of the women’s restroom, as well. 😉

And yes, I sent my fiancé into the men’s room with camera in hand, too! 🙂

My experience at Club 33 was nothing short of magical and was a definite once-in-a-lifetime! As the Disneyland Encyclopedia states, “There’s never been a mention of Club 33 in any of the park’s souvenir books, naturally, and while people may have heard of it and even more have unknowingly walked right by the entrance, only a very few will ever be able to say they’ve been inside.” Thanks to my good friend Kerry, I am now one of those very few. 🙂 Can’t THANK YOU enough, Kerry! 🙂

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Club 33 is located at 33 Royal Street, in between the Blue Bayou Restaurant and Le Gourmet Specialty Shop, in the New Orleans Square area of Disneyland. Sadly, the club is private and not open to the public. For further Club 33 reading, be sure to check out the unofficial Club 33 website.

February 13, 2009February 17, 2009

“It Never Rains In Southern California . . . “

As the old Albert Hammond song says “It never rains in Southern California, but girl, don’t they warn ya, it pours man, it pours!” And pour it did almost all last week all over the normally sun drenched landscape of Los Angeles. While on my way to stalk Burbank’s Handy Grocery Store in the pouring rain this past weekend, I happened to pass right by Walt Disney Studios on Buena Vista Street and was reminded about a story I once heard that seemed quite fitting of the day’s weather.

According to The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book, journalist Peter J. Boyer stated in a Vanity Fair article that Disney is “a place so reviled that even its architecture inspires nasty rumors, such as the apocryphal story that architect Michael Graves arranged the drainage system in the Disney headquarters building [aka the Team Disney building] in such a way that the huge sculpted Seven Dwarfs atop the edifice would seem to be peeing on Disney executives whenever it rained.” LOL So, since it just happened to be raining at the time, I pulled over to see if Boyer’s story had any merit. 🙂 After seeing the Dwarfs in person in the pouring rain, I have to admit that I think the anecdote is somewhat of an urban legend, but it still makes for a great story and hopefully a great blog post. 🙂

Walt Disney built his Burbank studio in 1940 after the enormous financial success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – the world’s first full length animated feature film. At the time it was built the 41 acre lot was comprised of four full size soundstages (there are now six), a backlot that included a Western town, a town square, a residential street, and a small pueblo (the entire backlot has since been demolished), and recreation areas for employees which included ping pong tables and a volleyball court. Over the years many productions have been filmed on the historic Disney lot, including That Darn Cat, Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Absent Minded Professor, The Swamp Fox, The Princess Diaries, Eight Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, Boy Meets World, Home Improvement, Lizzie Maguire, Less Than Perfect, and Mary Poppins. Ironically enough, Mary Poppins was filmed solely indoors, using up all four of the Disney Studio soundstages. Even the Cherry Tree Lane set where the Banks Family lived was built inside of a soundstage. Being a huge Mary Poppins fan myself, I was highly disappointed when I found this out as I had always hoped to one day see Cherry Tree Lane in person. 🙁 On an interesting side note, even though he passed away in 1966, Walt Disney still holds the record for most Academy Awards won by a single person. In his lifetime, he won a incredible TWENTY-SIX Oscars!

Unfortunately, Disney does not currently offer tours of its studio. : ( But the good news is that the Team Disney building can be viewed from the street outside the studio gates. If you are a big Disney fan, I highly recommend stalking the exterior of the building as it is very cool to see in person. The Seven Dwarf statues are absolutely HUGE. I was shocked at their size when I saw them in person as pictures simply do not do them justice!

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Disney Studios is located at 500 S. Buena Vista Street in Burbank. The Team Disney building, with its Seven Dwarfs facade, can be viewed through the main gate located just around the corner on Alameda Avenue. Unfortunately the studio does not offer tours of its property. 🙁 But for $2,169 (per person!!!!!) you can purchase a 6 day/5 night “Hollywood and the Disneyland Resort” vacation from the Adventures by Disney Vacations company. One of the days consists of a behind the scenes tour of Walt Disney Studios.