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How to Tour the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank

Have you ever dreamed of getting to tour the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank? This is one of the hardest studios in Los Angeles to get to see. There are only three studios that offer tours that anyone can buy tickets for. Those studios are Paramount , Sony and Warner Bros . The main ways that you can tour the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank are through D23 Events, Disney Movie Insider Rewards, and Adventures By Disney.

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What is D23? It is The Official Disney Fan Club! Earlier this year I attended the D23 Expo which I highly recommend. You can be a general member for free or a gold member for a price. For $99.99 a year, plus shipping and taxes, you can join the club. There will be a few free member events throughout the year but most activities require you to spend more money to attend. However, if you really want to tour the studio you’ll most likely find the price tag worth the investment.

At least two times a year club members can purchase tickets to tour the studio. This tour always sells out though so you do have to pay close attention to when it goes on sale. The best way to stay informed is to check the D23 events page on their website often. The pricing starts at $99 and goes up from there. Pricing is more for general members (the free membership), and it is more expensive for weekend tours as well. You can find tickets and available tour times through the D23 event page when availability permits.

What does this tour entail? According to the D23 website, you can expect a 2 and 1/2 hour tour which includes a visit to Walt Disney’s Office and the archives.

Disney Movie Insiders Rewards Program

Did you know that you can earn points for watching Disney movies in theatres and by purchasing Disney Movies on DVD and BluRay? Once you create an account with Disney Movie Insider Rewards and start earning points you can redeem them for great rewards. One of the rewards is to tour the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. This reward costs 12,000 points so it will take a while to earn enough.

  View this post on Instagram   It was all started by a man with a dream and his mouse #WaltDisney #MickeyMouse #disneystudios #waltdisneystudiosburbank #waltdisneystudios #burbank #visitburbank #disney #disneygram #disneylife #disneyphotography #disneyig #disneyfan A post shared by Michelle Mink (@la.dreaming) on Jul 12, 2019 at 9:01am PDT

Adventures By Disney

Adventures By Disney is a way to travel while having Disney take care of everything. There is a four-day tour of Los Angeles. This experience gives you access to the park in a unique way and provides a tour of the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. You even get to tour Imagineering. These trips and experiences with ABD can be very pricey but you certainly get some spectacular experiences. You can see pricing and details here .

Interested in checking out other Disney places in LA? Check out my Guide to LA For Disney Fans .

About The Author

Michelle Ares is the founder and creative director of LA Dreaming. I have a passion for Southern California and love sharing my adventures and experiences with you. I love to travel, find new places to check out, and watch movies. You can follow me on Instagram @la.dreaming

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Official D23 Tours of The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank Returning August 11th

D23 is bringing back a long-time favorite tour for members, that being the Official Walt Disney Studios Tour!

What’s Happening:

• D23 Members have the rare opportunity to enjoy a two-and-a-half-hour tour of The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, CA.
• This exclusive experience includes a visit to Walt Disney’s office suite, Legends Plaza, and the Walt Disney Archives.
• Additionally on weekend tours, an Archivist from the Walt Disney Archives will join the tour and share the rich history of this amazing department.
• Join your D23 tour guide on a stroll through the original Animation building, where beloved animated films, including Cinderella , Lady and the Tramp , and The Jungle Book , were created; see the historic soundstages used for filming such Disney live-action movie classics as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea , Mary Poppins , Pirates of the Caribbean : The Curse of the Black Pearl , and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ; plus explore the beautiful Legends Plaza, which honors those who have made significant contributions to the Disney legacy.
• Many guests will also recognize the exterior spaces on the lot, which have been featured in productions from the Mickey Mouse Club  and The Absent-Minded Professor  to Saving Mr. Banks , Muppets Most Wanted , and ABC ’s black-ish !
• Then, explore the rich legacy and historical collections of The Walt Disney Company during a tour of the Walt Disney Archives. To complete this epic experience, take a tour of Walt Disney’s restored 3H office suite, filled with original furnishings, awards, and items from the master showman’s personal collection. Upon exiting the suite, all guests will receive an exclusive gift to commemorate this memorable experience.
• All guests will also have the opportunity to shop at the Disney Studio Store and Employee Center and purchase items only available on the Studio lot!
• Pricing for D23 Gold Members is $99 for weekday tours or $109 for weekend tours per person, plus a $7 per person processing fee.
• For General Members, pricing is $149 for weekday tours and $159 for weekend tours per person, plus a $7 per person processing fee.
• Tickets will go on sale Tuesday, August 2nd, at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET).
• All guests will be required to wear face masks upon entering the Walt Disney Studio Lot and for the entire duration of the tour.
• Additionally, all guests will need to provide proof of either confirmation that you have been fully vaccinated or a negative PCR test for COVID-19.
• Tour dates are as follows:

GENERAL AND GOLD MEMBERS:

• August 11, August 18, August 25, September 1, September 15, September 22, October 6, October 13, October 20, October 27
• Tours will take place at The Walt Disney Studios at 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Check-in will begin outside the Hyperion Bungalow at The Walt Disney Studios 30 minutes before your tour.
• August 12, August 19, August 26, September 2, September 16, September 23, October 7, October 14, October 21, October 28
• Tours will take place at The Walt Disney Studios at 9 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m., and 10:30 a.m. Check-in will begin outside the Hyperion Bungalow at The Walt Disney Studios 30 minutes before your tour.
• August 20, October 22, November 5
• Tours will take place at The Walt Disney Studios at 9 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Check-in will begin outside the Hyperion Bungalow at The Walt Disney Studios 30 minutes before your tour.

For more details and to purchase tickets when they become available on August 2nd, visit the official D23 website .

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D23 offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience in nostalgia to diehard disney fans.

Posted by: Becky Burkett February 3, 2023

On May 6, 1940, Walt Disney’s employees finished the arduous task of moving into the brand-new Walt Disney Studios location in Burbank, California. At the time of the move, Robin Coons, a reporter with the Associated Press, was concerned about Disney’s decision to relocate.

Credit: D23

“I was worried because the removal to the new factory, still in progress, could change the Disney atmosphere as drastically as a Disney venture into big business,” she wrote. “So I went out and browsed around the big new lot, and I’m happy to report that Disney is still Disney, and the Disney lot is still like no other in this town or any other.”

Coons continued her happy report, adding that “the artists work in roomier, air-conditioned, more convenient quarters, but their walls are still adorned with those extra-curricular inspirations indicative of the sans-souci spirit of old. There was Walt himself in a leather jacket, still being called plain ‘Walt’ by everybody in sight.”

The elated reporter complimented Walt Disney , his relationship with his employees, and the overall morale of the organization, saying the following in her report:

There may be other lots with almost as much loyalty to the head man as here; there certainly are lots with more formidable lines of time clocks, but there isn’t another with a higher morale.

Credit: Disney Archives

That was more than 80 years ago, but a sense of that morale and the nostalgia of Disney days gone by can still be felt within the walls and halls of the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. And as part of the Disney100 celebration this year , D23, the Ultimate Disney Fan Club, is inviting ultimate Disney fans to step back in time with a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the Studios.

From February 6 to March 31, 2023, Disney fans of all ages are invited to a very special tour of the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank.

D23 invites Guests to “kick off the 100th  anniversary of The Walt Disney Company in 2023 by visiting the heart of the magic with The Official Walt Disney Studios Tour , presented by D23!

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D23 Members have the rare opportunity to enjoy a two-and-a-half-hour tour of The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. This exclusive experience includes a visit to Walt Disney’s office suite, the Walt Disney Archives, and Legends Plaza. Additionally, on weekend tours, get a glimpse of the Animator’s office exhibit only open on Saturdays for D23. You will also have the opportunity for your own private visit to the Archives, where you may even run into someone from the Archives team.

RELATED: Walt Disney Hated Some of His Own Studios’ Most Famous Work, Starting with “Lady and the Tramp”

Credit: Walt Disney Animation

Join your D23 tour guide on a stroll through the original Animation building, where beloved animated films, including Cinderella ,  Lady and the Tramp , and  The Jungle Book , were created; see the historic soundstages used for filming such Disney live-action movie classics as  20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ,  Mary Poppins ,  Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,  and  Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ; plus explore the beautiful Legends Plaza, which honors those who have made significant contributions to the Disney legacy. Many guests will also recognize the exterior spaces on the lot, which have been featured in productions from the  Mickey Mouse Club  and  The Absent-Minded Professor  to  Saving Mr. Banks ,  Muppets Most Wanted,  and ABC’s  black-ish !”

Credit: Finding Debra

This special tour even includes a look at the Walt Disney Archives–and a visit to Walt’s 3H office, which has been restored and still includes original furnishings used and enjoyed by Walt Disney himself . It’s a dream come true for nostalgic Disney fans who can’t get enough of Walt and the story behind The Walt Disney Company.

Credit: The Positive Mom

General members of D23 can enjoy the tour on weekdays for $149 per person and on weekends for $159 per person, plus a $7 processing fee per person. D23 Gold Members enjoy a savings of $50 per person and can experience the tour for $99 during the week and $109 on the weekends, plus a $7 processing fee per person.

For more information, visit the official D23 website .

About Becky Burkett

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Walt Disney Animation Studios

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Combining masterful artistry and storytelling with groundbreaking technology

Walt Disney Animation Studios is a filmmaker-driven animation studio responsible for creating some of the most beloved films ever made. Located in California, Disney Animation continues to build on its rich legacy of innovation and creativity, from the first fully-animated feature film– 1937's  Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – to 2023's  Wish.

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Inside Walt Disney Animation Studios - A Photo Tour

We visit the burbank, ca campus..

Welcome to Walt Disney Animation Studios headquarters in Burbank, California. Adjacent to the main Walt Disney studios lot where the live-action magic happens, and opposite the ABC building, this is Disney’s most striking architectural creation. It’s the house that the mouse built, with Mickey’s tall, blue Wizard hat dominating the building’s exterior and reminding all who pass through the front doors of the century’s worth of history upon which Disney is founded.

But the staff of Walt Disney Animation Studios is looking to the future, not the past, as Rotten Tomatoes is invited to tour the studios. In April 2006, Pixar’s Ed Catmull and John Lasseter were respectively appointed President and Chief Creative Officer of the studios with a clear goal front of mind: to return the studios to their place as a factory of feature film classics.

Bolt is their first release in charge of the studios, and its Certified Fresh Tomatometer suggests they’re well on their way to achieving that goal. Join us as we find out how the Pixar effect is rubbing off inside Walt Disney Animation Studios.

The building’s unusual architecture continues into the bright lobby, where artwork from Bolt dominates the walls, and marketing materials colour the reception area. So far so Pixar, at least in the studio’s approach to promoting their current release with striking visuals. A collage at the back of the lobby, including a frame on a particularly recognisable white glove, reminds you you’re at Disney, though, and around the corner the WDAS screening room – shockingly bereft of 3D projection – is decorated with the familiar mouse ears logo.

As you ascend into the production areas you start to get a sense of how important it is that all this art is on display. Internally, the building is pretty drab, like any other office building. Storyboards and concept sketches from productions in progress – predominantly from Bolt but plenty from The Princess and the Frog and Rapunzel – make the artists feel at home and warm the environment. But for us the greatest sight is original pencils and cels from classics of Disney past, as far back as Snow White , which turn the entire building into an art gallery.

The Pixar building has been constructed so that the lobby atrium contains all lunch facilities and encourages staff from all departments to mix and socialise at lunch and break times in a free-flowing creative environment. It’s a philosophy Lasseter has tried to recreate with the Caffeine Patch at WDAS – centrally located, there’s comfortable sofas dotted around, art from all working productions and, of course, free-flowing coffee. The “Pods” – self-contained offices decorated by productions to house their artists – seed straight to this area.

In most corporate buildings you’d imagine the boss’s office would be pretty hard to find. Not so John Lasseter’s office at WDAS – his glass cube is right off the Caffeine patch, and full of art from his favourite Disney animations and Pixar projects. He and Catmull split their time between WDAS in Burbank and Pixar further north in San Francisco, and by all accounts seem pretty accessible to their staff – more than once we caught Lasseter milling in the Caffeine Patch chatting to animators. And giant hamsters.

The next project from the studio, and thus the most fully-formed when we visit ( Bolt excluded), is The Princess and the Frog . We’re brought into the production’s Pod – decorated with crocodiles and Mardi Gras beads to bring a New Orleans feel – and given some background on the plot. We’re also shown, but sworn to secrecy on, a vast collection of art from the film. Suffice to say, it’s very exciting stuff, and there’s an energy in the Pod that makes us keen to see the film. The entire building seems abuzz with the thought that a proper Disney 2D fairytale animation is in production, and there’s a clear hope that The Princess and the Frog will prove that there’s still a place for hand-drawn animation in a digital world.

Bolt is in cinemas now. If you missed our tour around Pixar in San Francisco, check it out here .

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Walt Disney Studios: Take a tour of the working lot

Pausing at the intersection of Mickey Ave. and Dopey Drive – which doubles as Pluto's Corner – it's evident that The Walt Disney Studios isn't merely a place where movies are made. To many, it's hallowed ground. To be able to walk among the buildings where so much creativity has been flourishing and where so much of the cultural zeitgeist has been forged for generations is a wonderful and rare treat.

But not that rare. You too could stroll down Mickey Ave. and ogle the history-making studios.

Unlike Universal, Warner Bros., and other movie lots, The Walt Disney Company does not offer regular public tours of its studios. But there are two ways you could make it past the gates. As part of its Southern California itinerary, Adventures by Disney takes vacationers to the Burbank lot for a guided visit. Or, premium members of Disney's official D23 fan club can sign up for exclusive studio tours, which the club presents a few times a year.

Jeffrey Epstein, director of corporate communications at Disney, took me on a modified version of the club's two-and-a-half-hour tour. On the day I visited, there didn't appear to be any major production activity, and the lot seemed fairly hushed. But the nostalgia-tinged grounds screamed at every turn. "So many of the things you see here on the studio lot are icons in their own right," Epstein says.

The Burbank lot, which dates back to 1940, is not Disney's original studio. (Walt Disney arrived in Hollywood in 1923, hence the name of the fan club.) The company moved remnants of its earlier Hyperion Studio, where Mickey Mouse took shape and the world's first animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , was produced, to the current spot where they remain to this day. Those remnants include a production bungalow and a building identified as "Shorts," which refers to the animated shorts that were once Disney's stock in trade.

The animation building is among the highlights of the tour. This is where many of the company's legendary films, starting with Dumbo , were crafted. The walls are lined with storyboards, model sheets, and other reminders of movies such as Lady and the Tramp ,  Bambi,  and Aladdin . Epstein pointed out the building's long hallways and its many wings, which were designed to maximize natural light for the artists.

There is an underground tunnel that connects the animation building to the inking and painting building. The passageway helped protect the artists' hand-drawn cels from the elements when they were delivered between the buildings. Legions of inkers and painters (all of whom were women, by the way) painstakingly finished each cel by hand and prepared them to be photographed. The inking process, even for hand-drawn animation, is now done using computers, and the building is primarily used for offices today. Salvaged jars of the brightly colored inks are nonetheless on display.

The studio's plush, 400-seat theatre is used to screen films that are both in production and have been completed. The theatre occasionally hosts screenings for critics and special events for D23 members.

There are a number of soundstages that are used for live action productions. One of them is dedicated to Julie Andrews who filmed both The Princess Diaries  and Mary Poppins  there. Many of the exterior scenes for the 2013 movie, Saving Mr. Banks , which is about the making of the seminal Mary Poppins , were shot on location at the studios. There is a sense of authenticity as Tom Hanks, who portrays Walt Disney in the film, makes his way around the lot, because it retains the look and feel of the era when Mary Poppins  was made.

The producers of Saving Mr. Banks  had to build a set for the scenes inside Walt Disney's office since the actual office had long been dismantled. But in 2015, the company reproduced the office suite in its original location on the third floor of the animation building. It is now another highlight of the D23 tour.

Epstein says that the company's archives team meticulously replicated the space as it looked when Walt Disney died in 1966, including quirks such as books that were left upside down. "Although it's a place that is of the 1960s, it serves as a place of inspiration for D23 members," he notes. "You can see that Walt was looking forward. There was a map of what would become Walt Disney World, for example."

Another feature of the suite is its custom-designed piano. Richard Sherman, who wrote the music for Mary Poppins  and other Disney projects with his brother Robert, has returned to play on the piano that he used to preview songs for Walt back in the day.

A visit to the archives department, which is dedicated to documenting and preserving the history of the company, is also part of the tour. Among the artifacts on display the day I visited the archives were an animator's desk, original birthday portraits of Mickey Mouse drawn by legendary animator and Imagineer John Hench, and Walt Disney's Disneyland employee badge.

While he's been gone for decades, Walt Disney still looms large at the studio that bears his name. A statue of Walt and Mickey Mouse stands at the center of Legends Plaza. The area also features handprints of many of the celebrities, creative professionals, and others who have made contributed their talents to the company.

The plaza leads to the Team Disney building, which serves as the company's corporate headquarters. The fanciful structure, which was designed by noted architect Michael Graves, includes statues of the Seven Dwarfs built into the upper reaches of its exterior. They symbolize, according to Epstein, their oversized role in "holding up the studios from the beginning."

Snow White  was an artistic and cultural landmark, and the profits from the highly successful film were used to build the Burbank studios. But another architectural nod to the company's past is even more apt. Etched into the tiles of the entranceway to the Team Disney building is an evocative, larger-than-life photo of a young Walt Disney standing in a doorway. Bathed in a yellow spotlight next to him is the silhouette of Mickey Mouse. They were the true foundation of the company.

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Review Highlights

“ Seeing Mickey Mouse with Bugs Bunny is something I had never seen before until this movie came out. ” in 4 reviews

“ Compared to other ones like Sony, HBO, NBC, or Warner Bros, Disney is very proud of it's heritage. ” in 3 reviews

“ The store at the studios is an average disney store with a small spot for walt disney studio exclusive merchandise. ” in 7 reviews

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Burbank, CA 91506

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Came here recently to attend a D23 Light Up the Season event on a Sunday night. Many booths of games for kids, we got some free cookies and hot cider. Came home with lots of mini stuffed animals. Kid did 2 holiday crafts and we left happy but chilly. We stayed for about 2 hours and glad we arrived early to get good parking in zorro lot. Don't think I'll be going to same festival again, one time is enough for me.

So fun and beautiful! I have been here for quite a few D23 events and dream about working here! Don't get me wrong, I am a nurse and love my job but if I had the opportunity to work here, I'd take it! It is so cool to be surrounded by Disney characters and I can even feel the magic walking through the studios on an empty day! Only Disney fans know what I mean! If you get the chance, sign-up for D23 membership and experience these grounds and really see the magic behind Disney and your favorite movies!

What's not to love about Walt Disney Animation Studios?!!! It's like my childhood is in one building made of the movies I loved and the ones that scared me. The studio is awesome! Open floor plans, lots of natural light. The storyboards from previous films line the halls which is so cool to see. There are statues and paintings of characters. Awards upon well-deserved awards for their successes. A friend of mine works here so it was great to have lunch with her, but also to get a tour from her perspective, see her office and the things she's worked on. It was awesome to have an up close look as to what she does as a storyboard artist and then where her drawings go next as the story/film is developed. The true magic of Hollywood is the dedication of those who work so hard to tell a great story!!

11/21/19 Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a great movie even now.  The combination of toon animation with humans made this movie a classic. The way Bob Hoskins reacts off of Roger Rabbit is some of the funniest things I have see. Learning about the behind the scenes  take is even better. Take the scene where Hoskins character gets caught spying  by the gorilla.  After pissing off the gorilla by calling him a chimpanzee (Chimp for short), Hoskins gets manhandled and thrown out of the club into a pile of trash. The funny thing is watch the director call cut and having the actor do the throw scene over and over again until he was satisfied with the take.  My favorite interaction scene was when Roger handcuffs himself and Hoskins together. Roger could have gotten out of the cuffs at anytime, but didn't.  What makes it funnier is that Roger Rabbit's life was in danger and he still didn't take the situation as seriously as he should have. Judge Doom who is played by Christopher Loyd plays a psychotic no nonsense toon inside of human bodysuit. He has great ideas of improving the human world, but at the same time wanting to be the only toon in the world. Thus making him immortal. It wouldn't surprise me if he killed his lackies  once they served his purpose.   Villains have been known to do that. Then there is the introduction of the Lovely Lena Hyena who in this movie looks like Jessica Rabbit. There are other things I never thought about with this character, but I will get to that later. Hoskins is looking for Jessica Rabbit and follows her into Toontown. The mixture of computer animation and a live human is great. Seeing Mickey Mouse with Bugs Bunny is something I had never seen before until this movie came out. Daffy Duck and Donald Duck don't seem to get alone at all. According to a main character Marvin Acme who has a short on screen time, but plays an important roll says this.. "I love these guys, they never finish an act." I have never seen Daffy or Donald  in the same place at the same time until this movie. The amount of special permissions that were involved in the making of this movie must be high. Still this movie is a one of a kind. I wondered as a kid if they are ever going to make a sequel to this movie? Well today I saw there is sequel in the works, but only time will tell. Disney has made many other movies, but this is one of the best ones they made with the help of Warner Brothers and other parties. Great job gals and guys.

11/21/19. Roger likes what he sees.

This really is where all the magic happens! I had no idea that this place existed, I like to refer to this place as a think tank for master pieces. Thanks to my alumni association, I had the opportunity to receive a personal tour, hear the CFO give updates, eat great food, and visit the employee gift store. Mickey and Minnie made an appearance, photo opps were available, but I snoozed. Even at this moment as I type this review, I'm still kicking myself... When I first stepped onto this campus, I felt as if I were on a college campus. Later the tour guide mentioned that the college-like atmosphere was on purpose as many scenes were filmed and Walt wanted to encourage free-flow thinking. Filming happens daily on the lot with everything on wheels, transitioning from 1 stage to another is a breeze. Security is tight, and for good reason! The other cool fact was the hospital next door, which you can see from the studio. Apparently, Walt died there. If I ever get another invite to visit again, I'll come back in a heartbeat!

See all photos from Jean L. for Walt Disney Animation Studios

This place has many events for d23 members and once for pin traders from disney soda fountain in hollywood, so ive been here for a couple of times now since my last review. The store at the studios is an average disney store with a small spot for walt disney studio exclusive merchandise. They also have a cast member store with the special landyard with a pin on it and cool merch with the walt disney studio brand. The cast member store is the one that has cool exclusive merch. Unfortunately, it is for cast members only. And i was able to go inside for a d23 event.

This place is magical! I had the chance to attend a private screening through a radio sweepstakes. I got to watch an advance screening of inside out in 3D in the main theater. The main theater is slightly smaller than an average theater. The seats were comfy though. We got free popcorn and water! Afterwards, from other reviewers, i heard of a store in the studios that I wanted to go to, but later found out that it was for workers... But i got to take many pictures of the lot and the statues there after the movie screening.

If you work for a Disney affiliate, you can use your badge to get in and park at the garage. We did that and walked around the campus some. Never get there on time to enjoy the commissary. But we do get to shop at the Disney store. They carry items you may not find in the Disney park. So get them fast. Once you are on campus, it is unlike any other work environment I've been to. They aren't as strict with badging in all over the place. I know it exists, but you have some freedom to enjoy the area. LOL, someone mentioned the large squirrels. I have to agree, I saw a huge squirrel just walking around. It seriously made me laugh just looking at him. Wish I had some food to keep up his weight issue.

In short the Walt Disney Animation Studios is magical. Go behind the scenes and experience the magic of Disney and the attention to detail Walt Disney is known for. My family and i were fortunate enough to know one of the senior designers and had a very special and once in a lifetime privilege to experience the behind the scenes wonder of Disney Animation studios. There are a few sites that are no-picture zones which is understandable as much of what is inside is hush hush top secret to the public but there are a few areas where they allow pictures such as outside near a few of the landmarks such as their lovely cafeteria, the commons area between the older Disney Studios and the Animation Studios and the like. The security is pretty tight here so I would discourage trying to sneak in. The parking lot to the animation studios is several stories down and parking can usually be found on one of the very bottom floors which will take a while to get to. Follow direction way signs otherwise it is easy to get lost in the underground parking structure. There is also a nice Walt Disney archives area where you can see some of their older Disney design relics which is conveniently located next to a private Starbucks. Disney really takes care of their employees and it certainly shows. Kudos to Disney and 5 solid yelp stars for me!

What can I say about Walt Disney studios? There really isn't much to be said. This place is where all the magic even started... Before Disneyland. Before walts dream started growing. It's really nice to walk around the lot and even get a tour of the animation department. And just have a tour of the grounds in general. It's huge, and there's cute stuff to be seen on property like certain signs and statues. And if you get hungry, you can stop for a bite at Walt Disneys Cafe! It has pizza, a taqueria, sandwiches, salads, & etc! This place is also walking distance from ABC studios. So if you happen to have a tour, be sure to see if you can tour ABC grounds as well. There cafe is awesome also! So in general, this place is definitely a bucket list if you love Disney in general. So hopefully you know someone that can get you in! Because not just anyone obviously can just come in and tour the grounds.

See all photos from Melody L. for Walt Disney Animation Studios

It's also the happiest place on earth! I had a meeting at the Walt Disney Studios and it's always fun to see what's going on behind the scenes. First, the address "500 S. Buena Vista Street" is more than an entire city block of buildings and this place is HUGE! When I drove onto the lot to what I thought was the main gate (first entrance on S. Buena Vista), I was greeted by a super arrogant and nasty security guard, telling me that I first have to know where I'm going before he could instruct me on where to go. Hello - I'm a visitor and have no clue where I was going. I was lost! Isnt' that your job to help visitors? But he if checked the system, like the second security guard did, he would have known exactly where I was going and could have politely told me how to get there. Buddy, you have a fake police badge. Don't let it get to your head. Once I was past the nasty security guard, the happiness began! Everyone was super friendly in giving me directions on how to get where I was going. The place is under some major construction. The Disney employees looked really happy and cheerful! What a fun place to work! One of the main executive buildings had the Disney characters on the front pillars of the building. There is even a bronze statue of Walt Disney and Mickey that you can take a picture with. We ate lunch in the Commissary, which is their main lunch room. I love their salad bar because there is a good selection. Fixed prices for the small, medium, and large sized bowls. You don't have to worry about how heavy the items are! Roasted beets, mixed greens, chicken breast, diced ham, and many other really great choices! Delicious. I also got the fresh tomato bisque soup. Chunky and delicious. Yum! There is also a small Disney store on the property. Each time I go in there, there are always such happy Cast Members willing to assist you with your purchase. Tons of smiles everywhere and lots of new and fun products to purchase! Love it!

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Dorky Parks Dad

That guy you know as dorkydisneydad on the gram, an inside look at the walt disney studios official tour.

Posted on February 13, 2023 by sarahschristie

The Walt Disney Studios Official Tour takes place between February 6 through March 31.

The tour takes place at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.

The tour is presented by D23 – kicking off Disney’s 100 celebration.

The tour costs $149 for weekday general admission and $159 for weekend tours – plus a $7 per person processing fee.

D23 Gold members can purchase weekday tour tickets for $99 and weekend tickets for $109 – plus the $7 per person processing fee.

The tour includes a visit to Walt Disney’s restored office suite, the Walt Disney Archives and Legends Plaza during the 2.5 hour long tour.

Weekend tours also get to see a peek at the Animator’s office exhibit – however it is only on Saturdays and for D23 members.

The tour gives Disney fans a glimpse at historic soundstages as well as how classic Disney films were made and more.

There is a Disney Studio Store and Employee Center gift shop with items only available in the Studios lot.

See more about the tour here .

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Category: Disney100 , Other Parks & More Tags: d100 , d23 , walt disney studios tour

1 Comments on “An Inside Look at The Walt Disney Studios Official Tour”

Hello- I’ll be going in December- where do they want us to park and check in at ?

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Disney Studios, Burbank, California

The 45 acre site is the only studio in the Los Angeles area that has stayed in the hands of the founders of the company throughout its life.

Although the studio site was originally conceived as servicing only the company’s animation work (the large animation building is still central to the campus) over the years a number of soundstages have been added to accommodate an increasing complexity of live-action work.

Many of the attractions for the Disneyland park were assembled and tested at the studio before installation in the park.

Soundstages

• Soundstage 3 was originally built for 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea – the water tank still exists under the floor

More Information

• History of The Walt Disney Studios, Burbank
• Buildings at The Walt Disney Studios

External Links

Official Site

• Disney Studios website

Other Links

• Wikipedia page about Disney Studios, Burbank
• Animation Archive page about construction of the studios

The list below is under construction

Productions shot at Disney Studios

Behind the Scenes at Disney Studios

• The Reluctant Dragon , 1941
• Operation Wonderland , 1951 ( View on Youtube ) The Making of Alice in Wonderland

Live Action Movies / TV series shot at Disney Studios, Burbank (in chronological order of release, from IMDB.com)

20000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier (1955) Corky and White Shadow: The Getaway (1956) The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure (1956) The Sign of Zorro (1958) Zorro: The Man wiht the Whip (1958 TV) The Little People (1959) Pollyanna (1960) Zorro: El Bandido (1960 TV) Zorro: Auld Acquaintance (1961 TV) Zorro: The Postponed Wedding (1961 TV) Elfego Baca: Six Gun Law (1962) Those Calloways (1965) Follow Me, Boys! (1966) The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (1967) Monkeys, Go Home! (1967) Blackbeard’s Ghost (1968) Michael O’Hara the Fourth (1972) The Island at the Top of the World (1974) Pete’s Dragon (1977) Country (1984) Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985) Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986 and 1987 TV) Sidekicks (1986 TV) Big Business (1988) Home Improvement (1991 TV) Ellen (1994 TV) The Barefoot Executive (1995 TV) You Wish (1997 TV) Sports Night (1998) Daddio (2000 TV) My Wife and Kids (2001 TV) Lizzie McGuire (2001 TV) 8 Simple Rules (2002 TV) My Adventures in Television (2002 TV) The Country Bears (2002) The Last Shot (2004) Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior (2006) Duel (2007 TV)

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RARE Disney Experience Ticket to Tour Disney Studio Lot in Burbank, California On Sale Now

For avid Disney fans, it's always a treat to get a glimpse into the magic behind some of the most beloved Disney stories and the history of the company that brought them to life.

A special offering presented by D23, The Official Disney Fan Club, is now available that gives members the rare opportunity to do just that with an exclusive tour of The Walt Disney Studios. There are different levels of D23 memberships, but getting a General membership is free, so anyone can enjoy this tour.

The experience includes a two-and-a-half hour walking tour of The Walt Disney Studios, which will include a visit to Walt Disney’s office suite, the Walt Disney Archives, and Legends Plaza, with a special experience available on weekend tours! Keep reading for more details.

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Walt Disney Studios Tour Details

This series of tours for D23 Members will be offered during May and June of 2024.

Hosted by a VIP tour guide, guests will be able to see the original Animation Building where iconic films like Cinderella , Lady and the Tramp , and The Jungle Book were made. You'll also be able to see the soundstages that were used for the filming of iconic live-action movies like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea , Mary Poppins , Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl , and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 .

👉🏾  CLICK HERE to read about the Disneyland Ride “Trick” Causes G-Force If You Do This!

As part of the tour, guests will be able to explore the Legends Plaza , a space that honors the Disney Legends who have made significant contributions to the Disney legacy.

Guests may recognize some of the exterior spaces on the lot that have been featured in productions like the original Mickey Mouse Club , The Absent-Minded Professor , Saving Mr. Banks , Muppets Most Wanted , and ABC’s black-ish .

Guests will then be able to explore the Walt Disney Archives , where they can take a tour of Walt Disney’s restored 3H office suite that contains “original furnishings, awards, and items from the master showman’s personal collection.” You will also receive an exclusive gift to commemorate the experience.

Guests on weekend tours can see the Animator's Office exhibit which is open only on Saturdays for D23.

As part of the tour, guests will also be able to shop at the Disney Studio Store and Employee Center to buy items that are exclusively available on the Studio Lot.

👉🏾 CLICK HERE to Read How Disneyland Honors Veterans in Daily Ceremony Many Don't Know Exists

D23 Walt Disney Studios Tour Pricing

See the pricing for the experience below. Pricing varies depending on what type of D23 membership you have and whether you choose a weekday or weekend tour. D23 General and Gold Members will be able to get a ticket for themselves and one guest.

• General Member : $149 for weekday tours and $159 for weekend tours per person, plus a $7 per person processing fee.
• Gold Member : $99 for weekday tours or $109 for weekend tours per person, plus a $7 per person processing fee.

You can purchase tickets for the experience through the D23 website here .

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About Emily Midgley

Emily Midgley is a writer from San Diego, California. She was introduced to Disneyland when she was two and has been in love with all things Disney ever since! At Mickey Visit, she will keep you updated with the latest news from the Disney Parks and provide helpful planning content for your vacation. Her favorite rides at Disneyland are Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout, Space Mountain, and Rise of the Resistance. She loves Marvel (especially Guardians of the Galaxy) and lives and breathes anything to do with Star Wars.

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PICTORIAL: A tour of Walt’s Office (the working office) at the Disney Studio in Burbank (Part 3 of 4)

Posted by Joey Inigo | Jan 4, 2023 | - Featured Articles , Disney twenty-three (D23) , General News , Mousellaneous , Movies, TV, and Disney+ | 0

It’s 2023 and that means it’s been a full century since the official formation of the Walt Disney Company ! Disney is celebrating with a global 100 Years of Wonder campaign and we’re celebrating in our own way by going into an intimate personal space of Walt Disney himself… his office on the Walt Disney Studio lot in Burbank, California!

Info at a Glance

Today, we continue in our four-part series of pictorials looking into the working life of the man himself, Walt Disney . The permanent exhibition of Walt Disney’s office spaces are only accessible by special invite-only tours for D23 members (and other special guests) and first reopened as an exhibit in 2016. We had a chance to tour the space for ourselves in 2018.

Roll up your sleeves and feel free to whistle while you work as we take a look at Walt Disney’s working office .

Walt Disney’s Working Office

When he wasn’t playing at Disneyland or hosting guests in his formal office, Walt would get down brass tacks in his working office. This was a space filled with equal parts pixie dust and cigarette smoke as he toiled away reviewing scripts for new features, plans for updates in the parks, and the many other tasks of running a modern leading-edge creative empire.

This space features a mix of both personal and practical office bric-a-brac looking as though Walt might come in at any moment and continue reviewing plans for EPCOT, Pirates of the Caribbean, or The Jungle Book which were all in-progress projects that he never got to see through to completion. A leather bag sits on the floor beneath an organized pile of scripts while magazines, office supplies, and yes, a bunch of ashtrays dot the space. A large aerial photo of Disneyland highlights several other projects in development when Walt passed away.

On a typical working day, Walt would arrive by 8:30 in the morning and his last meetings of the day were not usually scheduled past4:30pm. He would typically stay until about 7pm each day reviewing scripts or otherwise working through any of the various concurrent projects within the company.

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Please review our Terms of Use , which changed on May 24, 2024.

Registering for Disability Access Service (DAS)

Learn more about how eligible guests can register for das before and during a park visit..

• DAS is one of our programs offered at the Walt Disney World Resort theme parks to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability such as autism or a similar disorder, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.
• DAS doesn’t provide immediate access to experiences, but rather allows Guests to request a return time for a specific experience that is comparable to the current standby wait.
• The Guest for which DAS is being requested must be present during registration and experience the attraction when redeeming a DAS return time at Walt Disney World theme parks.

Before you speak with a Cast Member to determine eligibility, make sure to:

• Sign in to the Walt Disney World website or your  My Disney Experience
• Link valid theme park admission for each member of your party
• Ensure that the Guest who is requesting to use DAS is present at the time of registration via live video chat

If DAS is provided, you (or a parent/guardian if younger than 18 years of age) will participate in the registration process, which requires having a photo taken.

DAS is valid for up to 120 days. After this time period has passed, Guests will need to re-register.

• At this time, live chat is offered in English only.

Make sure the device has a working camera and a microphone. You must review and accept the Terms & Conditions before requesting a live video chat.

• Live video chat is available from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time.
• The recording of this video chat is strictly prohibited.
• The Guest requesting DAS (or their parent/guardian) must be 18 years of age or older to register.
• The Guest with a qualifying disability requesting to use DAS must be present during the video call.
• If you’re not logged in to the Walt Disney World website, you’ll be prompted to log in.
• If you don’t have an account, you’ll need to create one before continuing.
• Guests using a mobile device or tablet will need to download the Zoom application to connect to the video chat.
• Video chat is screen reader-friendly for Guests with visual disabilities and available with text chat for Guests with hearing disabilities.

For additional assistance, please email us .

Why Tim Burton Hated Working For Walt Disney Animation Studios

O ne of Tim Burton's first professional gigs after his stint at the California Institute of Arts was working as an animator, storyboard artist, and graphic designer at Disney. Burton was born and raised in Burbank, California, which is where Disney's offices are located, so he more or less grew up in the company's shadow. He worked at the Mouse House for a few years in the early '80s, working on films like "The Fox and the Hound," "TRON," and "The Black Cauldron." It should be noted that this was a notoriously bad time for Disney, and the financial failure of the ultra-ambitious and very expensive "Cauldron" (it cost $44 million) led to an open conversation about Disney shutting down its animation department . 

Of course, while Disney was floundering financially, they were freer to experiment artistically. I maintain that Disney's most interesting movies came at a time when their kiddie-flick successes didn't define them. When Disney is rolling high, they're nothing more than a dominant paradigm to be subverted. 

While Burton was working there, it was a boring job. Disney possesses a "house style" that is never, under any circumstances, to be deviated from. The directors of animated films are rarely given due credit for big-budget Disney animated films because the studio itself is the auteur. And if the studio is the inventor, actual artists have to merely serve the machine. 

Burton, a quirky, strange man who would go on to make films like "Beetlejuice," "Edward Scissorhands," and "Mars Attacks!" was deadened by Disney's workaday drudgery. Back in 1989, when Burton was working on "Batman" for Warner Bros., he talked to the New York Times and described his time at Disney. It was a terrible gig. 

Read more: 15 Must-See Horror Anime Movies, Ranked

From Boredom To Vincent

About Disney, Burton said to the Times that, "You're strapped to a table all day and you have to draw. I just flipped out.'' Luckily, Burton often drew his own pictures and even wrote a short film that Disney was kind enough to fund. That film was "Vincent," a stop-motion animated film about a lanky, strange child named Vincent Malloy who thinks he's Vincent Price. Price also narrated the film. It evoked a lot of Edgar Allan Poe. That was in 1982. ''It was great, a very nice thing to do," Burton said. 

In 1983, Burton directed his first live-action short for Disney, rendering his own version of "Hansel and Gretel." It was made for the Disney channel, although the company clearly had little faith in the project; it aired only once, at 10:30 p.m. on Halloween night, and then was hidden in the Disney vault. Thanks to some spirited freelance archivists, the special is now available on YouTube if you search for it. 

It seems there was no bad blood, or at least Disney was willing to offer Burton another opportunity, for in 1984, the young director made the live-action short "Frankenweenie." "Frankenweenie" was about a young boy named Victor Frankenstein who tragically loses his pet bull terrier to a car accident. Inspired by his science teacher, the boy uses electricity to bring his dog back to life. The dog will eventually be chased through the streets to a remote windmill, just like in "Frankenstein." This time, however, the windmill is part of a miniature golf course. 

Shelley Duvall, Daniel Stern, Paul Bartel, and a young Sofia Coppola all appeared. The short was considered too grim for Disney, and Burton was notoriously fired. 

Tim Burton's Fraught Relationship With Disney

"Frankenweenie" caught the eye of established Los Angeles performance artist Paul Ruebens, and he hired Burton to direct a film based on one of his comedic stage characters. "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," released by Warner Bros., hit theaters in 1985 . Burton's film career was officially launched.

Burton has since had a touch-and-go relationship with Disney. His big hits in the late '80s and early '90s were distributed by Warner Bros. ("Batman" was a smash). The Disney-owned Touchstone distributed his 1994 biopic "Ed Wood," and in 2010, he went back to the company to make his version of "Alice in Wonderland." Although it's one of Burton's less interesting movies, it was such an enormous success it kicked off a sad decade-long trend of live-action remakes of Disney animated films. 

Burton would also helm one of those remakes, with the live-action take on 1941's "Dumbo," only he would add a weird anti-Disney twist. The villain of the film is a Walt Disney-like entertainment mogul named V.A. Vandervere (Michael Keaton). Vandervere has a habit of buying legitimately exciting entertainment and feeding them into the soulless Disneyland-like theme park he calls Dream Land. Dumbo is purchased by Vandervere and forced to perform. 

By the end of the film, Dumbo breaks free from Vandervere's servitude and flies around Dream Land while Vandervere tries to shoot him down with a lightning gun in the middle of the theme park. It's likely no coincidence that the lightning gun looks like the Death Star from "Star Wars." It's a climax that sees a classic Disney character forcing Walt Disney himself to burn down Disneyland using "Star Wars," a property Disney acquired a few years earlier. 

Burton, it seems, was happy to burn bridges. In this case, literally. 

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Read the original article on SlashFilm .

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Coordinator-Disney Imagination Campus

Job summary:, about the role & team.

The Disneyland Resort Gatherings organization coordinates professional events, meetings, and wedding planning services to create unique and memorable experiences for multi-day Conventions and Events, Disney Catered Events, Park Events, Fairy Tale Weddings, Disney Imagination Campus Programs, and internal Disney meetings at our three Disneyland Resort Hotels and two theme parks! We are also responsible for driving business development by booking group/convention room nights, associated food and beverage revenue, entertainment, youth programs, theme park events, and theme park admissions.

The Coordinator Youth Sales role supports the Disney Imagination Campus program(s), with the possibility of supporting multiple other youth programs. You will be the liaison with resort departments and the Disney Imagination Campus sales team. You will assist Grad Nite Sales Manager(s), Performing Arts, Educational experience with follow-up telephone calls to clients, coordinating email communication, fulfilling email requests, participating in Grad Nite, Performing Arts, Educational experience local roadshows to promote the program.

You will report to the Sales Director- Youth Programs.

This is a Full-Time role.

What You Will Do

Assist Sales Manager(s) with program follow-up that includes registration, ticket ordering, and related reporting.

Use technology to support all Disney Imagination Campus including Grad Nite: Amadeus Advanced, Certain Software, and Bolt ticket ordering system.

Process all program-type school information: bus arrival times, exception requests, chaperone/contact requests.

Produce operational information for Disney Imagination Campus, including Grad Nite, post information in Yammer, or use other communication tools.

Assist all sales program efforts with promotional material distribution through mail, email, and at times through school visits (local area).

Work with Group Travel Operations to ensure a smooth transition on client experiences

Assist Youth Travel Planners with information and communication to provide for these important travel partners.

Communicate ideas to leadership for program improvement.

Compile, type, distribute, and track weekly reports, letters, expense reports, verbatim reports, and special project documentation within the required timeframes.

Support other areas in Youth Sales as time permits with projects and sales activities.

Required Qualifications & Skills

2 or more years of project management or coordination, events/meetings coordination, or equivalent experience

Previous work experience supporting a team or multiple leaders and handling confidential information

Track and coordinate a large volume of details, data, and tasks

High proficiency in using a Windows environment and capability to adapt to new technology and computer applications quickly

Ability to establish positive relationships with leaders and partners to move the operation forward to the next level of excellence

Sales and Services or Operations job knowledge

Willingness to work nights, weekends, and holidays to support the business

Preferred Qualifications

Educational/school-related experience

Associate or Bachelor’s Degree, or equivalent work experience

Preferred Education

Bachelor's Degree in a Hospitality & Tourism or related field or equivalent experience

Additional Information

Disney offers a rewards package to help you live your best life. This includes health and savings benefits, educational opportunities and special extras that only Disney can provide. Learn more about our benefits and perks at https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits .

About Disneyland Resort:

When Walt Disney opened Disneyland on July 17, 1955, he said he hoped it would be “a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” Since then, the Disneyland Resort has welcomed more than 800 million guests, expanding to become an approximately 500- acre, multifaceted, world-class family resort destination, complete with two renowned Disney theme parks, three hotels and the exciting shopping, dining and entertainment area known as Downtown Disney District. Through a combination of creativity, technology and innovation, the resort brings storytelling to new heights, and Disneyland Resort cast members play an integral part in bringing that Disney magic to life for thousands of guests every day.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with Disney Destinations, LLC , which is part of a business we call Disneyland Resort .

Disney Destinations, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.

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25 facts about Walt Disney that even the biggest fans don't know

• Walt Disney was born more than 120 years ago, on December 5, 1901.
• He is remembered as one of the most legendary figures in entertainment history.
• Disney holds the record for the most Academy Awards wins by a single person ever, with 22 awards.

Walt Disney is one of the most legendary Americans in entertainment history.

A century ago, Walter "Walt" Disney and his brother, Roy Disney, co-founded Walt Disney Productions, which became one of the most well-known and revered motion-picture production companies in the world.

The innovative motion-picture animator and television producer created the beloved cartoon character of Mickey Mouse , won 22 Academy Awards during his lifetime, and was the founder of amusement parks Disneyland and Walt Disney World .

Here are 25 things about Walt Disney that even the biggest Disney fans might not know.

Joanna Fantozzi and Melissa Wells contributed to an earlier version of this report.

Walt Disney was born in 1901 on the second floor of a wooden cottage designed and built by his parents in Chicago.

He was the fourth child of Elias Disney, a carpenter, and his wife, Flora. 

"Mother was the architect and between the two, mother drew the plans, and mother bought the materials and dad was the builder and they worked like a team," Walt's older brother, Roy Disney, said in a 1967 interview, per a 1991 City of Chicago report.

The Walt Disney Birthplace reported that it cost them $800 to build, which was not an insignificant sum as Elias Disney was making a dollar a day.

The house still stands today and has been restored to how it looked when the Disney family lived there.

Walt Disney once played Peter Pan in a school play.

IMDb reported that when Walt Disney was young, he played the part of Peter Pan in a school play, nearly four decades before the beloved animated classic would make its big-screen debut.

Disney was a high school dropout, though.

When he was 16, Walt Disney dropped out of high school to enlist in the Army. Unfortunately, he was caught trying to join while underage and had to be content with volunteering with the Red Cross instead, Time reported.

Before founding his studio, Disney got a job as an artist for a Kansas City advertising agency.

After returning to the US from serving in the Red Cross in Europe, Disney found work in a Kansas City advertising agency, the Kansas City Public Library reported.

He reportedly told his Aunt Margaret, "Auntie, they're paying me to draw!" However, he didn't get to draw for long, as  Collider reported that he was laid off a month later.

Walt Disney's first animation studio went bankrupt in less than a year.

In 1920, Walt Disney started his first animation studio, Laugh-o-Gram, in Kansas City, Missouri, where he produced animated cartoons based on fairy tales.

Shortly after completing the film "Alice in Cartoonland," in 1923, Disney filed for bankruptcy and moved to California, Britannica reported.

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was Disney's first cartoon, not Mickey Mouse.

Oswald bears a striking resemblance to Mickey, but he was created in 1927 out of an animation agreement with Universal Pictures, Collider reported.

Walt Disney lost the rights to Oswald in 1928, and Universal began making animated shorts without him, Collider reported. However, Walt and his team were forced to develop a new character, and Mickey Mouse was born.

Disney CEO Bob Iger actually got back the rights to Oswald in 2006 after trading an ESPN sports announcer for the black-and-white cartoon character, ESPN reported.

Mickey Mouse was originally called Mortimer Mouse until Walt's wife, Lillian, convinced him to change it.

Time reported that Lillian convinced him to change the name after she insisted that Mickey Mouse would be a more marketable name.

Per The Walt Disney Family Museum , Mortimer has since morphed into Mickey Mouse's wise-cracking rival with an annoying catchphrase: "Ha-cha-cha!"

Walt Disney did not actually design the final version of Mickey Mouse.

Even though we think of Walt and Mickey as partners, Walt Disney did not actually create the final design of Mickey Mouse, Disney archivist Dave Smith wrote in "Disney Trivia from the Vault: Secrets Revealed and Questions Answered."

Walt Disney provided initial sketches and ideas for the famous rodent, but it was Walt Disney Studios animator Ub Iwerks who animated the Mickey we know and love today.

In fact, Walt Disney reportedly never drew Mickey unless a fan specifically requested it for an autograph, Smith wrote.

But he did voice the iconic character for two decades.

When Mickey Mouse made his cartoon debut in 1929, Walt was unhappy with the way the character sounded, so he decided to voice Mickey Mouse himself and continued to do so until 1947, when he said he became too busy with his growing business to voice Mickey, History.com reported.

At one time, Disney was the only person who was allowed to make a cartoon in full Technicolor.

In 1932, Disney produced the first-ever full-color Technicolor cartoon, "Flowers and Trees," and from then until the end of 1935 he had exclusive rights to use the new three-color animation process, Variety reported.

All other color cartoons had to be made the old way, using the out-of-date two-color process.

Disney was laughed at for wanting to create a feature-length animated film.

It's hard to imagine a time when animated films were considered a ridiculous concept, but when Walt Disney set out to create the first feature-length cartoon in 1937 — " Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs " — he was laughed at.

The project became known in the industry as "Disney's Folly," per the Sheboygan County Historical Society Museum . 

But he surprised everyone when "Snow White" premiered to packed houses, and Disney won an honorary Academy Award (and eight Oscar statuettes: one normal-sized and seven dwarf-sized) for the breakthrough project.

The tables soon turned — Walt Disney still holds the record for most Academy Award wins ever.

Walt Disney went on to win 22 Academy Awards throughout his career and still holds the record for the most Oscars won by an individual .

Disney's success allowed him to buy a house for his parents, but he was guilt-ridden when his mother later died of carbon-monoxide poisoning in that house.

In 1938, after the financial success of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," Walt Disney and his brother Roy bought their parents a brand-new house in North Hollywood, The New York Times reported.

His parents reportedly complained about a faulty furnace in the home. Their mother, Flora, later died of carbon-monoxide poisoning from the furnace's noxious fumes, although their father, Elias, survived, The New York Times reported.

In a 2014 interview with Glamour , "Maleficent" executive producer Don Hahn suggested that the tragedy is a reason why so many of Disney's famous characters lack motherly figures.

Disney worked for the United States government during World War II to create propaganda cartoons.

During World War II, Walt Disney shifted the focus of his filmmaking to create training, propaganda, and health films for the US government, per Walt Disney Archives .

Many of the propaganda films were cartoons featuring beloved Disney characters like Donald Duck.

He was also an outspoken opponent of communism during the Cold War's Red Scare.

Walt Disney famously abhorred communism and even began accusing his own staff of being communists after they attempted to unionize and went on strike, according to Disney historian Jim Korkis.

Time reported that Disney also testified as a "friendly witness" during a meeting of the House Un-American Activities Committee during the height of the Red Scare.

He even identified one animator by name, according to FBI documents, as reported by the Daily Mail .

Walt Disney received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Lyndon B. Johnson.

President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Disney in 1964.

The American Presidency Project reported that President Johnson described Disney as an "artist and impresario, in the course of entertaining an age, he has created an American folklore."

Walt Disney was fascinated with trains for most of his life.

When he was a teen, Disney sold newspapers and snacks on trains in Kansas City. After learning he had lost the rights to his cartoon character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in 1928, Disney actually began to develop the idea for Mickey Mouse while on a train ride from New York to Los Angeles, History.com reported.

He also used to build elaborate train sets as a way to unwind. After moving into the Holmby Hills section of Los Angeles in 1950, he laid half a mile of tracks around his new property for his railroad. He would even dress as a train engineer and give visitors rides on the Carolwood Pacific Railroad, the railroad he named after the street he lived on, per History.com.

His passion for trains found its way into his Disney parks, as Disneyland has been home to its own railroad since opening in 1955.

Walt Disney thought of the idea of Disneyland while sitting on a park bench watching his daughters ride a merry-go-round.

As the story goes, Walt Disney often took his daughters to Griffith Park in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Magazine reported. It was during one of these visits, while Walt was sitting on a park bench watching his daughters ride the merry-go-round, that he thought of the idea of a large-scale park where families could enjoy multiple attractions in one place. 

The park bench itself is on display at The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco.

Walt Disney bought the land that would become Disney World under several fake names to keep his identity secret.

By the mid-1960s, with the success of Disneyland reaching exponential heights, rumors swirled that Walt Disney was looking to create an "East Coast Disneyland." When Walt Disney was looking for a location for his next theme-park venture, he stumbled upon the ideal swamplands around Orlando, Florida, the LA Times reported.

In order to keep his purchase of 27,000 acres a secret, Walt Disney created fake shell companies like Tomahawk Properties and the appropriately named M.T. Lott Co. to keep his identity hidden, the LA Times reported.

A famous Orlando Sentinel headline proclaimed "We Say It's Disney!" in an article speculating about the mysterious "Project X," or "The Florida Project," which would soon become Walt Disney World .

He based the design of Main Street, USA, off the main street in his hometown in Missouri.

While Main Street, USA, in Disneyland and Walt Disney World, is supposed to represent every-town Americana, Walt Disney drew inspiration from his childhood hometown of Marceline, Missouri, where he lived from ages 5 to 9 after the family moved from Chicago, the LA Times reported.

The small rural town, with a population of just over 2,200, touts itself as Walt Disney's hometown, according to its official website .

Walt Disney had a secret apartment above the firehouse on Main Street.

One of the worst-kept secrets in Disneyland is Walt's hideaway apartment, located above the fire department on Main Street, where the Disney family would go to get work done without being disturbed or to entertain high-profile Disneyland guests, per The Walt Disney Family Museum .

To this day, you can still see a lamp lit in the window of the apartment, day and night.

In 2020, then-Disneyland President Rebecca Campbell posted a photo of the lamp on Instagram, writing in the caption, "It glows as a source of inspiration to our cast and our guests as a remembrance of the man who once looked out that window to the sights of happy families making memories below," WDW News Today reported.

Disney invented audio-animatronics, and the first was on display at the 1964 World's Fair.

If you've ever been to a Disney theme park, you've seen Walt Disney's audio-animatronics. These human-like robots can blink, talk, move, and even — as later Disney models demonstrate — interact with guests.

The first audio-animatronic was an Abraham Lincoln figurine, created specifically for the 1964 World's Fair, which later became the basis for Disney's Hall of Presidents, The Orange County Register reported.

Walt Disney's housekeeper, whom he called the "real-life Mary Poppins," died a multimillionaire thanks to the stocks he gave her every year.

Thelma Howard was the Disney family's longtime housekeeper, who became an important part of the family throughout her 30 years of employment, the LA Times reported. Walt often referred to her as the "real-life Mary Poppins."

Every year, for the holidays, Walt Disney would gift her shares of Disney stock. By the time she died in 1994, she had amassed nearly $9.5 million, and the fortune was divided among her surviving heirs, People reported.

He came close to opening a major ski resort.

The success of Disneyland after opening in 1955 prompted Disney to set his sights on another potential project: a ski resort in Mineral King Valley, near California's Sequoia National Park.

The initial plans involved creating a vacation spot centered around a Swiss-style village with six ski areas and the capacity to house 20,000 people, 14 ski lifts, 10 restaurants, two hotels, a conference center, a heliport, and even a chapel, SF Gate reported.

The project almost came to fruition, with Disney even garnering approval from the Forest Service and creating a deal with the then-governor of California, Ronald Reagan. 

However, after Disney's sudden death in 1966, the company chose to focus on Walt Disney World, which had just opened and cost much more than budgeted, SF Gate reported.

Not all of Mineral King Ski Resort was lost, though —  the Country Bear Jamboree, an attraction planned for one of the resort's restaurants, was given a new home in Disney World, SF Gate reported.

Contrary to popular belief, Disney was not cryogenically frozen.

Many believe that Walt Disney's body was preserved through cryogenics, frozen in a cryonic chamber containing liquid nitrogen to be later revived. In early 1967, a reporter for a tabloid newspaper, The National Spotlite, claimed he saw the deceased Disney suspended in a cryogenic metal cylinder, PBS reported.

From there, the rumor went rampant and eventually became an urban legend. However, there is no truth to it: All available documentation states that Disney was cremated, Time reported.

Also, the first-ever cryogenic freezings actually took place after Disney had passed, according to Snopes.com , which produced a point-by-point analysis refuting cryogenics and this Walt Disney legend.

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Disney told L.A. residents to move to Florida for a planned campus. They did, it was canceled and now they’re suing

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Walt Disney Co. continues to face fallout from its scuttled plans to move 2,000 California employees to a proposed Florida campus — a controversial decision the company reversed last year following the return of Chief Executive Bob Iger .

In 2021, then-CEO Bob Chapek and parks and experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro announced plans to relocate employees supporting Disney theme parks and resorts — including the celebrated Imagineers — to a planned $1-billion office park in the Lake Nona area of Orlando, Fla. The move was designed for Disney to take advantage of Florida tax credits, but the cross-country shift was deeply unpopular among employees who were asked to uproot their lives in Southern California.

Now some Disney employees are suing the company over the canceled relocation .

According to a lawsuit filed Tuesday against Disney in Los Angeles County Superior Court, numerous workers heeded the company’s calls, dutifully sold their homes in the Los Angeles area and moved to Central Florida.

Plaintiffs Maria De La Cruz and George Fong, both current Disney employees, alleged they were fraudulently induced to relocate to Florida by being led to believe that they would lose their jobs if they turned down the move. De La Cruz and Fong agreed to the relocation in November 2021. The lawsuit said Disney told affected employees they would have 90 days to “consider and make the decision that’s best for them.”

De La Cruz, a vice president of product design, sold her Altadena home in May 2022.

“Mr. Fong also sold his home, which was a particularly painful decision because it was the family home he had grown up in and inherited,” the lawsuit said. Fong is a creative director of product design; his family home was in Los Angeles.

But a year after they had sold their houses and moved, Disney canceled the project .

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Disney cancels plan to move 2,000 workers to Florida amid DeSantis fight

Disney had already relocated some workers to Florida in anticipation of the Lake Nona campus, which has now been canceled. A legal battle with Gov. Ron DeSantis continues.

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A Disney spokesman did not immediately provide comment.

The proposed class-action lawsuit seeks to represent “all current and former California Disney employees who relocated from California to Florida as a result of Disney’s announcement of the Lake Nona Project.” It seeks unspecified punitive damages.

Initially, Disney envisioned it would eventually save money on the $1-billion Lake Nona development, due to lower worker costs in Florida. It was also drawn by tax credits offered by the state for relocating businesses.

But the project became swept up in Disney’s legal and culture war wranglings with Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a one-time presidential hopeful.

One month after Disney filed a federal 1st Amendment lawsuit against the Sunshine State and its governor, it pulled the plug on the Lake Nona development. (The legal matters have since been resolved , and Disney has affirmed its commitment to continue a massive Florida parks expansion ). The project’s cancellation also coincided with significant cost-cutting across the company .

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Disney explained the reversal in a May 2023 statement: “Given the considerable changes that have occurred since the announcement of this project, including new leadership and changing business conditions, we have decided not to move forward with construction of the campus.”

Disney, at the time, acknowledged that some employees had already moved. The company said it would discuss the situation with individual employees, including making plans to move them back to California.

But compensation packages offered to affected employees by the company were inadequate, the lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit said numerous Disney workers refused to make the move. Some remained employed by the company.

Disney earnings top Wall Street expectations amid proxy battle with Nelson Peltz

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After Disney reversed its plans, home prices in the Orlando area fell, according to the lawsuit filed by attorney Jason S. Lohr of the San Francisco law firm, Lohr Ripamonti & Segarich.

Since 2022, home prices in Los Angeles have climbed, and higher interest rates complicated the financial picture, the lawsuit said.

Fong has since bought a home in South Pasadena that has “considerably less square footage than his previous Los Angeles home,” the lawsuit said. De La Cruz is in the process of moving back to California.

Times staff writer Stacy Perman contributed to this report.

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Meg James is a senior entertainment industry writer for the Los Angeles Times. She was the lead reporter for The Times’ coverage of the deadly “Rust” shooting on a New Mexico film set in 2021, work recognized by the Pulitzer Prize board as a finalist in breaking news. A member of the Company Town team for two decades, James specializes in covering television, corporate media and investigative projects. She previously wrote for the Miami Herald and the Palm Beach Post. A native of Wyoming, she is a graduate of the University of Colorado and Columbia University.

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