After unfortunately not getting into the D23 member event at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, our own Chuck Canzoneri decided, why not just go myself. Chuck had the chance to take a complete tour of the Studios, and he brings to us a huge photo report. We’ll start at the Studio Lot, Store, and Plaza:
Welcome to the Walt Disney Studios
The famous intersection of Mickey Ave and Dopey Drive
Chuck and his wife Leigh even got to meet Tony Baxter!
Just a few of the many Disney Legends
A section dedicated to Walt Disney Imagineering
It’s nice to see that they have Jessica and Roger Rabbit up
The employee Studio Store
Looks like your regular run of the mill Disney Store
A really cool mural!
This mural features all the classic Disney characters around the Studio Lot
The famous Studio building and Disney Legends Plaza
A version of the Partners statue at Disneyland and all the other Magic Kingdom style parks
This Roy Disney and Minnie bench is also at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World
What a cool statue!
This statue is dedicated to all the Disney Legends
I love how the Seven Dwarfs are “holding up the building”
Disney Legend’s hand-prints
Roy E. Disney, Walt Disney’s nephew and Roy O. Disney’s son
Marty Sklar, former head of Walt Disney Imagineering
One of the awards that was given posthomously. Joe Ranft was an animator as well as voice actor in the Pixar films
X. Atencio, who famously wrote the script for Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion
Alan Menken and Howard Ashman wrote the music for Disney films such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin
Paul Frees, your ghost host
Clarence Nash, the original voice of Donald Duck
Now we move over to the Walt Disney Archives Library
Along the walls, some rare photos of Walt. Here he is with his Ink and Paint girls
And here he’s on a set with a scene from the Carousel of Progress
Here he is with the Mouseketeers
But we’re here to see what’s inside the Archives Library
As you would expect from a library, there are all kinds of books. They cover the parks, films, animation and many biographies written about Walt and others who were in charge of and part of the company
All around these books (and complete collection of every Disney DVD ever made) are some real Disney Treasures
A full size replica of Baby Oscar from the Country Bear Jamboree!
Chuck just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get his picture taken with Oscar
There are glass cases containing key props from Disney classics such as Mary Poppins
These are from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?”
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Which, and The Wardrobe
National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets
There’s a television for watching any Disney DVD you could wish
Surrounding the TV, more display cases with Disney treasures
A model from the Jungle Cruise
Numerous key props from Enchanted
The warrior mask from Prince Caspian
A retired Barker Bird from The Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland
A replica of the Liberty Bell from National Treasure
A large Maleficient Sculpture
One of the drums from the Mickey Mouse Club
One of my favorites, a devil from the sadly now extinct Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride in Walt Disney World
Even the Keep Out sign is based on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
This room had treasures big and small stuffed in every possible corner
This sits atop the many poles around Dumbo, The Flying Elephant at Disneyland (they’re painted gold for the ride)
Large scissors used to cut ribbons in opening ceremonies
On the couch, are some lovely themed pillows. Looks like Mary Blair’s style
The Fairy Godmother creating Cinderella’s pumpkin carriage
Alice in Wonderland
Peter Pan and the mermaids of Neverland
We’re almost ready to go inside the Archives, but first let’s look around the lobby. Right now they’re getting ready for the upcoming D23 tour
The Sherman Bros. with Mary Poppins and Bert
At the end of the hall is this great picture of Walt
The centerpiece of the lobby has to be one of Walt’s original Multiplane Cameras
On the opposite wall is a demonstration of how it works and this photo of Walt in front of the machine
An overheard view of this large machine
Also in the main lobby are some display cases featuring costumes from recent Disney films
This dress from Hanna Montana: The Movie is known as the “Hidden Mickey dress”
Elizabeth Swan’s dress in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
One of Giselle’s many beautiful dress’ in Enchanted
Also in the lobby is a display case dedicated to famous Disney hats
A famous photo of Walt above some of his personal hats
This artwork is from the short “Johnnie Fedora and Alice Blue Bonnett” from the film Make Mine Music
A classic Mousketeer hat
But what about the famous hat from Mary Poppins?
It’s here too
A helmet from Tron
Willem Dafoe’s wool cap from The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Tommy Lee Jones’ hat from the Oscar winning No Country for Old Men
The Rocketeer
Dick Tracy’s fedora
Various hats from the 3 Pirates of the Caribbean movies
These hats are from the extinct Disneyland attraction American Sings
But I think it’s almost time to see the Archives
This drawing is right above the door
It’s finally time to go inside the world famous Walt Disney Archives
The Archives is a smaller room than you might think
But it’s packed with Disneyana
Two huge pieces from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
One entire wall contains what appears to be every Disney storybook ever published
There’s a display case showcasing lots of Donald Duck products and merchandise
Another case contains dozens of classic Disney figurines
A collection of Mickey watches
Even more figurines
This case contains Disneyana from Sleeping Beauty
These are just a little creepy
Then there’s the live action museum pieces. Here’s the actual snow globe from the “Feed The Birds” scene in Mary Poppins
Some pistols from The Black Hole
The apple from Enchanted
Elizabeth Swan’s pirate necklace from The Curse of the Black Pearl
Prince Edward’s sword and holder from Enchanted
Walt’s personal 16mm camera. This was used for some of the live footage in Saludos Amigos
Some pictures of Walt
There were very few animation cells in the archives
Walt’s actual business card from his early days at 2719 Hyperion Ave. in Hollywood
A display case of merchandise from The Haunted Mansion
Somewhere around my house I have three plush of Gus, Phineas, and Ezra, as well as the doom buggy die-cast
I believe I also own that Mickey Mouse plush
This antique mechanical bird (France, 1850) gave Walt the idea for audio-animatronics
Beyond the display cases, there was rare art and figures around the room and on all the shelves
Fantasia figurines
A mix of old and new Disney
The knight from The Reluctant Dragon
Figurines from Mulan
Chuck decided to end on this portrait because it wasn’t in the main archive room, but inside the office of one of the Disney employees who works in the Archives
It’s an incredibly special piece, especially since it shows Walt having tea with Mary Poppins
Thanks for the amazing report Chuck!
