WALT DISNEY ARCHIVES KICKS OFF ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH EXHIBIT AT BOWERS MUSEUM

Inside the Walt Disney Archives opens in March and is part of a year-long celebration that includes special events and experiences

BURBANK, Calif. (September 9, 2019) – The Walt Disney Archives celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, and to kick off the festivities, the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, Calif., will host Inside the Walt Disney Archives: 50 Years of Preserving the Magic, offering a rare look at some of the treasures from the Archives. The 10,000-square-foot traveling exhibit opens to the public on March 7, 2020.
 
Guests are invited to step into the Walt Disney Archives as they walk through a dazzling display of more than 400 objects, including original artwork, costumes, and props that  tell the story of the Archives, The Walt Disney Company, and Walt Disney himself. Artifacts include never-before-displayed production art from Fantasia, Walt Disney’s office set from Saving Mr. Banks, the original pitch portfolio used to secure investors for Disneyland, maquettes from animated films such as Peter Pan and Frozen, and much more.
 
Gold Members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club will be invited to enjoy an exclusive look at the exhibit before it opens to the general public during a special preview night where they can chat with Disney archivists while exploring the exhibit, which runs through August 30, 2020, before heading to other locations around the country (to be revealed in 2020). D23 Gold Members will also receive a discount on tickets to the exhibit, as well as a discount on merchandise in the museum store. Bowers Museum is one of Southern California’s finest museums, showcasing exquisite examples of art and culture from around the world since 1936.
 
In addition to the exhibit, Disney fans will be able to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Archives throughout 2020:
 

• The Archives will partner with the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood for special El Cap Throwback screenings during the year.
• A special exhibit, 50 Years of the Walt Disney Archives, will debut at D23’s Destination D event at Walt Disney World Resort in fall of 2020. The exhibit will include 50 iconic treasures, each representing a year that the Archives has been in existence.
• D23’s Behind the Scenes Experience: A Day at the Studio Lot events in 2020, held exclusively for Gold Members of D23, will offer a rare glimpse into how the Archives preserves the magic of The Walt Disney Company.
• All Official Walt Disney Studios Tours in 2020, presented by D23, will include a special gift for guests themed to the 50th anniversary.

 
For nearly five decades, the Walt Disney Archives has carefully safeguarded the most treasured items from The Walt Disney Company’s history, including original scripts, movie props and costumes, Walt Disney’s correspondence and script notes, theme park artifacts, merchandise, millions of archival photographs, and many of Walt’s personal effects. Founded by Disney Legend Dave Smith in 1970, the Walt Disney Archives is a vital resource for every part of Disney, as well as an important research center for Disney scholars, researchers, and writers. The Archives also shares its countless pieces with Disney fans everywhere through its exhibitions and close association with D23: The Official Disney Fan Club.

BRAND-NEW WALT DISNEY ARCHIVES EXHIBIT CELEBRATING DISNEY’S MOST ICONIC HEROES AND VILLAINS TO OPEN AT D23 EXPO 2019

More than 70 Spectacular Costumes Spanning 55 Years—from Mary Poppins to this Summer’s Aladdin—Will Be on Display

 
BURBANK, Calif. (June 4, 2019) – The Walt Disney Archives returns to D23 Expo with an all-new exhibit, “Walt Disney Archives Presents Heroes and Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume.” From the classic Mary Poppins to this year’s live-action retelling of Aladdin, more than 70 costumes from 55 years of Disney movies and television shows will be on display from August 23–25 at the Anaheim Convention Center during the biennial event, presented by D23: The Official Disney Fan Club.  
 
Guests entering the 12,000-square-foot exhibit will be greeted by “Cinderella’s Workshop,” a gallery featuring the beloved fairy-tale character’s dresses from her numerous Disney incarnations, including 1997’s Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella; the gown worn by Scarlett Johansson for Annie Leibovitz’s 2007 Disney Dream Portrait series; 2014’s Into the Woods; the 2015 live-action reimagining of the animated masterpiece Cinderella; and the ABC hit series Once Upon a Time. 
 
The main gallery will be broken into three sections: “Disney Heroes,” “Disney Villains,” and “Spaces Between,” reserved for the antiheroes whose fascinating journeys make them among Disney’s most complex characters.
 
Among the costumes included in the “Disney Heroes” section are Belle’s village dress and ballgown from 2017’s Beauty and the Beast; creations worn by the Genie, Aladdin, and Jasmine in this year’s live-action Aladdin; and—for the first time ever displayed together—three iconic Mary Poppins “traveling dresses” worn in three Poppins productions: the 1964 original film, 2019’s Mary Poppins Returns, and the Broadway musical. “Disney Villains” ensembles include the trio of wonderfully wicked witches from 1993’s Hocus Pocus, the duo of dresses worn by the stepsisters in 2015’s Cinderella, and the dress worn by the incomparable Bette Davis in 1978’s Return from Witch Mountain. And “Spaces Between” includes Maleficent’s gown from the 2014 film, as well as the Evil Queen and Hook’s costumes from Once Upon a Time.
 
The exhibit includes costumes from some of Hollywood’s preeminent designers, past and present, including Academy Award^®-winners Colleen Atwood, Sandy Powell, and Tony Walton, as well as Emmy^® winner Ellen Mirojnick and Emmy nominees Eduardo Castro and Penny Rose.
 
Many of the costumes on exhibit will be featured in The Art of Disney Costuming: Heroes, Villains, and Spaces Between, a dazzling new book out this September from Disney Editions. The book will also be available in advance exclusively at D23 Expo.
 
Single-day tickets for Friday and Sunday of D23 Expo 2019 are available for $89 for one-day adult admission and $69 for children 3–9. Gold Members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club can purchase tickets for $77 for a one-day adult admission and $59 for children 3–9. Single-day Saturday tickets and three-day passes are sold out. For more information on tickets and D23 Expo 2019, visit D23Expo.com.
 
About D23 Expo 2019
D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings together all the worlds of Disney under one roof for three packed days of presentations, pavilions, experiences, concerts, sneak peeks, shopping, and more. The event provides fans with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, games, theme parks, and celebrities. For the latest D23 Expo 2019 news, visit D23expo.com. Presentations, talent, and schedule subject to change. To join the D23 Expo conversation, be sure to follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and use the hashtag #D23Expo.
 
About D23
The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s 90-plus-year history. It gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at D23.com with members-only content; member-exclusive discounts; and special events for D23 Members throughout the year.
 
Fans can join D23 at Gold Membership ($99.99), Gold Family Membership ($129.99), and General Membership (complimentary) levels at D23.com. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Sasaki Time Unboxing: Limited Edition Disneyland Memorabilia Park Pack

Watch Drew and I unbox the Limited Edition One-Time Only Disneyland Memorabilia Park Pack featuring replicas of items from Day One on July 17th, 1955. This is an amazing collection of items that any Disney fan would be proud to own.

WALT DISNEY ARCHIVES RESTORES WALT DISNEY'S OFFICE SUITE AS PERMANENT EXHIBIT SPACE

WALT DISNEY ARCHIVES RESTORES WALT DISNEY’S OFFICE SUITE AS PERMANENT EXHIBIT SPACE

DISNEY CHAIRMAN AND CEO BOB IGER AND MEMBERS OF THE DISNEY FAMILY DEDICATE THE SUITE, WHICH FEATURES WALT’S ORIGINAL FURNISHINGS AND MEMORABILIA.

BURBANK, Calif. – December 7, 2015 – The Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Bob Iger, joined by members of the Disney family, dedicated Walt Disney’s newly restored office suite on the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank today. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Burbank studio, the Walt Disney Archives restored the space, located in the original Animation Building, to include Walt’s formal and working offices, along with original furnishings, some items from his collection of miniatures, awards, and his piano.

“We put this permanent exhibit together to serve as a source of inspiration,” said Iger during the ceremony, “a reminder to have great ambition, to take bold creative risks, to constantly innovate and push the limits of possibility, to relentlessly pursue perfection, and to tell fantastic stories that touch peoples’ hearts. That was Walt Disney.”

Walt Disney’s granddaughters Joanna Miller, Jennifer Goff, and Michelle Lund were on hand for the event, along with special guests including Richard Sherman (composer of Mary Poppins, “It’s a Small World,” and many Disney classics), Kathryn Beaumont (the voice of Alice from Alice in Wonderland and Wendy in Peter Pan), and former head of Walt Disney Imagineering Marty Sklar.

In 1970, when Disney Legend Dave Smith founded the Walt Disney Archives, Walt’s furnishings from his offices were removed, and, for the last 45 years, they were safely cared for by the staff of the Walt Disney Archives. Through exhibitions and loans from the Archives, millions of guests have seen special displays of items from the office at Disney’s theme parks in California and Florida and in museums around the country.

This new, permanent exhibit is dedicated to the creative genius of Walt Disney and presents the history of the man and the company he founded through artifacts and images. There will also be rotating exhibits on various Disney subjects to celebrate anniversaries, films, and events throughout the Company’s history from 1923 to the present day. The first exhibit is dedicated to Kem Weber, the architect who designed the look and feel of the Studio lot, which opened in 1940. Weber also designed furniture for the Studio, and his designs, along with concept artwork, will be showcased for a limited time.

Walt Disney’s office will be open to Disney employees, cast members, and studio visitors. In 2016 it will be added to tours of the Studio lot and Archives that D23: The Official Disney Fan Club regularly offers to its Gold Members.

About the Walt Disney Archives

For more than four decades, the Walt Disney Archives has carefully safeguarded the most treasured items from The Walt Disney Company’s history, including original scripts, movie props and costumes, Walt Disney’s correspondence and script notes, theme park artifacts, merchandise, millions of archival photographs, and many of Walt’s personal effects. Founded by Disney Legend Dave Smith in 1970, the Walt Disney Archives is a vital resource for every part of Disney, as well as an important research center for Disney scholars, researchers, and writers. The Archives also shares its countless pieces with Disney fans everywhere through its exhibitions and close association with D23: The Official Disney Fan Club.

About D23

The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s 90-plus-year history. It gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at D23.com with members-only content; member-exclusive discounts; and special events for D23 Members throughout the year. Fans can join D23 at Gold Membership ($74.99), Gold Family Membership ($99.99), and General Membership (complimentary) levels at D23.com and at DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.

CLASSIC IMAGES OF WALT DISNEY AVAILABLE DECEMBER 5TH THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE WALT DISNEY ARCHIVES

CLASSIC IMAGES OF WALT DISNEY NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE WALT DISNEY ARCHIVES

NEW PRINT-ON-DEMAND PHOTOS, CULLED FROM THE WALT DISNEY ARCHIVES’ TREASURE TROVE OF IMAGES, ALLOW FANS TO OWN SPECTACULAR PIECES OF ART.

BURBANK, Calif. – December 3, 2015 – On December 5, 2015, what would have been Walt Disney’s 114th birthday, Disney will launch Photographs from the Walt Disney Archives, a new online print-on-demand photo service that will allow fans to own vibrant images from Disney’s rich history, including classic images of Walt himself.

Iconic photographs, from a young Walt circa 1932 surrounded by more than a dozen plush Mickey Mouse dolls to a shot of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland on opening day in 1955, will be available for purchase in an array of sizes and formats, including photographs and canvas. Each image tells a story, including a rare behind-the-scenes photograph of musicians during the filming of the concert epic Fantasia (1940), as well as a shot of Walt and his staff with the groundbreaking multiplane camera during the 1951 filming of Alice in Wonderland.

With multiple sizes and frames to choose from, individuals can customize their orders—from an 11’’ x 14’’ print on paper or gallery–wrapped canvas ($59.00) to a 20’’ x 20’’ print in a natural or black wood frame ($150.00). 

All artwork comes from the photo library operated by the Walt Disney Archives. Comprised largely of original negatives, the roughly 4 million photos rarely leave their cold storage facilities to see the light of day. As more and more digital copies have been created, the Archives is offering this special opportunity to own a print from its one-of-a-kind collection. 

Photographs from the Walt Disney Archives launches December 5, 2015 at DisneyPhotoArchives.com.

About the Walt Disney Archives

For more than four decades, the Walt Disney Archives has carefully safeguarded the most treasured items from The Walt Disney Company’s history, including original scripts, movie props and costumes, Walt Disney’s correspondence and script notes, theme park artifacts, merchandise, millions of archival photographs, and many of Walt’s personal effects. Founded by Disney Legend Dave Smith in 1970, the Walt Disney Archives is a vital resource for every part of Disney, as well as an important research center for Disney scholars, researchers, and writers. The Archives also shares its countless pieces with Disney fans everywhere through its exhibitions and close association with D23: The Official Disney Fan Club.

D23 WILL BRING THE MAGIC OF DISNEY TO FANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN 2016

D23 WILL BRING THE MAGIC OF DISNEY TO FANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN 2016

Member favorites return as Disney’s official fan club expands offerings.

BURBANK, Calif. – December 1, 2015 – In 2016, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club will expand member events with more experiences on the East Coast and new twists on current favorites.

D23 BEHIND-THE-SCENES EXPERIENCES: In 2015, D23 Members had the opportunity to explore hidden Disney gems—such as the Animation Research Library—while hearing stories from Disney luminaries such as Walt Disney Archives founder Dave Smith and animator Andreas Deja. In 2016, D23 will bring back this popular event with incredible guests and new locations, while adding even more surprises and a special gift.

SCREENINGS ON THE DISNEY STUDIO LOT AND AT WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT: In 2016, D23 will once again offer special screenings on both coasts of Disney favorites including Alice in Wonderland, Finding Nemo, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Plus, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of The Reluctant Dragon, D23 will hold a special screening event on the Studio lot including special guests, picture spots, and more surprises.

D23’S LUNCH WITH A DISNEY LEGEND: Following a year that included exclusive luncheons with such luminaries as former Imagineer Orlando Ferrante and voice actress Kathryn Beaumont, D23 will be bringing back the popular event series on the Walt Disney Studios lot, as well as adding events on the East Coast. The first event will be at Walt Disney World Resort with Disney Legend Charlie Ridgway, who helped open Walt Disney World, Epcot Center, and Disneyland Paris. 

D23 DAY AT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS AND ARCHIVES: D23 Gold Member-exclusive tours of the historic Studio lot and Walt Disney Archives in Burbank return, highlighting historic moments from Disney film, television, and theme parks—and in 2016 we will be enhancing the experience with a very special new location to be announced soon.

ADVANCE SCREENINGS: This year, D23 Members were able to attend previews of Cinderella and Inside Outin cities such as New York, Orlando, Chicago, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. Next year, in partnership with The Walt Disney Studios, D23 will screen a selection of upcoming releases. And for those guests who may not live in the cities where movies are screened, D23 Gold Members across the country will be selected at random to receive complimentary movie passes, which will be included in issues of Disney twenty-three, D23’s quarterly publication.

D23 MEMBER NIGHTS AT NEWSIES—ON TOUR: Disney fans are cheering for the Tony^® Award-winningNewsies, now on tour. In 2016, guests in Salt Lake City, Portland, and other cities around the country are invited to see the show with premium seats on special nights and a talk-back with the cast following the show.

MEMBER MIXERS AROUND THE COUNTRY: After giving members a peek at the reimagined Disney Stores in Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, and Kentucky, in 2016, Disney Store will once again invite D23 Members for exclusive mornings of shopping, discounts, games, and goodies. Also this past year, D23 held mixers including Breakfast on Broadway in New York and Never Had a Friend Like D23 events to celebrateAladdin in Phoenix, Sacramento, and Seattle. Look for more mixers in cities around the country in 2016.

MICKEY’S OF GLENDALE: The Walt Disney Imagineering employee store will once again offer shopping opportunities to D23 Gold Members at Walt Disney World Resort and in Southern California. Guests will be able to peruse collectibles and pick up official Imagineering merchandise. Dates to be announced in 2016.

D23 DISNEY FANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION—BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Following D23’s first “Home Edition” of Fanniversary, celebrating the 60th anniversary of Lady and the Tramp, D23 in 2016 will bring fans around the world unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the spectacular, Academy Award^®-winning animated feature Beauty and the Beast, which celebrates its 25th anniversary next year.

SIGNATURE EVENTS: Look for the return of some favorites, including SIP & SCREAM (a Halloween twist on D23’s Sip & Stroll event at Walt Disney World in the fall), as well as special holiday events on both the East and West Coasts. More details will be announced in 2016.

Dates, ticketing information, and more D23 events will be announced throughout the year. Full details on D23’s lineup of 2016 special events can be found on the Fan Club’s website at www.D23.com/events. All events and dates are subject to change.

Current event calendar:

• January 29: D23 Behind-the-Scenes Experience, TBA, Burbank, Calif.
• February 20: Alice in Wonderland, Burbank, Calif.
• March 18: Lunch with a Disney Legend: Charlie Ridgway, Walt Disney World Resort
• March 19: Alice in Wonderland, Walt Disney World Resort
• April 8: Lunch with a Disney Legend: TBA, Burbank, Calif.
• April 9: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.
• April 20: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, Portland, Ore.
• May 21: Finding Nemo, Walt Disney World Resort
• June 4: Finding Nemo, Burbank, Calif.
• June 8: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, Salt Lake City, Utah
• June 25: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.
• July 18: D23 Behind-the-Scenes Experience, TBA, Burbank, Calif.
• August 20: The Reluctant Dragon 75th anniversary screening event, Burbank, Calif.
• September 23: Lunch with a Disney Legend: TBA, Walt Disney World Resort
• September 24: Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Walt Disney World Resort
• Fall: D23 Disney Fanniversary Celebration: Beauty and the Beast, more info coming in 2016
• October 8: Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Burbank, Calif.
• October 22: Sip & Scream, Walt Disney World Resort
• November 18: Lunch with a Disney Legend: TBA, Burbank, Calif.
• November 19: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.

About D23

The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s 90-plus-year history. It gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at D23.com; member-exclusive discounts; and special events for D23 Members throughout the year.

Fans can join D23 at Gold Membership ($74.99), Gold Family Membership ($99.99), and General Membership (complimentary) levels at D23.com and at DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.

The Walt Disney Archives Returns to D23 EXPO with "Disneyland: The Exhibit"

THE WALT DISNEY ARCHIVES RETURNS TO D23 EXPO WITH “DISNEYLAND: THE EXHIBIT”

More Than 300 Classic and Contemporary Objects Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Walt’s First Theme Park Will Be on Display

BURBANK, Calif. – May 12, 2015 – The Walt Disney Archives today announced it will celebrate the 60th anniversary of Disneyland at D23 EXPO 2015 with an exhibit of more than 300 pieces from the park’s incredible history. “Walt Disney Archives Presents—Disneyland: The Exhibit” will be the largest display the Disney Archives has ever showcased at D23 EXPO. The event, presented by D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, will take placeAugust 14–16 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

The 12,000-square-foot exhibit, which will be located on the Expo show floor for the first time, will include themed areas that honor the park’s history, attractions, parades, and entertainment over the past six decades, including the construction of Disneyland, Pirates of the Caribbean, Mickey Mouse Club at Disneyland, Club 33, and collectible merchandise, as well as the park’s iconic lands: Main Street, U.S.A., Fantasyland, Frontierland, New Orleans Square, Tomorrowland, and Critter Country/Bear Country. Each area will contain items from Disneyland’s past, including attraction vehicles, costumes, props, and even Audio-Animatronics^® figures.

Among the more-than-300 items on exhibit, guests will be able to see Ticket No. 1, purchased by Roy O. Disney on July 18, 1955, the first day the park was open to the general public. Guests will see many pieces shown by the Archives for the first time, including early surveying equipment from the 1950s used in the construction of Disneyland, a prototype vehicle for the beloved Alice in Wonderland attraction, dancing­monkey costumes used in the nighttime spectacular Fantasmic!, an early Autopia car, original artwork from Mickey Mouse Club Circus, the Abominable Snowman from the Matterhorn Bobsleds, which was replaced during the attraction’s recent enhancement, and an original pitch book full of colorful artwork that was used to sell Disneyland to prospective sponsors on the East Coast.

Tickets for D23 EXPO 2015 are available at a discounted price for a limited time. Through June 30, 2015, tickets are $67 for a one-day adult admission and $48 for children 3–12. Tickets for members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club are $58 for a one-day adult admission and $42 for children. Multi-day money-saving tickets are also available. D23 Members can save as much as $188 off the price of admission, based on the purchase of four three-day tickets at the D23 Member rate. For more information on tickets and the ticket pricing structure for D23 Members and general admission, visit D23EXPO.com.

Trip to The Walt Disney Studios: Part 1 The History

Hey Sasaki Time fans! I am bringing you a trip report from The Walt Disney studios! Now the Studios typically are not open to the public though D23 members do get to attend events on the lot from time to time! But if you are not a D23 member and want to go on a regular day then you need to be invited by a Cast Member. So, a few days ago I was invited by a couple of good friends to walk around the lot!

I decided to make this trip report a three part report! The first one dealing with some of the history that is to be found on the Lot! The second part dealing with some of the wonderful food to be found at the Studio Commissary! The last part of the report is the main reason for visiting The Studios and that was to see the newly remodeled Studio Store!

So, on with Part 1 The History! I just wanted to share some of the fun historic items you can see while you walk around the Lot!

Once you get past the security gate, you enter the Zorro Parking Structure! Check out the awesome character artwork!

Heading out of the structure across the street you will see the various Studio sound stages where some of the greatest Disney films and TV shows ere filmed. In some of them, the first attractions for Disneyland were built and tested. Stage 2 is very famous and is known as the Julie Andrews Stage. Mary Poppins and The Princess Dairies were both filmed here!

Here is the plaque so you know this is the Julie Andrews Stage.

From here you can see the famous water tower.

I saw this poster and had to take a picture of it. The Golden Oaks Ranch was the home to the Spin and Marty Show that was part of the original Mickey Mouse Club Show. Looks like they ranch is ready to do more filming!

We continue to the Hyperion Bungalow, one of the buildings from the old Hyperion Studio Lot that was moved to the Lot here in Burbank. Sorry the image is so dark!

Across from the Hyperion Bungalow is the Studio Commissary but because it is too early for lunch we will just look at the two flag poles out in front. Here is one of them. This is one of two flag poles that were used during the Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley in 1960. Walt Disney was responsible for both the opening and closing ceremonies.

Continuing up the street we run into a well photographed corner on the Studio Lot. This is the corner of Dopey Drive and Mickey Avenue. And yes the signs are pointing to the places where all of those different animation divisions once were.

As we pull back from this famous corner, you can see one more famous part of this corner. Yes, I do mean the fire hydrant! That's Pluto's Corner!

Let's take a closer look at Pluto's Corner shall we? If you have to ask why are their only three paw prints, you aren't thinking hard enough or funny enough! Hahaha!

As we continue up the street, we run into the Studio Theater. It underwent a major overhaul to modernize it a few years ago. All the Studio screenings are held here. Before the upgrade there use to be hand prints and signatures in concrete of early Disney Legends before they built Legends Plaza.

Right across from the Studio Theatre is the Animation building or what was the Animation building. It is still home to offices of many different production groups. The Feature Animation team is in the "hat" building next to the ABC West Coast Offices which is across the street from the main Lot.

Of course this building is historic and you can read the plaque on the outside of the building.

As we exit the Animation building we have our first look at the Team Disney Burbank building. This holds the offices of the top management of The Walt Disney Company including CEO Bog Iger. How fitting that the film that helped Walt build this studio is now the characters that are holding up the building?

Next to the Team Disney Burbank building is Legends Plaza. This is the home to the people that made The Company what it is today!

They have a larger than life version of the Legends Award.

There is another Partner's Statue. Feels like being down the road at Disneyland!

Nearby is the statue of Walt's brother Roy and Minnie. You can find this at Walt Disney World.

We continue our tour and head to the Frank G. Well's building. Inside is the home to The Walt Disney Archives.

Before we step inside, let's take a look at one of the original multi-plane cameras!

Let's step inside.

And take a look around!

As we head back outside, there is a display of some of the famous hats worn in Disney movies or attractions! This is my favorite one, from The Rocketeer!

I hope you enjoyed a look at just some of the history of the Studios! Check out Part 2 The Studio Commissary because it is now time for lunch!