Disney Quote Weekends

"There's so much that we share that it's time we're aware it's a small world after all."

Disney Quote Weekends

“Until you see it, you'll never believe there exists such a wonderland of entertainment that awaits you at DISNEYLAND.”

Walt Disney's Train

Walt's miniature backyard train may have frustrated his wife, who wasn't thrilled by his train tracks overtaking her flower beds, but its importance to the world is immeasurable. Many people trace Walt Disney's desire to build DISNEYLAND directly back to his backyard train. If there wasn't a "Carolwood Pacific Railroad" there very likely would not have been a DISNEYLAND.

For years, the train was displayed at the Main Street Station in DISNEYLAND. Walt Disney's daughter lent it to the California Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento, where it was displayed for a limited time. It now has a permanent home at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco.

Walt's First Character

Walt Disney's first star wasn't a cartoon character- it was a little girl named Alice, who jumped into a cartoon world drawn by Walt Disney. Played by Virginia Davis, the spunky little Alice predated even Oswald.

The DISNEYLAND Bandstand

It was a no-brainer; a wonderful small town of the type that DISNEYLAND's Main Street was modeled after would have a nice bandstand. As the park's opening day drew near, the bandstand was quickly assembled and placed in a soon to be recognizable location.... Town Square. Unfortunately for the bandstand, Walt Disney did not like where it was originally placed. It was obvious that the bandstand would block the view of Sleeping Beauty Castle for those who stood on the train station's platform. The bandstand was quickly moved to a spot that was to the left of the castle:

It wouldn't stay long at this location. As attendance grew, the park needed a larger venue for its Date Nite at DISNEYLAND promotion. The bandstand was again displaced, this time by Carnation Gardens. The bandstand was then moved to an unlikely location- Adventureland. This time it was placed right in front of that wall we highlighted recently, about where the Tarzan Treehouse is now. This would be the last location it would get inside the park; when the Treehouse was built for the Swiss Family Robinson and the dead end was removed, the bandstand was taken out of the park completely and donated to the City of Anaheim for use in one of its neighborhood parks. That wouldn't be its final home, however. It eventually ended up at Roger's Gardens, an Orange County garden shop where it remains to this day.

Hidden Disney- Frank & Ollie

The Disney film The Incredibles features these interesting characters who were modeled after two of Walt Disney's legendary "Nine Old Men"- Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston.

The Voice of Mickey Mouse

The auditions for the voice of Mickey Mouse did not go well. None of the auditioners satisfied Walt Disney, who kept making suggestions about how he felt a cartoon mouse should sound. Frustrated, one of his braver animators suggested that maybe Walt should just provide the voice. Amazingly, he did just that-for almost twenty years! 

When Mr. Disney's other projects began to get bigger and occupy more of his time, he turned the voice duties over to a musician at the studio named Jimmy McDonald. Walt did do Mickey's voice one last time after his original tenure ended; that's him as Mickey Mouse on the Mickey Mouse Club.

Disney Quote Weekends

"A dream is a wish your heart makes when you're fast asleep. In dreams you will lose your heartaches. Whatever you wish for, you keep. Have faith in your dreams, and someday, your rainbow will come smiling through. No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true."

-Cinderella

Disney Quote Weekends

"It should look like nothing else in the world- and it should be surrounded by a train."

-Walt Disney

The First Walt Disney Studio

When Walt Disney arrived in California to follow his dreams, he had only $40 and his worldly possessions which fit into a cardboard suitcase. Armed with just a suitcase and a dream, Walt needed a little help, so he moved in with his uncle Robert, who let him setup shop in a rickety garage at 4406 Kingswell Avenue in Los Angeles. From this simple garage, Walt Disney started a business that would grow into a multi-billion dollar empire. Want to see this garage today? It still exists. In 1984 it was moved to the Garden Grove Historical Park, where it remains to this day- a mere 15 minute drive from Walt's greatest dream come true- DISNEYLAND Park.