Welcome to those of you joining me from "
Pursuing the Magic" and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 2nd stop on our Magical Blogorail.
For today's Magical Blogorail Blue Loop, the following questions was posed: "What is the one thing you have never done in Disney but would love to experience?"
I
always have problems with questions like this! It was much easier back in the beginning with my first trips to Disneyland, because there was still
so much I hadn't done yet; picking something would have been super simple! But now, after having been an Annual Passholder for nearly five years, and approaching the point where I'm in The Park almost weekly, there just seems to be fewer and fewer things I've yet to experience.
A while back, as the visits increased and the "inexperienced" decreased, I really began to develop more of an appreciation for Disneyland and its historical aspects. One of the most interesting aspects of Disneyland history are those that include Walt Disney
himself and the role that he played in The Park, especially after it opened. I've noted before in articles that Walt is tied to Disneyland in a way that he isn't with any of the other Disney Parks since he passed away before they were built, and some of the most interesting aspects of Walt's history in Disneyland are in the attractions and aspects of The Park the had an actual hand in himself, such as
Pirates of the Caribbean and
Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. There's always so much to learn about the man himself, and learning how he helped to shape Disneyland in its early years is always something worthwhile and interesting.
One such aspect of Walt's history inside Disneyland that never ceases to disappoint are in what we like to call Walt's "special places". These are places inside Disneyland that Walt had a very special hand in creating (outside of the standard attractions or geography and design of Disneyland), and are places that are a little less run-of-the-mill, if you will. In point of fact, they may be places that very few people even know exist (I think it's safe to say the average tourist just looking at a Disneyland vacation may not know they're even there), and as such, are places that many Disneyland patrons may not ever know, or have the opportunity to visit.
There are a few such inside Disneyland, but when I first began my own journey down the road of Disneyland history, the "Big Three" that immediately captured my imagination were (in order of burning desire to see) the "Lilly Belle", Club 33, and Walt Disney's Apartment. You won't find any of the above on any Disneyland map, and like I said before many people might not even know they're there, but I can assure they are! The Lilly Belle is Disneyland's Presidential train car on the
Disneyland Railroad. It was a car Walt Disney himself had designed and built (named after his wife, Lillian), and was often used to show dignitaries, celebrities, and heck, pretty much anyone Walt Disney wanted to, around Disneyland. Although many people might not know about the Lilly Belle, anyone
can ride it. It just requires an early visit to Disneyland and if she is on track, a willing conductor to take you on your grand circle tour. I was able to ride the Lilly Belle one afternoon right before my birthday. Club 33 may not be the secret that it once was, but it's also one of Walt's "special places" inside Disneyland. Much like the Lilly Belle, Walt had Club 33 built for the special guests he planned on entertaining at Disneyland, and had it built next to an apartment he had above
Pirates of the Caribbean. Although Walt Disney passed away before The Club was completed, it's still considered one of his "special places" because of the history of the man behind it. It's made even more special because of its elegance, history, cuisine, and the fact that it is a members-only Club inside Disneyland. Thanks to the generosity and blessing of some wonderful Disneyland friends, I have been able to experience Club 33 as well.
The Disneyland Railroad's "Lilly Belle" and Club 33
And then there was one! And it might in fact be the most difficult of them all to see, but nevertheless, if I had to pick but one experience at Disneyland I haven't had yet, that I would
LOVE to have, it would be the opportunity to see Walt Disney's Apartment above the
Disneyland Fire Dept.
Much like my other two "specials", the apartment above The Fire Dept. was something that Walt Disney himself had constructed while Disneyland was being built. He knew that he would want a "home away from home" inside The Park, and a place he could rest and relax while he was at Disneyland; something private and out of the way for he and his family, and again, any dignitaries or persons of importance that were in Disneyland visiting. As the stories go, he would often stand at the window in the mornings and watch the crowds swell into Disneyland with a smile on his face, having spent the night at Disneyland in his apartment the night before. It was a simple apartment with very few furnishings, and is probably best known for it's red and white interior. Very few pictures existed of the apartment until fairly recently (Walt Disney himself never allowed pictures to be taken of it, excepting one that I believe appeared in National Geographic at some point), and of course, I've never seen the inside myself, so have none to post here.
But, that doesn't stop me (and never will!) from standing on the ground below the window and taking all the pictures I want, and imagining what it must be like on the inside. Today, a lone candle shines in the window of the apartment reminding us all of Walt Disney and the importance of Disneyland to himself, and to all of us.
Walt Disney's Apartment window above the Disneyland Fire Dept.
Whether or not I'll ever actually be able to see the inside of the apartment is something I just don't know. In a move that was almost unprecedented up to this time, Disneyland allowed Annual Passholders this past month to purchase a ticket package that allowed them an overnight stay at the Grand Californian (hotel), as well as several Disneyland perks including reserved seating for Disneyland's Candlelight Processional. But most importantly, and most faint-inducing, it included a visit
inside Walt Disney's Apartment. Yes, the apartment itself! Not having the $2,500 they were asking pretty much killed that one immediately, but one can always hope that it's a sign that one day, some day, there may be a way for me to see the inside.
The Disney Parks Blog ran a special video of the inside of Walt Disney's Apartment some time ago. I've watched it avidly many times since, and it may well be the closest I will ever get to seeing the inside myself. I'm going to leave you with it today, and I hope that you enjoy watching it as much as I do.
Will I ever get inside? Who knows? But there's no doubt in my mind that given the opportunity, this would be
the one Disneyland experience I would love to have, and if I ever get the chance, it would just be the cherry on top of the dessert that's been my entire Disneyland experience thus far.
Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is "
The CanaDisney Blog".
Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
1st Stop ~
Pursuing the Magic
2nd Stop ~ Days in the Park
3rd Stop ~
The CanaDisney Blog
4th Stop ~
Disney Babies Blog
Final Stop ~
Meet the Magic
