I just realized that I have something that I can contribute to this thread. It's not much and none of these are really my pictures (no photography allowed inside the museum), but last December we went to the Walt Disney Family Museum. Here are some shots from that day.
The exterior of the building (my one picture of the day)
The remaining pictures I captured off the internet, this is the foyer where you wait to enter the tour. On display are the many Oscars won by Walt. You could take pictures in this room, I don't know why I didn't!
You start off with a history of Walt's Family and all about his growing up in Marceline.
There is an area which talks about him as an ambulance driver in France in WW1
They talk about some of the animation that he did while in Kansas and there a pictures and some footage. There is a neat trick where they put you in an elevator which is decorated like a train car and when you come out of the elevator, you are in
They go into the history of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, how Walt lost him and his creation of Mortimer (Mickey) Mouse.
They show examples of the merchandising
Just how many drawings it took to make a 30 second movie
Some sketches and examples of the drawings
The next few rooms cover the 1930's and the growth of the studio creating the first feature length animated picture Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, and subsequent films. They also showed Walt's development of the Microplane Camera
There was extensive coverage of his WWII efforts, but I didn't find any pictures from that online.
After that, you began to descend through a hallway of TV screens each one playing the numerous ventures that Walt pursued during the 1950's. Though you can't see it opposite the TV screens is a giant glass window with a beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The descent continued further through a timeline leading up to the creation of
Disneyland.
This is a fantasy version of Walt's ideal Disneyland with all the attractions he created in the park. When you study the model there are many things present that were never in the park at the same time, but this is Walt's Fantasy park not a real one.
Once you are back on the main floor there are several more exhibits on "the Florida Project", the creation of Mary Poppins, and a few others before you come to the room mourning Walt's passing. All the walls in this room feature cartoons from newspapers around the world, letters of condolences and other respectful tributes. Even almost a year later, it makes me tear up thinking about all those items.
Once you leave the exhibit, they have a gift shop where you can be parted with your money.
Young children may not appreciate the exhibit so much as it is more about Walt's life and challenges, but anyone who loves Disney would really enjoy the stories and innovations that this great man contributed to our world.
so remember bits and pieces...
sad2
, why don't you see if there are any bus tours or hire vans that would take you out there?
