Visit to Walt Disney Family Museum - Thanks Micheal!

[goofyfan13]

Hi -

My wife and I went to San Fransisco for a long weekend and just returned. Thank you Michael for all your segments over the last couple of years. With out you I wouldn't have known of it, and without your podcasts, I wouldn't have had as rich of an experience.

Out of the two of us, I'm the big Disney fan. As part of the deal to go to San Fransisco, I told my wife we had to go to the museum. We spent over 2 and a half hours going through the main exhibit hall. My wife enjoyed the museum almost as much as I did.

Some highlights for both of us:
All the interactive video displays. Hearing Walt reminisce while looking at the artwork and memorabilia really helped bring his past to life.

Watching the process they followed to make the inks and paints used in the film making.
Getting to see the MultiPlane camera
The Disneyland diorama

We had a great time, I highly recommend it, we chose to go to the museum over Alcatraz.

Thanks!
Dylan

 

[LizzyS]

How awesome!

I would LOVE to go to this museum if I ever find myself in SF!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

The Family Museum is fantastic, I was lucky enough to go there a couple years ago. Highly recommended!

 

[emmybee]

I heard it's not really a museum that would hold a kid's interest. Do you think that's true?

 

[goofyfan13]

The main galleries are a history museum layout - different exhibits with memorabilia & pieces on display, placards with video playing that are autobiographical / documentary in style. It's a walk through Walt's life, his struggles and achievements. There are great interactive displays and the huge diorama of Disneyland that would interest kids. The museum does try to cater to kids, they have movies you can go see and have a discovery center style hands on area for kids, however my wife and I didn't go check them out.

I have 11 year old daughter, 10 year old son and a 7 year old daughter. If I took them to San Francisco for a trip, I'd skip it and spend more time and money at the wharf & other attractions. That said, I'd take them to the Disney museum before I took them to Alcatraz island or the San Francisco Museum of Modern art. For me it would really depend on the amount of time we would have in the Bay Area.

As with all things, these are my opinions, you and your family may be different and your mileage may vary.

Cheers!

 

[McNs]

We're starting our road trip in SF this year, and a visit to the museum is a must for us. Not sure how my girls will get on there (9 & 6), they are excited about it but not sure if they really know what it is. In any case I want to go so we are going!

We are still undecided about Alcatraz with the kids...

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

We're starting our road trip in SF this year, and a visit to the museum is a must for us. Not sure how my girls will get on there (9 & 6), they are excited about it but not sure if they really know what it is. In any case I want to go so we are going!

We are still undecided about Alcatraz with the kids...

Here is my two cents about taking kids to Alcatraz. I don't have kids but I am a teacher and have worked with kids for years and year.....oh and I have been to Alcatraz. I think that Alcatraz is an interesting educational experience, the self guided tour (with headsets) is well done and explains a lot really well. I thinking seeing the conditions that prisoners had to live in is something to see. You also get to walk into a solitary confinement cell and a regular cell so it gives a good sense of what prison is like. The island is neat too, and has other history, the view of the city is fantastic. I think a kid might have fun exploring, and seeing a little "dark" history.

Now as the Walt Disney family museum, I am a HUGE fan of Disney and have been since I was a teenager or earlier, and I went to the Family museum a couple of years ago as an adult (obviously). While I found the museum very interesting and spent a ton of time there, I would say that it might be a little boring for some kids. There was a lot of reading but a few interactive displays. I guess long story short I would go to both.

 

[MommyJKM]

I heard it's not really a museum that would hold a kid's interest. Do you think that's true?

We live nearby and have taken our 4yr old DD and she was bored. She liked the videos but the rest if boring. On a good note it's at the Presidio and on Sunday's they have this amazing Food Truck festival that we do with friends. We bring blankets and champagne and my DD brings her scooter and we all hang out and get food from the trucks and it's just an awesome view and day! http://offthegridsf.com/markets/picnic#about

So if you go, do a Sunday when your kid can do something else after. Also, there is a kid's craft every weekend downstairs and one parent can do that with your child while the other goes through the museum.