Recently while I was visiting Los Angeles for the Solo: A Star Wars Story world premiere, I got a private tour of Walt Disney’s office and went on a Peter Pan scavenger hunt on the Walt Disney Studios lot to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Peter Pan! By having a partnership with Disney I get to experience so many unique things. It’s quite incredible being able to walk into the office where Walt himself worked doing what he loved. The Walt Disney Studios lot was actually built in 1940 from the proceeds of Sleeping Beauty.
The tour started in the Old Animation Building on the Walt Disney Studios lot on the third floor that is home to suite 3h, Walt Disney’s office. Upon entering the suite you first entered the Walt’s secretary’s office. On the wall you’ll find a rare picture of Walt’s secretaries. They didn’t often have their picture taken so getting to see a picture of them is quite incredible. On the secretary’s desk you’ll find the actual log she used to document every activity and appointment for Walt.
You’ll then step into Walt’s formal office. This office is where he met important guests. You’ll find many books and other knick knacks Walt had on shelves. He also loved collecting and making miniatures which you’ll find throughout the office. You’ll also find a beautiful piano the Sherman Brothers often used to compose while Walt listened.
Everything in the suite was documented by Dave Smith from 1968 to 1969 upon Walt’s passing. He took photos and a meticulous inventory of every single item Walt had left in the suite. When the office space was recreated they made sure everything was positioned just as Walt had left them, from the books on the shelf to how many paper clips he’d left on his desk.
The last part of the suite was Walt’s working office. This is where Walt spent a majority of his time and it was constantly in motion. Here you’ll find a photo of actor Ed Wynn who Walt considered his lucky charm. In the working office Walt also had a personal kitchen which was created for him by General Electric. Here you’ll find some of Walt’s favorite foods.
The suite also had a private room that Walt used to relax at the end of the day or where he enjoyed playing with his kids. Walt had two daughters, Diane Disney Miller and Sharon Mae Disney.
Our tour guide filled our minds with the most amazing facts about Walt and his office. I loved how passionate she was in speaking of him, his works and the life he had in his office.
Peter Pan Scavenger Hunt
At the end of our tour we had a very fun-filled Peter Pan scavenger hunt to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Peter Pan (available on Digital 5/29 and Blu-ray 6/5) and the in-home release of the Walt Disney Signature Collection Edition of the film. It was so much fun exploring the place it was made!
During our scavenger hunt we were divided into several groups, each named after characters of Peter Pan. I was on team Peter Pan! We had ten different tasks to complete on our scavenger hunt that took place all over the Walt Disney Studios lot. I think we ran for most of our hunt! It was great getting to explore areas of the lot I’d never seen.
#PeterPanBluRay
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