Happy Birthday Walter Elias Disney
Today is a celebration of the man who started it all! Walter Elias Disney was born on this day in 1901.
No place embodies the ethos and expresses Walt’s vision quite like a visit to Disneyland Resort. Unfortunately, we can’t do that right now. In honor of his birthday, here’s a quick look at how Walt imagined Disneyland and where his presence and influence can still be felt today!
Did you know that the idea for Disneyland started on a bench? Walt would often have a “daddy’s day” with his daughters, Diane and Sharon, at Griffith Park in Los Angeles.
As they rode the Merry-Go-Round, Walt would find himself sitting on a park bench, wondering about the possibility of building a place where children and their parents could have fun together. It was during these moments that Walt began to formulate his idea for Disneyland.
Many visitors don’t know this but if you visit the Main Street Opera House at Disneyland park you can actually find Walt’s original bench from Griffith Park.
By 1954 Walt’s vision became a reality when he broke ground on a patch of land in Anaheim, California. He was committed to being a part of the entire process and found himself spending countless hours at Disneyland as it was being built.
However, since Walt and his family lived 40 miles away, Walt fashioned a small apartment above the Main Street Firehouse allowing him to spend as much time on site as possible.
To this day, the apartment is still as Walt fashioned it. It is 500 square-feet with two twin hide-a-beds, a kitchenette, a powder room and a bathroom with a shower. In the kitchen, Walt even had a small machine he used to make grilled cheese and heat up chilli (two of his favorite foods! Walt’s wife Lillian designed the interior of the apartment.
The most iconic piece of furniture in the apartment is a small, Victorian-style lamp. When Walt would visit Disneyland, Cast Members would know he was in residence because he would light the lamp in the window! After his passing, the lamp always remains lit to symbolize that Walt is always at Disneyland!
Another place where Walt’s presence can really be felt is the Disneyland Railroad. Walt had a lifetime passion for toy trains and locomotives.


As the legend goes, in 1947, Walt started transforming his family’s new home in Los Angeles into a half-mile circuit for his 1/8-scale custom-built, steam-powered engine. The Carolwood-Pacific Railroad debuted in 1950 and its engine was named “Lilly Belle” as a dedication to his wife.
Walt Disney’s backyard train was so popular with his friends and family. When Disneyland opened in 1955, Walt debuted the first rendition of the Disneyland Railroad we know of today.
So, Happy Birthday to Walter Elias Disney, the man who started it all. His passion and creativity has brought magic and pure happiness to billions of people around the world.
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