With our day done on Hollywood Blvd., much to John's relief (suffice it to say he's not a fan), it was off to Burbank and Glendale for a fun, but brief tour following Walt Disney's career in Hollywood. I thought this would be the perfect lead-up before heading to the Studio to see Saving Mr. Banks. Plus, these were all sights I'd long wanted to see.
First up was Kingswell Avenue, which actually isn't too far from Hollywood. We stopped at Uncle Robert's house, which was where Walt stayed when he first arrived in 1923 with $40 in his pocket and a cardboard suitcase. Uncle Robert Disney loaned Walt and his older brother, Roy, $5000 to help start the Disney Bros. Studio in his garage, where they began making the Alice comedies. Walt tried to pay Uncle Robert back in stock, but he opted for the cash instead. Should have taken the stock.
Just a few blocks away is the very first Disney Bros. Studio, which was just a small storefront shop. There's a famous photo of Walt, his wife Lillian, Roy, his wife Edna, and another young woman standing out front (we'd see it later that night touring the Studio). Today it's a little copy and fax shop, with a little Mickey Mouse marker in the window to note its historical significance.
From there we drove a short distance into Burbank to the former site of Disney's Hyperion Avenue Studio. This was their first real studio, where Disney made their Silly Symphonies and everything up through Snow White (the profits of which allowed them to build the existing studio). When they moved (due to the drastic need for more space), Walt had several of the buildings moved as well. The rest was eventually torn down. The site is currently the home of a grocery store ("they paved paradise") and, to my knowledge, has no marker to identify its significance in film history.
Next up was a journey into Griffith Park to visit the Merry-Go-Round, which has been running for 75 years. I'd thought about re-visiting Walt's Barn, which used to sit in his back yard and is modeled Fter his childhood memories of Marceline. However, we were running short on time and it was closed anyway. I'd originally hoped to fly in early enough on Sunday, but that was not to be.
Walt used to take his two daughters out for fun on Sunday afternoons. While sitting on the bench and watching them ride, he started thinking how nice it would be if there was a place where parents and kids could have fun together. That became known as the "Griffith Park Creedo" and led to the creation of Disneyland.
Our final stop before dinner was someplace in Glendale that Madison and I had visited on our last trip. Sadly, John and I were unable to go inside, but I was determined to get a good picture (last time we had to leave our cameras on the tour bus). There are no signs to say who resides in here or the building next door. The only clue is the shape of the building's number plate: it looks just like a name tag on a Disney Park castmember. Yes, my friends, this is hallowed ground. The Mecca of any true Disney fan. The place where all the real magic happens. Formerly known as "WED Enterprises," it is now known as Walt Disney Imagineering.
I can't tell you how badly I wanted to go back in. We drove around the block and for the first time I was able to see just how big the complex actually is. We saw several Imagineers leaving work, all wearing name tags just like the castmembers. Most of all, though, I thought about how much Madison wants to work there. Some day she'll make it back in. Of that, I'm sure.
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