Inside Walt’s Disneyland apartment

Few people outside family and famous friends ever stepped foot inside Walt Disney’s private apartment above the firehouse in Disneyland.

My Los Angeles Times colleague David Haldane recently toured the suite — and I must admit I’m jealous. (Click here to see the photo gallery.)

Since Disney’s death in 1966, the 500-square-foot studio apartment has remained virtually unchanged. Original furnishings include:

* Victorian décor
* Crushed red carpet
* Twin floral fold-out couches
* Victrola phonograph
* Regina music box
* Personal photographs
* Family china
* Kitchenette with refrigerator
* Fully stocked liquor cabinet

The one major change: A fire pole connecting the apartment to the firehouse below was removed soon after a visitor shimmied up it into the residence.

Built in 1954, the firehouse was the Anaheim theme park’s second structure, after the opera house, which doubled as a sawmill.

“In those days, he would often spend the night going over blueprints, then get up at 5 a.m. to talk to Imagineers,” said Disneyland spokesman J.D. Isip.

After the park opened in 1955, Disney often used his secret hideaway for entertaining celebrities — including John Wayne and Frank Sinatra.

Today, Disney brass employ the suite for corporate meetings. Soon, Disneyland will start offering $3,000 VIP tours that include a visit to the firehouse apartment. (Click here for a video walk-through.)

— Brady MacDonald / Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

[Photo: Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times]

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This entry was posted on Saturday, November 24, 2007 at 8:08 am by Brady MacDonald and is filed under Celebrity, Disneyland, Family & Kids, San Diego, Theme Parks. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.