Saving Mister Banks is one of my favorite Disney movies. It’s based on the true story of Walt Disney’s determination to win over Mary Poppins‘ author P.L.Travers for the rights to bring her book to the silver screen, and was filmed on the Disney Studios lot in Burbank, California. When I first saw the movie, I remember thinking how amazing it would be to time-travel to the 1960’s and step inside Walt Disney’s actual office. Well, dear reader, wishes do come true.
I recently had the rare opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes tour of this beautiful lot in Burbank. I visited during Disney’s 100th anniversary celebration, which made this historical walk-through even more special. The two-and-a-half hour tour was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, and a magical day I’ll always remember.
Burbank Bound
The Walt Disney Studios lot is located in Burbank, which is about a 45 minute drive from both Los Angeles and the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. We were planning on being in the Southern California area so we were able to get tickets to this tour through our membership in D23, the official Walt Disney Company fan club. The Studios tour takes up a full afternoon, so I made sure to devote the whole day to our Burbank outing.
Just like the entire day, our entrance process was smooth and efficient. Once we pulled up to the Studios gate, I showed my ID to the guard and he handed us our personalized badges that were left by our tour guide. He gave me a parking pass and directed me to the lot, where I easily parked my car in front of a quintessentially California background.
The Tour Begins
The Walt Disney company started out in 1928 in a small space in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles. After a few years in a second location called Hyperion Studio, The Walt Disney Studios officially settled in Burbank in 1940. Most of the original creative geniuses, including Walt Disney himself, walked these very halls and made magic on this very lot.
I could feel the history in the air as soon as we arrived at the Studios. After parking our car, we walked toward a bench at the foot of the campus. To our right was the Hyperion Bungalow, an original building from Disney’s first studio on Hyperion Avenue where Mickey Mouse was born. The building housed the comics division and was transported to the current studio in Burbank in 1940.
Waiting for us by the bench was a smiling cast member named Julia. In true Disney style, she was perky and friendly, and began chatting with us about where we were visiting from. A few more guests soon joined us, and our intimate little tour group of six was complete. It was the perfect size to make us all feel like we were getting an up-close-and-personal look at the Studios.
Walking around the lot I instantly noticed how calm and peaceful it was. The campus doesn’t feel corporate at all; it has more of a park-like, collegiate feel to it, which Julia explained was purposeful in designing a comfortable, collaborative space where artists could feel relaxed and energized.
The greatest dream of any true Disney lover is to pull back Walt’s curtain and go behind the scenes of this celebrated, storied company. This tour did exactly that. Julia narrated our walk through the entire campus path by path and building by building, with the exception of areas where projects were actively being made. Since the Walt Disney Studios is a working lot where animation and filming regularly take place, we were not permitted to take videos or post live streams. But I was very thankful that we were able to take as many photographs as we wanted!
There were Disney details everywhere, from Mickey-shaped topiaries to storm drains featuring Flounder!
We even got to see the iconic Mickey Avenue street sign, and learn about its true history. Based on the locations of buildings it points to, the sign is actually not at all accurate, but it was never meant to be used for real way-finding. It was created in 1940 as a prop for the 1941 movie The Reluctant Dragon. Today it sits at Pluto’s Corner and is an iconic symbol of The Walt Disney Studios.
One of the highlights from the first part of our tour was the Animation Building.
We walked down the building’s long halls that are lined with original drawings from 100 years of Disney animation.
We then saw so many other special buildings like the Sherman Brothers Stage, named after Richard and Robert Sherman, the Oscar-winning songwriters behind Disney classics like It’s a Small World and the Mary Poppins soundtrack.
We saw the Hyperion Theatre, which is named after the former studios location and currently screens new Disney releases. We even got up-close to the famous Walt Disney Studios Water Tower, the classic symbol of the Studios that can be seen from the highway miles away from Burbank.
But our next stop was the crown jewel of the tour, and the part I was most excited about!
Walt Disney’s Office
Suite 3H was the home of Walt Disney’s formal and working offices. The opportunity to step inside these storied spaces was absolutely inspiring to me and truly a dream come true.
With so much priceless history at arm’s-length, this part of the tour was the most “museum-like.” We were not allowed to touch anything behind the ropes, and we were asked to stay on the plastic floor runner, in an attempt to protect even the carpet. Some time after Walt’s passing, the entire suite was restored to its mid-1960’s state.
Walt’s “formal office” was where he welcomed visitors and held meetings. It was here that he met with presidents, celebrities, and a certain author of a book that he would later turn into a “practically perfect” project.
His “working office” was where the magic was made! I was in awe standing right in front of the desks where Walt Disney sat and made so many dreams a reality.
According to our tour guide Julia, the head of the Disney Archives conducted careful research to arrange every single book and item on these shelves exactly the way Walt had it.
Every inch of Walt’s office is covered in details and nostalgia that I could’ve stared at for hours. Being there made me feel like I had time-traveled, and I could almost feel the creative energy still running through those rooms. The nostalgia grew at every glance, from Walt’s original awards to the very piano where the legendary Sherman brothers composed classic Disney songs and played them for Walt Disney himself.
Just as depicted in Saving Mister Banks, it was at this very piano where Robert and Richard Sherman wrote the songs for Mary Poppins. Walt’s favorite song was Feed the Birds, and he often asked the brothers to come to his office to play it for him on this piano. Julia explained that, nowadays, no one is allowed to play the piano except for the piano tuner and Richard Sherman, who visited the Studios a few weeks prior to our tour and played Feed the Birds for some of the tour guides, moving them to tears.
The decor and furniture in this suite just oozed with retro charm, and I especially loved the couches.
Hanging above this corner we saw a birdcage souvenir Walt brought home from his travels, which was the very item that inspired the famous attraction Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room!
I could have stood in Walt’s office all day, examining the incredible pieces of history at every turn. I marveled at all the details, like Walt’s personal photographs, nick-nacks and “Mousecar statues,” even ashtrays and Studios matches (yes, Uncle Walt smoked, shhhhh!)
His working office was where Walt hung up his latest theme park plans, with details of Disneyland and his future park dreams.
The space also had a small kitchen with light-up cabinets custom made by GE and stocked with 1960’s comfort foods that Walt loved.
Another “museum-like” exhibit was a glass case displaying a collection of Walt’s personal items. We saw things like his eyeglasses, hat, and monogrammed bag.
The Walt Disney Archives
While Walt’s office was a tough act to follow, The Walt Disney Archives Building was an excellent next stop. This special place was full of “treasures untold,” and the stuff that Disney dreams are made of! I even got to hold one of Walt Disney’s actual Oscar awards!
The Studios Courtyard
Next, we visited the beautiful Studios courtyard which was a spot I truly enjoyed. There you’ll see the Team Disney Building which is famously held up by the seven dwarves. You can also see one of the world’s five Partners Statues, which was installed at The Walt Disney Studios in 2001.
Our tour guide gave us some time in the courtyard to take it all in. After all the walking we just did, it was nice to have a seat, maybe even next to Roy and Minnie! It was a beautiful, sunny day and I loved watching everyone, including lunching cast members, enjoying the seating in this peaceful area. It was so relaxing it was almost hard to believe this was some people’s workplace!
The area also has its answer to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with handprints of Disney legends hung along the pillar walls. What a treat to put our hands in the molds of so many talented folks, past and present, who helped create the magic of Disney movies.
A Special Shopping Perk
Just like Disney Parks end an awesome ride with an exit through a gift shop, the very last stop on our tour was a stop at the Studio store! For fans like me who miss the days of brick and mortar Disney Stores, the opportunity to visit one again was exciting in and of itself. But the chance to visit a special Disney Store just for cast and crew was even more exciting!
The Disney Studios has its very own Walt Disney Studios Store at the entrance to the campus, and it’s a generous size. As soon as we walked in we were greeted by friendly cast members. I immediately felt like I was back in one of the OG stores, surrounded by Disney apparel, mugs, and plushies at every turn. Some of the merch here is available to cast members only, so you won’t see it on Shop Disney but you will be able to purchase it on this tour! This store has a section in the back which exclusively sells Studios items, like clothing, hats, stationery, and lanyards bearing the name and logo of The Walt Disney Studios and The Walt Disney Company.
The entire shopping experience was delightful, and we even had a “magic moment” thanks to the sweetest cast member Louis. A perfect ending to a perfect day!
Touring the Walt Disney Studios has always been one of my “Disney dreams,” and getting the chance to do it was an experience I will remember forever. As a history buff and lifelong Disney lover, it was such a treat to walk in the footsteps of Walt and his fellow creative geniuses. The entire Studios lot is beautiful and I felt so lucky to be there. It was a truly special day that I will always remember, and I’m so grateful I got to experience it.
What Lara Wrote 