Okay. I know. Most of you Disney dweebs out there already know about the hidden history of the Disney Gallery. Why this second story shop has such a commanding view of Disneyland’s Rivers of America. Why this New Orleans Square retail space is so beautifully laid out, so elegantly detailed.
Yes, the space that the Disney Gallery currently occupies was never actually supposed to house a store / art gallery. Had Walt Disney not tragically passed away in December of 1966, this area was to become a luxurious private apartment for the Disney family to use. Something to replace the cozy but small space over Main Street U.S.A.’s fire station where Walt would sometimes spend his weekends entertaining family & friends.
Yes, I’m sure that some of you hardcore Disneyana fans already know that plans for Walt’s new New Orleans Square apartment were far enough along that Imagineering veteran Dorothea Redmond had already put together some production paintings to show the Disney family about how she’d like to try & decorate the place. You can actually see this paintings in the hallway, right next to where Walt’s smoking room was supposed to have gone.
What’s that? You don’t know where Walt’s smoking room was supposed to have gone? Here. Let me quickly walk you through how the Disney family’s New Orleans Square apartment was supposed to have been laid out.
First & foremost … You can forget all about those stairs that lead up to the Disney Gallery today. Those were ever never part of the plan for Walt’s apartment. They were actually added well after the fact, back in the late 1980s. Back when the Imagineers decided to open this second floor space over the “Pirates of the Caribbean” load/unload area to the public.
No, if everything had only gone according to plan and Walt had actually lived long enough to get the chance to occupy this space, the Disney family would have entered their posh new New Orleans Square digs through a well-out-of-sight-of-the-guests backstage entrance. They could have made their way to this second floor apartment by walking up a set of stairs and/or taking the elegant elevator in Club 33’s lobby.
“So if there were no stairs, what’s the deal with the lobby / entrance area at the Disney Gallery?,” you ask. Actually, this area was originally supposed to have been the Disney family’s formal living room.
Where Walt & Lillian would have entertained guests and/or played with their grand children.
Of course, given that Walt always wanted to be a gracious host (And understanding — of course — that not everyone enjoyed the smell of cigarette or cigar smoke), Disney had a well-ventilated smoking room built right off of the formal living room. It’s the first door that you’ll find in that small hallway to your left.
That second door … Well, that was supposed to have been a bedroom that was especially built for Walt’s grandchildren. Which is why the handle on this door is so low. Walt deliberately had it designed that way, so that tiny hands wouldn’t have all that much trouble opening & closing this door.
Of course, the grandparents wouldn’t want to be all that far away from their grandkids. Which is why Walt & Lillian’s master bedroom was located right next door. Step through the sliding door out onto the patio, then continue to the left. You’ll find the room that I’m talking about.
The room is currently housing some pieces for the Disney Gallery’s “Haunted Mansion” exhibition. Including some of the original macquettes that Joyce Carlson sculpted for the model of the ride as well as some faux gravestones. But what I’d like you to notice (the next time that you’re up in this space) is all the outlets in the room.
“What’s the deal with all the outlets?,” you query. Well … You have to understand that Walt loved to read in bed and Lillian loved to redecorate. And it always used to make Walt sore to come home to their house in Holmby Hills & find that — once again — Lillian had rearranged their bedroom. Moving their bed to some spot where there was no outlets nearby. Which (of course) made it rather difficult to plug in a reading lamp. Which also made it kind of difficult for Walt to review any scripts before finally hitting the hay.
(Which — based on what I’ve heard about Lillian Disney over the years — may have been the whole point of this constant rearranging thing.
Mrs. Disney reportedly always felt that Walt worked too hard. Which is why she was always trying to get her husband to relax while he was at home. And — obviously — you can’t work where there isn’t light. Crafty woman, that Lillian Disney. Anyway …)
Well, when Walt had the Imagineers drawing the plans for his new Disneyland apartment, Disney was determined to thwart his wife. Which is why he ordered that electrical outlets be placed in every wall of the master bedroom. So that — no matter where Lillian had the bedroom set moved to — Walt would still be able to plug in a reading lamp.
Okay. That’s enough insight into what went on in Walt & Lillian’s bedroom. Why don’t we head across the way — through the outdoor patio & through the formal living room — into the lounge.
Today, this area is where the cast members who work at the Disney Gallery ring up your sales. They stand behind an elegantly appointed countertop and — after hammering away at cash register — cheerily hand you your poster, coffee mug, t-shirt, etc.
However, were you to walk behind that counter, you’d find that the Disney Gallery’s two cash registers are actually seated on top of two sinks. Yep, this was where Walt’s wet bar was actually going to be located. (FYI: One of the Disney Gallery’s other curios [And it’s something that the cast members who work here still use today] is a virtually prehistoric miniature refrigerator. These things were actually quite rare back in the 1960s. But Walt insisted on having one installed in his private apartment’s wet bar. It’s just too bad that the guy never got to use and/or enjoy any of this snazzy equipment.)
Of course, once Mr. Disney had made you that mint julep, you’d — of course — want to sip it out on the verandah. So you’d step right through that sliding glass door and find yourself looking out over the Rivers of America, as the crowd hustles by below you. (Walt was said to really be looking forward to using this particular feature of his New Orleans Square apartment. Why for? Because it would have allowed him to indulge in one of his real passions — I.E. people watching — without being observed.)
What’s that ringing sound? Oh, it’s the dinner bell. Disney’s family and friend would then re-enter the lounge area. And then … Well, if it was a large group of folks that Walt was looking to entertain, he’d lead them up the hallway (where you now find all of the Disney Gallery’s print-on-demand posters) out into Club 33’s kitchen area. They’d then continue on into the Trophy Room. Where — over the course of dinner — perhaps that audio animatronic vulture that looming over the doorway would suddenly come to life. And — in Wally Boag’s voice — begin heckling some of the members of Walt’s dinner party.
If — on the other hand — it was a smaller, more intimate gathering …
Well, then Walt & Lillian would then lead their guests and/or grandchildren into the apartment’s formal dining room. Which is the room where you can now find Rolly Crump’s “Museum of the Weird” sketches and/or the costumes from Rob Minkoff’s “Haunted Mansion” movie on display.
Of course, given that Walt wasn’t really that big a fan of messes, he had recessed sliding doors built into the walls of the formal dining room. So that — once the meal was over — he and his guests could retire to the lounge. And — by pulling closed the dining room’s sliding doors behind them — they’d then be spared the ordeal of having to stare at all those dirty dishes.
Yes, Walt’s New Orleans Square apartment would have been quite a showplace. Not overly ostentatious, mind you. But elegant & comfortable.
In a style fitting a man of Walt Disney’s stature.
If everything had just gone according to plan, this wonderful new space would have been ready to occupy by the Summer of 1967. Unfortunately, Walt passed away in December of 1966. And — after that — the Disney family kind of lost all enthusiasm for staying inside the Anaheim theme park overnight. That was something that Walt had enjoyed doing. And — now that he was gone — it was just too sad, too depressing to repeat this ritual without the family patriarch presiding over the proceedings.
Which is why this space over “The Pirates of the Caribbean” ‘s load/inload area was never really used as it was intended.
Still, I hope you folks enjoyed this brief glimpse of a bit of Disneyland that might have been. (Special thanks to D. of the Disneyland Gallery staff. Who — this past weekend — was so gracious as to give Nancy & I a special tour of this Disneyland gem and reveal much of the hidden history of this part of the park.)
Your thoughts?