This is an entry for “Walt Disney’s Apartment” in our Disneyland 101 Glossary: Disneyland Resort definitions in under 101 words, from Mouse Brief. For information on how you can see Walt Disney’s apartment for yourself, keep reading after the entry.
Walt Disney kept an apartment for himself at Disneyland Park above the fire house on MAIN STREET U.S.A. When Walt Disney would stay in the apartment, he would let cast members know he was there by lighting a lamp. The lamp in the apartment window is now kept burning in Walt Disney’s honor. To see it, enter Disneyland Park, pass City Hall on your left and you will arrive at a red brick building with a “Disneyland Fire Dept.” sign. Look up to the second story. A look at the interior of the apartment is included in select tours.
Thank you for reading this entry on Walt Disney’s apartment at Disneyland. For more Disney definitions under 101 words plus FAQS, please explore our Disneyland 101 Glossary. And for answers to frequently asked questions about Walt Disney’s apartment, keep reading.
Walt Disney’s Apartment, FAQs
Can I see Walt Disney’s apartment?
There are a few ways you can get a peek at Walt Disney’s Disneyland apartment.
First, anyone who is a guest at Disneyland Park can see the window to Walt Disney’s apartment. Once you enter Disneyland Park you will need to cross under the Disneyland Railroad – Main Street, U.S.A. Station. Enter the tunnel to your left. As you emerge from the tunnel, you should see the American flag rising above Town Square to the right with City Hall ahead and to your left. Continue up the street ahead of you between City Hall and the grassy area of Town Square. Just past City Hall is the Disneyland Fire Department.
Walt Disney’s apartment is just above the Disneyland Fire Department! You will not be able to enter it with a general admission ticket, but you will be able to see the window facing out to Main Street, U.S.A. You can recognize the window because it holds a perpetually glowing lamp in tribute to Walt Disney.
If you want to get a look at the inside of Walt Disney’s apartment, there is an indirect way to do that with a general admission ticket to Disneyland Park. The Walt Disney Family Museum has loaned artifacts for display at Disneyland Park, and among these are actual pieces of furniture and decor from Walt Disney’s private Disneyland apartment.
These pieces are included in a replica display of Walt Disney’s apartment located in the Main Street Opera House. The apartment display is part of a larger tribute to the man, Walt Disney, and his legacy in the Walt Disney Company. You cannot walk into this display, but you can get a nice view of it inside the Main Street Opera House.
If you want to actually enter Walt Disney’s Disneyland apartment, you can occasionally sign-up for special tours that include the apartment as part of a larger tour of Disneyland. A visit to the apartment is not included with every Disneyland tour, so be sure to check the tour descriptions before signing-up. Tours focused on Walt Disney’s legacy are more likely to include the apartment as part of the itinerary.
Wait… I thought Walt Disney had a special apartment in New Orleans Square. What is there now?
Before his death, Walt Disney began work on a second larger apartment at Disneyland Park. It was to be located in New Orleans Square above the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. Sadly, Walt Disney died before this project came to fruition.
That dedicated space never did become a Disney family apartment, but it has served several different purposes over the years. For a time it was the Disneyland Gallery and then the Disneyland Dream Suite. Today, it hosts a luxury dining experience and is known as 21 Royal.
If you have heard of a “secret” space in New Orleans Square, you may also be thinking of Club 33. This private dining club opened in 1967. It is not overnight accommodations but rather a restaurant. You must be a member of Club 33 or a guest of a member in order to dine here.
Can I spend the night inside Disneyland?
You can spend the night at Disneyland Resort, but you cannot spend the night inside a Disneyland Resort theme park. This was once possible for a lucky few with the Disneyland Dream Suite. But since those accommodations closed to make way for 21 Royal, there are no longer any overnight accommodations inside the parks.
The closest you can get to staying inside Disneyland today is to stay at one of the Disneyland Resort Hotels. These are owned and run by Disney, and they are on the larger resort property. There is even a direct entrance into Disney California Adventure Park from the lobby of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa.
For tips and guidance in choosing a hotel at or near Disneyland Resort, check-out our Staying Near Disneyland: Book the Best Hotel for You.
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