The Walt Disney Studios

Since our tour is not actually produced by Disney, we do not get the perks of being an actual Disney employee.  Our company manager was able to arrange a tour of the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank for us though.

The tour was equal parts thrilling and depressing.  It was so very cool to see such iconic items of Disney history as this street sign on the lot.

But on the other hand, it was depressing to see all of the facilities devoted to animation and to realize that there is no actual animation happening there.  (Well traditional hand-drawn animation that is.)

This building contains the screening room where any number classic Disney movies were shown.

We also got to hear about the history of the sound stages.  I have since forgotten which film was filmed at which sound stage which is why I took pictures of the informational plaques!

There was some significance to this tree.  I'm not sure what now.

There is still some filming that occurs at the studio.  This storefront is currently being used.

After walking through the studios, we went to the Walt Disney Archives.  The fact that I did not leave with a souvenir is a testament to my self control!  Above is a costume from The Prince of Persia and below is one from Alice in Wonderland. 

Walt Disney himself kept ticket #1 to Disneyland.

The Multiplane Camera!

We all got a bag of swag at the end of our tour.  I got the Prince of Persia Blu Ray and a D23 Magazine.  So did Sheffield!

We finished up by eating in the employee commissary (I'm sure they loved that!) and then a quick visit to the gift shop!