Meeting Mr. Disney

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Mike&Donna's picture
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Meeting Mr. Disney

OK...so I'm going to brag a little bit here. But it will be interesting to see if anybody has had a similar experience.

When I was about 14, we went to DL (where I probably went 4-6 times a year). We had just entered Main Street. To the left is the Fire House and a few buildings. From behind one of the doors, Mr. Disney came out. I recognized him and went over to him. He very graciously shook my hand, ask a couple questions about my visit ( who was I with? what were our plans for the day?).

For a 14 year old, that was one experience I will never forget!

Years later, when I ask a CM about Mr. Disney being there, I was told he had a office that he used when he wanted to see the park. It was over one of the buildings and he occasionaly came out. But...to this day, you will never get anyone at Disney to acknowledge the fact he had an office there. I got my information from the uncle of a friend that worked there (he released the doves at the opening ceremony every day...we got in free...A LOT)

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Wow. What an incredible experience that must have been. I wish you had taken a photo.

I think I've heard that rumor that he had a "surveying" office in addition to his Fire House apartment. Certainly sounds like it should be true.

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Around what year would that have been? Great story!

admin's picture
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Thanks for sharing that story. It's one that few of us have ever experienced.

Mike&Donna's picture
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Lets see...I am as old as dirt...so that would make it Dirt + 14...

Actually, it would have been sometime in the summer of 1966...which, if my math is correct would have put me a little closer to 12...

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Mike&Donna wrote:
Lets see...I am as old as dirt...so that would make it Dirt + 14...

Actually, it would have been sometime in the summer of 1966...which, if my math is correct would have put me a little closer to 12...

Sounds like it would be a formative experience for a 12-yr-old. I'm surprised you didn't want to be an animator after that mickey

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Brad's picture
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Were you intimidated at all?

Mike&Donna's picture
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The intimidation was more in fact that I was shaking hands with somebody that I had seen on TV. Then the fact that he was MR DISNEY!!! I was more impressed that he took the time to spend even a couple minutes with me...a kid.

My animation skills are limited to stick people...that dont move...

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In the summer of 1966, Walt Disney was towards the end of a long battle with cancer. He had just recovered from a succesful surgery, but by then the cancer had spread. He was also fully ensconced in his "Florida Project", but surely spent a lot of time at home in Southern California, and certainly would've appeared at Disneyland.

He would lose his battle with cancer in late 1966.

You are lucky to have met him when you did.

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Imagineer wrote:
In the summer of 1966, Walt Disney was towards the end of a long battle with cancer. He had just recovered from a succesful surgery, but by then the cancer had spread. He was also fully ensconced in his "Florida Project", but surely spent a lot of time at home in Southern California, and certainly would've appeared at Disneyland.

He would lose his battle with cancer in late 1966.

You are lucky to have met him when you did.

I hate that he wasn't able to see the fruition of all of his hard work in Florida. sad