Walt Disney’s Grumman Gulfstream I plane has arrived in Anaheim, CA for the D23 Expo. During a media preview ahead of the expo, Daps Magic was given a first look at this restored plane that was Walt Disney’s plane. The plane is a part of the exhibit called Mickey Mouse One: Walt’s Plane which is presented by Amazon. Along with the plane, there are also other artifacts that are connected with the Gulfstream I and its history with Disney.
Ed Ovalle, of the Walt Disney Archives, shared about the process of bringing Walt Disney’s plane to the D23 Expo. This was a multi-year process that involved a lot of research and a lot of reading of Walt Disney’s correspondence.
D23 Expo isn’t the final destination for Walt’s plane, however. Once it has finished its weekend at the Anaheim Convention Center, it will be headed to Palm Springs, California. There, it will be displayed with other planes at the Palm Springs Air Museum. A new exhibit will be built there and open on Walt Disney’s birthday, December 5. This exhibit will share the history of Walt’s plane and also share its significance to The Walt Disney Company. It will also show its connection with the area, where Walt Disney had a house at Smoke Tree Ranch.
“We are so happy to have Walt’s plane make a ‘landing’ at the Palm Springs Air Museum, just a few miles from where Walt and his family had vacation homes at Smoke Tree Ranch,” Rebecca Cline, Director, Walt Disney Archives, said of Walt’s plane, which will be loaned to the museum on a long-term basis. “It is the ideal setting for this incredible icon.”
Guests visiting the D23 Expo this weekend will have the chance to take a look at Walt’s plane from September 9 – 11, 2022 at the Anaheim Convention Center. What do you think of Mickey Mouse One: Walt’s Plane? Will you be seeing it this weekend? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
