Mickey Mouse One: Walt’s Plane, also known as “the Mouse” has arrived at Palm Springs Air Museum. Starting today, guests of the museum will be able to see the plane on display. It was unveiled yesterday during a special private event at the museum where it formally accepted Walt Disney’s Grumman Gulfstream I. The plane will be on display at the museum as part of a long term loan. The event also included a private viewing party and Walt Disney Archivist Ed Ovalle sharing about the plane and its history.
Walt Disney had a connection with the Palm Springs area. He owned a home in Smoke Tree Ranch. He also played a part in the building of the Palm Springs airport.
Fred Bell, Palm Springs Air Museum Vice Chairmen shared, “He was one of the luminaries that signed on, and he felt that if Palm Springs was going to be a big destination, it needed a big airport. He was one of the people who publicly signed on and supported the bond for the construction of this airport.”
On December 5, 2022, a new exhibit will open at the Palm Springs Air Museum. This exhibit will share the history of the plane, along with some details. It will also showcase Walt Disney’s ties to Palm Springs.
Mickey Mouse One was most recently seen at the D23 Expo 2022 where it was on display. Before that, it had been sitting on the East Coast at Walt Disney World where it once had been on display at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. However, that ended in 2014. When it was originally in service, the plane could transport up to 15 people. From 1963 when Walt Disney took possession until it was grounded 28 years later, it is estimated the plane transported 83,000 passengers and flew 20,000 hours.
The Palm Springs Air Museum is home to over 75 vintage airframes. This includes aircraft from the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, military planes from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. There are also significant civilian aircraft on display as well. Many of the aircraft are still airworthy and flown regularly. The planes are housed inside 91,000 square feet of open hangs and also on the tarmac of a ten-acre facility. There are also additional displays and memorabilia showcased throughout different hangers. The museum is open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. More information about the museum can be found at PalmSpringsAirMuseum.org.
Palm Springs Air Museum is located at:
PALM SPRINGS AIR MUSEUM
745 N. Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs, CA 92262
(760) 778-6262 / www.PalmSpringsAirMuseum.org
