Walt Disney’s Grumman Gulfstream I Airplane Makes its West Coast Return for D23 Expo 2022
01 Setembro 2022 - 2:00PM
Business Wire
The historic aircraft will be on display at
the Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California, from
September 9 through 11 in an all-new exhibit from D23, the Walt
Disney Archives, and D23 Expo Platinum Sponsor Amazon
Walt Disney’s Grumman Gulfstream I plane is making a
cross-country journey to Anaheim, California, where it will be on
display for fans attending the sold-out D23 Expo 2022 presented by
Visa from September 9 through 11. D23 and the Walt Disney Archives,
along with D23 Expo Platinum sponsor Amazon, have restored the
plane’s exterior for guests to see in a specially curated exhibit
in the Arena of the Anaheim Convention Center called Mickey Mouse
One: Walt’s Plane presented by Amazon. The exhibit will highlight
the history of the plane—also known as “The Mouse”—and showcase its
significance in The Walt Disney Company’s history.
The newly repainted plane with updated wing edges and windows
will be on view along with never-before-exhibited items from the
aircraft’s interior, including a customized instrument panel
originally located near Walt’s favorite onboard seat that allowed
him to monitor flight conditions; a telephone handset that gave
Walt a direct line of communication to the pilot in the cockpit; a
flight bag featuring an image of Mickey Mouse sitting on the tail
of the iconic plane; and more. Walt’s plane will return to the West
Coast for the first time since October 8, 1992, when the plane
landed on World Drive in Orlando, Florida, at Disney-MGM Studios
(now Disney’s Hollywood Studios), where it resided as a part of the
Studio Backlot Tour until 2014. The recent exterior repaint and
finishing work, along with the cross-country move of the aircraft,
was made possible thanks to collaboration and support from Walt
Disney Imagineering.
In 1963, Walt acquired the iconic Gulfstream that would come to
be known as “The Mouse.” The interior of the plane, initially
designed with creative input from Walt and his wife, Lillian,
seated up to 15 passengers and included a galley kitchen, two
restrooms, two couches, a desk, and nods to the mouse who started
it all, including matchbooks and stationery adorned with a
silhouette of Mickey Mouse. Mickey’s initials were eventually
included in the tail number of the plane, too, as N234MM, in 1967.
Throughout its 28 years of service to The Walt Disney Company, the
plane flew 20,000 hours and transported an estimated 83,000
passengers before it was grounded.
D23 Expo will kick off Disney100, a celebration of the 100-year
history of The Walt Disney Company, and in this all-new exhibit,
guests will be invited to “take to the skies” and learn about the
role this iconic plane has played throughout the company’s
history:
- In 1963, Walt, members of his family, and company executives
took off on a demonstration Gulfstream aircraft to explore
potential locations, including Central Florida, for a proposed
development often referred to as “Project X.” After Walt received
his own Gulfstream in early 1964, he made several trips to Florida
that ultimately laid the foundation to bring the magic of Walt
Disney World to life.
- Walt’s plane flew a total of 277,282 miles back and forth
between Burbank and New York to oversee preparations before and
during the 1964–1965 New York World’s Fair, an event that brought
iconic attractions such as “it’s a small world” to an East Coast
audience and, later, to Disneyland.
- The plane also took Disneyland to new heights as Walt found
inspiration for the look of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction
as he flew over the El Moro fortress in San Juan, Puerto Rico,
while conducting research for the now fan favorite.
- “The Mouse” has a star-studded past, having been used for
promotional tours for Disneyland as well as for classic movies such
as The Jungle Book (1967), as well as making appearances in The
Walt Disney Studios films The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969) and
Now You See Him, Now You Don’t (1972), both of which starred Disney
Legend Kurt Russell. The aircraft has also transported notable
guests including Disney Legends Julie Andrews and Annette
Funicello, as well as former U.S. Presidents Jimmy Carter and
Ronald Reagan.
- Painted blue and white in 1985, Walt’s plane embarked on
goodwill tours and character visits to children’s hospitals, adding
to the company’s history of giving back to the community.
Disney fans attending D23 Expo are invited to shop, browse and
play at Amazon’s immersive space on the showroom floor with
in-person peeks at custom merchandise related Mickey Mouse One:
Walt’s Plane.
D23 Expo is sold out. Select presentations will be streamed for
guests at D23 Expo [LIVE]. For more information, visit
D23Expo.com.
About D23 Expo 2022
D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings together all the
worlds of Disney under one roof for three packed days of
presentations, pavilions, experiences, concerts, sneak peeks,
shopping, and more. The event provides fans with unprecedented
access to Disney films, streaming, television, games, theme parks,
and celebrities. For the latest D23 Expo 2022 news, visit
D23Expo.com. Presentations, talent, and schedule subject to change.
To join the D23 Expo conversation, be sure to follow DisneyD23 on
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and use the hashtag
#D23Expo.
About D23
The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in
1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is
the first official club for fans in Disney’s 99-year history. It
gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of
Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its
quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at
D23.com, with members-only content; member-exclusive discounts; and
special events for D23 Members throughout the year.
Fans can join D23 at Gold Membership ($99.99), Gold Duo
Membership ($129.99), and General Membership (complimentary) levels
at D23.com. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events,
follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
For D23 Expo images, logos, press releases, and the official
media credential application, please visit D23ExpoPress.com.
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PRESS CONTACTS: D23
Expo Jeffrey R. Epstein The Walt Disney Company
Jeffrey.R.Epstein@Disney.com
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