Walt Disney once held a private residence in an apartment inside Disneyland. It’s where he entertained celebrity visitors and family members. It’s where he enjoyed bountiful cups of chili, or so Disney historians say. It’s where he looked out a window over the park and watched families enjoy his dream come true. The Walt Disney Company occasionally offers fans the opportunity to visit Walt’s apartment, and just announced how guests can do so in the future, along with lots of other news.
Disneyland changed how to get inside Walt Disney’s private apartment as part of a revamped experience debuting at the theme park. We have details on how this differs from previous opportunities, how much money it costs, and our experience visiting Walt’s apartment. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including Disneyland wedding prices and a new, free version of an expensive Star Wars theme park experience.
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Visit Walt Disney’s Apartment in Revamped Guided Tour
Walt Disney had a private apartment above the fire station on Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland, from the time the park opened in 1955 through his death in 1966. It wasn’t his full-time place of residence, but he did frequent the apartment often.
Sophisticated yet modest for a worldwide entertainment leader of Walt’s stature, the studio apartment was designed as a general living area with a couch, kitchen counter, and small bathroom. A red color scheme was used for the carpet and furniture. Cast members knew Walt was in his apartment if the lamp in the window was turned on.
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Following Walt’s death, the apartment was kept clean, but not updated. Today, it appears just as it did in 1966. The lamp in the window stays on as a beacon of Walt’s spirit.
An apartment inside a theme park is interesting on its own, and even more fascinating if the theme park in question is Disneyland and the apartment’s owner was the Walt Disney. Naturally, Disney fans’ curiosity has piqued over the years about Walt’s mythic apartment.
Eventually, Disneyland started providing superfans and casually curious guests alike with opportunities to visit Walt’s apartment for themselves.
Pre-pandemic, Disneyland offered a guided tour called Walk in Walt’s Footsteps. Guests learned about Walt’s personal connection to Disneyland and how the park was an extension of his personal passions. The highlight of Walk in Walt’s Footsteps was the finale, during which guests would visit Walt’s apartment.
This former version of Walk in Walt’s Footsteps lasted three hours, cost $110, and included a meal and a collectible pin.
When Disneyland relaunched guided tours following its pandemic-era reopening, a different tour called Walt’s Main Street Story was offered. This version stuck to Main Street, U.S.A, rather than the entirety of Disneyland, focusing on its inspirations from Walt’s childhood hometown of Marceline, Missouri. This tour also included a visit to Walt’s apartment.
Walt’s Main Street Story was 90 minutes long, cost $160, and came with a prepackaged dessert cookie. The tour was discontinued in 2025.
Disney recently announced the return of Walk in Walt’s Footsteps in a revamped version of the familiar tour.
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The reimagined Walk in Walk’s Footsteps Guided Tour will traverse both Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Park to hear “captivating stories about the man who brought fantasy to life.”
I’m guessing the addition of Disney California Adventure will mainly focus on Buena Vista Street, which is meant to be a romanticized version of the 1923-era Hollywood that Walt would have seen when he first arrived in town.
The 2026 iteration of Walk in Walt’s Footsteps will be two hours long, cost $170, and come with a snack box and a collectible pin. The new version of the tour will launch on August 14, 2026.
Here’s the breakdown of what’s different about the old and new versions:
Below is a photo of the collectible pin I received when I went on the previous version of the tour. The front displayed a famous photo of Walt walking through Sleeping Beauty Castle. Opening the pin revealed a silhouette of the Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse “Partners” statue on one side, and a small replica of the Disneyland dedication plaque, which Walt orated himself in 1955, on the other side.
The pin may or may not have changed since then. Pins are very popular right now, and the Walk in Walt’s Footsteps pin is exclusive for tour attendees.
Earlier this year, Disneyland debuted a new guided tour celebrating the park’s important historical women.
Is Seeing Walt’s Apartment Worth It?
Compared to the previous version of Walk in Walt’s Footsteps, the new version is $60 more expensive and an entire hour shorter. Since the new tour hasn’t launched yet, we can’t judge its quality, but I will share my experience with the previous version.
Based on my experience taking the previous version of Walk in Walt’s Footsteps, I think it’s money well spent for a fan of Disneyland or history. The main draw here is, of course, getting to visit Walt’s apartment, and the sense of history permeating that room is very prominent when you’re inside. I also enjoyed hearing the stories as we roamed the park, too.
The tour did get a bit overly sentimental at times, but that was not a huge drawback. For instance, after hearing the story of Walt’s death, all tour guests listen to the sad song “Feed the Birds” from Mary Poppins in their earpieces. It was a touching moment, but somewhat dramatic.
One also has to consider the collectible pin in the total tour price. The pin, if it’s the same one as before, is very nice and would probably be worth about $30 if sold in a store by itself.
Given the price hike, I would probably not do it again unless I was with first-timers who wanted to see Walt’s apartment. If you’re a Disney fan who has never seen the apartment, this tour is the only way to do so, making that the real value of spending the money.
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