Where is Walt's plane? UPDATE - Coming to D23 2022

ford91exploder

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
As to the plane I'm sure it already has and it's in one of Florida's many aircraft boneyards as the Gulfstream I or as it's also known as a Grumman G-159 parts are quite valuable these days as that plane is still in service in South America and Asia for short haul passenger service where it's a 24 seater.
 
danlb_2000

danlb_2000

Premium Member
montyz81 said:
What is interesting is that it is still called "The Walt Disney Company" and "Walt Disney Studios" Still has his name on all of it. I am a betting man that this plane shows up somewhere at the park. My feeling is that it should be placed right here: https://goo.gl/maps/tfjowjQjL9S2. Here is where Walt's ultimate plan's journey ended. So it would be only fitting that the plane he used to scope out his dreams be placed at this spot.
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Yeah, I think putting in or around Epcot makes the most sense since that was what the Florida Project was going to be about, although in a different form.
 
articos

articos

Well-Known Member
ford91exploder said:
Sure hope you are correct, Recently it's been very hard to trust that TWDC will do the 'right' thing, And very easy to assume that TWDC will do anything to make a short term buck.
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Certain parts of the company's history are very well guarded. The items from One Man's Dream went back to California and are safely back at the studio. Once items are passed to the Archives or WDI for management, they are both very good about maintaining. And if the plane is ever to be sold, it will likely be donated to the Family Museum.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
MaryJaneP said:
When is Landsat 8 gonna take new hi-res pix of WDW? Maybe then its location will be discovered.
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If they plan on doing something with it, I would guess it would be in an inside structure by now. The work shop building has plenty of space to put it in there and not be seen by anyone on the outside. They are not going to be working on any refurbishing outside in the Florida sun.
 
Phantom Mickey

Phantom Mickey

Active Member
Clarissa McDaniel said:
I can't imagine they would just get rid of it. I can't really see it fitting in EPCOT but would love to see it back at Hollywood Studios in some way.
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It seems to them it is like any other attraction that has run its time..... CLUTTER. And this is a HUGH piece of clutter. Wanna bet what they are going to do with it?
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Phantom Mickey said:
It seems to them it is like any other attraction that has run its time..... CLUTTER. And this is a HUGH piece of clutter. Wanna bet what they are going to do with it?
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For us? Perhaps, but, why do we keep forgetting that we are not the only people on the planet? It never was much of an attraction anyway, we just rode by it. You didn't get to stop and look in it or anything. Why, wouldn't all those millions of people that haven't been there yet, not still like to see it even if from a distance. Walt Disney is a legend. Things like that interest people.

Universal has had a nondescript plane sitting there just about since they opened up years ago. It is still there, I would think that anything that had a direct link to Walt and especially Walt Disney World, would be a curiosity. If not a priority to see, it would attract attention. In Walt language, it would be a park weenie.
 
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Phantom Mickey

Phantom Mickey

Active Member
Goofyernmost said:
For us? Perhaps, but, why to we keep forgetting that we are not the only people on the planet? It never was much of an attraction anyway, we just rode by it. You didn't get to stop and look in it or anything. Why, wouldn't all those millions of people that haven't been there yet, not still like to see it even if from a distance. Walt Disney is a legend. Things like that interest people.

Universal has had a nondescript plane sitting there just about since they opened up years ago. It is still there, I would think that anything that had a direct link to Walt and especially Walt Disney World, would be a curiosity. If not a priority to see, it would attract attention. In Walt language, it would be a park weenie.
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I absolutely agree but it seems that the park is having a space problem. They are closing attractions, some I am rather surprised to hear are going or are gone, to demo and build a new attraction. With all that land how they can be so tight on building space, wow. So Walts plane could be on the endangered list. Remember, the Dizzy board have no feelings about anything in the parks other than the color of money. At least it sure seems that way to me
 
danlb_2000

danlb_2000

Premium Member
Phantom Mickey said:
I absolutely agree but it seems that the park is having a space problem. They are closing attractions, some I am rather surprised to hear are going or are gone, to demo and build a new attraction. With all that land how they can be so tight on building space, wow. So Walts plane could be on the endangered list. Remember, the Dizzy board have no feelings about anything in the parks other than the color of money. At least it sure seems that way to me
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That plane doesn't necessarily need to go in a park, it could go in front of a park, at a resort, or even some place like the Ticket and Transportation system. Putting it on display would be a relatively cheap way to show this respect for Walt, even if they don't really have that respect.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Phantom Mickey said:
I absolutely agree but it seems that the park is having a space problem. They are closing attractions, some I am rather surprised to hear are going or are gone, to demo and build a new attraction. With all that land how they can be so tight on building space, wow. So Walts plane could be on the endangered list. Remember, the Dizzy board have no feelings about anything in the parks other than the color of money. At least it sure seems that way to me
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They have some feelings about the parks and they also have a fine tuned ability to make money. Having the plane, provides a warm, fuzzy for guests, is almost completely maintenance free and really doesn't take up much space. I would see other things more endangered then that. As I thought about it, I have seen numerous places where a plane is just sitting there, no purpose, no explanation, no history... yet it drew massive attention and long term memories, if for no other reason then to just have enjoyed seeing it up close and personal. Surely Walt's plane provides that and more.
 
Phantom Mickey

Phantom Mickey

Active Member
Goofyernmost said:
They have some feelings about the parks and they also have a fine tuned ability to make money. Having the plane, provides a warm, fuzzy for guests, is almost completely maintenance free and really doesn't take up much space. I would see other things more endangered then that. As I thought about it, I have seen numerous places where a plane is just sitting there, no purpose, no explanation, no history... yet it drew massive attention and long term memories, if for no other reason then to just have enjoyed seeing it up close and personal. Surely Walt's plane provides that and more.
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I have had several thoughts about Walts plane. It has survived about 3 changes in company top management and the rules have changed with each turn-a-round. And with each turn, the top brass have become more hardened in park/resort decisions.
the The plane was actually a company plan, true it has been branded as Walts plane and with the guests that holds incredible value. It was the first change of leadership, which was still closely tied with Walts memory that decided to stop using the Mouse and park it. It would be interesting to find a story involving the reason they decided to stop using it as an aircraft needs to be used or it will deteriorate in the weather. Perhaps the memory/attachment to Walt was enough to park it. Walt passed about 6 years before WDW opened. I have not read anything about the Mouse in that time period so it may have been parked at that time but I would reason that Roy would have used it. Mouse was used by everyone that needed to travel so it seems odd that its use was just ended.
The parks are struggling with space, the attractions are not holding the guests attention. The best way to preserve it would to park it inside a large building, perhaps a dead sound stage and open it to guests as a themed attraction ( The Walt Disney Story, and all the artifacts that go with it comes to mind ). It is just a very big cumbersome item That was Walts, and yes that holds tons of memories of Walt by the guests. However, this third group in charge do not impress with the way the parks just sit and lose appeal as they do. If they held the interest or even had more of a mindset to operate/maintain the parks as Walt did, I suspect the parks would be in much better shape. The operating agenda seems to be to build the attraction, open it and let it run until it needs a tweek. This is about the condition of Epcot and DisneyMGM. MK would have befallen this curse but with the addition of attractions built in open areas in the MK over the years it has retained it's interest. But the original land layout for MK is about used up. Expanding outside that original area will get expensive so look for more attractions to be demo'd.
BUT Mouse isn't going to improve, it won't change. It holds Walts memory, a link to guests minds and it needs to be tied to Walt through at attraction or as mentioned perhaps the Walt Disney Story. Back Lot is gone which is why Mouse is coming up in the forums. This could be a good scavenger hunt -- Find the MOUSE.
... That said... and realizing the followers of Walts magic would like to see the mouse end up in a museum like atmosphere to be pampered for as long as the parks exist.
 

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