Walt Disney's Private Plane Location Found at WDW !

Walt Disney's private plane is a legend in itself as it is known to be the one that Walt used to search - and found - the location of the land where will be built Walt Disney World. You'll have more details about the plane story in the video below as well as its current location, but let's have a closer look first at the plane interior with the rendering below and archives pictures.










I asked Imagineer Eddie Sotto who now designed stunning planes interior that you must see HERE, HERE or HERE his comment about Walt's plane:

“Interesting how the company used the Gulfstream for promotional purposes as well as practical ones, almost making “the Mouse” a “character” in of itself. I never boarded it, but was able to fly on the more luxurious, jet powered Gulfstream G4 during the Eisner era on research for Disneyland Paris across Europe. Those experiences were drawn upon years later as I was inspired to design jet interiors, but with more of a story. Our SkyRanch design has an “owners seat” that can be customized to their taste, just like Walt had his own special amenities where he sat."

The picture below shows the seat where Walt was sitting in the plane with a direct telephone line to the pilots in the cockpit.







The plane was used all year long for many purposes including travelling of Imagineers - and Walt, of course - and marketing pictures with Disney characters.

Here is the D23 video with interviews of Bob Gurr, Tony Baxter, Marty Sklar, Kathy Ashcraft and Dave Smith, all talking stories about Walt's plane.



Now, what happened to Walt's plane years later? He could be seen by WDW guests during the Disney MGM Studios Tram tour, until that fateful day when the tour was  stopped and all vehicles and props removed...





Since that time Disney fans wondered where has gone Walt's plane and it was just recently that someone, thanks to Google Earth satellite view, finally found the location at WDW where the plane is hidden now. Ben Laurence has posted on Youtube the video below not only showing where the plane currently is but also giving the itinerary to find it. Wisely, he specify that "you may have to go through security", and considering the plane location it's sure that you will encounter WDW security so D&M strongly advise you to think twice before going there... at your own risk, specially in the U.S where security folks have a tendency to shoot first and ask questions after. Anyway, we're happy to learn that Walt's plane has been saved and hopefully we'll see it back on stage someday!




Pictures: copyright Disney

Video: copyright Disney, Ben Laurence