D23, the official Disney fan club, has released more information about an exhibit centering on Walt Disney’s personal airplane, which will be on display during the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, this fall.
Disney World fans will recall the vehicle could be spotted during the Backlot Studio Tour at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park, then known as Disney-MGM Studios. Later, it was relocated to more remote, less public, part of property. Disney used the plane in the 1960s to scout locations for what would become Walt Disney World.
The Grumman Gulfstream I airplane has had its exterior restored, which will be visible to expo visitors.
Walt Disney Archives has curated an exhibit featuring items that represent the history of the aircraft. Included will be a customized instrument panel that was located near Disney’s favorite onboard seat, where he could monitor flight conditions, a telephone handset for direct communication with the pilot and a flight bag with an image of Mickey Mouse reclining on the tail of a plane.
The Backlot Studio Tour attraction closed in 2014 as the park began an expansion plan that eventually included Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
The expo also will host a new exhibit called “Step in Time,” a roundup of the 100-year history of Walt Disney Co. presented by Walt Disney Archives. It will included themed environments from park attractions, films and TV productions, including Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Mary Poppins,” “Tron” and “Steamboat Willie.”
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D23 Expo is set for Sept. 9-11 at the Anaheim Convention Center. There are single-day tickets for the final day available $99. Saturday-only tickets and three-day passes are sold out. For tickets and more information, go to D23Expo.com.
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