If you have ever been to the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort, you definitely have seen that Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney Partners Statue that sits at the end on Main Street, U.S.A. right in front of Cinderella Castle. Heck, you probably have a photo with it!
Well, did you know that there is more to the statue than just a nice commemorative decoration in Disney Park? In the statue, Walt is actually talking to Mickey, and we are going to tell you what is being said between the two.
Gary Landrum of Walt Disney Imagineering took Travel + Leisure for a spin around Magic Kingdom, sharing hidden secrets and details about the park, and when he reached the Partners Statue, Landrum had a lot to say.
Credit: Disney
Disney Legend Blaine Gibson, who knew Walt really well, was the Imagineer that created the statue. In case you didn’t know, Blaine also sculpted many of the animatronics we know and love on the Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, the Enchanted Tiki Room, and worked on countless Disney animation projects. Blaine felt that he knew what Walt would have to say to Mickey if the two were standing hand in hand in the same spot, so that is exactly what the sculpture emotes.
As Walt points down Main Street, Landrum explains that Walt is telling Mickey to look at two things:
Walt wants Mickey to look at all that the two accomplished. Considering that it all started with a mouse, Mickey has been by Walt since day one, and things sure have grown from a simple sketch on a piece of paper.
The second thing Walt wants Mickey to focus on is all of the smiles and happy Guests entering the park. When Walt set out to create Disneyland, it was because he wanted a place where families could come to enjoy spending time together, and now that his legacy has exploded into a multitude of parks that allow for just that, the sentiment makes perfect sense.
Credit: Disney
So now, next time you find yourself at the Partners Statue in Magic Kingdom, take a moment to turn around and look down Main Street, U.S.A. and think about what Walt is saying to his favorite mouse!
If you want to watch Gary tour all of Magic Kingdom, take a look at the below video!
Do you have a photo in front of the Partner Statue on Main Street, U.S.A.?
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