Walt Disney's Hidden Footsteps: Exploring Atwater Village, Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Griffith Park.
Walt Disney, the creative force behind some of the most beloved characters and stories in the world, began his journey in the heart of Los Angeles. The neighborhoods of Atwater Village, Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Griffith Park played a crucial role in shaping Disney’s early career and inspiring his work. For Disney fans visiting Los Angeles, exploring these hidden gems offers a unique glimpse into Walt’s life, creativity, and the roots of the Disney empire.
At E Bike Tours LA, our G’day LA Tour offers an exciting way to explore these neighborhoods by electric bike, following in Walt Disney’s footsteps and uncovering the places that shaped his journey. You’ll discover hidden gems, hear fascinating stories from our expert guides, and gain a new appreciation for how Los Angeles played a pivotal role in Disney's journey to creating one of the world’s most beloved entertainment empires.
Walt Disney's Early Days in Los Feliz
Los Feliz is where Walt Disney's dream of building an entertainment empire first took shape. In the early 1920s, Walt and his brother Roy rented a small office on Kingswell Avenue in Los Feliz. Here, they began working on their first animated series, "Alice Comedies," under their new company, Disney Brothers Studio.
Not far from this location, at 2719 Hyperion Avenue, was the first official Walt Disney Studios. It was in this modest studio that Walt created some of his earliest and most iconic characters, including Mickey Mouse, who made his debut in "Steamboat Willie" in 1928. Today, the Hyperion Avenue studio is no longer standing, but the location remains a significant piece of Disney history.
On our G’day LA Tour, you can ride through Los Feliz and see the streets where Walt Disney and his team of animators worked tirelessly to bring their stories to life. The tour will take you past significant spots like the Griffith Park carousel, where Disney would often sit and dream up ideas for his future projects, including Disneyland.
Discovering Walt Disney’s Connection to Atwater Village
Just across the Los Angeles River from Los Feliz, Atwater Village was more than just a neighboring community; it was a hub of creativity and inspiration for the early Disney team. The neighborhood was home to many Disney artists and animators who worked at the Hyperion Studio. The creative energy of Atwater Village, with its local shops, eateries, and artistic community, was a perfect backdrop for the emerging animation studio.
The area is known for its quaint shops, local eateries, and vibrant culture. It’s easy to imagine Disney’s animators walking or biking through Atwater Village on their way to the Hyperion Studio, drawing inspiration from the eclectic surroundings. Today, the neighborhood maintains its artistic charm, with many local artists and creatives calling it home.
One of the most notable landmarks in Atwater Village is the Hyperion Bridge. This concrete-arched Art Deco bridge, which spans the Los Angeles River, became a part of the daily life of Walt Disney and his team, who would pass under it on their way to the Hyperion Studio. The bridge’s distinctive design and structure left a lasting impression on Walt Disney, who later replicated the bridge in Disney California Adventure. where it carries the monorail track which crosses above Buena Vista Street.
Best of all, you can literally sit at Walt Diney’s favorite table at the Tam O’Shanter, where he would often dine daily with his animators and discuss ideas. This historic 1922 eatery still stands today. Simply ask the hostess for Table 31, and you can enjoy a taste of Disney history.
Silver Lake: Home of the Original Disney Studio
The Silver Lake neighborhood, adjacent to Los Feliz, is where Walt Disney truly began to realize his dreams. After renting their space in Los Feliz, Walt and Roy moved their studio to a larger location on Hyperion Avenue in Silver Lake in 1926. This new space allowed the company to grow, producing more ambitious animated projects and eventually leading to the creation of Mickey Mouse and the subsequent Disney empire.
The Hyperion Studio is where many of Disney’s classic animated features were born, including “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” the first-ever full-length animated feature film. The studio also saw the creation of beloved characters like Donald Duck, Goofy, and many others. Sadly it was demolished for a Gelsons Supermarket.
Griffith Park: Where Disneyland Was Born
No exploration of Walt Disney’s Los Angeles would be complete without a mention of Griffith Park. Located near Los Feliz, Griffith Park was a frequent retreat for Walt Disney and his daughters. It was here, while watching his daughters ride the merry-go-round, that Disney first dreamed of creating a place where children and adults could enjoy rides and attractions together—an idea that would later become Disneyland.
Griffith Park Carousel - the original inspiration for Disneyland.
Both our G’day LA and Wild Backside Tours take you through Griffith Park, allowing you to visit the carousel that inspired Disney’s grand vision. As you ride through the park, you’ll learn more about its connection to Disney and how it played a pivotal role in shaping his dreams.
Carolwood Barn in Griffith Park.
Griffith Park is also home to Carolwood Barn. In 1950, Walt Disney built a 1/8 scale live steam railroad, the Carolwood Pacific Railroad, in the backyard of his house in Los Angeles. He named the railroad for Carolwood Drive, where his home was located in Holmby Hills. He also built a barn where he could control the switches on the track. The barn was a workshop where Walt and his friends could relax and putter. (Many of the early Disney animators were huge railroad fans and several operated their own backyard railroads.) Arguably Walt’s Barn was the birthplace of Imagineering, because many of Walt’s railroad buddies became the first Imagineers. Many of them moved from animation to what later became Imagineering when Walt started planning Disneyland. One of the Imagineers’ early projects was the building of the Disneyland Railroad. When the Holmby Hills home was sold, the barn was dismantled and stored until an agreement with the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Live Steamers Museum made it possible to reassemble it in Griffith Park in 1999. You can read more of it’s history here
Whether you're a lifelong Disney fan or simply curious about LA's rich cultural history, this tour offers a unique and engaging way to connect with the past while enjoying the present. With our upgraded electric bikes, you can effortlessly glide through the historic park and streets, discovering the charm and history of these unique neighborhoods that inspired a young Walt Disney.
