Inside Walt Disney’s storybook LA family mansion, up for rent: live out your fairy-tale dreams in the home where Disneyland’s founder worked on Snow White, Cinderella and Pinocchio

Jun 26 , 2023

Walt Disney’s former home features a swimming pool and fairy tale-like interiors. Photos: TheLuxLevel; @waltdisneyarchives/Instagram

Walt Disney, the mastermind behind Disneyland and Walt Disney World, bought his family mansion in 1932, using the proceeds from his Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphony films

Situated in the Los Feliz neighbourhood that Angelina Jolie, Katy Perry and Eva Mendes call home, the property features a private theatre, swimming pool, lush gardens and more

The mastermind behind Disneyland and Walt Disney World, and the creator of some of the world’s most beloved children’s films, Walt Disney was undeniably one of Hollywood’s greatest visionaries, animators, movie producers and business innovators.

Walt Disney filming for television, circa 1965. Photo: @waltdisneyarchives/Instagram

A native of Chicago who got his start as the cartoonist on his high school paper, Walt Disney first moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in animation in 1923, following a stint as a Red Cross ambulance driver in World War I.

Walt and Roy O. Disney. Photo: @roy.disney/Instagram

Together with his brother Roy, he formed the Disney Brothers Studio, which would become the international powerhouse The Walt Disney Company. The studio’s first major success was with the iconic character Mickey Mouse, originally voiced by Walt himself.

In 1932, with the proceeds from his Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphony films, Walt bought a plot of land in Los Angeles’ Los Feliz neighbourhood – which sits next to Hollywood and encompasses part of the Santa Monica Mountains – where he would build a home and raise two daughters with his wife, Disney Studio secretary Lillian.

Walt and Lillian Disney in 1930. Photo: Walt Disney Family Foundation

It was in this house where Walt imagined and worked on some of his most important films, such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Cinderella and Pinocchio.

The landscaped grounds include a pool, walking paths and lush gardens. Photo: TheLuxLevel

In fact, the original home theatre where Walt watched the dailies of his famous films, now updated with modern technology, is a major feature of the home.

The dramatic entry features a spiral staircase. Photo: TheLuxLevel

Currently owned by Kazakh filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov, himself a big-time Disney fan, the property where the Disney family lived from 1932 to 1950 is being offered for lease at US$40,000 per month.