Complete Guide to Walt Disney Presents at Hollywood Studios

It would be impossible to enjoy planning our trips to Walt Disney World without the man who made it all possible: Walt Disney, of course. And while there are little touches of Walt everywhere you go on property, the attraction that is truly a tribute to his life and his work can be found at Hollywood Studios.

At Walt Disney Presents, you can experience a walkthrough attraction at your own pace, complete with a short (and rather emotional) documentary screening and actual Disney artifacts that will help really bring this man and his vision to life for people of all ages — not to mention the fact that it’s a wonderful break from the heat and crowds.

It’s especially worth it to stop in during your day at Hollywood Studios if you’ve never experienced it before. Ready to plan your visit? Join us for our guide to Walt Disney Presents.

Walt Disney Presents Quick Facts

Location

Walt Disney Presents is located in the Animation Courtyard area of Hollywood Studios. It’s on the corner across from Pixar Place, right where you’d turn to enter Toy Story Land.

How to Experience Walt Disney Presents

Walt Disney Presents does not have a Lightning Lane, a Standby Line, or a Single Rider Line. When you’re ready to experience this attraction, you can walk inside — it’s rarely at capacity even during the busiest times of the day, which makes it a convenient pick while you’re waiting for a reservation.

Like other attractions, this one will most likely be the least crowded right after opening, so if you want to visit at its quietest, that’s a great time to come.

You don’t need to make it a priority before other more popular attractions in the park. You should have no problem experiencing it at your own speed any time of day.

Do I Need To Use Genie+ at Walt Disney Presents?

Genie+ isn’t offered here, but that’s not a bad thing — it’s not offered because it’s not necessary. If you decide to purchase Genie+, it’s more important to use it for headliner rides like Slinky Dog Dash and Tower of Terror for the most efficient way to spend your time.

Don’t forget to check out our Hollywood Studios touring plans for more Genie+ advice for attractions that do offer the service.

What to Expect When You Visit

Queue

While there is no queue to get into the building here, you will need to use one inside if you decide to take part in the character meet and greets that are held here. The characters who are greeting at Walt Disney Presents are always changing, and are often connected to the studio’s most recent movie release.

You’ll find the queue for the meet and greet towards the back of the building, and while the decor is pretty basic (typically posters framed on walls with lights), it also usually changes depending on who’s meeting there, which can be fun. Posted outside of the queue is the estimated wait, along with the times they’ll be meeting.

Depending on the popularity of the character who happens to be there, you can see waits as long as 60 minutes (though usually it will be shorter).

Accessibility Information

Guests who are using ECVs and wheelchairs may remain in them for this attraction.

Audio description, assistive listening, and handheld captioning are available for guests with hearing disabilities.

During the Experience

As soon as you walk into Walt Disney Presents, the first thing you’ll notice — besides the welcome rush of air conditioning — is that this place gives major museum vibes.

As you walk through, many of the artifacts are encased in glass, but given how many people probably experience this attraction in a day, that’s for the best, because they’re the real thing.

Once you make it past the walls of photos of Walt and Disneyland, you’ll see some of the first exhibits, like a model of Main Street, U.S.A. and the actual school desk that Walt used when he was in second grade.

Other exhibits will bring the creation of Mickey Mouse to life, along with timelines on the wall that document Walt’s upbringing and career and the development of the Disney parks. You’ll also learn about the process of animation, and get to see models of the Disneyland castle and Spaceship Earth, among many others.

As you make your way towards the back of the attraction, there are typically newer artifacts on display, like props from recent live action Disney movies. At this point, you may choose to get in line for the current meet and greet offering, or wait for the next showing of the documentary Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream.

The documentary, which is shown in a theater, is 15 minutes long and is a great (and sometimes moving) peek at the highlights of Walt’s career and Disney company history. Sometimes, it’s replaced by an extended sneak peek at a new Disney or Pixar film. If you don’t want to watch the documentary, you can exit without seeing it.

Is Walt Disney Presents Kid-Friendly?

Walt Disney Presents is kid-friendly in that nothing about the exhibit is scary, and they may enjoy having the chance to meet a favorite character while they’re visiting.

But do be warned that little ones may end up getting a bit bored in here — especially before they know how to read or can connect the dots about who Walt Disney is and why he’s relevant to their trip to Hollywood Studios!

However, since it’s usually quiet and nice and cool, this can also be a great place to take a break with little ones and catch your breath in the middle of a chaotic park day.

For more advice on planning your day with kids, check out our guide to things that might scare little ones at Disney World.

Strollers

Good news: Strollers are allowed inside Walt Disney Presents, making this a great way to spend your time if you’re trying to find a quiet place to hang out while your kiddo naps while also keeping the adults entertained.

History

Walt Disney Presents opened in 2001, the year that Walt would have celebrated his 100th birthday.

Originally called One Man’s Dream, the attraction was similar inside but featured Michael Eisner as the narrator of the documentary. After he stepped down as CEO in 2005, Julie Andrews became the new narrator.

You’d be hard to find a place more steeped in history on Walt Disney World property than this one, as it contains many pieces of actual history within its walls. Some cool artifacts you’ll get to check out here include:

• The original Abraham Lincoln animatronic from the 1964 New York World’s Fair
• Some of the earliest Disney and Mickey Mouse memorabilia ever made
• Costumes from The Mickey Mouse Club
• The table where Walt animated Steamboat Willie

Other Fun Details

• The artifacts used in this exhibit were flown in from California on an Airbus A300 that was named the Spirit of Imagination.
• All of the artifacts you see here were previously on display at the Walt Disney Family Museum or at Disneyland.
• If you look closely at Walt’s second grade desk, you can see where he carved his initials in it, like many kids do.
• After you’re done touring the attraction, you can ask a Cast Member to give you a trivia quiz, and if you pass, you’ll win a certificate.