Skip to content
Three are now a dozen Disney theme parks around the world, but there was only one where Walt Disney himself ever stood. Walt Disney spent so much time at Disneyland both before and after it opened that he had an apartment built on the site. Few can actually visit the apartment but everyone can see where it was day and night because there is always a lamp on in the window, but as of this week it is a different lamp now.
Most people walking past the Disneyland Firehouse certainly won’t notice, but those serious fans who know the meaning of the lamp and why it’s always on have noticed that the lamp has recently been replaced. I took the above picture in early September. Below you can see lamp that’s there now.
The new lamp in Walt’s apartment. #Disneyland pic.twitter.com/16JeG9oZOlSeptember 19, 2022
While the lamp has been replaced a few times over the past 67 years, the lamp that is in this window in the first place is a significant piece of Disneyland history. When Walt was alive, the lit lamp meant to the cast that the boss was there. There’s even an old Disneyland ghost story connected to the lamp that after Walt died, someone was cleaning the apartment and turning off the lamp, only to see it come back on after he went down to the street. The story goes that the lamp kept turning itself on no matter what. Today, the lamp burns continuously to symbolically recognize Walt’s presence in the park at all times.
There were plans to build a new apartment for Walt in New Orleans Square because he decided the firehouse space was too small. Unfortunately, Walt died before he could ever use it. The space was eventually converted into what is now the 21 Royal restaurant. an exclusive restaurant. There were also plans to build Walt a dwelling in Cinderella’s castle in the Magic Kingdom, but he died before that construction even began.
While the previous lamp was not directly associated with Walt Disney, the new lamp is a significant change in design from the old one. However, it looks like part of the reason for the change may actually be historical accuracy. At least one old picture of the apartment when Walt was in it posted by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Bruce Wrightshows a lamp similar to the present one in a window.
FANTASTIC!!!! (While the newer lamps have become popular, this is much more accurate than what was there when Walt was there.) pic.twitter.com/eyr8gUDT4XSeptember 19, 2022
However, the lamp might take some getting used to for some fans. How the lamp looks in the window is less important than the fact that there is a lamp in the window at all, but the fans who pay so much attention will surely get used to the old lamp. However, in the end, new fans will learn what the lamp means and fall in love with it. And finally, they can be crafted when it is replaced again.