Walt Disney Family Museum Visit Info & Tips
Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, California’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area is a beautiful, powerful, and humanizing tribute to the Walt Disney. In this post, we’ll present a photo tour of WDFM, provide information about its exhibits, and cover why it’s a bucket list-worthy experience for Disney fans. (Updated April 15, 2021.)
Let’s start with some ‘know before you go’ info for those planning on visiting the Walt Disney Family Museum in 2021. After being closed over a year, the Main Museum galleries of the Walt Disney Family Museum will reopen on April 22, 2021. Pre-purchased, timed tickets are required for entry and will be released in two-week increments. To purchase tickets, please visit the WDFM Tickets page.
Note that a variety of temporary health safety measures are in place for all visitors. These include the requirement that face masks be worn at all times by anyone ages 3 and over, physical distancing, capacity limits, one-way galleries, and modifications to interactive exhibits. Pretty much the standard stuff of any museum or public space in California. Now, let’s turn to our regular review and what you should know about the Walt Disney Family Museum.
Your initial reaction to the notion of a Walt Disney Family Museum might be that it’s a neat idea, but not enough to convince you to take a trip to San Francisco when Walt Disney Presents at Disney’s Hollywood Studios or Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland offer sufficient exhibits on the life of Walt Disney. As we’ll cover in this post, neither of those (or any other Walt Disney exhibits anywhere, for that matter) hold a candle to the Walt Disney Family Museum.
In our Disneyland Planning Guide, we’ve implored those who consider Walt Disney World their home park to visit the West Coast parks if they have the time and financial means. This is due to the way Disneyland “oozes history” and since it’s the only park Walt Disney personally walked, among other reasons. Well, you could say Disneyland is something of a gateway drug with Walt Disney Family Museum being the more serious stuff. (There’s a reason many fans say they’re Disney addicts!)
While we don’t buy into the notion that there are any prerequisites for being a serious or real Disney fan (other than considering yourself one), we do think that any self-described serious Disney fan will love the Walt Disney Family Museum. Simply put, Disney fans will leave WDFM with greater admiration for the company’s founder and deeper appreciation for what he created.
We’d actually go one further: that just about anyone will enjoy the Walt Disney Family Museum. It’s truly an experience with universal appeal, for all ages and interests. The presentation and quality of the museum are far above what you’d expect for a “niche” museum.
Given how many cynics there are who view the Disney Parks as crass commercialism, a tourist trap, etc., this might seem like a bold proclamation. However, the Walt Disney Family Museum is operated by the Disney family, not the Walt Disney Company. (The latter has loaned several materials from its Archives, and is a regular benefactor of the museum.)
WDFM is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that was founded by Walt’s daughter, Diane Disney Miller, and is operated by people who are passionate for sharing the history and legacy of Walt Disney, the “American Original” as a person.
All of this is abundantly clear while walking through the exhibits. Rather than attempting to elevate Walt Disney to a mythical status, as the company is prone to do, the Walt Disney Family Museum seeks to humanize him and to tell his story.
To be sure, there’s plenty of celebrating his accomplishments and creative legacy (how could you not?!), but it never devolves into fawning idolization; it always feels real and authentic. This is true even in the museum’s lobby, which is a veritable trophy room.
Rather than playing up how super important Walt Disney was, this showcase puts Oscars on display next to an award for “greatest contribution ever made to the sport of racing pigeons.” In so doing, this tongue-in-cheek move actually underscores just how Walt Disney made an indelible impact for countless individuals, far and wide.
Walt Disney Family Museum begins with a detailed look at Walt’s upbringing in the Midwest, military service in France, move to Hollywood, and more. This was by far the deepest dive I had seen into these portions of his early years, which are often glossed over as trials and tribulations of his early life in his successful pursuit of the American Dream.
It was refreshing to see this portion of Walt’s life thoroughly detailed rather than just what he had to ‘overcome’ as part of a feel-good narrative arc. There’s plenty of material on the Alice Comedies, what Walt wanted to do versus what was commercially successful, and early advertising work he did, among many other things.
These first several exhibits also covered Walt marrying and becoming a father, and in greater detail than simply using these facts to establish him as a family man.
Steamboat Willie is featured here, with its expensive technology and difficult production highlighted. There’s also a huge collection of early Mickey Mouse merchandise, and exhibits explaining how merchandising deals basically kept the company afloat.
For roughly the first half of the museum, these exhibits continue in chronological order (you can see the full listing on the museum’s official site here). The museum also shines a spotlight on some of the other animators (namely, Walt’s Nine Old Men) who helped build the nascent animation company.
These exhibits feature a lot animation up until Walt Disney’s big breakthrough with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. After that, it’s mostly chronological, but you also start seeing more of a topical breakdown (nature, theme parks, patriotism, etc.).
There are even some attention given to some controversial moments, such as the 1941 Disney Animators’ Guild Strike. While a pro-Disney slant here is arguable (we’re not experts on the topic), it feels deferential to the plight of the animators, too.
Walt Disney Family Museum’s penultimate exhibit is “Disneyland & Beyond.” As much as I enjoyed everything that came before it, this was my favorite area of the museum. From models to Audio Animatronics to posters and more, there was a ton to see.
Most impressive of all, and where I spent an obscene amount of time was the large Disneyland model in the center of the room. “Yawn” you might think, you’ve seen this before in the Great Moments lobby. You have never seen anything like this. It’s what I call “The Disneyland That Never Was, And Always Will Be” model, with a veritable highlight reel of attractions grafted onto it. Many of these never coexisted, but I sure wish they did.
This Disneyland model changes from day to night and has various Easter Eggs. You’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to walk around its perimeter and admire its many details. This is the coolest theme park model I’ve ever seen. It was the highlight of a highlight reel exhibit. I left the sprawling Disneyland & Beyond exhibit with an unbridled sense of glee.
I don’t know if my emotions have ever turned on as tight of a dime as they did going from that exhibit to “Remembering Walt Disney.” If the lobby awards showcase offered a glimpse at the lives Walt touched, this hammers that point home with the sense of loss felt around the world when he passed. It’s a bit somber, but that quickly gives way to optimism as the exhibits pivot to Walt’s creative legacy and the impact he continues to make generations later.
Now that we are several generations removed from Walt Disney’s passing, this final exhibit is probably the most important of the bunch. Millennials and young kids might not have any knowledge of Walt Disney beyond the name at the front of their favorite films; this final gallery elucidates what he meant to the world, and his significance. As a Disney fan, this was powerful stuff, and a fitting cap to a museum that absolutely blew me away.
Even if we were not Disney fans, we would’ve been impressed by the Walt Disney Family Museum. As any museum celebrating Walt Disney should, it has a creative flare and production value rivaling some of the best children’s museums we’ve ever visited. From the type of medical ambulance Walt drove in the war to a variety of animation techniques brought to life, this museum utilizes myriad types of mixed media to tell Walt’s story in vivid detail.
It excels from the fact that neither the details is balanced expertly with the vividness. Often, museums that are flashy are devoid of substance, and those that are densely informative are dry or difficult to digest. Neither are the case here, and while the sheer joy we had in perusing the museum likely is tied to our enthusiasm for the subject matter, the quality of the museum’s presentation is undeniable. I’d rank this among the United States’ elite museums even if I were Neal Gabler.
Given that San Francisco is a 7-hour drive from Anaheim, visiting the Walt Disney Family Museum as a Disneyland day trip is not feasible. Instead, we’d recommend doing both as part of a California road trip, flying into San Diego or Los Angeles, doing a one-way rental car, and working your way north along Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur before arriving in San Francisco and departing from from one of the Bay Area airports.
Alternatively, if you have over a week, starting in Los Angeles (or San Francisco) and doing this as a loop works well. Take Pacific Coast Highway through the beach cities one way, and then go inland, hitting Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks the other direction. We’ve done this both ways, and minus the stretches through the middle of California (ugh…Bakersfield), this is one of the best imaginable road trips.
Regardless of how you do this trip, Walt Disney Family Museum is an incredible experience for anyone, and also a moving experience for Disney fans. Thanks to its rotating temporary exhibition spotlighting other animators, it’s also one we’re sure to revisit annually. (If we lived in the Bay Area, we’d go more than that. We’d get Annual Passes–that is how much we loved it.) It’s sure to give you a greater respect for Walt’s humble beginnings and the empire he built, and greater respect for what he created–and his creative vision. Beyond that, WDFM offers a humanizing depiction of someone who the modern Disney company has turned into something of a caricature or corporate mascot, of sorts.
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and tons of other places!
Your Thoughts
Have you visited the Walt Disney Family Museum? What did you think of it? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment of the WDFM? Any questions? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts or questions below in the comments!
We did a West Coadt bus tour a few weeks ago. It ended in SF and we had Saturday afternoon free. While others did Alcatraz and other things, it had been on my bucket list for several years to go to this museum. We ubered out to the museum and spent several hours there. The memorabilia that has somehow survived the years was astounding. There is honestly more to see and read than a normal person can digest in a short time. I had read about the Disneyland model being at the end so we hurried through a number of displays. We also did the current exhibit of the other cartoonists that worked for Disney. A much smaller exhibit but also interesting. This is nothing like the excitement of Disneyland but if you’re a Disney buff, very enjoyable.
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to WDFM in June. The only negative was my five year old who was DONE after the first 20 minutes. My favorites were the Disneyland display, Tiki bird, and gift shop. The view from the museum was beautiful. There is a free shuttle you can catch. Can anyone answer why the museum is in SF? Does it have to do with WD being in the military?
Diane Disney Miller lived in Napa Valley and was active in the San Francisco arts’ community. That no doubt assisted her in securing such a coveted location for a museum honoring her father, and to my knowledge, the answer is as simple as that.
While on a trip to San Francisco in 2012 my wife had some business to attend to so I thought it would be a great place to check out with my then 7 month old son. Turns out they do not allow strollers! I was a little upset thinking “family museum” and Disney is geared towards kids, but I do plan to go back one day, especially after seeing all this.
Hi Tom!
Your review of the WDFM is wonderful, and in my opinion, very accurate! I live in San Francisco and am a volunteer at the museum. This Saturday I get to work as an usher at an event called “Eat Like Walt with Marcy Smothers”. It is a great family of people. I am happy you enjoyed your time. The next time you visit make sure to see a film in the museum’s theater.
Tom, thank you for your review of this gem of a museum. I’ve lived in San Francisco for 20 years and the Presidio has always been a favourite haunt of mine. When the Walt Disney Family Museum opened there in 2009, I couldn’t have been more thrilled. The museum does an excellent job keeping the historic army buildings intact, and I love how the gorgeous vista of the Golden Gate bridge is incorporated into the transition from the upper floor to the Disneyland floor.
The parts of this museum that I treasure the most is where Walt is shown at his most humane. I love all the family vacation photos, photos of Walt driving his daughters to school, photos of him playing polo with the likes of Spencer Tracy. Then there are the weekly menus posted by his housekeeper that incorporated his favourite meals
http://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/walt-disney-family-recipe-cold-lemon-pie/
and the notes that indicated that for Christmas every year, Walt gave Thelma Howard Disney stock as a present. She ended up a wealthy woman, spreading her own version of Disney magic. http://people.com/archive/saving-grace-vol-42-no-21/
The museum goes into such depth in topics, and isn’t really a hands on museum, so I wouldn’t consider it a children’s museum or recommend it for children under ten.
Thanks for the review! Planning a trip (my first since age 3) to Disneyland in late May. We plan to drive up the coast then across to Sequoia , King’s Canyon, and Yosemite, then up to San Francisco (just as you recommended). The Walt Disney Family Museum is THE reason we are going to San Francisco. I’m more excited now about seeing the museum than ever. I’ve enjoyed your other posts about Disneyland and California as well.
How did this trip turn out? Do you have a link to a post? I’m planning this trip for Oct 2020 & looking for ideas. TIA!
My parents, girlfriend(now fiancée), and I went in September when we visited my mom’s family. The museum is amazing and we really enjoyed the special exhibit “Awaking Beauty: The Art of Eyvind Earle.” We all liked that it kept the focus on not just Walt and Roy but a lot of the people who made everything possible. We actually had a school trip go through the museum at the same time as us so we were able to listen to their tour guide as we read and looked at everything. My fiancée and I really enjoyed playing with the Tiki bird animatronic. I think we spent 4 hours there and probably could have spent even more time, but we had to leave because of dinner reservations.
My husband and I eloped on the lawn in front of the Walt Disney Family Museum in October! It was an unseasonably warm day for the city and we were lucky enough to have the brightest blue, cloudless sky you’ve ever seen… Made for the best pictures! 🙂 We love that museum, and go whenever we need a Disney fix.
Thanks for the great review. Couldn’t agree more! It’s also worth mentioning that while a bit of a walk, the Palace of Fine Arts and Lettterman Park where Lucas film is located are also fun to checkout (full disclosure – not a lot to actually DO, just see). Actually, the entirety of the Presidio is a neat place if you are into walking and it’s a nice day :-). Also, while not a lot, there is a $3 DVC discount for up to 4 people.
I endorse your review wholeheartedly. We are fortunate to have friends & family in San Francisco (living in new Orleans), so we have visited Disney Family Museum twice. We spent three hours there each time – and still there is so much to see. We discovered to our delight that the exhibits expand and rotate. Several artists who worked on the parks or movies have had exhibits of their work – Disney and otherwise- at the DFM. I never appreciated how Walt and Roy plowed everything from each endeavor into the next project – always “betting the house” – sometimes literally. I had not heard very much about the 1941 animation artists strike ; it was nice to hear both sides of the story here.
Walt partly produced America’s story and illustrates it (again literally & figuratively). Visiting this museum is as much a general American history experience as visiting Mark Twain’s home in Hartford, CT. Being born in 1955, I directly experienced only part of Walt’s direct influence, but was overjoyed to see the roots from his childhood, and his influence on the motion picture industry as a whole. Yes, if it’s your first San Francisco visit, you must go out on the Bay, ride a cable car, and eat dim sum and sourdough bread, but this museum comes close afteward. –
We went there last year, and like the other comments above, did not know to allow enough time to see the whole museum. We raced through the last part, and I was very sad I didn’t have more time to spend at the end display of the theme park. Next time I do I will start there! I would say allow 4 hours minimum, there is SO MUCH to see! It is also hard to believe they saved all that stuff.
Also, be careful if planning the Big Sur route, I don’t know if the highway is thoroughly reopened through Big Sur yet? I believe a significant portion is still closed from last year’s rain/damage…
On a side note, the museum in Marceline, MO is also very interesting if you ever have the chance to go. The Disney family gave a lot of items to them as well.
Like many others, we were only 1/4 of the way through when we were told the museum was closing! We got totally hung up in the first rooms. My advice is move quickly through the first section and save your energy. Allow at least 3 hours, more is better and return trips are best!
We will definitely be returning with our kids!
One of the first place I went after moving to San Francisco. The internet says to budget a few hours so we gave it three. When the volunteer came through and told us they museum was closing for the day, we asked how much was left and we were only about 1/5 through the galleries. I upgraded to a membership and have been back countless times and always learn and discover something new in the galleries in addition to the wealth of lectures, special exhibits, screenings, and events. It’s one of the most special places in the city.
Fabulous post – thanks Tom. I went to the Walt Disney Family Museum as a shore excursion when I did the San Diego-Vancouver Disney Wonder Cruise in May 2016. I loved every moment of it. I actually found it to be a very emotional and nostalgic experience, as a lot of the things on display brought back memories of my grandparents talking about Walt Disney. As many did, I grew up (in Australia) hearing my grandparents talk about the early days of Disney’s work and the influence it had on the lives of my parents. On that level, I found it fulfilling that the museum stirred up these memories. I also LOVED the Disneyland and Beyond exhibit and would have stayed there for hours if I could have. I also quite liked the gift shop!
I will definitely revisit the next time I go to San Fran, and would also purchase a seasons pass if I lived closer or knew that I would be in the city more than once in a year. That’s the long answer to your question. The short answer, give it absolutely as much time as you possibly
I visited in 2011, but unfortunately was forced to leave by the rest of my party when I was only about halfway through, because they apparently had sprinted through it and didn’t want to wait any longer. So I didn’t have time to fully appreciate the Disneyland model, which was what I was looking forward to the most. But I totally have plans to visit again in a few years when my kiddos are older. Great review, it at least described some of what I missed.
Great review! We did a West Coast trip last summer with Disneyland and WDFM. We spent about 2.5 to 3 hours here with a 14 and 17 year old. Even though they love Disney, that was more than enough time for them. I would have loved to stay longer!
When I was there in 2014, I had seen comments to allow 2-3 hours. I figured being a Disney fan 3-4 was realistic. My mom and I were there 6 hours! We stopped midway through to enjoy lunch at the on-site cafe. It was an exhausting day, but well worth it considering it was both of our first times to California. The amount of detail in the exhibits is amazing, and was neat to spend a little time watching some old shorts that were being shown in their theater. I think we only had about 2.5 days in SF, and this was an entire day, but I had no regrets.
Your review of WDFM is spot on. Here are some bold statements that make non-Disney fans shake their heads at me: WDFM is my favorite museum of all time and also my favorite thing about SF. I highly recommend this museum to anyone especially Disney fans. I gained a greater appreciation of the Silly Symphonies and old Mickey Mouse cartoons after my visit. WDFM even made me more patriotic. My favorite exhibits are the displays of the classic merchandise and the Disneyland display. I went there a few years back when I went to a wedding in the Napa area. While all my friends went to Alcatraz, I went to WDFM instead. Here is my recommendation if you have the financial means and your trip is too short take a long road trip, fly into one of the Bay Area airports first, spend a couple of nights to check out WDFM and rest of SF/Napa/Monterey Bay area sites, and then fly Southwest Airlines from SF/SJ to LAX/John Wayne airports since their fares are reasonable and no baggage fees.
Hi Tom,
Great review – definitely glad I have it on my list for SF later this year. How long did you spend at the museum? We are only in SF for 3 days, so have quite a few things to fit in, but don’t want to short change myself on the WDFM given I’m a Disney nut and unlikely to visit SF again anytime soon. (I’m from England, so not exactly commutable!).
Thanks.
I went to the museum in Nov 2016 and I spent the entire day there. Arrived right around opening, and stayed until close. And I still felt that I rushed through a few sections. I am a big Disney fan, obviously, but agree with Tom that it is an outstanding museum, even for those who are not big fans. The friend who accompanied me thought it was a great museum, though I’m sure she would not have chosen to stay quite so long if it weren’t for her kindly not wanting to rush me, knowing I was super keen. And I also agree that the Disneyland model was the absolute highlight, but the entire museum was stellar. I will definitely revisit the next time I go to San Fran, and would also purchase a seasons pass if I lived closer or knew that I would be in the city more than once in a year. That’s the long answer to your question. The short answer, give it absolutely as much time as you possibly can!
Hi Caroline
IMHO you probably need a minimum of 2 hours and make sure to budget your time to include the Disneyland exhibit near the end if your time is very limited.