Walt Disney’s Historic Los Feliz Home Will Open To The Public For The First Time In Years

For the first time in years, the Los Feliz home where Walt Disney lived during a formative period of his career will open to the public for a limited, ticketed event on August 22-23.

Built in 1932, the Woking Way estate served as Walt Disney’s private residence until 1950. The home’s design reflects the whimsical storybook style often associated with early Disney animation, and it was during his time there that Disney oversaw the creation of some of the studio’s most influential works, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and Fantasia.

The event, titled Building A Dream, is a benefit weekend supporting the restoration of Disney’s birthplace in Chicago and The Center for Early Childhood Creativity and Innovation (CECCI), a nonprofit focused on arts education. The Chicago home, built by Walt’s father, Elias, and designed by his mother, Flora, is where Walt was born in 1901 and lived with his family until age four.

Attendees will be able to explore the Los Feliz home through three curated experiences: a private dinner with a tour and themed courses, an afternoon tea with entertainment and talks from Disney historians and creatives, and a sunset gathering featuring appearances by Disney Legends, a silent auction, and a panoramic view of the Los Angeles skyline.

Walt and Lillian Disney built the Los Feliz home in 1932, living there for 18 years before relocating to their more well-known Holmby Hills estate. Designed by architect Frank Scott Crowhurst, who frequently collaborated with Walt, the house cost $50,000 and was completed in under three months. The 6,388-square-foot residence showcases distinctive Disney charm with features like a Mediterranean-style entry, circular rotunda, painted vaulted ceilings, stained leaded glass windows, and a Juliet balcony. Notably, the home also includes a private theater where Walt reviewed dailies and screened completed films during a pivotal era in Disney’s creative history.

The home contains four bedrooms, three full baths, and two half-baths, and sits on just over an acre of land. Outdoor amenities include a swimming pool and ample driveway space for up to 10 vehicles. Located just a mile from Disney’s original Hyperion studio—now the site of a Gelson’s supermarket—the house stands as one of the few remaining physical connections to the early days of Disney’s feature film production, preserving a unique piece of cinematic and cultural history.

“This house represents a key period in Walt’s life, when the studio was growing and his ambitions were taking shape,” said Dusty Sage, who helps oversee the property. “It’s a unique opportunity to step into that history.”

The event is organized by the team behind The Walt Disney Birthplace restoration project, led by Dina Benadon and Brent Young. Proceeds support CECCI’s educational initiatives aimed at fostering creativity in young children.