Long before I had any idea I was going to be able to visit Walt Disney Studios, I used to collect Disney Movie Rewards points. Someday, I swore, I’d use those points for a private Walt Disney studio tour. And when I did finally get in there, I’d go straight to the Walt Disney Archives and spend about 3 weeks hiding out within the stacks of Disney history.

The Walt Disney Archives are a treasure trove of Disney memorabilia. When you walk in the door you’re greeted with an original animator’s desk complete with sketches, and there are several showcases with Walt Disney and Disneyland merchandise. I recognized a few of those items from when I was a kid, and it pains me that I lost them.

The room feels like a library, and there are a few desks with people working quietly. Like a library, you can’t talk loudly in there, but it wasn’t hard to whisper in light of where we were. It seemed otherworldly, if that makes any sense. Hot damn, am I ever grateful I got to walk in there.

I didn’t want to leave, and I’d work there for free, happily, for the rest of my life.

Here are a few shots of what I saw in the Walt Disney Archives

Mouse over if you want to stop the slideshow or read a description.

[slideshow_deploy id=’3162′]