Walt Disney at Café Orleans and Plaza Inn [1966]

Walt Disney at Café Orleans and Plaza Inn [1966]

Shortly after New Orleans Square opened in 1966, Walt posed for this photo with Cast Members at the Creole Café. Later renamed Café Orleans, you can still find delicious desserts, and of course, espresso there.

Nowadays, you can go to Café Orleans to see the very same espresso machine pictured with Walt after all these years.

These little connections to Walt Disney are always a special treat to discover at Disneyland park. Do you have a favorite place or item in the parks that especially reminds you of Walt?

And we have one more picture! This one was taken at the Plaza Inn, in 1966, and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather share a cup of coffee with.

Sunny Castle from the Lake [2 Pictures]

Friendship Boat [Epcot]

Lampshade inside the Tower of Terror

Disney's Animal Kingdom - Information Board [2 Pictures]

Casey's Corner Facade

Alice Topiary - Mad Tea Party [Magic Kingdom]

A Pirate's Life for Me

Walt Disney World / Magic Kingdom / Adventureland / Pirates of the Caribbean Entrance

Historical Chairs inside the Tower of Terror

These chairs are actually authentic antiques that date back to the Renaissance. (Similar sets can be found at the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London).

Fantasyland Forever

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Gene Duncan (photographer) had the privilege of experiencing the magic and beauty of Walt Disney World Resort for 36 years, usually with camera in hand. Granted, he has also had extraordinary access to areas not usually visited by Disney guests.

Five years ago, He spent an afternoon at the Walt Disney World Horticulture compound, commonly referred to as the “tree farm”, wandering through the topiary construction area. Millions of guests have admired the finished pieces inside our parks, but few have seen them before or after their days “onstage”. I love “getting lost” there when I can …

This image is one of a series noting the ultimate whimsy in truly inanimate objects. The original transparency was made using a Fuji 680 medium format camera, and then converted to black and white.

Picture posted at the official Disney Parks blog on September 30th, 2009 by Gene Duncan, Photographer, Walt Disney World Resort