Walt Disney’s Private Aircraft Now on Display in Palm Springs

A piece of Disney history has landed in the desert.

The Palm Springs Air Museum is giving visitors a first look at Mickey Mouse 1 — the personal aircraft once owned by Walt Disney.

Museum Managing Director Fred Bell says Disney was a passionate aviation enthusiast who spent significant time in Palm Springs, where he owned two homes at Smoke Tree Ranch.

According to Bell, Disney frequently flew the aircraft into the airport across from the museum, helping cement his connection to the area.

The aircraft has now been fully restored through a partnership between the museum and the The Walt Disney Company.

Bell says the plane had previously been displayed on the Disney backlot tour for more than three decades, but much of the original interior no longer remained. Over about two and a half years, restoration crews rebuilt the cabin by hand using original specifications provided by Disney. The woodwork and cockpit were also carefully restored to reflect how the plane appeared during Disney’s lifetime.

The aircraft also holds special historical significance. Bell says this was the final plane flight taken by Walt Disney — flying from Palm Springs to Burbank just two weeks before his death.

Museum leaders say bringing the aircraft to Palm Springs helps preserve an important Disney artifact in a place closely tied to Walt Disney’s life.