To me, perhaps because I spend so much time at my own, a desk is a highly personal thing. A symbol of ideas and ideals, of strength, vision, process and progress. It’s a sign not only of what is, but what is possible. At a desk, man can plan, and work to achieve his destiny. This is why One Man’s Dream at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is one of my absolute favorite places in all of the WDW parks. In this one place, you can view the desks (or replica in the case of the animation desk) that Walt used. The only exception is the desk in Walt’s formal office. However, to make up for this, you can view a recreation of Walt’s entire working office; complete with scripts, personal items, and figurines. I get absolutely fired up when I look at Walt’s desks. I imagine the long nights and late hours spent behind it. I imagine the animated conversations that took place around it. I imagine the negotiations that took place over it. And most importantly, I imagine the passion and innovation that fueled the journey from the animator’s desk all the way through to the working office desk.
So, if you want to take a journey through Walt’s progression from upstart to established king of imagination, spend some time in One Man’s Dream and spend a moment admiring his personal command center – his desk.