Train fan through marriage (!), lifelong Disney nut. Finally made it here. Beautifully laid out with wonderful volunteers whose love of Walt and his trains shine through. Bonus: got to meet artist Gavin Freitas as he was on site and we bought one of his pieces!!! read more

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Calling all #Disney fans this is a hidden gem in #griffithpark #LA Parking - 5/5 free lot Cost - free +$4 trainride Time spent - 30 min to 1.5 hrs depending on how into Disney history or mini trains you are. Plan ahead - only open 3rd Sunday of the month. I loved being in the Barn and imagining the energy and inspiration that led to the magical Disney parks today. read more

If you want to earn your Mickey Mouse ears as a die-hard fan, then this place needs to be on your list of must-see Disney locations. Because this barn, or as Walt called it, "my happy place" is where all those magical ideas first got their start. When you go inside, you'll see many ideas built on happiness and some neat-o Disney history, too. A mini train ride around the property is also filled with little surprises to put a smile on your face. THE BACK STORY: Carolwood Barn served as Walt Disney's workshop where he spent many hours building miniatures and 1/8th scale model trains. It's been said that the barn itself is where Walt's original "imagineering" ideation sparked the inspo to create Disneyland Park. Originally, the barn was located in Holmby Hills and named after the street where he lived, which was Carolwood Drive. Later in 1999 after his passing, his daughter bequeathed Walt's hand-laid tracks to the Los Angeles Live Steamers (LALS), who maintained a rail museum in LA's Griffith Park. Fun fact: Walt was one of the founding & charter members of this locomotive enthusiast group (LALS) that formed back in 1956. So I guess the train story comes full circle. Carolwood Barn is open on the third Sunday of each month (11am-3am). Note: subject to change without notice. Admission is FREE, parking is FREE, and LALS members serve as volunteer hosts, and take you on train rides. So be nice to them, they're out there donating their time for free. Now if you're a train enthusiast, you can be a member too. Membership Perks: Help lay track, maintain signals, transport passengers, and operate live steam, diesel, or electric train engines from 1″ scale (1:32) to 1.5″ scale. It's a $100 annual fee and even kiddos can get a $20 Junior Membership. See, you can easily join the OG Walt Disney Club (Mickey ears are optional). read more

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You can't miss it! It's such a cool spot, this is where Walt Disney built and worked on his miniature railroad, which later inspired Disneyland Park. It's only open on the third Sunday of each month (11am-3am), and admission is free, so it's definitely worth checking out! read more

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I have lived here forever and never knew this existed! What a treat! The trains are great! We get to see Wales barn and they had live music when went on Fathers Day. read more

If the history of Walt Disney is what you seek, Griffith Park offers a couple of spots, but this particular spot takes some planning ahead, because there's only a handful of times a year that you can get in, but it will be worth your time and effort; and because it does take planning to get here, that makes it all that much better. As a sidenote, while you're in the area, you may as well check out the LA live steamers just next-door. And don't forget the merry-go-round in Griffith Park because that's where Walt developed the idea for Disneyland, and where Disneyland original blueprints were designed for! read more

Open the third Sunday of the month. People were lining up 25 minutes prior to opening. Lots of people came in Disneyland merchandise which was a nice touch. There are three small areas to check out, which serve as a mini museum of various railroad memorabilia. I was surprised at the number of volunteers at each station. Pros: -free parking and admission. Donations are accepted in a box right after you enter past the gate. -they provide you a complimentary sticker upon entering to wear -there is a small kiosk to buy souvenirs Cons: -n/a Other: -although they have a restroom option, it looked like it was a trailer/port-a-potty situation -the time you wait in line depends on the pace of the people in front of you, so you may be waiting a while to get through the different sections if people stop and stay for a while to view an exhibit. read more

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Open every 3rd Sunday of the month, free parking, free admission, and open from 11 am - 3 pm. Walt's Barn should be a historic landmark, it was originally located on Walt Disney's personal property at Holmby Hills near Burbank and was where he spent most of his free time when he enjoyed his favorite hobby of model trains. Here you can experience his barn as well as the combine exhibit and Ollie Johnston's train depot. Historic Disneyland memorabilia can be viewed here and you can even touch a telegraph to type your name on morse code. For any Disney enthusiast of all ages, Walt Disney's Barn is a great place to experience the nostalgia of Disney and appreciate the man behind the mouse. May you have a magical day at Walt Disney's Barn! read more

Mr. Walt Disney, the brains behind "The Happiest Place on Earth!" Everything Disney is so fascinating! My +1 and I are Disney fans and the WALT DISNEY's BARN in Griffith Park has been on my list forever. Now that I actually live in LA County part-time, the barn made it to our weekend rendezvous for Father's Day on Sunday, 06.16.24! This worked out perfect because Public Open Days are the 3rd Sunday of each month from 11am - 3pm. Admission and parking are free. By 10:30am we arrived and parked in the adjacent dirt lot. In Disney fashion, there was already a pretty long line of fans sporting their Disney gear! It was hot, so be sure to wear your sunnies, hat, and consider a shade umbrella as there is no shade while waiting before the 11am opening time. It was neat watching the trains coming from the Live Steamers next door, which we decided to do after our visit at the barn. We were greeted by some friendly faces upon entering and were given a large Walt Disney's Barn sticker. The line for the barn was probably a 15-minute wait. It is a replica of Walt's workshop from the Disney farm in Marceline, MO. It is where Walt spent hours building miniatures and model trains. Some of the actual work benches he built are in here too! There's a small grassy area for folks to sit and listen to the live musician. A tiny shop filled with merchandise for sale. And the yellow Retlaw 1 Combine. read more

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Yo will feel in Disneyland . But, it was the particular world for Disney. Where he was a child . It is really cool to feel him as a dreamer. You should take the trIn ride. I felt in the classic cartoon of Donald playing with trains. It is a magical moments in your day. Every third Sunday is free. Take your children. read more

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Cool to see it! I have wanted to visit for years and so glad I finally got to! Cute train ride on property that was a lot of fun

Loved that this barn is in Griffith park! Have been wanting to go for a long time, but the hours are super limited (only open every third Sunday from 11am-3pm). It was a fun free event for a casual Sunday! read more

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Walt Disney's Carolwood Barn is a cool little stop for the true Disney fan. This is a miniature barn that Walt himself built on his ranch pre-Disneyland. It was designed from his memory of the family's barn in Marceline, MO. You cannot help but to become overcome with a nostalgic feeling when you step inside. The history just oozes from every beam, every photo, every model. Really every little bit of memorabilia. It is small but well worth the walk-through. A few notes - This is a free experience but donations are encouraged and welcomed to keep the memories alive. Expect a line to get into the barn itself. Be sure to stop and chat with the local train entheusiasts. They are a wealth of knowledge and have some good stories to tell. Most of all, take it all in and have fun. read more

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Absolutely incredible experience! So much history. So exciting. Hoping to return another time.

This is another fun Disney hidden gem located in Griffith Park. Walt Disney lived on Carolwood Drive in Holby Hills, in 1950 Walt Disney built a 1/8 scale railroad at his residence named "Carolwood Pacific Railroad". Walt operated the "Carolwood Pacific Railroad" for family and friends until 1953, Walt later shifted his energy into creating Disneyland. The Walt Disney barn was built on Walt's backyard. In 1999, the Walt Disney family moved this barn here to the Los Angeles Live Steamers Museum to share some Disney history with the public. Walt was also a founding member of the LA Live Steamers. The Walt Disney barn is a time capsule into the mind of Walt Disney. The barn is a living showcase of his passion for railroading. The barn is filled with old photo's, train memorial, personal items, tools and a working model train. We visited the Walt Disney Barn on a special Christmas "Meet Santa" Day. Our daughter had an opportunity to meet Santa and have a picture taken with him. An elf was playing music as people visited. We arrived early and only waited in a small line for about 5 minutes. They had a great Santa, very friendly and gave a mini candy canes to all that took photos with him. The entire experience was complimentary. As you continue past the Walt Disney barn you will see a yellow train that you can walk into. The train is also filled with vintage Disney memorabilia and unique Disney antique's. On this day the last living Disney Imaginer Bob Gurr was there. Not too many people noticed him and he was not advertised. We also got a great photo with Bob. There is also a small shop to purchase Walt Disney Barn memorabilia; books, trains, clothing etc.. This is fun experience for the whole family of all ages. A fun treat if you have a Disney fan in your house. There is also a mini train ride starts at LA Steamers next door and circles the Disney Barn and property, the train ride costs $3 when in operation. Parking: Admission and parking is free, parking lot with plenty of spots. Cost: Free however they do have donation b ox with a suggested $5 donation but it is not required. (At time of this review they do require a vaccine card OR a negative Covid test.) Hours: Third Sunday of every month until 11am-3pm. Weather permitted. read more

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Small, charming glimpse into Disney's passion for steam trains. You can see how the seeds of Disneyland were sewn here. Open and free every third Sunday. read more

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Open every 3rd Sunday of the month , run by train volunteers .it shows memorabilia from Walt Disney who was a train enthusiast. His daughter move his barn to Griffin park . read more

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On the third Sunday of every month, you have opportunity to visit this hidden gem. Walt's Barn is a rare slice of Disney history that is 100% worth your time to go see. Keep checking the website as well because depending on the date, the guests that they host can be pretty epic. Margaret Kerry (the original actress who modeled Tinkerbell) has visited, as have old school Imagineers like Bob Gurr. Plus, you get to walk through the barn, see lots of Walt's old personal effects, and a working model of the old Nature's Wonderland ride that was replaced by Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland. read more

Lines are long --just like Disneyland! Free parking and admission every third Sunday of the month. Cool place to come on a Sunday if you like museums and trains. The only con is that my 19month old wasn't tall enough to ride the train :/ and also only one very small porta potty restroom (clean, but small) read more

As Walt Disney once said, "It's kind of fun to do the impossible." Inside Griffith Park is the barn from Walt's backyard where he had a whole lot of fun doing the impossible... 5 stars for Walt Disney's Barn! Definitely a place to see and visit for all Disney fans. It's only open once a month on the 3rd Sunday from 11 am to 3 pm, however, so plan ahead. Once you set foot inside Walt's barn, you'll agree that the experience is "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!" One can only imagine the extraordinary and amazing ideas that came to Walt while working inside his barn. There are tons of Disney memorabilia and artifacts to browse through so take your time. The barn is located and managed by L.A. Live Steamers, so there's a strong emphasis on Walt's passion for trains and how trains became an integral part of all of Walt's theme parks. Be sure to come with a lot of questions. There's a ton of friendly and knowledgeable volunteers waiting to share their knowledge. Unlike Disneyland, there's really no admission fee, but there's a $5 suggested donation. Such a small amount to pay for a really fun Sunday activity in Griffith Park! Since it's only open once a month, it's always crowded, and the parking lot gets full fast. There's always plenty of street parking available however, and I suggest parking between the west entrance and the east entrance to the L.A. Live Steamers property. The west entrance lets you see Walt's barn and other exhibits, but the east entrance lets you ride the train managed by the Live Steamers, which is definitely a must-do activity after touring the barn. Walt definitely loved trains and you can feel excitement Walt must have felt as he took his countless rides on his miniature train throughout his yard! read more

Wow this place was crowded today, there was a line forming to go inside the barn right at 11am, when it opened. It took a good 20 minutes of standing in front of the barn until you can go inside to see all the treasures. Granted this place is free admission, and only open once per month - it sure is busy! I think more and more people know about it now. Definitely a fun place to explore and learn about the Walt Disney history and legacy. Hop over next door to check out the live steam engine trains too, only $3 per ride. read more

Walt Disney's Barn - Walt's Barn - Museums Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Hi, great experience. Didn't know Walt was so into trains. Loved the history lesson. It's a must for all those curious to know more about Walt. Its not based on the giant company he created but on his passion, trains. Grounds are un assuming. Entrance and parking is FREE! It's being run by family, this was so refreshing. read more

When I saw Michael D.'s ROTD, I bookmarked this place and made plans to visit it! What a great review by Michael. ..so well written! Walt Disney's Barn is only open on the third Sunday of the month between 11am and 3pm. How do we know? Alana and I had tried to get in in the past! We drove to Griffith Park in Los Angeles, got as close as we could, and took photos of what we could see through the fenced-in property. It was nothing compared to what is actually inside!!! For a suggested donation of $5, we got to browse around and look at personal belongings of a creative genius. I truly admire Walt Disney because he has imagination, foresight, intelligence, initiative, and positive attitude - qualities that I hold in high esteem! Just being in the presence of his "office" was so inspirational... I felt like I accomplished a huge bucket list item! Since our visit was in December 2016, we had a special treat: Santa Claus visited!!! The little children and tall ones like me were thrilled! The festive live music added so much spirit to the place! I felt like we were at the right place at the right time! So - when you come, bring your camera and don't be afraid to ask questions! The volunteers are so pleasant and friendly! The parking is free in the gravel lot or on the street. There's a gift shop if you want a souvenir and heaters in the corners of the building if you feel cold... I guess it would be different in the summer, right? read more

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Everybody knows about the Magic Kingdom. But did you know that Disneyland was conceived inside a barn? Just a few months back, I stumbled upon Walt Disney's Carolwood Barn. Originally built in 1950 behind Walt's home on Carolwood Drive here in LA (hence the name), the barn was moved to its current location among the towering hills of Griffith Park right in the heart of LA. Back in the day, Walt spent hours inside the barn discussing new projects including what we now know today as Disneyland. Coolest tidbit of all? Walt originally wanted to build Disneyland in Burbank! However, the residents weren't so thrilled about the potential noise and traffic of a theme park. Well Burbank, now you have Ikea! Whomp whomp... Crazy as it sounds, Walt's barn was almost demolished. But his daughter came to the rescue and the place is now a free museum. But be warned, you can't just show up. The place has very limited hours, open generally on the 3rd Sunday of each month from just 11 AM to 3 PM. And that is subject to change at the last minute (so always check out their Facebook Page). The museum features a steam railroad built by Disney himself. Plus, it's home to local LA railroad buffs -- mostly a bunch of retired guys who can be found riding around on scaled down versions of trains. It's quite the scene. And if you love trains and/or Disney history, you've found your spot! read more

It has a lot of historical items and pictures of things for Disneyland and it's all free

How could someone not enjoy this place? Only open once a month (every 3rd Sunday), we jumped at the chance since we had no plans and the weather was great. If you are into Disney history, this will tickle your fancy. You will get a glimpse into Walt's love for trains and how he incorporated the idea into Disneyland. Although the is no official admission fee, there are a few donation boxes scattered throughout and you can feel free to drop any amount you feel comfortable with. There are many things to see and marvel at, especially Walt's barn. Such a remarkable piece of history that we are so lucky to have! Everyone seemed to be having a good time, almost like being at Disneyland but without the long drive and rides. What a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon! read more

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Had a great time visiting this location. It is a hidden gem that hardly anyone knows about. It's only open the 3rd Sunday of the month and it's free! (They ask for a $5 donation per person but it is not mandatory). This is a great place to bring your kids if they love trains. They can get on one of the trains and it will take them around the barn (not sure if the ride is free). The parking is free and there is plenty of parking since it's near Griffith Park. I had such a great time learning the history of Walt and being able to see so much of his beginning ideas. You will be able to learn about Walt and his love for trains. I think it is an amazing spot and I definitely want to go back and take more pictures. It felt amazing to go into the barn where it all began. read more

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A MUST DO! A FREE ATTRACTION & FREE PARKING! DISNEY ON A DIME! This Secret Little Gem is Walt Disney's Original Red Barn. This place is only open on the THE THIRD SUNDAY of every month until 3 PM. For their 25th Anniversary Walt Disney purchased his dream home for himself & his family on Carolwood Drive In Holmby Hills. The Carolwood Barn was built in Walt's back yard. This was his workshop & clubhouse. He would go here on the weekends to relax. Walt loved trains. He transformed his own back yard which was several acres large into a mini train station with a playground of trains. It was called the Carolwood Pacific Railroad. The engine was called the Lily Bell in honor of his wife Lily. The Disney family made arrangements for the barn to be brought to Griffith Park so everyone could enjoy it just like Walt did Back in the Day. The barn is a throwback to a time when Walt was just starting out & first conceptualizing Disneyland. It's a time capsule & a chance to see Vintage Disney firsthand for FREE. They have a Donation Box at the front you can donate to also. They have a Merchandise booth here as well & you can buy all sorts of memorabilia & trinkets & T Shirts etc. You will see a mini train that is operating that runs through the property. It is called LA Steamers which is located right next door for $3.00 a ride. So you get the full Retro Disney Experience just like Walt did Back in the 50s. Instead of just coming here for an hour or so, you can turn this into an entire Day of Fun for $6.50. Here's how. Start by packing a picnic Basket or Cooler, a blanket & maybe a Frisbee too. LA Steamers is another little Secret Gem & is located right next to Disney's Red Barn. Walt Disney was a founding member of this place. It is open EVERY SUNDAY until 3 PM with Free Street Parking too. The Mini Train Rides are $3.00 & take you all around the premises. You even get to pass by Walt Disney's Original Red Barn that was where Disneyland was conceptualized. Bring your picnic basket & cooler & you can have your own private picnic right next door for FREE in the Park. Now located on the same side of the street just a little bit of a drive or you can even walk too is Travel Town. TT has many Full Size Railroad Locomotives, including the Famous Atchison Topeka & The Santa Fe & a Gallery that features Judy Garland & Angela Lansbury & The Harvey Girls 1940s Musical Tribute as well. They also have a slightly bigger miniature train you can ride on as well for $3.50 & Free Parking there too. So you can do all 3 Attractions for a Grand Whopping Total of $6.50. Travel Town is OPEN EVERY DAY & stays open a little later than the other 2 attractions. You can see my individual reviews of each attraction separately as well. A whole day of Fun for yourself, family & friends for so little cash! It used to be, you had to have mega bucks & be really rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget! read more

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Ever wonder where Walt Disney came up with the crazy idea of having a huge plot of land surrounded by futuristic trains, dedicated to a mouse named Mickey and amusement rides for the whole family to ride? Well, every man needs his man cave, and what better place than your own barn to do some serious brain storming for what Walt Disney would eventually call Disneyland. Disney's Barn is located next to the Los Angeles Live Steamers and is free to access, however, there is a suggested donation of $5. Upon simple glance, it looks just like a miniature barn that Walt had specially made for his Beverly Hills Carolwood property, but there is much more than what meets the eye. On July 19, 1999, Diane Disney Miller dedicated the barn as a new place to learn more about her father. Miller, was Walt's eldest daughter who had arranged for volunteers to dismantle and remove the barn from her father's Carolwood property and place it in Griffith Park. Walt's barn is labeled as the birthplace of Imagineering (where imagination meets engineering). It was in this barn, with his trains, that Walt got one of the very first inspirations for what would eventually be called Disneyland. He envisioned a park that was surrounded by a miniature train - today the Disneyland Railroad is a full-scale railway with five passenger trains hauled by four live-steam locomotives circling the perimeter. Knowing a little more about the history of the barn you look at it in awe. This is where Disney had first visions of Disneyland?! Crazy! The barn is filled with great Disney artifacts such as his shave kit, railroad hats, original Disneyland tickets, blueprints, signs and posters. You literally get to see Disney's ideas unravel in front of you while walking through the barn. If you love Disney and history then you should love this place. Don't plan on this being an all day event, you will probably be there for an hour to just look in the barn and walk around. The staff that works here is very knowledgeable about the barn's history and is also very courteous. Go get your Disney history on! Cheers! read more

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Only open on the 3rd Sunday of each month (11a-3p), Walt Disney's Barn is an extension of Travel Town (train museum) in Griffith Park that features the relocated original barn that Walt Disney used to house his miniature train collection. It's now been converted into a mini-museum of Disney memorabilia with an emphasis on Walt's passion for trains (of course). The grounds are fairly small, containing; Walt's Barn, a restored train car used during the original opening of Disneyland, and a steam locomotion display. All the docents are really friendly and knowledgeable and it was great hearing about the history behind Disney, his trains, and the early days of Disneyland. All in all, it probably doesn't take more than an hour to take it all in so if you're a Disney or vintage train enthusiast, go check it out! While there is a donation box present (which we contributed to), the visit to the Barn is free as is the parking adjacent to it. If you go, do yourself a favor and spend the $3 it costs to ride the miniature train ride (that you straddle like a horse) that begins near Travel Town and runs thru Walt's Barn (not to be confused with the other train ride that runs inside Travel Town). Surprisingly, the ride is much more extensive than it looks from the outside and is well worth the $3 and I promise it will definitely make you feel like a kid again! read more

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If you're a Disney fan, you definitely have to check out this piece of Disney history. It's free parking and free admission. There are a handful of picnic tables where you can enjoy lunch as other members of your family take turns waiting in line to enter the barn. The wait can be as long as 30-min. You'll learn interesting facts about the railroad car that Walt Disney himself drove on opening day in 1957. read more

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If you're a Disney fan, Walt's Barn is a must! Walt's Barn is the exact barn that Walt built on his property to act as a work shop space for his 1/8th size live steam train, the Carolwood Pacific he had built. And inside it works to preserve some of those artifacts from his small railroad. Also inside are items relating to Disney and trains, including vintage memorabilia of the Disneyland Railroad and the Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland. Additionally there is a miniature of the Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland that was absolutely mesmerizing! Some of the items were fading, and getting dusty, which is a bummer. Hence the 4 stars. On busy days the barn itself can actually result in a line out the door! So I suggest arriving when the property opens. Also on site is one of the original train cars from the Disneyland Railroad that was there on opening day. Great little gift shop with t-shirts, pins, and books about Walt and trains. Volunteers are very nice and knowledgable. Details as of visit: Open 3rd Sunday of the Month, 11-3 Free on site parking Technically free, but a $5 per person donation is recommended Photography allowed Spent about an hour read more

SALT! ON EVERYTHING!!! Came to this place the other day. Almost got lost but eventually found the barn. Also at first I had mini heart-attacks because I thought the small toy house was the barn. Also the train ride is extremely fun!! It's a high speed turbulent ride that includes sharp turns, sudden stops and drops. And it was all for only $3! read more

Awesome experience and I totally felt his spirit here. The kid's and adults faces where all in another world of magic and wonder. Thank you for preserving this wonderful bit of history. read more

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Although I've been in the area for 8 years I never realized how close Walt's Barn is or how cool it would be. It's deceptive, too: a small area with a barn, a couple other small buildings (one created as a train depot for kids of one of Walt's old buddies, so no wonder it's small!), and a few engines. But the historical artifacts in the barn and rail engines and the wealth of stories that the many employees have are amazing, and the train ride around the park is actually quite long and features over a dozen sites, some miniatures and others nearly full sized, like the bridges and tunnels. Carolyn and Jeff told us great snippets of history and little known lore, and lucky for us, wandering the grounds were the original Tinker Bell, Margaret Kerry, and one of the third generation Imagineers, Fleming. These lovely folks shared their extensive, personal history with Walt, his companies, and the trains here at the barn, which really blew us away. Just an amazing place, well worth the visit. Make sure to talk to the (many) hosts and cast members here; you'll learn something new, guaranteed! read more

Came here by complete accident! We were looking for travel town (across the street) lol but I'm sooo glad we found this place! If you're a Disney fan then this is a must! read more

Only open one day of the month on the third Sunday, don't twist your vacation plans around a visit here because it's a short 15-minute stay. On the plus side, both admittance and parking are free. The property has Disney's train barn moved from his Holmby Hills estate - filled with train and monorail collectibles from Disneyland and Walt's miniature train (about the smallest train that can still carry people). Additionally, there is a steam demonstration that powers various motors, one heavily restored narrow gauge rail car, and an outdoor model train layout using the same scale as Walt's train. The content is more about Disney's interest in trains than it is about trains. One of three train rides at Griffith Park, the Live Steamers (see www.yelp.com/biz/los-angeles-live-steamers-railroad-museum-los-angeles) line goes around the Disney Barn, but is not part of the Barn. read more

Cool place for any train and Walt Disney Fan. A lot of info cramped into this little historic barn. Will be coming back for the live steamers train rides!!!!! read more

Such a fun place. We are Disney fans... it was neat to see the memorabilia from Walt Disney. We rode the train ($3 a person). Was impressed with the train ride. We had a great time. The workers there were very nice and helpful. read more

Great fun place! Such a pleasure to see Walt's original barn. The crew was helpful and friendly. We arrived 5 mins before they opened and there was a significantly long line of people outside the gate already waiting to get in. No restrooms on location, but they have one single porta-potty available. read more