Upon entering Disneyland, you walk down a bustling scenic street called “Main Street USA” which leads to the park’s central plaza. It is here, in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, that you will find this attractive 6’5″ tall bronze statue titled “Partners” depicting Walt Disney standing next to and holding the hand of his most famous creation, Mickey Mouse. The plaque directly below the statue in Disneyland quotes Walt Disney as saying, “I think most of all what I want Disneyland to be is a happy place…where parents and children can have fun, together.”
Created by animator and sculptor Blaine Gibson, this original statue was commissioned for Disneyland in Anaheim, California. The dedication ceremony for “Partners” occurred on November 18, 1993, on Mickey Mouse’s birthday 65 years after the premiere of “Steamboat Willie”. Subsequent recreations of the statue are found at other Disney theme parks and as well as the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.
“Partners” was rededicated on December 5, 2001, Walt Disney’s 100th birthday.
