The Walt Disney Family Museum

Just wanted to let everyone know that the museum no longer has timed entry. If you buy tickets online, and this is a little confusing, they only offer the 10 a.m. option, but you can arrive anytime between 10 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. (Museum closes at 6 p.m.) You can also buy tickets at the door between those times.
 
Just wanted to let everyone know that the museum no longer has timed entry. If you buy tickets online, and this is a little confusing, they only offer the 10 a.m. option, but you can arrive anytime between 10 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. (Museum closes at 6 p.m.) You can also buy tickets at the door between those times.
I think that was a good call. The 15 minute window was very intimidating and I know the City fairly well. I can't imagine how a tourist with no experience getting around etc. would feel and I am sure it detered some people from visiting.
 
We will be on the Disney Wonder's repositioning cruise from L.A. to Vancouver at the end of April - and we'll have two days in San Francisco. I really want to go to the Walt Disney Family Museum one of those days. We'll be there Friday and Saturday, so I assume Friday would be the better day?

The excursions offered by the ship are (in my opinion) too short - only 3 hours or so - which doesn't seem like nearly enough time, so I'd like to do it on my own. Do any of you have suggestions on the best way to get from the cruise ship terminal (I think it's Pier 35) to the Museum? And how long it might take? It looks like there's readily available public transportation (and we also don't mind walking a bit), but the directions on the Museum's web site about transportation seem a little daunting to someone not familiar with San Francisco.

Thank you!
 


We will be on the Disney Wonder's repositioning cruise from L.A. to Vancouver at the end of April - and we'll have two days in San Francisco. I really want to go to the Walt Disney Family Museum one of those days. We'll be there Friday and Saturday, so I assume Friday would be the better day?

The excursions offered by the ship are (in my opinion) too short - only 3 hours or so - which doesn't seem like nearly enough time, so I'd like to do it on my own. Do any of you have suggestions on the best way to get from the cruise ship terminal (I think it's Pier 35) to the Museum? And how long it might take? It looks like there's readily available public transportation (and we also don't mind walking a bit), but the directions on the Museum's web site about transportation seem a little daunting to someone not familiar with San Francisco.

Thank you!
Cab - its not that far, I bet it would be under $15. You could possibly take Muni also, that looks to be 2-3 buses depending on how much walking you want to do and approx 45 minutes each way (I'd take the cab) but here is a link with the trip planner I used - it didn't copy the destinations - start at pier 35 end at Disney Family Museum (it found it without issue)

http://tripplanner.transit.511.org/mtc/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?#tab1Selected
 
The museum is much too far from the Embarcadero to walk and public transportation can take a while. I strongly recommend you call a cab so you can get to the museum quickly. There is a lot to see and experience at the museum and the time will race by.

Be sure to check the museum calendar to see if there are any special events on the weekend you plan to go. If there is a special presentation, purchase the reasonably-priced tickets for the event, because it will be well worth it. Although Friday may be less crowded, I've never seen the museum overly-crowded even on a weekend.

Enjoy your cruise and visit to San Francisco!

Michael
 
The Walt Disney museum is american museum. It is located in San Francisco. this museum feature is walt disney life and legacy. This museum have three historical buildings. This museum was opened on 1 October, 2009.
 


The Walt Disney is famous and popular museum in all over the world. Walt Disney museum located in San Francisco. In this museum have all information about Walt Disney life. This is very beautiful and family museum.
 
I'm going to be visiting California in August, the week leading up to the D23 Expo. I've never been to the west cost before so it's all new to me, but I really want to take in a trip to the Walt Disney Family Museum. I do realise that it'll involve a flight from LA, but as I don't know if/when I'll be back in CA I don't want to miss the opportunity.

My ideal day would have been the Tuesday (shoot, closed!) so I guess it'll now be Weds 17 Aug or Thurs 18 Aug. Any tips and advice on how to plan my day would be very much appreciated - a one-day Disney fan's whirlwind trip to San Francisco!

So far, I expect to get the 7:24am flight from John Wayne airport in LA, which will get me into SFO just before 9am. I'll try to get the 8.35pm flight back to LA. As time is tight, I'm assuming a taxi would be my quickest option to/from the airport, but any idea how much that would cost - or is there a better/quicker choice?

Assuming I manage to arrive at the WDFM near opening time, and if I'm done there by (say) mid-afternoon, what suggestions would locals have for other things to do in a few spare hours - touristy areas are fine as I'll be a tourist!

I know I can easily walk over to the waterside and see the bridge which is a must-do, but any other ideas? Historic locations or buildings to see, a must-visit shopping area (not really interested in expensive or designer clothing type shopping though) or iconic scenic views? I don't mind taking a taxi to somewhere else before heading back to the airport, but I've no idea what I could plan within this rather tight timescale and still make sure I allow enough time to get the flight back.

So, over to you San Franciscans... :)

Andre
 
I'm going to be visiting California in August, the week leading up to the D23 Expo. I've never been to the west cost before so it's all new to me, but I really want to take in a trip to the Walt Disney Family Museum. I do realise that it'll involve a flight from LA, but as I don't know if/when I'll be back in CA I don't want to miss the opportunity.

My ideal day would have been the Tuesday (shoot, closed!) so I guess it'll now be Weds 17 Aug or Thurs 18 Aug. Any tips and advice on how to plan my day would be very much appreciated - a one-day Disney fan's whirlwind trip to San Francisco!

So far, I expect to get the 7:24am flight from John Wayne airport in LA, which will get me into SFO just before 9am. I'll try to get the 8.35pm flight back to LA. As time is tight, I'm assuming a taxi would be my quickest option to/from the airport, but any idea how much that would cost - or is there a better/quicker choice?

Assuming I manage to arrive at the WDFM near opening time, and if I'm done there by (say) mid-afternoon, what suggestions would locals have for other things to do in a few spare hours - touristy areas are fine as I'll be a tourist!

I know I can easily walk over to the waterside and see the bridge which is a must-do, but any other ideas? Historic locations or buildings to see, a must-visit shopping area (not really interested in expensive or designer clothing type shopping though) or iconic scenic views? I don't mind taking a taxi to somewhere else before heading back to the airport, but I've no idea what I could plan within this rather tight timescale and still make sure I allow enough time to get the flight back.

So, over to you San Franciscans... :)

Andre

Others have said to take a taxi, I guess the San Francisco BART does not get you close enough. Another option is to go on mapquest.com, key in the airport and museum address, select the "use public transportation" button and see what that gives you. We rented a car. Driving and parking at the museum is super easy. Then, late that afternoon, we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Woods National Park to hike the giant redwoods! If you are taxi-ing, you may want to get to Fisherman's Wharf area and ride a cable car, hopefully ending up somewhere where you can get a BART/subway back to the airport.

Enjoy the museum! I absolutely loved the Walt Disney museum, it's like living inside "the Art of Walt Disney" book. :cloud9:
 
Thanks for the tips!

The car hire is tempting, but not knowing the city roads I think it might be better for me to use local transport (esp when heading back to the airport).

I've checked the hopstop site (neat!) and that gives me an option of getting the BART (which it says is half a mile's walk from the airport) and then change onto the 43 bus which drops me off about another half-mile's walk from the museum. Total time is listed as about around 1h40m including the walking, and the taxi time shows as about the same (1h39m). The taxi cost is around $50 each way, and I'm guessing the public transport option would be a lot cheaper - and probably more fun for a tourist too. How often do the BARTs and buses usually run, in case I just miss one?

Fisherman's wharf / cable car sounds good, especially if I can end up somewhere that is a single BART (underground train, yes?) journey back to the airport for later. Might as well use my tourist stop to get me half-way in the journey!

Any more ideas? Whereabouts are the famous steep hill streets you see on the movies, with the trams running up them? Looking for something iconically San Fransisco that fits in with the route back to the airport! :)

[Edit: ignore me on that last bit, some Googling later and I see that's what you were talking about! So catch the Powell/Hyde line all the way to the turntable at the end, and get the direct BART from outside Bloomingdales - sounds great]

Andre
 
Thanks for all the help folks, getting kinda excited now!

As someone who knows SF and traffic/etc, do you thinking my timings for the day will work? i.e. flight arrives at 9am, BART/bus over to the WDFM, walk over to the shoreline to see the bridge, then taxi over to the wharf, and then cable car/BART back to the airport for (say) around 7pm for my 8.30pm flight? Don't want to cut it too fine to allow for delays and getting through security/etc (will probably just have a camera bag with me so should be fairly quick at airport, how soon before flight should I ideally arrive?)

Andre
 
Thanks for all the help folks, getting kinda excited now!

As someone who knows SF and traffic/etc, do you thinking my timings for the day will work? i.e. flight arrives at 9am, BART/bus over to the WDFM, walk over to the shoreline to see the bridge, then taxi over to the wharf, and then cable car/BART back to the airport for (say) around 7pm for my 8.30pm flight? Don't want to cut it too fine to allow for delays and getting through security/etc (will probably just have a camera bag with me so should be fairly quick at airport, how soon before flight should I ideally arrive?)

Andre

Andre, I worked at the Disney Museum until April 1, 2011, when I left San Francisco to move to Orlando. You don't have to walk to the shoreline to get a good view of the GGB. You can get a beautiful view right out of the back window of the museum, just before you enter Gallery 8. Unless, there is major fog on the day that you are there, it gives you an eye-level view of the Golden Gate Bridge, which would save you some time during your time crunch.
 
Yeah, I saw some pics, looks a gorgeous view. I just thought the whole 'standing on the beach' bit might have been even better, but I'll have to see how time goes.

Hope you are enjoying life on the other coast now.

Andre
 
Thanks so much for this thread. This is something I feel is a must do for me being such a big fan of Walt and Disneyland. It looks fabulous. I need to add this to my big finale trip of California next year.
 
I'll be going to the WDFM next week. Visiting a cousin in Oakland, so I thought I'd swing over there. Also doing the City, Alcatraz, driving Hwy 1 to Big Sur, wine tasting, Sonoma NASCAR race, and visiting some other family members.
 

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