Walt Disney's modest two-bedroom childhood home in Chicago opens up to the public for the first time

Walt Disney's childhood home has been opened to the public for the first time - but at just 1,200 square feet, it's no Cinderella Castle. 

The modest two-story house, in Chicago's Hermosa neighborhood, has been at the center of a ten-year restoration project.

Organizers hope seeing the great Disney founder's humble beginnings will inspire young people to follow their dreams and 'change the world.'

Last weekend, the home finally opened its doors to the public and welcomed hundreds of visitors inside. 

The house has been painstakingly restored following a ten-year fundraising drive

The house was built by Walt Disney's father Elias and designed by his mother, Flora

Walt Disney posing in front of a scene with his signature creation Mickey Mouse in Anaheim, California, in 1950

A colorized photo of Walt Disney and his sister Ruth is on display in the house

Visitors toured the house and saw it's historical furniture, washboard, a butter churn and a rug beater - the home even had a built-in toilet, which organizers said was 'innovative' for the time.

Walt Disney's father, Elias, bought the land where the small house stands at 2156 N. Tripp Ave. in 1891. 

The next year, he got a permit to build the two-story wood cottage for $800 and Flora, Walt’s mother, drew up the architectural plans.

Walt Disney was born in the house in a second-floor bedroom on December 5, 1901, and the family lived there for five more years, until Elias sold the property and they moved to Missouri.

The house was left neglected for years, and nearly demolished when a previous attempt to have it designated as a historical landmark was defeated. 

But after ten years of fundraising, the house has been restored to its 1901 state to give visitors a sense of how the Disney founder spent his early years. 

The organizers hope seeing Walt Disney's 'humble beginnings' will 'inspire' visitors. 

'Walt Disney was an example that, if you come from humble beginnings, work hard, and follow your dreams, you can change the world,' Rey Colon, Walt Disney Birthplace project director, told ABC7.

Angel Reyes, an ambassador for the home and Miss Illinois USA 2022 told the Chicago Tribune: 'We are in an inner city of Chicago, so the understanding of dreaming and doing and achieving, because you truly never know who you’re going to become.'

Walt shared a small bedroom in the house with one of his other brothers

The house has been renovated to look how it did when the family moved lived there in 1901

The organizers paid careful attention to historical details to match the style of the time

Walt Disney (1901 - 1966) sits at his drawing board in his studio, drawing a sketch of his character Mickey Mouse

The staircase inside the family home leads to two bedrooms on the top floor

The living room of the house was carefully restored with period furniture 

Visitors could see the rooms where Walt Disney was born and grew up with his family

The two-story wood cottage in Hermosa was constructed by Elias Disney, Walt's father, with architectural plans designed by his mother, Flora.

Hundreds of visitors and fans lined up over the weekend to see the house for the first time

A Mickey Mouse character posed outside the house Disney's childhood home

The house opening comes as Disney is embroiled in a culture war and ongoing legal dispute with presidential-hopeful Gov. Ron DeSantis. 

The battle started when Florida passed the 'Don't Say Gay' bill, which restricted classroom teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Disney opposed the legislation and the governor shot back against the company and accused them of being 'woke.'

The Walt Disney Company's federal lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been whittled down to a single suit claiming it was targeted for criticizing the governor's so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill. Pictured: Disney Chairman Bob Iger

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis accused the company of 'woke' practices after it criticized the bill  

Disney and Florida are now in federal and state court battles as a result of DeSantis' push to take control of the Orlando theme park's tax district  

Gov. DeSantis passed a subsequent bill to dissolve a government-like entity, which Disney has controlled and used to exercise its government-like powers.

Disney then sued DeSantis but was forced to drop a massive chunk of its federal lawsuit leaving only a fight over if the media-giant's First Amendment rights were violated. 

The claim contends the House of Mouse was retaliated against because of its criticism of the so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill.

Disney CEO Bob Iger then announced the company will 'quiet the noise' around cultural issues because it has shown to be bad for business.

A report from Needham investment analyst Laura Martin on the investor meeting showed that Iger wants to make content that is entertaining, not issue-focused - after The House of Mouse faced backlash over pushing a 'woke agenda.'

Iger's comments about focusing on entertainment rather than 'issues' come after a spate of recent box office busts.

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