Carthay Circle

The Carthay Circle Theater, built in Los Angeles in 1926, was the site of many of the most spectacular film premieres in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Everything from Romeo and Juliet to Gone with the Wind opened here. In December 1937, the Carthay Circle hosted the world premiere of Walt Disney's first full-length animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The title on the theater marquee, Once Upon a Time, is not only the name of the shop here at Disney's Hollywood Studios but also a reference to the opening of that classic animated film.

Inside, the space is beautifully appointed, from the fixtures to the dramatic recreation of the Carthay's lobby ceiling. On the wall behind the registers are framed photos from the Snow White premiere. Listen closely to the audio track playing in the shop, and periodically you'll even be treated to bits of the radio interview conducted with Walt Disney that night in 1937.

The original Carthay Circle Theater was torn down in 1969, but it lives on here on Sunset Boulevard at Disney's Hollywood Studios. In a couple more years, the Carthay will also rise on Buena Vista Street at the entrance to Disney's California Adventure, the perfect icon to represent the Hollywood of Walt Disney's early years in the business.