February 10, 2003 – The Partners Statue is Installed at the Disney Studios
On February 10, 2003, the fifth copy of the iconic Partners statue was installed at the Disney Studios in Burbank, California. The original statue, created by Disney Legend Blaine Gibson, was installed in the central hub of Disneyland on November 18, 1993, with the other three copies placed in Disney Parks. The idea of Walt holding Mickey’s hand was inspired by a scene from the animated feature film Fantasia, where Mickey shakes the hand of famed conductor Leopold Stokowski.