A trip to the street you grew up on, a spin of the first record you bought, or eating something your Nan used to cook you…all these things can whisk you away from the boredom of being an adult.

But nothing can do it quite as well as a visit to the home of animation giants Pixar.

Yes, they're the ones who started the now common practice of cartoons being in 3D, as opposed to boring old 2D.

They're the ones who made Toy Story, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.

They're the ones who've won more Oscars than any star could dream of. And they're the ones who two years ago were bought by Disney for an estimated $7.4 billion.

They rarely allow outsiders into their impressive headquarters just over the Bay Bridge from San Francisco, but when Sky News was treated to a personal tour to celebrate their latest hit-in-waiting, it's no surprise to see that everyone working there looks sickeningly happy.

It is truly the nicest work place you'll likely to find, tailored to produce happy staff members - who in turn will hopefully put the passion up there on the big screen.

Workers are allowed to zip around corridors on scooters or skateboards, the food in the staff canteen is deliriously impressive, and cheap to boot.

There's a volleyball court, a snooker table, arcade games – and of course lashings of gorgeous Californian sunshine. If I was any good at drawing I would be tempted to hide in the stationary cupboard and stay forever.

We've been afforded the privilege of being among the first people in the world to see Pixar's latest offering Wall E, which sees them pushing those boundaries that already seemed to be pushed as far as they could go.

On a basic level it's a sci-fi love story where humans play second fiddle to robots. Us people have deserted the earth, and the only thing left down there is a robot that spends his day packing up rubbish.

Suffice to say he's a bit lonely…until a rather sultry looking futuristic lady robot arrives to change his world. Don't worry. It's a lot more exciting than I've just made it sound.

If you've checked out the trailer online already, you'll know it looks gorgeous. But what's really fascinating about Wall E is its concept.

The central character doesn't speak as such, he just beeps and squeaks – and for almost the entire first half of the film, there's barely a word of dialogue at all.

Essentially it's a silent movie, so in that respect it's quite a risk. But I think they enjoy trying to surpass themselves with each successive film.

"I don't think that we ever try to think how to consciously outdo the last one" producer Jim Morris tells me, "I think we really try to focus on the story and the characters and just make a great entertaining experience out of it."

"Having said that, I think that said all the directors are so inspired and awe struck by each other" adds Jim's co-producer Lindsey Collins, "I think they feel a kind of healthy pressure in a way. They adore each other's work don't want to be the one to not hit that bar."

Wall E certainly looks amazing, so the years of hard slog for Derek and his colleagues paid off.

In fact digital technology has come on in leaps and bounds so much since Toy Story dazzled us thirteen years ago.

looks disturbingly real, yet a certain cartoon quality is still there – especially when the humans do get some screen time as the film progresses.

I wonder if the ultimate result of all this progress is that it gets harder and harder to tell the difference between what is real, and what's digital.

So what next for Pixar? Well, interestingly a glance at the production slate for the next few years shows up a few surprises.

As well as an epic animated adventure called Up, there's also a move towards 3D, with the third Toy Story adventure. More intriguingly there are also rumours the company will actually make their first live-action feature, directed by Brad Bird, responsible for The Incredibles.

Something to look forward to in the future then, but for now I fancy seeing Wall E again so much I'm going to scream and scream until I am sick.

See what I mean about Pixar bringing out the kid in me. It really is quite disturbing.