Things that regular guests "OVERLOOK"

[Merlin]

1. The turrets on Cinderella's Castle can easily be removed in the event of a hurricane.

2. World Showcase was originally going to be a shopping village (similar to the Downtown Disney shopping area) and admission would be free. It was not originally supposed to be part of Epcot. But shortly before a meeting with potential sponsors to discuss Epcot, the model for Future World was placed next to the model for World Showcase. The sponsors loved it and the rest is history.

3. Most people think of WDW as being "in Orlando". We Disney fans know that's not true. But even a lot of Disney fans don't realize that WDW is actually in two cities. The area that includes Magic Kingdom and Fort Wilderness is actually in the city of Bay Lake. The rest of the property is in Lake Buena Vista.

 

[Irrawaddy Erik]

Originally posted by Merlin
1. The turrets on Cinderella's Castle can easily be removed in the event of a hurricane.

This is just a urban legend. The castly cannot be taken apart but it is built to withstand up to 180 mph winds.

 

[TTA Traveler]

Originally posted by Merlin
1. The turrets on Cinderella's Castle can easily be removed in the event of a hurricane.

The travel channel's secrets of Walt Disney World program referred to this tidbit as just a rumor...personally i could care less:wave:

 

[Merlin]

Here's three more (These are for DisneyLAND):

1. Before Splash Mountain and Critter Country opened, the area was known as Bear Country. As you entered Bear Country, there was a cave up on the hill. In the winter, you would hear snoring coming from the cave (a hibernating bear). The bear's name was Rufus. When Splash Mountain first opened, you would float past Rufus' cave (and hear him snoring) right before the first drop. However, the name on the mailbox outside the cave was later changed to Brer Bear because no one knew who Rufus was.

2. Just after reaching the top of the lift hill on the Matterhorn, you pass some mountain climbing equipment labeled "Wells Expedition". This is named for deceased Disney President Frank Wells who was also a mountain climber (Wells wrote the book "Seven Summits" about his quest to climb the highest peak on each continent).

3. Above the Pirates of the Caribbean in New Orleans Square is the Disney Gallery. The wrought iron on the balcony has the initials "WD" and "RD" for Walt Disney and Roy Disney.

 

[Merlin]

Originally posted by TTA Traveler
The travel channel's secrets of Walt Disney World program referred to this tidbit as just a rumor...personally i could care less:wave:

Originally posted by hmppan
This is just a urban legend. The castly cannot be taken apart but it is built to withstand up to 180 mph winds.

Doh!! And here I am perpetuating an urban legend! Woops! Thanks for setting the record straight!

 

[suzynstitch]

i just found this out a few days ago (and i've been there over a year!). when you get in line for buzz, the "story" of the attraction is unfolding. once inside, all guests are being 'shrunk' to toy size so they are able to fit in the xp 37 space cruisers. this is why, once you get up to the veiw finder and magnadoodle and buzz, they are all the same size as you. then when the ride is over and you see buzz telling you your scores and zurg behing bars, you return to normal 'human' size. just a little side note.:animwink:
suzie q

 

[bamboo7]

Originally posted by hmppan
This is just a urban legend. The castly cannot be taken apart but it is built to withstand up to 180 mph winds.

Erik is correct. they mention this common misconception in the travel channel special on the WDW Resort.

 

[disneytati]

WOW!!!! What an interesting thread! I will think if I remember some more "secrets" to add. I will take note of the new ones and check all of them out when I visit the parks (only next year... )!

 

[Chernabog]

There are 2 that directly come to mind.

1. In Liberty Square all the shutters on the windows are hanging crooked. This is because in those times leather was used to fasten shutters on and would stretch over time to hang crooked. The imagineers used crooked metal fasteners.

2. As you enter Muppet Vision on the right is a ticket-taker window that has a sign that says "back in 5 minutes, key is under the mat". If you lift up the mat (you're porbably standing on it) there's really a key there.

If I think of more fun ones I'll have to post them.

 

[ArchiDanDisney]

I have never seen such a key....I will have to check next time I am there.

 

[mkepcotmgmak]

in the stretching room in the HM, you can usually hear hot shot dads saying, this really is an elevator to lower you down to the ride....blah blah blah.... WELL WELL WELL Mr. Disney Know it All, maybe you should read the forums here.. ha ha ha...

1. While in Disneyland this is true that the stretching room actually is an elevator, it is not at WDW. What happens when you dig a hole in Florida? It fills up with water. Couldn't make an elevator for the ride in Florida, but the effect was liked so much that the stretching room made it to WDW!
This concept also goes for PotC. The train has to pass over it, and that is why one of the drops isn't as big, couldn't go to low, but also couldn't go to high, or you would run into the train.

2. Ever notice during the 3:00 o'clock parade that during a routine stop on the parade route the performers perform, the songs are sung, then the float rolls on down the road again? Well, look a LITTLE closer, about 6 of the performers will walk around the floats before it starts moving again, for two reasons, ONE - to make sure all kids/people are out of the way
TWO - there are (i belive 6) switches on each float that must be flipped before the driver can proceed on the route. This makes sure all characters are ready, and everyone is out of the way.

3. (i have heard this one MANY times, but I am not 100% that it is true...) On Splash Mountain, there is a part where you go beneath some possums hanging on a branch, and every once in a while one of them says F.S.U. for Florida State University... I personally have never heard it, but they say it makes it way in the loop.

 

[dizpins14]

The FSU is there, but it's in the laughing place scene. One of the moles pops down from the ceiling and says FSU, he's in the last hole I believe and he wears a red shirt and hat.

Another good one is at the Indiana Jones Show, there's a well to the left of the enterance with a rope that is pulled just short of the guard rail. The rope has a sign that says do not pull, of course any tourist who sees this will try pulling, and a voice will come from the well. The voice says a lot of different things too. Another favorite from MGM, is they have the office of R.K. Maroon from Roger Rabbit, with an outline of Roger in the glass from the scene when he's shown the paddy-cake pictures. It's right about the Prime Time 50s Cafe I think.

 

[Irrawaddy Erik]

The original design for the resorts around The 7 Seas Lagoon were to mirror the lands in the Magic Kingdom

Poly - Adventureland
Wildernesslodge and Fort Wilderness - Frontierland
Contemp - Tomorrowland
Grand FL - Main Street
The resorts for Fantasyland and Liberty Square were never built.


There is a silver plate that runs between Liberty Square and Frontierland. This plate represents the Mississippi River, seperating the east from the west, and there is water flowing out from the plate into the Rivers of America. Additionally the buldings also reflect changes east to west from the colonial style to the frontier boom town to the southwestern adobe buildings.

 

[mkepcotmgmak]

I will def. have to check out RK Maroons office, thats cool

 

[bamboo7]

Originally posted by mkepcotmgmak
in the stretching room in the HM, you can usually hear hot shot dads saying, this really is an elevator to lower you down to the ride....blah blah blah.... WELL WELL WELL Mr. Disney Know it All, maybe you should read the forums here.. ha ha ha...

1. While in Disneyland this is true that the stretching room actually is an elevator, it is not at WDW. What happens when you dig a hole in Florida? It fills up with water. Couldn't make an elevator for the ride in Florida, but the effect was liked so much that the stretching room made it to WDW!
This concept also goes for PotC. The train has to pass over it, and that is why one of the drops isn't as big, couldn't go to low, but also couldn't go to high, or you would run into the train.

actually, you are not correct. The reason it is an elevator in Disneyland is because the pathway to the ride building needed to be underground, or else it would be visible to guests, and the subsequent placement of the ride building would make it visible to guests. This is not neccessary in WDW due to the layout of the area and how you can't really get around to the side of the building where you could see the huge ride housing. as far as your saying that if you dig a hole in florida, it fills with water and that being why the strech rooms in MK aren't elevators, many holes are dug in florida that could be a suitable depth for such an elevator without water being an issue. it is even less of an issue since you enter the stretch room from the second floor anyway (the first floor of MK being the utilidoors).

 

[kennyj29]

Parade

Right after a parade, if you look towards the castle from the beginning of main street, check out the window above the Emporium. It will be open and a few minutes after the last of the parade it closes automatically. It's open to help with the parades timing and other issues. It's really neat.

 

[BenS]

Re: Parade

Originally posted by kennyj29
Right after a parade, if you look towards the castle from the beginning of main street, check out the window above the Emporium. It will be open and a few minutes after the last of the parade it closes automatically. It's open to help with the parades timing and other issues. It's really neat.

It's because some parade speakers are up there. I read that on some website. Either that or the Main St. shopkeepers want to get a nice view of the parade :lol: .

 

[Katherine]

Re: Parade

Originally posted by kennyj29
Right after a parade, if you look towards the castle from the beginning of main street, check out the window above the Emporium. It will be open and a few minutes after the last of the parade it closes automatically. It's open to help with the parades timing and other issues. It's really neat.

I'll have to check that out next time!!:sohappy:

 

[Sketch105]

in the former "Loony Bin" area of Disney MGM Studios, there is a ________ Tracy sign high up on a shelf, behind some barrels.

 

[jwbeck3]

I was excited to pull on the well during my trip at the beginning of March, but it must have been broken because I heard no voice.