What did you not know then, but you know now (and you feel embarrassed)?

[DfromATX]

Everyone knows there's a lot to learn if you've never been to Disney before. I think we all would agree the first trip is a learning experience. You can't do it all the first time and there's always new things to see.

However, some things should be more obvious... this is really embarrassing, but we didn't know Spaceship Earth was an actual ride until our 3rd trip! There I said it! I'm not sure what took us so long to discover it, I think we thought it was like Mickey's sorcerer hat at MGM (it was MGM back then), but I will add that we thought it was really awesome. My kids were a lot younger then and they got such a kick at seeing their photos at the end. We must have ridden it several times that trip. I remember we were able to just walk on then.

Do any of you have something that took you a while to discover?

 

[Schneewittchen]

It's okay, I will validate you. I too confess - it took me a couple of trips to realize there was something inside the shiny golf ball worth seeing......

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Several trips (and years) later, found out that the Mexico pavilion wasn't just a museum...

 

[DfromATX]

It's okay, I will validate you. I too confess - it took me a couple of trips to realize there was something inside the shiny golf ball worth seeing......

Ha ha, that does make me feel better! My husband still calls it the golf ball, but I didn't dare mention that... until now.

 

[DfromATX]

Several trips (and years) later, found out that the Mexico pavilion wasn't just a museum...

Oh that's another one... I swear we must have just breezed through Epcot in the beginning. We also didn't know about the Caballeros until a couple trips in.

 

[disneyworlddad]

I thought the Matterhorn was in the MK until I got there.

 

[disneygeek90]

I have been an AP holder for 11 years and had never known about the train up to Rafiki's Planet Watch until the past year.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I'm embarrassed to admit this, because I'm an AP holder. But at DAK if instead of going to the Safari you turn left there's like this whole area that looks like the Pride Lands from Lion King or something with rocks and cartoony meat-eating plants and it has a Navajo River Passage ride which is like Indians tripping out on mushrooms and I never knew this area was there in like twenty trips!

 

[DfromATX]

I'm embarrassed to admit this, because I'm an AP holder. But at DAK if instead of going to the Safari you turn left there's like this whole area that looks like the Pride Lands from Lion King or something with rocks and cartoony meat-eating plants and it has a Navajo River Passage ride which is like Indians tripping out on mushrooms and I never knew this area was there in like twenty trips!

I've never seen that either, thanks. See, I am still learning!

 

[Master Yoda]

I did not know that American Adventure was anything more than a movie until about 2003

 

[WondersOfLife]

I always thought that staying onsite was a ridiculous waste of money... Until I actually stayed onsite.

 

[Schneewittchen]

I did not know that American Adventure was anything more than a movie until about 2003

Similar ignorance here. It took me about 8 trips to Epcot to realize American Adventure was a thing at all. I just spent years assuming it was a bunch of stupid gift shops like Germany and Italy......

 

[Master Yoda]

Similar ignorance here. It took me about 8 trips to Epcot to realize American Adventure was a thing at all. I just spent years assuming it was a bunch of stupid gift shops like Germany and Italy......

I assumed that about World Showcase as well because it was largely true in the 80's. The only real ride at that time was Mexico and that was rounded out by a circle vision movie in China and Canada. I assumed AA was more of the same circle vision so I always skipped it.

For this reason I spent most of my Epcot time in future world which was pretty easy to do considering nearly every ride at that time seemed to be 30 minutes or more in length.

 

[DfromATX]

Oh, I have another one. Until recently, like last month maybe, I thought the termite mounds on the safari were real until someone on here told me they weren't. (And thanks for popping that balloon, geez!)

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Oh, I have another one. Until recently, like last month maybe, I thought the termite mounds on the safari were real until someone on here told me they weren't. (And thanks for popping that balloon, geez!)

You are not alone! So did I!

 

[disneygeek90]

Oh, I have another one. Until recently, like last month maybe, I thought the termite mounds on the safari were real until someone on here told me they weren't. (And thanks for popping that balloon, geez!)

The baobab tree isn't either Or the ostrich eggs.

 

[DfromATX]

You are not alone! So did I!

LOL well maybe they are real? Does anyone know for sure?

 

[DfromATX]

The baobab tree isn't either Or the ostrich eggs.

This has taken a turn for the worse. It's kind of like finding out Santa is not real! I don't know if I want to hear anymore. LOL

 

[disneygeek90]

This has taken a turn for the worse. It's kind of like finding out Santa is not real! I don't know if I want to hear anymore. LOL

On the plus side, all of the animals on the safari are real!

 

[GVentola]

I didn't know the characters were not allowed to take photos for you. This was out at Disneyland in 2012. I was at a meet and greet featuring Mary Poppins and Bert. There were no cast members with them to take photos for you, and I was solo. So, since I already had a photo with myself and Mary Poppins taken out at Epcot, I asked Ms. Poppins if she could take a photo of Bert and I. "No I May Not," she replied haughtily, embarrassing the hell out of me. At that point, a woman behind me in line offered to take a photo for me. All of this could have been avoided if they had a cast member out there with the characters to take photos of you with your camera. I was not impressed with Mary "staying in character". I've posed with a lot of villains who were nicer than her.