Random WDW Info - I Never Knew!

[quiltymom]

Don't know if this is true or not (told by a bus driver), but I found it interesting.

He told us that in Space Mountain, when you look overhead and see the meteors flying by...they didn't have any "photos" of real meteors to go by, so the imagineers used a photo of chocolate chip cookie. It does look like a cookie to me now. Anyone else hear this?

This is too funny!

I've not heard that, but my sisters and I would always look for the "flying chocolate chip cookie" every time we rode SM in Disneyland. We noticed it the first time we rode it way back in 1977. Now with the refirb, I don't see it anymore!

I haven't read through the entire thread yet (so sorry if this has already been mentioned0, but years ago we were told by a Disney Studios (Burbank) employee that the gold on the carousel horses is 24K gold leaf. Next time you are there, watch how the sun shines off of it! It's absolute brilliance!

And I have a female friend who worked for many years at DL as Donald Duck - she was the correct height.

 

[BaBeeCee14]

Richard Nixon gave his memorable "I'm not a crook" speech on 11/17/73 at Disney's Contemporary Resort Hotel.

The river in Jungle Cruise is dyed brown for a more authentic look. If it weren't, guests could see that the river is only 3.5 feet deep.

Courtesy of my spiffy new Disney trivia book....

Also the Jungle Cruise boats are on a track...the driver doesn't actually drive the boats

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I've been wondering about those big baobob trees in Africa in Animal Kingdom. I saw one near the entrance to the safari, and also along the safari route. They look like they are upside down, with roots up in the air.

One of the cast members said they are real and Disney brought them all the way from Africa and planted them. But later I read something online that said they are artificial. I am wondering which is true? If they brought them from Africa, wouldn't there be the worry of bringing in disease or insect infestation to Florida?

I also noticed the unusual sausage tree by the shops in Africa, which I was told is also real. I think this is true because I remember seeing one in Cypress Gardens in their botanical gardens.

I don't know officially, but I'm fairly certain the ones on the ride are fake. My reason for saying this is that I've never seen them with leaves on them, and I've been at different times of the year (They are said to have leaves, I think 3 months of the year). Conversely, there is a real one at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. It's just outside the Mara, the quick service restaurant. It's not as big, but I've seen it with leaves!

Those termite hills are fake too!

 

[pjb_hockey_mom]

This is really great - I just read all 23 pages.

I do have one, not sure how accurate it is. One of our bus drivers told us that Disneyland would fit in the Magic Kingdom's parking lot.

 

[quiltymom]

I do have one, not sure how accurate it is. One of our bus drivers told us that Disneyland would fit in the Magic Kingdom's parking lot.

We were told the same thing on our last trip.

And our bus driver told us one piece of trivia that is amazing - he was going to retire soon (he started when WDW opened), and he said that he had driven over 1,000,000 miles - all within Disney property!

Now there's a piece of trivia for you!

 

[klj27]

2) The people who handle the events such as the Wishes Cruise are also the people who maintain and staff the resort pools and, at various points throughout the day, they have to take sample readings of the water in each of the resorts pools. Well, anyway, our driver told us that he/she (don't wanna get our driver in trouble) would be happy to stay at any of the WDW resorts, excepting the All-Stars. When I asked why, he/she told us about the daily pool samples and said that it's routine for any single All-Star pool to have a higher urine reading than all of the other resort pools combined. Sheesh. He/she said it was because of the high concentration of families with children that stay there. He/she then said something to the effect of, "You know, you can only shock a pool so many times in a day before you kill someone..."

QUOTE]

I don't know of any pool test that would measure urine. . . That just seems pretty unlikely. Also unlikey would be my DS8 getting a staph infection in the Wilderness Lodge pool, but that happened last year.

 

[brady961]

When the park was being built, Walt wanted to figure out how close together to place the trash cans.
He got himself a hotdog and stood still. He figured place a trash here.
Then he walked as he ate the hot dog. When he finished the hot dog, there needed to be another trash can for the wrapper. That distance is how close the trash cans needed to be.
The last time I was in the world I thought about that story, it seems "extra" cans must have been added, or he ate really fast!

this may have already been stated as I haven't gone thru the entire thread. on the KTTK tour we were told Walt handed out wrapped candy to guests and watch to see how far they would go before dropping it on the ground if no trash can was available. the tour guide told us exactly how far trash cans are placed based on that but i can't remember the distance now.

have to wonder how some of the info gets out whether true or myth. so now which story is correct in how Walt decided how far and where trash cans should be placed before ppl would just drop their trash on the ground. ummmm

 

[jess98ac]

Here is one from me. In order for WDW to get city status, they had to have actual permanent residents. So, there are approx. 15 (not sure the exact number as I didn’t count them when I saw them) homes in a little neighborhood on property.

That makes sense...I read somewhere recently (really can't remember where) that Lake Buena Vista has a population of 15 or something like that, I thought it was a typo!

 

[Diz whiz]

I gotta subscribe I was on page 11 but can't read it all now... Thanks for great info!

 

[DisneyMama27]

If you haven't been following Dr. Mike's awesome columns, a great little book to pick up at MK is The Imagineering Field Guide to the Magic Kingdom - had to have my DH pick one up for me, and we love it! Some of my favorite tidbits:

The windows on Main Street are lower to the ground than authentic windows would be, in order for children to be able to see in them.

In the Frontierland Train Station props is a wooden leg labeled Smith, from the Mary Poppins tea party scene.

In the 2nd floor window on the side of the HOP, you can see Paul Revere's 2 lanterns.

At Cinderella's Golden Carousel, you can find Cinderella's horse - it has a golden ribbon on its tail. Also, all the horses are white because Walt wanted every child to get to be the hero/heroine!

For those that miss Mr. Toad, there is a picture of him in the Pooh ride. It's in Owl's house - he's handing Owl the deed to the ride!

And, though many of you don't like STitch's Great Escape, he is one of the most complex animatronics created.

According to the Imagineers, it's NOT a choc. chip cookie that you see on SM!

Anyway, I love all this - read the entire thread! And I highly recommend the book, as well as Dr.Mike's Mouse Matters column!

 

[DAKTOLCMM]

Lots has been posted in this thread regarding Swan and Dolphin. Lots o controversy!

The land is Disney property, the hotels are not. Tishman and Met Life are 50/50 owners (at least last I knew). Starwood is the property manager. Dolphin is a Sheraton, Swan is a Westin. Last I knew, the lease for the property was 30 million dollars a year. Chump change, really in the grand scheme of things (for both parties). The Dolphin has the third largest ballroom in the country. Both hotels together have roughly 1/2 million sq. ft of meeting space...They do conventions very well!

 

[micknpluto]

this is my new fav thread!
saweeet....

 

[KPeveler]

definitely love this thread! i learn so many things!

 

[disjointed]

This is an urban myth.

From oscar.com:

How the statuette got the nickname Oscar isn't clear. A popular story has been that Academy librarian and eventual executive director Margaret Herrick said that it resembled her Uncle Oscar. A reporter allegedly overheard her and helped brand the golden guy. In any case, by the sixth Awards Presentation in 1934, Hollywood columnist Sidney Skolsky used the name in his column in reference to Katharine Hepburn's first Best Actress win. The Academy itself didn't use the nickname officially until 1939.

I've also heard that it was named oscar because Marilyn Monroe said it looked like her boyfriend Oscar. Might be false though.

 

[disneyfan551]

I do have one, not sure how accurate it is. One of our bus drivers told us that Disneyland would fit in the Magic Kingdom's parking lot.

I do believe this is correct. They told us the same thing when I was in the College Program waaaay back when...

 

[quiltymom]

If you haven't been following Dr. Mike's awesome columns, a great little book to pick up at MK is The Imagineering Field Guide to the Magic Kingdom - had to have my DH pick one up for me, and we love it!

And I highly recommend the book, as well as Dr.Mike's Mouse Matters column!

Yup - me too!

I also purchased this after reading the column, and I also got a copy of the The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot, as well. When I was on Amazon I noticed that they were taking advanced sales for the book on Animal Kingdom (I think!).

 

[auntread]

This is a great thread!!! Some of these I knew, but I have learned quite a bit from reading these posts!! Keep it up!!

 

[MkUSmile78]

Hey Everyone! I just wanted to tell all of you how much I love this tread!

 

[tinkgurl]

I have one of those WDW Facts book...here's something interesting I found:

Spaceship Earth at EPCOT is 165 feet in diameter and could fit completely inside the tank in the Living Seas, which is 203 feet in diameter - if you removed the fish, water, and other contents!

Also, the crash test dummies in the queue area of Test Track are hit in the chest, struck on the knee, and have their necks bent 720 times per day!

 

[nicolita3]