Your best Disney fact or insider story...

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Well, I got a bunch off the internet over a year ago to make my mother and I each a "countdown chain"...only it's an adult version so instead of just plain paper rings like kids would use, our rings have trivia. I have 7 pages of it and so I'm not going to post it all here but I'll share a few and if you want me to email you the MS Word document, PM me!

Towering four stories over DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Dino-Sue is an exact replica of the largest Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered.

The replica of the Liberty Bell that can be found in the center of Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom was built from the same authentic cast as the original in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The “Spirits of America” statues in The American Adventure at EPCOT represent Adventure, Compassion, Discovery, Freedom, Heritage, Independence, Individualism, Innovation, Knowledge, Pioneering, Self-Reliance and Tomorrow.

The Swiss Family Treehouse in the Magic Kingdom is of the species Disneyodendron eximus or “Out-of-the-Ordinary Disney Tree.” It weighs 200 tons and is made of concrete and thousands of polyethylene leaves.

The “it’s a small world” ride in Fantasyland was first created for the 1964-65 New York World's Fair.

The “Liberty Tree” at the Magic Kingdom has 13 lanterns hung in its branches – one to represent each of the original 13 American Colonies.

Three of the original Adventure Land attractions that opened in 1971 are still operating—the Swiss Family Treehouse, Jungle Cruise, and the Enchanted Tiki Room—Under New Management.

Walt Disney World had to obtain approval from the U.S. Congress to place the Great Seal of the United States on the carpet in the Hall of Presidents.

A cowboy and an Indian are America’s representatives in WDW’s “It’s a Small World” attraction

I always wonder what the statues are in the American Adventure. Thanks!

 

[bojangleshatdance]

This thread has lured me out of the shadows, my lurking days are over and this thread is amazing.

Me too, I have been reading it all night and am going to make a countdown chain as someone somewhere on this suggested. Thank you everyone.

 

[jake&samsmom]

Subscribing

 

[bcrook]

This information has been great or entertaining guests on two different trips. Thanks everyone.

 

[marthachick]

I keep finding things to share with DH & DS. Thanks to all who have shared!

 

[bcrook]

This blog post is fantastic about the UK Pavillion in Epcot.

 

[bcrook]

The odd pink color of Tower of Terror is supposedly to make it blend with Morocco when viewed across WS lagoon from near Mexico.

Btw, I specifically looked for this. It is very cool how that works.

 

[LittleMissDisney]

Woo Hoo! I actually read all 20 pages and I am inspired! I will have to create a scavenger hunt, buy some books, take some notes etc. I will have to schedule a KTTK tour for sure. This will convince my BF that another trip to WDW in fall of 2014 will be truly different than the last one ... more attention to detail and less attention to getting every attraction in. (Although he was pretty impressed with my obsessive planning on that one.)

Thank you to all posters for adding such great information.

I love the idea of a scavenger hunt. I am going to make one for our next trip. My oldest (11) is really into the "behind the scenes" and hidden aspect of Disney since reading Kingdom Keepers. It's a surprise for them and a scavenger hunt will be a great add on for us.

 

[Josh Hendy]

According to Hidden Magic, feral cats roam the parks to keep the rodent population down. That is funny in the house of the mouse.

... very interesting ...

Never seen a feral cat at WDW but a few years ago when we were waiting for rope drop at Islands of Adventure, a cat wandered across the path in front of the "The Adventure Begins" archway. He sat down and gave the crowd a bored, disapproving look kinda like he was thinking, "I don't know what you people are doing here and I don't really give a d_mn." I didn't see where he went when we rushed in a few minutes later ... must've remembered something else that he had to do ...

 

[Silock]

When Walt died, he had the top half of his body buried under the castle in Disneyland, while the bottom half was buried under the one at the Magic Kingdom.

Spaceship Earth's design is based off of a powerplant conceived by Nikola Tesla. During thunderstorms, magnetic currents from the structure generate enough power to run Epcot for 3 months.

It's a Small World originally had different music. The ride was originally designed as a horror ride, complete with funhouse mirrors. The music was much slower, in a minor key, and all the dolls stared at the riders with dead, lifeless eyes. During its initial test run, a 9 year old boy fainted from fright and fell into the water. It was then deemed too scary and was changed to its current incarnation.

These are all true facts I just made up.

 

[agavegirl1]

I love the idea of a scavenger hunt. I am going to make one for our next trip. My oldest (11) is really into the "behind the scenes" and hidden aspect of Disney since reading Kingdom Keepers. It's a surprise for them and a scavenger hunt will be a great add on for us.

Gosh, I forgot about posting that. I am still planning it and it will be fun! Also planned: UnDISCOVERed Future World, Behind the Seeds, Richard Petty Driving Experience and Wild Africa Trek....gotta encourage the guy to come back in a few years...

 

[guppy1013]

When Walt died, he had the top half of his body buried under the castle in Disneyland, while the bottom half was buried under the one at the Magic Kingdom. Spaceship Earth's design is based off of a powerplant conceived by Nikola Tesla. During thunderstorms, magnetic currents from the structure generate enough power to run Epcot for 3 months. It's a Small World originally had different music. The ride was originally designed as a horror ride, complete with funhouse mirrors. The music was much slower, in a minor key, and all the dolls stared at the riders with dead, lifeless eyes. During its initial test run, a 9 year old boy fainted from fright and fell into the water. It was then deemed too scary and was changed to its current incarnation. These are all true facts I just made up.

Are you a regular contributor to Wikipedia?

 

[fabulousfive]

Love reading this thread! Enjoy your trip! Wish I had known lots of these magical facts before our last time there.

 

[Eastern]

This blog post is fantastic about the UK Pavillion in Epcot.

And he doesn't like the portion size at the UK Fish shop either!

 

[disneylovin24]

LOVE this thread.

Copy and pasted a lot of facts to have for my upcoming trip. Also ended up buying two books for my Kindle. Already have the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT Imagineer guides but for some reason I never got much out of them, maybe too much info in 1 place to absorb.

 

[ExBellhop]

The ride was originally designed as a horror ride, complete with funhouse mirrors. The music was much slower, in a minor key, and all the dolls stared at the riders with dead, lifeless eyes. During its initial test run, a 9 year old boy fainted from fright and fell into the water. It was then deemed too scary and was changed to its current incarnation.

It changed, except for the dead eyes.

Those stayed.

 

[Brewersprts]

Not really a secret but there is basically a no fly zone (it's called a temporary flight restriction or TFR but I am pretty sure it is permanent) over disney world. It extends 3 miles out from cinderella's castle and up to 3000ft.

I have heard that it was because of September 11th. I have also heard that it was because disney didn't want people flying around, making lots of noise and ruining everyone else's view of the castle, etc...

Also, a flight instructor/ commercial pilot friend of mine who got his commercial pilots license in Orlando told me that back when the Disney airport was still there, but closed, a pilot landed there and Disney made him disassemble the plane so it could be taken out on a truck. I think part of the runway can still be seen.

 

[bcrook]

Not really a secret but there is basically a no fly zone (it's called a temporary flight restriction or TFR but I am pretty sure it is permanent) over disney world. It extends 3 miles out from cinderella's castle and up to 3000ft.

I have heard that it was because of September 11th. I have also heard that it was because disney didn't want people flying around, making lots of noise and ruining everyone else's view of the castle, etc...

Also, a flight instructor/ commercial pilot friend of mine who got his commercial pilots license in Orlando told me that back when the Disney airport was still there, but closed, a pilot landed there and Disney made him disassemble the plane so it could be taken out on a truck. I think part of the runway can still be seen.

Those tyrants! That will be a fun story to tell while enjoying adult beverages in Epcot.

 

[molliewalks]

Not really a secret but there is basically a no fly zone (it's called a temporary flight restriction or TFR but I am pretty sure it is permanent) over disney world. It extends 3 miles out from cinderella's castle and up to 3000ft. I have heard that it was because of September 11th. I have also heard that it was because disney didn't want people flying around, making lots of noise and ruining everyone else's view of the castle, etc... Also, a flight instructor/ commercial pilot friend of mine who got his commercial pilots license in Orlando told me that back when the Disney airport was still there, but closed, a pilot landed there and Disney made him disassemble the plane so it could be taken out on a truck. I think part of the runway can still be seen.

When we were there in august, there was a small plane flying over Cinderella's castle spelling out smoke words. Was there for a good half hour.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[mesaboy2]

When we were there in august, there was a small plane flying over Cinderella's castle spelling out smoke words. Was there for a good half hour.

That guy is there all the time, and is I'm sure familiar with the flight restrictions. I bet what looked like "over Cinderella Castle" was in actuality much further away.