Best little known tips?

TinkSassy

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jan 16, 2009
Messages
1,111
Our trip itinerary is almost complete - just trying to fit in a few more things, like Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, Pirate's Lair, etc.

I've got the basics for DL (thanks to everyone here, HydoGuy's tips, and a subscription to RideMax). But as a WDW regular I know it's the little things that create the pixie dust :wizard:

What is your one tip that you think no one else knows?

For example - mine for WDW is the water pageant. Very few pay attention to it, but it's fun to watch from the bus area at MK closing while the lines clear.
 
I like to get a meal at Rancho Zacola and take it to the Billy Hill Show and eat in Walt's box on the right hand side. Turkey legs are great but you need to make a bathroom run or bring lots of wet wipes. The Rancho has healthier food like grilled veggies or beans and rice for example.

Take the train as it leaves at rope drop and you save the walking.

A great place to view fireworks is from the top floor balconey of Innoventions.

The porch on Main Street once was a ladies' undergarment shop that closed in 1956. Hollywood-Maxwell. Check out the windows and you can find online a lot of trivia like where was the other place that had booze back in the first decade of DL.
 
I know others know of this but if you haven't heard it . . . counter service restaurants will give you cups of ice water for free.
 
Watch the window above Snow White's Scary Adventure. The curtains open and you can see the evil queen.
 

While in New Orlean's Square, make sure you take the time to go down the little alley ways & see what's tucked back there...you'll even be able to spot the "33" sign on the entrance to the famous Club 33.....the numbers are the only markings for this place. (fabulous little shops hidden away...worth a look)
 
On Main Street, go the the little alcove where the Dentist's office window is see up above and just listen.

Have a great trip!
 
I know others know of this but if you haven't heard it . . . counter service restaurants will give you cups of ice water for free.

Better yet buy a water bottle and you can fill it up in several CS locations with cold water. I love this because I have a really nice NBC one I love, it's easier to have a bottle and its more enviromental. I also see how much water I am actually getting at the park!

I agree with checking out the windows, lots of history there! At coke corner Alice plays musical chairs at 2:30. Walk through the castle over the real working drawbridge (it has been lowered twice in DL's history), go see the Sleeping Beauty display inside the castle. Make a wish in the Snow White wishing well next to the castle. There are so much more but these are some of the most magical ones that are unique to DL.
 
When boarding Mark Twain, ask if you can help pilot the boat. My daughter did it on our last trip - she was able to ring the bell, ask a bunch of questions, sign a book where all visiting pilots signed, and received a certificate. She also asked to ride tinder on the train. These were nice additions to the trip.
 
#1 : The cherry coke you get in Coke Corner on Main Street uses a cherry syrup that is only available in Disneyland. Coke made the syrup especially for just Disneyland. You can not get this type of cherry coke anywhere else outside Disney.

#2 : If you catch the train at the NOS depot you will hear the sound effects of a morse code telegraph machine tapping away in the building across the tracks. The tapping sound is actually Walt Disney's opening day speech.
 
When boarding Mark Twain, ask if you can help pilot the boat. My daughter did it on our last trip - she was able to ring the bell, ask a bunch of questions, sign a book where all visiting pilots signed, and received a certificate. She also asked to ride tinder on the train. These were nice additions to the trip.

Sorry, can I ask a quick question about this?? Who did she/you ask to get to do this?? The CM that opens the little gate thing or do you run up to the pilot??? Thanks!!!
 
Go to the Market place on Main Street and listen to the party line telephones.
 
All my info I have learned here on the Dis (check out my tag ;), so obviously my info would not be classified as secrets. But what I have made note of is..
Musical Chairs with Alice
Curtains at Snow White
make ressies at Wine Country pattio seatting- although not a great view of the parade, will entertain the kids while you and DH/DW get to enjoy your dinner
If you are in line for a ride at closing time, you get to stay in line and ride even if beyond closing time.
Mimis eclub- signing up entitles you to one free breakfast (15 day or so window from signup date)
Jedi Training Acedemy- Signs and bright/unique clothing work
Monarail- I think you can ask to sit up front with the driver--dont quote me on this one, I remeber reading this, but cant find it in my notes
 
I like to get a meal at Rancho Zacola and take it to the Billy Hill Show and eat in Walt's box on the right hand side. Turkey legs are great but you need to make a bathroom run or bring lots of wet wipes. The Rancho has healthier food like grilled veggies or beans and rice for example.

Take the train as it leaves at rope drop and you save the walking.

A great place to view fireworks is from the top floor balconey of Innoventions.

The porch on Main Street once was a ladies' undergarment shop that closed in 1956. Hollywood-Maxwell. Check out the windows and you can find online a lot of trivia like where was the other place that had booze back in the first decade of DL.

I love this one.
 
Touch the apple out front of the Snow White ride.

I know they used to give out maps if you asked for them on the Jungle Cruise..not sure if they still do that? :confused3
 
On the Holliday and Ripley they used to let one person ride in the tender up front.

Monorail does not allow rear cab seating but you can have up to 4 guests up in the front cab. This may not happen if they are training someone or testing stuff.

In the baby center there is supposed to be a photo of Walt Disney as a baby.

Walk into the castle from the moat. Look down and you will see a round spot on the ground where a surveyor's mark is located. Stand on it and spread your arms wide and spin around while seeing all of the park. You are at the center of Disneyland in 1955.

At one time the ears on Dumbo were hinged and meant to be controlled by guests so they would flap. That flapped, oops, flopped.

http://www.laughingplace.com/Info-ID-DL-Windows.asp
http://davelandweb.com/mainstreet/windows.html
I would print that or another list like it and walk down Main Street to do your own history tour.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves were a gift to Disneyland by the maker and are the same size, lol. It is at the wishing well.

Tomorrowland has landscaping that is what the future should be like. There are many citrus trees as you walk along Main Street near the entrance to Tomorrowland and veggies and other edible plants growing all over Tomorrowland. They should not be eaten but people do taste or even eat the landscaping.

There are three tracks at Indiana Jones. You come to a wall with one real door and 3 fakes. The real door lines up with the track you are going on. Ride and take notes that you do not always make a right turn at the doors, lol.

The background music and trash cans are designed to match each area they are in.

I do not know if they still have this but at the Mad Hatter you look in the mirror and the Cheshire Cat Appears. The used to have on the wall Who R U which to me looked like Who..:lmao:

Disney is famous for saving everything and reusing a lot of stuff. In the Monorail you use to be able to see the motor boats behind Guest Services area on the west site and other stored stuff. America Sings had its stuff moved to Splash Mountain. Stuff form Horizons in WDW was supposedly used in DLR. The pipe organ in Haunted Mansion was a movie prop from 20,000 leagues Under the Sea. Rumour has it that Star Tours is loaded with scrapped DLR stuff posing as space junk.

If you look carefully you will find bullet holes in the glass in the diorama on the train. Those are real animals are taxidermy and some automatronics.
 

Sorry, but the gold spike is NOT the center of original Disneyland. That is a myth that has been perpetuated for a long time, even by Cast Members. But it has been debunked by several sources. It is just a engineering survey marker, you will find others throughout Disneyland.



Here's a thread we've had going for a few years with many secrets.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=989311
 
You can actually seat 2 people behind the engineers on the Ripley (one of the trains). You can only ask to ride in this seat at the Main Street Station and have to do a round trip of the park. This is because they "don't have a place for you to safely get off". (Of course, those of us who have ridden trains since birth know that it's just a guest safety policy.)

Get the English Toffee at the Candy Palace on Saturday. Make sure you ask for the ones that just got packaged.

Go to Big Thunder Ranch to pet the goats. Very fun.

To pilot the Riverboat, just ask the CM who is manning the Queue area. They will then talk to the pilot. They are the ones who know who has asked and not.
 
Our trip itinerary is almost complete - just trying to fit in a few more things, like Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, Pirate's Lair, etc.

I've got the basics for DL (thanks to everyone here, HydoGuy's tips, and a subscription to RideMax). But as a WDW regular I know it's the little things that create the pixie dust :wizard:

What is your one tip that you think no one else knows?

For example - mine for WDW is the water pageant. Very few pay attention to it, but it's fun to watch from the bus area at MK closing while the lines clear.

(how old are the kids?)


- Ride BOTH sides of the Matterhorn during MM....first one & then the other...& say HI to Harold when he growls.

- If you have kids, give the canoes a try. It's rarely talked about here, but DS 9 & I had a great time taking the canoe on the River of America.

- Have a late breakfast at the Carnation (we like mickey waffles & the granola parfait) & say hi to Oscar.

- Spend an hour on a busy but pretty afternoon at the "Trat" having a beverage & watching the world walk by.

- If not on the "top" row (row A) of Soarin'.....tell the CM that you'll wait for the next ride (worth waiting the extra 5 min.):thumbsup2

- Do the Screamin' two step (if you have young kids). Ride Screamin' multiple times by utilizing the singles line & the King Triton's carousel next door. (adults trade off riding Screamin' while the kids ride Triton's multiple times). :thumbsup2


I'd tell you the super secret best way to purchase a dole whip....but if i did, I'd be banished from the boards, since it's a super secret. ;)
 

New Posts



Receive up to $1,000 in Onboard Credit and a Gift Basket!
That’s right — when you book your Disney Cruise with Dreams Unlimited Travel, you’ll receive incredible shipboard credits to spend during your vacation!
CLICK HERE









DIS Facebook DIS youtube DIS Instagram DIS Pinterest DIS Tiktok DIS Twitter DIS Bluesky

Back
Top Bottom