Best Secrets in Disneyland

[grumpymakesmehappy]

Thanks for all the great secrets. We will be making our first trip to DL in May. We've been to WDW many many times but never DL. We're so excited. I can't wait to look for all these secrets.

 

[Macy Bear]

We are going this thursday so we are cramming in a lot of Disney info right now and this is great! Thanks!!

 

[Rena75]

This isn't really a secret but I thought it was really sweet.

Walt used to say that he always wished he was a few inches taller. After he passed away and the statue of him with Mickey was made (that now stands in the hub), they made the statue a few inches taller than Walt really was to honor him and make his wish come true.

When I heard that, it made me go "AAAHHHHH"

 

[Macy Bear]

This isn't really a secret but I thought it was really sweet.

Walt used to say that he always wished he was a few inches taller. After he passed away and the statue of him with Mickey was made (that now stands in the hub), they made the statue a few inches taller than Walt really was to honor him and make his wish come true.

When I heard that, it made me go "AAAHHHHH"

Aww!! That is awesome.

 

[nunzia]

I don't think I saw this but apologize if I missed it. Although there are alot of names in the windows in Main Street (and a very good out of print about them,by Van Arsdale France,((if I spelled that right)) the man who started the Disney University), Walt's name is not there. It is, however, on a window in Toon Town. Walt is the only human allowed residence in ToonTown. So go find Walt's window in Toontown.

 

[Mrs. Bee]

Something else that's not really a secret per se, but still fun to do is go on many of the more "staple" attractions like the Haunted Mansion, Pirates, and Splash Mountain late at night, since that's when the more die hard fans usually ride. It creates a great feel of kinship (for lack of a better word) to go on a ride like HM where everyone there with you is reciting the Ghost Host's narration word for word. I know this, because I'm one of them
QUOTE]

Y'know...I actually find this annoying. I'm a diehard HM fan but I go there to hear the classic voice doing the classic spiel. It's like going to a movie and having the people next to you recite all the lines. Darn annoying. And if I was going on HM for the first time, this would drive me bonkers because for the most part, you can't understand what the crowd is shouting. And yes, this DID happen to me once at DL. I hated it.

I agree. Highly annoying. One great thing about our WDW trip last month was the lack of locals ruining all the rides...haha.

I know a way to get a free annual pass that never gets blocked out. You get 20% on everything except ODV.

hahaha, its a very cool secret...

Is it called....being a disneyland employee?

 

[audrabolster]

Something else that's not really a secret per se, but still fun to do is go on many of the more "staple" attractions like the Haunted Mansion, Pirates, and Splash Mountain late at night, since that's when the more die hard fans usually ride. It creates a great feel of kinship (for lack of a better word) to go on a ride like HM where everyone there with you is reciting the Ghost Host's narration word for word. I know this, because I'm one of them

Also try to find Maynard working at the Haunted Mansion and get a picture with him if you can. I tried, but missed out last time I went to DL.

I personally get really bummed out when people do this on the ride.

 

[hrhlaurie]

I like to re-visit the hidden mickeys and disney secrets website before each visit to Disneyland just to refresh my memory of the hidden mickeys I want to look for.

One of our favorite things is to look for natural mickeys like the ones formed by the cactus at the exit of BTMR. We nearly always see a hidden mickey in there made of cactus.

One of the best tips I ever got was last year when several from this site joined together to pay very little to get all of our park pictures on one cd. I really appreciate the person who organized this for June 2007 visitors because it allowed us to access those photos and customize them when I probably wouldn't have afforded that other wise. We love our pics and scrapping them with the captions made it really special.

 

[MunkyMe13]

Look for the crow in the Haunted Mansion. Originally he was going to be the host but it didn't work out so they used the ghost host idea. He is still in the ride tho.

 

[got2travel]

Where excactly is this at? ont the AIW side? Front entrance side?
Nemo side or where?

In the rocks/landscape area across from the front entrance.

As of my last trips (about one week ago) the Snow White apple no longer appears in its original spot, the Evil Queen still peeks out the window though, but now on a loop .

The Queen has always been on a loop. However, the apple triggered her cackle, which is still there. The apple itself is gone, but if you pass your hand over the storybook, you will hear it. At least it was still there in Nov.



In addition to Michael Eisner being the one who hits the golf ball at you. That ball has a hidden Mickey on it. Look fast or you'll miss it.

On Star Tours, at the very end when you are about to crash into the maintenance area, the man on the phone who ducks is George Lucas, creator of the Star Wars movies.

I've been blasted before for posting the location of the secret bathroom. If anyone really needs to know, just PM me.


Edited: Keep reading in the thread as the bathroom is discussed. If you still can't figure it out, then PM me and I'll explain more.

 

[Mrs. Bee]

In the rocks/landscape area across from the front entrance.






The Queen has always been on a loop. However, the apple triggered her cackle, which is still there. The apple itself is gone, but if you pass your hand over the storybook, you will hear it. At least it was still there in Nov.



In addition to Michael Eisner being the one who hits the golf ball at you. That ball has a hidden Mickey on it. Look fast or you'll miss it.

On Star Tours, at the very end when you are about to crash into the maintenance area, the man on the phone who ducks is George Lucas, creator of the Star Wars movies.

I've been blasted before for posting the location of the secret bathroom. If anyone really needs to know, just PM me.

Actually, I don't believe that's George Lucas. All of the people in the Star Tours video are people that helped make the ride.

And as I mentioned in the PM...the secret bathroom is not really secret. I'm pretty sure it's on the Disneyland maps.

 

[Albort]

Is it called....being a disneyland employee?

hahah, darn, i guess it isnt a secret then...

 

[Mrs. Bee]

If the "secret" bathroom you all keep mentioning is the one someone told me in a PM...it's no secret. I've been there a million times. And it's on the map.

http://www.themouseforless.com/tripplanning/images/resortmaps/DL_DL.gif

Not only is it not a secret...but it's usually fairly crowded. And there aren't very many stalls. It's also one of the dirtier bathrooms in the park.

 

[grumpymakesmehappy]

If the "secret" bathroom ou call keep mentioning is the one someone told me in a PM...it's no secret. I've been there a million times. And it's on the map.

http://www.themouseforless.com/tripplanning/images/resortmaps/DL_DL.gif

Not only is it not a secret...but it's usually fairly crowded. And there aren't very many stalls. It's also one of the dirtier bathrooms in the park.

Wow! There goes the fun in that secret.

 

[Lynzer Torte]

Wow! There goes the fun in that secret.

The link didn't work. Where is the bathroom?

 

[Mrs. Bee]

sorry, i just don't understand how a bathrooom that is on the disney map is considered a fun secret.

it's on main street about halfway down. personally, i think the bathroom way off to the edge of the park near autopia is more "secret" than that one.

 

[Mrs. Bee]

 

[jemilah]

wow I expected so much more ..........guess I will go look at it next trip now that is not so secret.
My favorite bathroom is the one near where I am when I have to go!

 

[Quest4fun]

There is only one bathroom that could be considered "secret" and it's not the one on Mainstreet. There is a bathroom in Aladdin's Oasis that is for the most part reserved for Storytime guests but you can easily go in for a showing, do your business, and leave before they're done. The downside is that you cannot enter until they permit guests to enter the attraction.

Here are some things that are actually closer to secrets since they're hard to find and not on any of the maps.

1. Indiana Jones - There is of course the Eyore parking lot sign up on the scaffolding in the projector room. There is also a skeleton wearing mouse ears near the beginning of the ride though you need to look to the left and back to see him since you go by him pretty quick. There is also a very well hidden skeleton in the queue area. It's near the drinking fountain idol. After you pass it look through the crack in the wall to the left and you'll see a skeleton behind a jug. Not really a "secret" but I just found him recently and was pretty excited.

2. Disney cats and other wild animals - I'm sure most people have seen the cats roaming around the park. They're usually over by the hungry bear restaurant since there are a lot of mice over there to hunt. Not the most "Disney" thing in the world but still interesting. There is also a large opossum that lives in the bushes behind the swing dancing stage. The best way to spot the chubby guy is to wait on the bench until just before the fireworks start. He scampers across the path to a "safer" area.

3. Old Swing Dancing Couple - Again, not really a secret. There is an elderly couple who wear matching outfits and can be seen during the warm summer months dancing the night away. They have their own dance which I only assume is to protect their plastic hips though the lady moves hers with quite a bit of grace. I don't know their names but they're usually the highlight of a summer trip to the park. I hope they're still alive.

4. Maynard - Like Albort but way more entertaining. He's less frequent in the park but you can still spot him here and there. He's at his best on the Haunted Mansion but he's always "on" no matter where you spot him.

That's about it for my favorite park "secrets" though there are many. AP holders have pretty much uncovered everything which makes it hard to find anything new or fascinating. For the first or second timer though, there is a lot to see. Look around corners whenever possible. You'll be surprised at what you find.

 

[DevilDuckie]

This is a secret that has been dismantled but not that many years ago, there was a plain looking door on the castle wall near the oft mentioned wishing well that would lead you into the castle for a tour of displays all set to eerie lighting similar to the affect in the sleeping beauty film. My wife has told me about her discovering this as a child and how disappointed she was to find it had be torn out to make room for fire works storage.

.

This wasn't a secret, it was an attraction- one of my favorites. The good news is that one of the dioramas has a new home in a shop window on Main Street.