Disney's Best Kept Secrets (Posted)

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any town would have. A garage, a gas pump, a radio station, at least one farm, a farmers.
market, and homes (that Mickey and Minnie live in.). The first structure on your left is

Pete's Garage (home to the Toontown public restrooms). On your right, you'll notice a
small shack, home of W A C K-Y radio. (While you are inside Minnie's house be sure to
listen to the radio in her living room. It is tuned in to W A C K-Y radio.) Next, you enter
Goofy's barnstormer. As you enter the turnstiles, look up at the fans. On the wall to
the left, do you see an outline of Goofy's face and hat? What is next to the "chicken
exit?” As you leave the building, can you find a tribute to the Main Street Light Parade?
It was coming back to Walt Disney World for an encore presentation. Just around the
corner, you'll find one of Goofy's plants, POPcorn on the cob! Don't miss the scarecrow
in Goofy's garden or the bell pepper "clappers" he is growing or the summer squash (some
'er not). Early in the morning, you can hear all kinds of fun great sounds--farm animals,
crop dusting engines etc., a countryside theme, a farm area, etc.. Where else would you
expect to find the farmers. market? This is the Florida countryside. When you go inside
the farmers market, you'll see crates and bags of Florida citrus product. A nice tribute
to the lands of Florida that have been built over. (4) If you go to Mickey.s Toon Town
entrance, near the tea cups just before it opens at 10 a.m., you'll get an escort by several
Disney characters to take you in. (5) The life-like chickens, who for years covered the
road in the famous car crash scene of the mourned "World of Motion," have found a new
home at Mickey's Toontown Fair.

Winnie the Pooh—(1) Deed being handed off in Owl's House. (2) HM on the wall to the
right (FastPass side) where the FastPass line meets the regular line. (3) On the floor of
the Pooh ride, on the right in Owl's house, there is a picture of Pooh and Moley from Mr.
Toad (look to your left as you enter owl's house--a framed picture on the wall, just inside
the doors). (4) 100 Acre Woods playground--go inside the tree and look above the door
facing the Pooh ride, there is a HM in the rocks.

Wishes— (1) View from the walkway to Tomorrowland.

EPCOT—General—(1) The sidewalks twinkle at night. Take the right-hand path after
the Epcot ball. You'll come upon them. Absolutely magical. And the fireflies in the
trees! (2) The distance around the World Showcase, from China to Canada, is 1.2.5 miles.
(3) World Showcase park entrance--we found the upside down classic Mickey in the
clock. (4) The concrete paths around the lagoon are red to make the grass appear
greener. (5) A great, uncrowded place to visit characters is the bench near the rail past
the International Gateway. It's on your right if you're coming form the BC. It might be
across from that first clothing store when you get in. (6) There is a butterfly garden
behind Mouse Gears. (7) Enter EPCOT for FREE! If you're anywhere near the
International Gateway around 9pm, the CMs will open the gates and allow you in to watch
Illuminations. This is a great way to start your trip with some extra magic, especially if
you're staying at one of the Boardwalk area resorts and had an afternoon or evening
arrival.

 

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African Outpost—(1) Open the lids of the crates and see what happens. (2) If you are
over near China/African Outpost in the early afternoon, the drawbridge goes up and you
can watch them bring out the launching islands for Illuminations. It's a bit of a wait as
the drawbridge is open, so traffic stops and you can't cross the bridge until they finish.

American Pavilion--(1) View the American Flag that was taken from the rubble of
9/11/2001. It will put a lump in your throat and a tear in your eye. (2) When you go to
see the show, you will have to go up to what seems to be the second floor. The reason
for this is that all of the different platforms with the Presidents on them are actually
stored under the seats that you are sitting on. They come sliding out as they are needed
and then go back under when they are finished. (3) The building that the American
Adventure is in is really 5 stories, but has tall doors and windows to make it look like it is
only 3 stories. It's hard to tell, but have one person go stand by the door to the gift
shop, and you'll be able to tell that the opening is about 12 feet high! (4) Was designed
using "forced perspective" (same as the castle in MK) because Imagineers discovered
that a building from that time period would have been too small to be seen across World
Showcase Lagoon. (5) In the American Pavilion, there are paintings along the front wall.
One of the first ones opens to reveal an elevator. (6) The colonial soldiers come out with
the flag, and they have a small band and there is a drummer boy. They do a little
ceremony of sorts. (7) Most of furniture and props are real antiques. In the opening
scene, there is a teapot behind Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain that says "No Stamp
Act" on it -- a real antique. (8) The pictures on the walls of the American Adventure
were all painted by various Disney artists. One picture in particular is an optical illusion.
The picture hangs in the corner to the left as you first enter the rotunda. It is a picture
of a B-17 bomber from back in World War II. In front of the picture is a grey strip of
tiles on the floor. If you stand on the gray tiles and walk back and forth, the plane seems
to swivel to follow you. (9) Take your younger kids (toddler through elementary school)
to see the Fife and Drum Corp at the American pavilion. During the show, the kids all get
to go up with the corps and lead the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Canada—(1) In Canada, at Epcot's World Showcase, there is a huge "rock" at the Kodak
picture spot. Before IllumiNations-Reflections of Earth begin, the top of the "rock" will
open, and sound and lighting equipment for IllumiNations will come out. I was standing
right by the "rock" when it happened and was amazed at what I was seeing! (2) There
was a walking trail in Canada, with an old abandoned mine and waterfalls? I knew of the
one on the way to see that movie, O'Canada, but supposedly, there is another one--a real
walking trail to show you the landscape of Canada. (3) The waterfall was put there
because the sound of the water masks the fact that there is a huge generator directly
behind it. (4) There is a building in Canada that is only 3 stories high, but has 5 rows of
windows to make it look taller. (5) Do you know how many of the three totem poles are
real? One--There are two on your right and one on your left. The one on your left is a
700# cedar totem pole. Two have two distinct markings that show they are two large
pieces of fiberglass stacked on top of each other. The 30-foot "real" totem pole raised

 

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there in April 1998 is carved by a renowned Tsimshian Indian carver, David Boxley. The
totem pole is three stories of Raven, a traditional story amongst Northwest Coastal
Indians. The top of the pole depicts the story of Raven tricking the Chief of the Skies
to release the sun, moon, & stars from a carved cedar chest (box). (6) The trees in
Canada are replaced when they grow too big! (7) Also, the plants at Canada change with
the seasons, not to correspond with Buchart Gardens but to simulate the seasons in
Canada. White in winter, gold and red in autumn, etc. They can't correspond to Buchart
Gardens because the weather in Disney is different than on Vancouver Island. However,
the flower gardens there represent Buchart Gardens.

China—(1) The temple in China is acoustically perfect--if you stand exactly in the middle
of the room, your voice will echo back to you. (2) You can purchase a fan, and they will
personalize it for free. They write the name in Chinese. The fan is very inexpensive,
around $4. (3) Pathways narrow to help create the feeling of crowded streets and lots
of people.

Club Kool—(1) When you go into the Coke station, get a little of the "Italy-Beverly"
flavor and act like you are drinking it; then tell everyone how delicious it is. They will all
take a big gulp and gag!!! It is disgusting! (2) Used to be called Ice Station Cool, but now
it's "Club Cool." If you are walking towards the WS from FW, it is on the right-hand side
of the large fountain. If you walk past the fountain, you have gone too far.

England—(1) The Rose and Crown pub in the United Kingdom sells more Guinness beer
annually than any other establishment in the entire world (not just Disney World). (2) A
great sign about butterflies is in England. It starts off as very informative, and then
goes on to become quite hilarious. It is in the gardens by the thatch-roofed cottage.
(3) There is a section in England where you can look up your family name and get
information about it. Names in the book are from ALL countries, not just England
ancestry. There is a book to look up your name then they will pull up info in their
computer, and you can see your family crest and family name history. They have all sorts
of things that you can buy like mugs, shirts, plaques, etc. (4) The Twining Tea Shop in
England was modeled after William Shakespeare's home.

France—(1) The Eiffel tower is the only "carrot" in the WS--the only thing that cannot
be reached by the general public. (2) Since the Eiffel Tower in France isn.t full scale, it.s
coated with a sticky substance so birds won.t perch on it and spoil the illusion. (3) Be
sure to find Belle's library. If you're searching for Belle and Beast, you're almost sure
to walk through, but even if you're not, browse the shops and you'll find yourself there
as well. There are countless references to classic Disney tales. Shelves are lined with
favorite stories and knickknacks like gargoyles from Hunchback and the rose from
Beauty and the Beast. There's also a beautiful stained-glass window, just like the
mosaics during the prologue of B&TB. (4) Between France and Morocco, you'll notice that
there is a section of pavement that looks different. This is supposed to symbolize the
Straits of Gibraltar. (5) France is the only place in the US that you can buy a special line

 

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of perfume. There are a limited number of bottles. (6) Sometimes there is a Beauty and
the Beast character "show" between the fountain and the perfume shop. A lot of folks
will sit on the edge of the fountain as well as the benches nearby to watch this particular
show. (7) There is a door that says "Door Must Be Kept Closed" or some reasonable
facsimile. If you open it, you'll see the Eiffel Tower from almost directly below and a
service road.

Futureworld—(1) Check out the Jammitors.

Germany—(1) Being in Germany at the top of the hour. At the courtyard in Germany if
you look up towards the back there is a clock. If you are there around the hour, it will
ring, and a German boy and girl will come out (they are made out of wood, they are not
real) and twirl around. Sometimes the clock is a little off on the time, and you have to
wait a few minutes. (2) While you're looking at the train set in Germany, look at the
church on the side of the bridge closer to the lagoon. Over the doorway are, I think, 4
(four) HMs. They are Mickey hats. (3) Also in the train set—On the side of the bridge
farthest from the lagoon, in the brownish-colored castle, on the right side in the
farthest window is a hidden Mickey. It looks like one of the little rubber ones you can
buy. He is dressed up in his suit and is just standing there in the window. (4) If you go
into Germany on the right side, walk straight to the back wall (through the tables and
chairs) and knock on the wall. There is a big mural on it. You will get a hollow sound. It is
a plywood wall that covers the area that was in the original plans for the pavilion,
supposed to be the entrance to the Rhine river boat ride, which never panned out for
whatever reason. (5) A Rhine River attraction was originally planned for the Germany
pavilion. A building was even built for it, but the attraction was never constructed. A
pair of massive wooden doors at the rear of the outdoor cafe is the only indication of the
show building behind the stone castle wall. (6) The pickle tree in Germany! Not a secret
but very cool tradition that our family started after reading about the "pickle" ornament.

Innoventions—(1) Innoventions West, at the IBM exhibit, you can email pictures of
yourself. (2) Innoventions East the ten-second video clip you can email. (3) Look for the
solar-powered lawnmowers at EPCOT.

International Gateway— (1) When you are crossing that little bridge to France you are
symbolically crossing "the English Channel.” (2) At the International Gateway, near
France, on the bridge in the lagoon area, there's a bicycle sitting on the land near the
water with an artist's canvas next to it. The painting there looks finished, too. It took
me a long time to see that Disney detail; it's easily missed.

Italy—(1) If you wander around behind the shops (where the fountains are), look around
for little red press-buttons that say "press for a surprise" (or something to that affect).
If you press the button, water squirts from a different location. It.s always fun to see
where the water comes from when you do it, and then, wait for an unsuspecting person to
walk by. They can't ever figure it out. (2) In Italy, when you are walking towards the

 

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pavilion, you have the shop with the clothes on the left. OK, that building, the columns
have little men, maybe monks (?) carved into them, a little overhead level. I am not 100%
if I am right on the EXACT location, but there is the corner column, then either the next
one or the one after that (so either the second or third from the end of the corner of
the WS walkway and the one leading into Italy), one of the men is actually holding a
bowling ball. All of the figures seem to be holding something round, but only one has a
bowling ball. I had to have a CM taller than me point it out, as I was too short and could
only feel it with my fingers. The CM told me one of the architects was a bowler and
wanted to leave that in the building. (3) Located in the central plaza of the Italy pavilion,
known as the "Plaza del Teatro," you can find the "Fontana de Nettuno." This fountain
contains the image of Neptune, the God of the Sea, and was inspired by Gian Lorenzo
Bernini's Fountain of Trevi, located in Rome, Italy. The original famous fountain is often
recognized as having been seen in Federico Fellini's classic film, "La Dolce Vita."

Japan—(1) The Japanese pagoda has 5 stories and each symbolizes something. They are
in ascending order, which represent the elements from which Buddhists believe all things
in the universe are created: earth, water, fire, wind, and sky. (2) Upside down classic
Mickeys in gold bells. (3) The statue to the right as you enter Japan was a gift from the
government of Japan when MK opened and was moved to Epcot when it opened. (4) Find
out the times Miyuki makes animals out of candy. She will give them (for free) to some
of the children in the group standing there. It is amazing to watch her do this. (5) I
don't know if this counts as a secret or not, but our family LOVES the Kaki-Goris in
Japan! They are Japanese ices, and they are soooo good...perfect treat for a hot day (and
any day, for that matter). The stand is located right next to the big Pagoda on the left
(if you're facing away from the lagoon).

Mexico—(1) There are relief carvings on the sides of the pyramid in Mexico. They were
added later after they realized that small children liked to climb those little steps!
(2) Free pictures-in the far corner of the Kidcot area. It makes it look like you are
sending a postcard from Mexico. (3) The temple in Mexico was built to look like a Mayan
pyramid

Mission: Space—(1) In the gift store, look at the ceiling. Double Hidden Mickey. I
think I can make out both a classic and a profile hidden Mickey in the same scene.
(2) When you are in the gift shop of Mission Space, look at the walls. It looks like
electrical boxes and wiring. Some of these boxes are Mickeys heads. (3) If you can peel
your head forward while on Mission Space, try all the knobs...they ALL work! Some make
noises within the cabin, others flash lights, but the different switches, etc. are there for
more than decorations! (4) If you DO start flipping all of the switches and turning the
dials and stuff, "Lt. Dan" comes over your speaker and tells you not to touch them.
(5) The Horizons logo is dead center in the middle of the spinning space station in Mission
Space. A tribute to the attraction that was demolished in order to make way for Mission
Space.

 

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Morocco—(1) All the tiles and carvings in Morocco were hand made and none depict life.
(2) When they light up all the countries in Epcot as part of Illuminations, they do not
light up the temple in Morocco as this would violate their religious beliefs. (3) You can
take a guided tour of Morocco. Times vary, there is no charge, and it is about 20 min, if
I remember correctly. It was run out of the tourism office room (now Tangere Cafe). I
would just ask a CM at Markesh kiosk. It really is worth the time. "The Treasures of
Morocco" tour is 45 minutes, and it is free but you have to sign up at the pavilion in
advance (same day) and the tours do fill. (4) Across from Morocco there is an aqua-duct.
Most people walk by. They grow vegetables and plants there. It is really neat to look at.
(5) When they were asked to join WS, the King was so excited and thrilled that they had
been asked. He sent his own men over there to build it and totally paid for the
construction. It did not cost Disney anything to build. (6) There is a "gold" prayer room
in Morocco that was included for the CM and is open to the public. (7) When walking
through Morocco, take a look at all of the mosaic tile artwork on the walls. You will
notice that each mosaic has at least one cracked/flawed tile in it. This is because these
mosaics were created by Moroccan artisans in a unique arrangement with the Moroccan
government and Disney, as mentioned before. The Moroccan people worship Allah and
believe that only Allah can create something that is "perfect," so every mosaic was
purposely flawed!

Norway—(1) The roof has grass growing on it! Horticulture CMs get up on the roof and
trim the grass with clippers since they don.t seem to have a goat to keep up there as they
do in Norway. (2) There is a secret on the Viking Ship Ride. As you are waiting to aboard
your ship, look closely at the painting on the wall of the Viking Ship, and you will find
Mickey on the ship. (3) There is a talking bench to the right of the theater doors.
(4) Rice cream and cloud horns to die for. (5) The Stave Church is a replica of the
famous Gol Stave Church in Norway, although smaller in scale than the original. The
original Gol Stave Church dates to the early 1200s and is at the Norsk Folke Museum
near Oslo, Norway. There are 28 similar churches still existing in Norway. These 600-
year old buildings are the oldest wooden structures in the world today. They may not last
for long. People claiming to be pagans have set fire to some of these amazing old
churches in recent years.

The Seas w/Nemo & Friends— (1) In Epcot at Sea Base Alfa, look at the beams inside.
You will see a bunch of letters and numbers. The people who worked on building it wanted
to leave something, so the letters and numbers mean something special to each one who
worked on the building (2) When you leave notice the overhang coming out is very large.
That is to give you eyes time to get readjusted to the sunlight. (3) The Living Seas
Pavilion measures 203. in diameter, 27. deep, and contains 5.7 million gallons of salt water.
The Aquarium is so large that Spaceship Earth (160. in diameter) would fit inside with
room to spare. (4) A standard swimming pool holds 20,000 gallons of water. One inch of
water from the surface here can fill a standard swimming pool. (5) Nearly two tons of
food is produced each week for the inhabitants of the Seas. The dolphins dine on herring
and capelin; the West Indian manatees eat lettuce, carrots, sprouts, and fruit. Animal

 

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nutritionists at The Seas manufacture the coral out of dental plaster, mixing in ground
fish and other food in the process. Divers place about a dozen of these out each day, and
the parrotfish and other coral crunchers eat them up. (6) If you dine at Coral Reef, call
and request a FREE personalized diver sign and menu! (7) The windows in the Coral Reef
restaurant in the Living Seas are 18. high, 8” thick, and are made of acrylic.

Soarin’ —Look for the HM in the golf ball and fireworks.

Spaceship Earth—(1) In Spaceship Earth, there is a scene with a monk sleeping on a book
he is writing. There is a HM in the book as well as names of the Imagineers. (2) The
entrance to Spaceship Earth with the two shops actually created a Wind tunnel, and they
had to make adjustments after it was built. Still gets windy down there. (3) There is a
lift machine at the top of Spaceship earth. It is in the room where the moon is shown
and the vehicle turns backwards to go down. It is used to get Mickey through a hatch
and on top of the attraction for commercials. (4) When you're coming up to the scene
where the artist is painting, look on the wooden table to the left (right there along the
wall). There is a Mickey painted there. I also heard there was a Mickey formed out of
stars in that ride but I have never been able to find it. Anyone know if that's true?
(5) In the scene of "The Renaissance," there is a little table to the left of the scene.
This is where the painter keeps some of his supplies. There is a HM made from paint
rings, like the painter set his cup down three times and it coincidentally made that
certain shape! (6) There are two figures that used to be in the Hall of Presidents: the
sleeping monk used to be Woodrow Wilson & the large bald slave in the Egyptian scene
was William Taft.

Test Track—(1) Test Track vehicles have three on-board computers that have more
processing power than the space shuttle. (2) Test Track is the fastest ride in WDW, at
65 mph. (3) When you leave Test Track, you walk into a room that looks like a factory
with lots of motorized carts overhead moving around and conveyer belts moving parts. It
looks like a HUGE room, but if you walk over to the wall on the right side and stand at the
right angle, you can see that the room is actually pretty small and that they use mirrors
to give the illusion that you're standing in a section of a huge warehouse/factory!

The Land—(1) The address on the mail box in front of the farm house has 82 or
1982 on it. The Park opened in 1982. (2) Watch for the lab set up on the right near
the end of the ride. There is a bunch of green test tubes in the shape of Mickeys head
in the test tube holder on the far right. (3) You can make cookies in the Nestle Junior
Chef Program at the yellow bakery storefront near the Sunshine Season Food Pavilion.
Kids ages 3-10 can help make a batch of cookies. They get a chef hat, a bag of chocolate
chips, & 2 cookies for free! No registration. First come, 1st serve, 1/2 hr long. (4) Did
you know that the 134'-long mural at the Land is made up of over 150,000 tiles? They
represent the layers of the Earth's soil. Both sides of the mural are EXACTLY alike
EXCEPT for one green tile on the right-hand mural which was placed there by the artist
as her "signature." (5) The Garden Grill rotates faster at breakfast than at dinner

 

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because we spend LESS time eating breakfast. (Disney wants its guests to experience an
entire revolution during a meal.) (They don.t serve breakfast anymore!) (6) The buffalo
and prairie dogs were originally conceived to be part of a ride called Western River
Expedition that was going to be put at WDW instead of Pirates. The ride never made it
to fruition but traces of its inspiration can be seen in several parks!

United Kingdom—(1) When approaching the UK from Canadian side, the first thing you
come up to is the Rose and Crown on your left. When the Imagineers visited the UK, they
determined there were three types of pubs (Public Houses). All three styles are
reflected in the outside architecture of Rose and Crown. One facade is the one you can
see from the water side or Canada side, one facade is the entrance into the pub itself,
and the third is for the fish and chips window. The name Rose and Crown was chosen
because after their study of the four countries, it was determined that the word "Rose"
and the word "Crown" were the two most popular words contained in the naming of Pubs.
(2) As you look in front of you and to your right, you will see a line of shops. The first is
a tea shop. It.s outside and inside architecture represents UK in the 1600s--thatched
roof, huge hearth inside low ceilings, and dark lighting even the style floor. The next
shop represents the 1700s and has a sign out front that says Est. 1702. It has higher
ceilings and basic wrought iron lighting fixtures. If you look at it from the outside, you
can see the cantilever build. That served two purposes-the first was a legal form of tax
evasion. Subjects were taxed on the square footage of the downstairs. Second and even
more visual was what they threw out the upstairs windows into the drains that ran down
the center of the streets. Just another reason gentlemen walked nearer the road and
wore large brimmed hats while ladies walked very near the bldgs. The next building is
1800s neoclassical. See the window styles and even how ornate the window coverings and
lighting are? Look up at the ceiling and how it is painted. As you exit that shop, look to
your right. There is a whole other building over there, and it is in the same 1800s time
frame to stay in sync. Look at the rooftops. See the Mary Poppins style chimneys?
(3) You should now be looking out over the garden area (intended to represent Hyde
Park). If you look to your left, you will see a typical shrubbery maze. Only it is short
hedges so children don't get lost. The British Invasion performs in the gazebo right in
the middle of the maze! (4) If you come on around using the path rather than the road,
you will see a not-a-Garden or more accurately a Knot-a-garden. It represents the local
apothecary. The hedges are grown a foot or so high in the shape of a knot, and each
"section" of the garden had a different herb planted in it. (5) On that path back on the
road to the international gateway was the butterfly box and garden. Disney has plants
that butterflies are naturally attracted to. When the butterflies spin their baby
cocoons, horticulture takes the cocoon and places it in this protective box. It has a top
and four sides but no bottom. As the butterfly hatches, it simply flies out the bottom of
the box. As the plants it is attracted to are right there, they tend to never leave the
British Butterfly Garden. (6) There is a section in England where you can look up your
family name and get information about it. Names in the book are from ALL countries, not
just England ancestry. There is a book to look up your name; then, they will pull up info in
their computer and you can see your family crest and family name history. They have all

 

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sorts of things that you can buy like mugs, shirts, plaques, etc. (7) The fish and chips
became so popular they added the "fast food" version.

Water Fountains—(1) The shooting water fountains (not the big one) that the kids play in
just before you enter the WS. If you can time it just right, you're unsuspecting buds
will never forget their first encounter with these. (2) The talking fountains are by the
restrooms on the side of Innoventions facing The Land. As you come through the center
of the building walking towards The Land, make a quick left turn. They are right there
and outside Mousegear shop, behind Innoventions West, near the restroom between
Innoventions and HISTA Pavilion, near the play fountain between Future World and
World Showcase (left side of the big fountain in FW as you are walking toward WS).

World Showcase (“WS”)—(1) In the entrance, we found the upside down classic Mickey
in the clock. (2) The frontage of each country is exactly the same, as is the height of
their tallest feature (i.e., mountains in Canada, Eiffel tower, etc.). Some spread out
inside more than others, but the frontage on the walkway is the same. They wanted to
make sure everyone was equal—forced perspective is what makes some look taller.
(3) Check out the different Santas in each different country during Christmas. (4) The
distance around the World Showcase, from China to Canada, is 1.5 Miles. (5) The World
Showcase water area is 185 acres and is larger than Disneyland! (6) The concrete paths
around the lagoon are red to make the grass appear greener. Red and green are
contrasting colors, so it makes the grass appear more vivid. (7) When doing the World
Showcase masks, ask CMs to attach a map of their country with the charm. Most
countries have maps (only USA didn't have one available), and most countries have a
wishing legend on the back of the maps. They are wonderful to read.

ANIMAL KINGDOM

General—(1) Disney's Animal Kingdom encompasses 500 acres, the company's biggest
theme park. The centerpiece is The Tree of Life, 14 stories high and 50 feet wide at its
trunk. (2) Stop and look down at the walkway under your feet. Did you know, for
example, that the leaf prints and mud cracks were made by a mold? The Imagineers
actually took a large patch of mud, made a cast of it, and then reproduced it for the
walkways of Disney's "Africa." They even distressed and widened the naturally occurring
cracks by squirting them with a hard stream of water from a hose. (3) If you.re at the
Animal Kingdom and there's a long line to get in, try going through the Rainforest Cafe.
There's a park entrance at the rear of the gift shop. (4) Each morning, 15 minutes
before the schedule opening time, you can go through the turn styles and head to the
Tree of Life area. Minnie, Pluto, and Goofy arrive to welcome you to the park! Mickey
appears and gets on the truck, and you can follow them into Harambe as the Adventure
Begins in the Animal Kingdom! (5) There is a game that the children can play as you walk
around the park. There are four or five stations throughout. First one you go to, you get
a book, and as you finish each one, you get a stamp. We found this on the way to
Conservation Station. On the right as you walk along the walkway from the train to

 

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Conservation Building, there is a small garden with a couple of CMs there. They have
different cards and give them to the children, and the children have to find the bugs in
the garden. There is another one on the path to the Lion King Show, one at the front
entrance to the Dino Ride, and another down in the area of the Tree of Life. There was
another one on the trails. They are touchy, feely games. (6) Find the “Jafar” rock.
(7) Slow down and look! Most of the good stuff is things to do, and they are not jumping
out in front of you, like big attractions do. (8) WES PALM! (9) The Oasis Gardens in
Disney's Animal Kingdom was originally going to be called "Genesis Gardens," before it
was decided that the religious connotation of "Genesis" might prove to be too
controversial in the future. (10) There are about 27,000,000 gallons of water in Animal
Kingdom's "Discovery River." That will fill about 1,800 average-sized backyard swimming
pools. (11) The highway sign in Dinoland is route 498 (park opened in April 1998).
(12) If you look at the signs for Animal Kingdom, there is a dragon among the animals on
the bottom. This was supposed to represent "Beastly Kingdom," a land of the park with
mythical creatures that was planned but never developed. (Maybe we got Dinoland USA
instead.) (13) If you are at Animal Kingdom when it opens and you are one of the first
people in line, you may be a first family. They pick families (we were acting goofy when
we were picked) to be the first to be on the rides and usually get to ride the rides alone.
(14) Many of the benches in AK are made of recycled plastic milk jugs. It takes 1,350
jugs to make a single bench. (15) On the way into the parking area for Animal Kingdom,
look for a tall "different" looking tree (not the Tree of Life). It is actually a cell phone
tower in disguise. (16) $1.7 million worms are ordered each year to feed animals at
Disney's Animal Kingdom. (17) At AK, obviously no straws are allowed, but at the Tamu
Tamu refreshment stand, you can order the soda float and get a souvenir Pluto straw-
spoon to keep. (18) While on the Discovery Island Trails, look for a hidden, shaded rock.
In the rock are several small holes that appear to have gotten there by bugs. Peep
through these holes to get direct views of some of the animal carvings on the Tree of
Life. Each peephole leads to a specific view!

Animal Kingdom Lodge—If you go for an evening meal to AKL (Jiko's or Boma's), go early
to view the animals (around 5pm) because that's when the feeding troughs are filled, and
it tempts the animals nearer the viewing areas.

Asia—The mythical land of Anandapur in Asia--note the authentic prayer trees draped
with both faded and new scarves that commemorate dead loved ones. (2) Look on the
ground in DAK's Asia: bicycle tracks!


Camp Minnie-Mickey—While walking on the way to Camp Minnie-Mickey, there are two
talking bushes called Herb and Flora that pass the time by talking to passers-by and very
loudly people-watching with each other. They were very funny, but seem to only be
"alive" for short periods of time. Check 'em out the next time you're there, they had us
crackin' up!

 

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Conservation Station—(1) If you go to conservation station, there is so much for you and
the children to see and touch. If you get there early enough in the morning, you might
be able to see an operation on one of the animals. During the day inside conservation
station, they put on little hands on shows with animals that are great for children of all
ages. Also, there are tables set up with items about the animals and always someone
there to tell you are the articles on the tables. Outside is the petting area. They do not
let you feed the animals, but have grooming brushes that you can brush the animals. It is
great because the animals do not start eating you clothes or knocking the little one.s
down to get to food. Next to that, there is a small stage where during the day, they put
on cute little shows. They are trying to train animals to do certain things. The best part
of this is that they are not the usual animals. You get to talk with the trainers, and it is
a great little show. Also, on the walk from the train to conservation station there is a
garden on the right-hand side for kids. They are given cards and have to find the bugs in
the garden. Needless to say, the bugs are not real. Our kids have done it at least three
times and enjoy it each and very time. (2) Finding one of the 27 hidden Mickeys in the
mural in the Animal Kingdom Conservation Station.

Dawa Bar—(1) Across from the Dawa Bar is what appears to be an old fort. Don't
assume, as I did, that the area is off limits--there are actually tables and chairs in there!
(2) Slightly behind the Dawa Bar, you will see tables beside the large wall which looks
over the river. Go to the wall and look down. On the bank beside the river, there is a
camp scene with a boat, clothes line, tent, etc. It looks like someone was shipwrecked
there. It.s very cool to go look at while taking a break.

Dinoland USA—(1) A CM pointed this out to me--In Animal Kingdom, in Dino-Land, as you
go under the gigantic dinosaur and head toward Tarzan Rocks, look under the dinosaur to
see if it's male or female. Nothing gross, just the way the lights are presented tells you
what it is. (2) Kids certainly won't want to overlook the Dinoland Boneyard--the play area
is specially made for them to blow off some steam. If they look off to the right, behind
the jeep, they'll see a row of fossils set into the wall. Just hit one and find out what
happens--it's musical! If you can't find the so-called "xylobone," a Cast Member will
point it out to you. (3) The highway sign in Dinoland is route 498 (park opened in April
1998). (4) The red, yellow, and white pipes above the load area at “Dinosaur” are for
Ketchup, Mustard, and Mayonnaise, and the letters on each pipe are their chemical
formulas. (5) During Dinosaur, cars bounce over a big bump in the track. The big bump is
a tail of a long neck Saltosaurus, who then turns around to look at you, and if you sit on
the back two rows, it throws you around a little more then the front two rows. (6) When
you are entering Dinoland by the rides, there are shrubs that spell out Dinoland. It is
where you would go to Tarzan Rocks. Look at the border around them. It is all License
Plates from different states. It is really neat.

Expedition Everest—(1) 1,800 tons of steel were used in the mountain structure. That is
about six times the amount of steel used in a traditional office building of this size.
(2) There is a difference between the FP and standby lines--in the standby line, you buy

 

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your supplies in the line and go to the booking office. In the FP line, you only get your
supplies. The whole thought is that you are on a fast track to get on your journey.
(3) Imagineering used hammers, chainsaws, and blowtorches to "age" wood and buildings
used in the Expedition Everest attraction, queue, and surrounding areas. (4) Look at the
little temple in Asia in front of Expedition Everest. When viewed from the specific angle,
these tiny temples form the exact shape of the mountain behind them!

Festival of the Lion King (“FOLK”) —Just found this out. We were at the AK on Sunday
and we were walking back to the FOLK--On the path, as you walk to get to the FOLK,
there is a bridge that you walk over. On the right side of the bridge, if you look over
the side to the left, you will see what appears to be a waterfall. If you look closely, it is
actually a dinosaur with the water coming out of his mouth.

Harambe—In Harambe, you might spy a genuine Coke bottle perched atop a utility pole as
an insulator for a power line.

It’s Tough to be a Bug—(1) This one is for the inside of the theatre of It's Tough To
Be A Bug. The announcer says something to the effect of "Will all honorary bugs please
remain seated so the beetles, maggots and cockroaches may exit safely." If you look up
at the ceiling, you will see "swarms" of lights. They all fly toward the doors. Look to your
left at the exit signs and you will see little firefly-type creatures lighting up the exit
sign as they exit the theatre. (2) The Classic Mickey above the Handicap door sign in the
loading area for “It.s Tough to be a Bug.”

Kali River Rapids—(1) Don't miss Mr. Panika's office--the owner of the "business" may
be "out to temple" as the signs indicate, but the two resident geckos who reside in his
gecko cabinet are in all the time. Children will enjoy spotting the little critters, which
are very much alive! (2) On the way up to the top, right after leaving the dock, there are
statues along each side. The crocodile on the right has his nose broken off. It was
broken during an evacuation practice a few months ago. It should look like the crocodile
statue on the left. Actually, it seems to fit in just fine, but she said it was her group
that broke it, so she should know. Also, she pointed out that the waterfall at the top,
right after seeing the crocodile, is in the shape of a lions head. Sure enough, once it was
pointed out to us, it was as clear as could be. It's better viewed just after you pass it,
looking back.

Mickey’s Jammin. Jungle Parade—(1) If you stand near the entrance to Kili Safari, you
will see the parade twice, as it starts and ends at the same spot. We saw the parade in
front of the Dawa Bar. Then, we moved over so that we were facing the Kili Safari
entrance, and the large double doors that the parade goes through were to our left. We
stayed there for about 20-30 minutes, and then the parade came by again. It was
SUPER!! There was almost no one around (several people on the other side of the street,
but no one on our side at all)! The characters spent several minutes with us and our kids,
and we got some great pictures!! But we felt that we had wasted some time with the

 

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first viewing, as we had staked out our spots about 30 minutes ahead of time. We could
have spent another hour, at least, doing some rides/attractions and then made our way
down to the Kili Safari entrance and seen the parade, which was just as good at the end,
as it was at the beginning. Just be sure, if you do this, that you don.t get blocked in by
the parade and cannot make your way to this SPECIAL SPOT!!

Pizzafari—If you walk up the path to the left, toward Harambe, you'll pass by the
counter service restaurant, Pizzafari, one of the most brilliantly decorated buildings in
the Animal Kingdom. The bright colors are eye-catching of course, but stop in *before*
the lunch crowds gather so that you can study the different rooms with their ornate
murals, walls, and ceilings. Can you identify which room is which? The Home Room,
Nocturnal Room, Upside-Down Room, Camouflage Room, Four Seasons Room, and Bug
Room.

Pocahontas Show—Two of the Pocahontas shows at Animal Kingdom are "training
sessions," per Steve Soares' website. They are not regular shows. They train the animals
to perform the behaviors they use in the regular shows -- sort of a "behind-the scenes"
show.

Primeval Whirl—HMs in the asteroids.

Rafiki.s Planet Watch—There are Mickeys hiding ALL OVER the colorful mural at the
entrance to the main building at Rafiki's Planet Watch. Look for them in the eyes of the
animals and the wings of butterflies.

Safari Ride—(1) Don't just ride once. Different animals can be seen at different times
of the day. Riding first thing in the morning and late in the afternoon are two different
experiences. (2) The flamingo pond is shaped like Mickey! (3) The rocks in the water on
the way to safari ride in AK as you go over the bridge look like animals. Saw one shaped
like an elephant and one like an alligator.

Talking Trash Can—I've seen a talking trash can at AK. Take the train , get off, and
walk all the way down the path till you come to the first building, and depending if your
timing is right, the trash can usually roams around the entrance to the first building.
There is also a talking tree at the entrance to AK. I don't know if there is a particular
schedule for these things. I think you just have to luck out.

Tree of Life—(1) There are approx 320 animals carved into the Tree of Life. (2) When I
was working at Vista-United in 1997, Michael Eisner invited Jane Goodall to come see the
construction of DAK, in particular the Tree of Life. He asked her what she thought
about all the animals being carved in the tree and she asked, "Where is the chimpanzee
going?" After conferring with Zsolt Hormay (chief sculptor), it was discovered much to
ME's embarrassment that one was not included in the over 300 animals. ME told Miss
Goodall to pick a place on the tree and one would be sculpted. She chose the entrance

 

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outside of ITTBAB so everyone would be able to see David Greybeard; the first chimp
she ever observed. You will notice he is more detailed than the other animals--
multicolored (grey beard), and there is a plaque next to his image describing him. (3) Did
you know that when you walk down the path to the Tree of Life there are places where
you walk through “tunnels?” If you look up at those “ceilings,” you can see a lot of
“critters” up there. Look for a pterodactyl and others. Look up when you go through
those “arches.” (4) The Tree of Life is constructed from an old oil rig. It was the only
thing strong enough to hold its shape.

Tusker House—(1) At the Tusker House Restaurant in AK, you can hear kitchen noises if
you sit in the outside dining area. It sounds like dishes clanging together, sweeping up
broken glass, etc. This is a recording, but it's funny to see how people react when they
first hear the sounds. (2) In the Tusker House restaurant in Africa, there is a sign that
says, "No Smoking as this building is very old." I remember thinking that it can't be that
old if the park opened in 1998!

MGM

General—(1) If you are at MGM in the morning when the park opens, don't go to the
Tower of Terror or RNR, go on the Great Movie Ride first thing with no wait and then go
to Star Tours. You can ride Star Tours for almost an hour with no wait because almost
all the guests are over at the two big rides. (2) The façade at Mickeys of Hollywood is
modeled after Frederick.s of Hollywood. (3) At many of the rides, if one of the kids
wants to ride again but the parents are weary, ask the attendant if he or she can "go
around." At Test Track, they send you up a set of stairs and tell you to follow the yellow
arrows. You can see the ride operator's booth and have a great view of the queing area.
Then you go back downstairs, and it lets out right at the boarding area, and they put the
kid straight back on (no wait) and you go outside to wait for him. (4) This was very neat.
It was the truck (at the front of the park), and if you stepped on a lever and lifted, you
could lift one side up. This was great to watch peoples. reactions when you did it. I did
not see when they removed it, but we have not seen it the last three times (3 years) that
we were there. (5) The date for MGM is on the gas pump (if you get up close and look
at the numbers) right when you first enter the park. (6) At Disney-MGM Studios, there
are yellow painted curbs where lines form for characters that only come out for a few
minutes (i.e., CARS & Power Rangers); get there about 30 min. early, as lines close early.
(7) An aerial view of MGM shows the layout to be a huge Hidden Mickey. (8) ANDY
MATION--If you can find him, he is AMAZING!! He is a Disney fact knowledge guy who
makes the most unbelievable Disney character balloons!!! And, they are FREE!! He only
makes one character an hour. He picks which character, and he picks who he will give it
to. Don't ask him. Don't shout at him. And please don't upset him. While he makes the
character, he gives the best facts about the character he's making, so it's a learning
time for everyone as well as just amazing to watch. I've seen him make Belle, Snow
White, Stitch eating a kid's head, a backpack from Buzz Lightyear. He made my DD
Pluto on a walking stick. He's amazing, but he's hard to find. You'll see a man wearing a

 

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black beret and a yellow painter's smock with black Mickey heads - that's him!!!

Brown Derby—All the pics in the Brown Derby that are in BLACK frames are copies of
the originals. All the pics in the GOLD frames are the originals from the original Brown
Derby...which no longer exists.

Fantasmic—1) The lagoon where the Fantasmic show takes place is only 1.5 feet deep!
(2) The island stage is surrounded by a 1.9 million gallon moat--enough water to fill every
bathtub in the more than 24,000 rooms on Walt Disney World Resort property--twice.
(3) Animated sequences are projected on three water screens stretching 50-feet high
and 100-feet wide providing an excellent view no matter where you sit. In comparison,
the water screens are more than twice the size of an average 20-foot-by-40-foot movie
screen. (4) To create a surface on which animation can be projected, water screens pump
2,400 gallons of water into the air every minute, and if called upon, call fill the 500,000-
gallon Disney-MGM Studios landmark Earffel Tower in less than three hours. (5) During
his battle against evil, Mickey encounters the villainous Jafar in the form of a 100. long
and 16. high cobra that could fit more than 8,000 average-size King Cobras in its coils.
(6) The mechanical Maleficent dragon in the climactic good vs. evil scene weighs an
astonishing 32,000 lbs. To move the dragon.s enormous body and wings takes more than
2,000 PSI of hydraulic pressure. (7) If stretched out, the river of fire during the
Maleficent dragon scene would circle the entire one-mile tri-oval racetrack at Walt
Disney World Speedway.

Great Movie Ride (“GMR”)—(1) When Disney built the GMR, they purchased a real
Lockheed plane for that scene. It was cut in half, and the back of the plane can now been
seen in the jungles of the Jungle Cruise in Adventureland. (NOT TRUE.) (2) When you.re
sitting in your car waiting for everyone to load in, ask to see the hidden Minnie (it's a
shadow figure hard to spot). Also, when you.re in the underworld scene, look on the
billboard. if you look at the far left hand corner, you'll see a Mickey foot and part of his
tail. When Mugsy takes over the car, look up at the windows you drive by until you stop.
Mickey's head is there (in the windows above the scene on the left-hand side). The last
one I know of is Snow White's body imprinted on the poster next to the stairs where
Mugsy stands. (3) Pharaoh Mickey and Slave Donald are on the BACK wall on the opposite
side from Indy and Salla, just as you're about to leave that room. It is about 1/3 of the
way "up.” (4) Also in the GMR...In the Egyptian-styled section, check out some of the wall
tiles as fast as you can while the ride moves through. Most of them are normal
hieroglyphs, but several have pictures of funny MGM and Disney stuff. For example, one
of the tiles has R2-D2 and another has C-3PO from Star Wars. There are a couple
hidden Mickeys in there too. (5) What is the significance behind the license plate
number "021-429" on the car depicted in the gangster shoot-out sequence of "The Great
Movie Ride?” It is the date of the Valentines Day Massacre---Feb. 14, 1929. (6) Those
talking/sound effects boxes are at MGM. When you get off the tram backstage tour
ride, walk through the building with all the costumes in it and go straight through the
area where you can have photos taken with the phony backdrops. They are on the left-

 

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hand side near the steamroller from Roger Rabbit. (7) Two different scenarios in the
ride: You will either have a gangster or a robber kick out the CM and take over your car.
You never know which one you will get. (8) Going into the Great Movie Ride, the lions at
the front are not really lions. They are dogs! Supposedly, if you can tell the CM which
one is the female, they will walk you through the back door, bypassing the line. (10) The
belt buckle worn by the John Wayne figure in the "The Great Movie Ride" in MGM was
really worn by The Duke in one of his movies.

Hollywood Blvd—On Hollywood Blvd at MGM, read the names stenciled on the second
floor windows. I recall seeing one that said 'Valiant Detective Agency' from 'Who
Framed Roger Rabbit. (it's above the Hollywood and Vine Restaurant on Echo Lake).

Hollywood Hideaway—Do you know where the Hollywood Hideaway is? This private VIP
Lounge is tucked quietly away at the Disney-MGM Studios for use during private and
special events, but it's really not that hard to find. When Guests need to know how to
get to their special event, simply direct them to Drew Carey's Sounds Dangerous
attraction. Radio Disney is right next to it, and behind Radio Disney...is the Hollywood
Hideaway!!

Indiana Jones—(1) When you.re in line for Indiana Jones, you go past a well. If you pull
on the rope, you'll hear someone down in the well. (2) If you exit the Indiana Jones
Stunt Spectacular theater from the far right-side stairway (as you face the stage), pay
attention as you go onto the landings. Look for the hand of a CM rising above the railing
holding the golden idol from the show's Mayan (or South American in the movie version)
temple. The idea is to pat the head of the idol as you go past.

Lights! Motors! Action!—There is a clothesline at the top of one of the buildings
(during the stunt show, there is a stunt jump from there). One of the items of clothing
on the line has Mickeys!!

The Magic of Disney Animation Secret—You can enter from the exit and stand in line
for the drawing/rendering opt. w/out going through the animation tour. Just ask a CM
for directions. Every 15-20 min. (space is limited). There's a room where they have
pencil and paper and a row of stools and artist type tables, and you get to draw a
character while getting instructions from a Disney artist. It's fun and a great Disney
souvenir for the kids! (If you don't have time right after the tour, you can leave and
come back at a slower time.)

Mann.s Chinese Theater—Look in front of the theater. You can see signatures and
handprints of a lot of celebrities that visited MGM. There are even signatures of some
of the characters too!


Muppet Vision—(1) Look for the key under the doormat at Muppets 3D. Just after you

 

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go through the turnstile, go to your right and you.ll find a welcome mat. Take a peek
underneath it. (2) In the preshow for Muppet*Vision, in the front, there is a display that
says “2D Fruities” and has a bunch of flat models of fruit. (3) In the preshow Muppet 3D
room at MGM, there is a net full of green Jell-O hanging from the ceiling. It signifies
Annette Funicello. (4) If you go across the street from the Muppetvision show at MGM
(away from Indy Jones and sort of toward the Shrunk playground), there is a fire
hydrant that sprays water at unpredictable intervals. (5) Read the graffiti on the walls!

New York Street—(1) On the street in the New York neighborhood, you can hear
gangsters talking and gun shots inside the buildings. (2) Check out the "Singing in the
Rain" umbrella that is attached to one of the streetlights near the old Hunchback
theater. Grab the umbrella and step on the black square embedded in the cement
underneath it for a nice surprise!


One Man’s Dream—(1) In Walt Disney: One Man's Dream, if you look closely at Walt
Disney's grade-school desk, you can see the initials "W.D." carved into it. (2) The time
that a certain clock is stopped at in Walt Disney: One Man's Dream is the same time
that Walt Disney was pronounced to be dead. (3) Walt's "office"--When you are
standing in front of the glass window to look into his office, you would be in his
kitchenette if you were really in his Burbank office. There were glass doors that opened
into his kitchenette by the push of a button. (4) The room is in reverse of how it was in
CA. I have heard lots of speculation that this was due to a photo negative being
reprinted incorrectly or something else. The fact is the room WDW was working with
had a door on the "wrong" side of the room. So things were placed almost mirror image.
Behind the desk is a briefcase that Walt used to carry home work. There is speculation
that the papers on the credenza behind the desk are papers from Robinson Caruso that
have Walt's red grease pencil markups. The telephone on the desk is the actual
telephone that Walt used every day of his life in his CA office.


Pizza Planet—The "beat-up" delivery vehicle that rests out front is, of course, made to
look like the one in Toy Story that Woody and Buzz ride in, and if you look in the
passenger window, you can find the buckled-in Buzz in the passenger seat. Also, if you
look in the bed canopy, you can find Woody thrashed around with the tool box in back.

Rock „n Roller Coaster (“RNR”)—(1) In the inside queue for Rock n Roller
Coaster....where it loops around a few times (right before you enter the ramp area to the
preshow), on the wall (if you are looking straight back into the room its the wall on your
right-hand side), there is a framed poster on the wall that was the cover of a record
album. On the poster is a large American flag. The flag was added to the poster after
people complained that the large pot leaf on the poster at the time was not appropriate
on a Disney ride. If you look closely at the American flag sticker, you can see the dark
shape of the pot leaf still underneath it. (2) Where in WDW can you find the

 

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"Highland Apts.?” —The alley behind the Aerosmith's studio by the launch area of RNR.
(3) While waiting to tour Studio C, listen at the doors to Studio A and B, you will hear
sounds from real recording sessions some of which came from Aerosmith's rerecording
for the coaster. (4) While waiting to tour Studio C, you will hear PA calls for various
people. These individuals being called are the Imagineers of the attraction. (5) Take a
look at safety signs in the form of a guitar in the parking structure. It is a tribute to
Elvis. (6) One of the PA announcements in the G-force records lobby is something to the
effect of "phone call for Jude on line one...Hey, Jude, pick up line one!" (7) In the
attraction, take a look at the AC power boxes and other electrical boxes. On these, you
will see the initials and birthdays of the Imagineers. (8) The music posters in the
rotunda will change out (as will the back ground music in the plaza) since G Force is a
record company, and things are always changing in the music biz. (9) Next time you are in
the Rock 'n Roller Coaster ride notice the License plates: (a) 1QKLIMO, (b) UGOGIRL,
(c) BUHBYE, (d) 2FAST4U, (e) H8TRFFC. (10) There is a hidden Mickey on the Rock 'n
Roller Coaster in the recording studio. If you look to your right on the floor, the sound
cables are coiled in the shape of Mickey. (11) Each limo plays a different Aerosmith
track. Some include F.I.N.E, Dude (looks like a lady), Nine Lives, Sweet Emotion, Walk
This Way, and Love in an Elevator. When the ride ends, if you were in the limo that
played Love in an Elevator, the lyrics change to Love in a Roller Coaster? (12) I was told
that ToT's acceleration was just a little more than 1G (a little more than gravity alone)
while Rock & Roller Coaster has more acceleration than that at the very start of the ride.

Star Tours—(1) On the exit side, come out of store, make a left, and look up at the
building. "M" draped flags are there (posts protruding from the building with material
draped over them, creating "M". (2) DH found a Hidden Kermit on line for Star Tours!
There are several droids on you right side just around the corner from the loading zone.
One of the droids looks like an animatronic Kermit the Frog without the green skin.
(3) As your leaving the droid room entering the staging area, look up and you'll see 2
mechanical birds--a neat homage to the 2 crows (ravens?) on Splash Mt. just before the
big drop. (4) A little Star Tours tip. Listen to the announcements. I'm not sure if they
still do it, but they used to page an Egroeg Sacul. George Lucas backwards. It might be
on Space Mountain though; I forget because I haven't listened for it in a while. Also
listen for the reference to THX1138, seen in all of Lucas' films! (5) You can ride without
the bumps; just ask for a motionless flight check version. (6) "Do you know about the HM
on the tree outside Star Tours?" It is the huge central tree, directly across from the
Imperial Walker towering above you and high on the trunk, just below the walkway
platform for the Ewok village above. (7) The boxes circulating over you in the second
queue area are all stenciled with letters and numbers, such as "PAD 61257" and "KMS
81850." These stand for the initials and birthdates of Imagineers who worked on the
attraction.

Stars & Cars Motor Parade—After the Stars & Cars Parade, around 3:45-4:00, some of
the characters from the parade go into a door by the Great Movie Ride. Then, around
4:15, they come out for Meet and Greets by the hat. You can wait for them as they go in

 

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and come out and get pictures. Most of the characters will talk or wave and let you take
their picture.

Tower of Terror (“TOT”)—(1) As you walk through the lobby, you will see a pair of
glasses with the lenses broken. This honors the Twilight Zone's episode with Burgess
Meredith: The last man on earth after an atomic blast who LOVES to read. He finds the
remnants of a library and is all set to finally read to his heart's content, when he
accidentally breaks his glasses!! (The glasses also make a HM.) (2) Images of Mickey
Mouse have been hidden throughout the attraction by mischievous Imagineers. During
the entire show, for example, the little girl is holding a Mickey Mouse doll (one of the
first Mickey Mouse dolls ever made, and it is the only HM that the design team has
confirmed). Also, look for the famous silhouette of three circles along the balcony railing
just before you enter the building and as a water stain on the wall in the boiler room.
Although probably not intentional, the bell for the elevator above Rod Sterling.s head in
the Library film also bears a resemblance to those famous mouse ears. A reference to
Mickey can also be seen in the sheet music in the Library which is a copy of actual music
written in the 1930s. (3) The luggage in the lobby is a complete set made from genuine
alligator skin. While looking through a 1930s furniture catalog, Imagineers decided to
call the company to see if they were still in business. They were, and Walt Disney
Imagineering had them reproduce two settees for the lobby. (4) It is said that
Imagineers had mahjongg players set up the game in the lobby so that guests who know
how to play the game can see that it is authentic. (5) The top speed for The Twilight
Zone Tower of Terror is said to be about 39mph. (6) When you board the elevator, on
the left side, outside of the elevator itself, is an inspection certificate that's dated
Oct. 31, 1939 and signed by "Cadwallader." Cadwallader was a character in the sixth
Twilight Zone episode, "Escape Clause," who actually turned out to be the Devil himself.
The inspection certificate number is 10259, which is cool because The Twilight Zone's
first episode ("Where Is Everybody") premiered on Oct. 2, 1959. (7) In the Fifth
Dimension scene on the Foxtrot side, the swirling stars form a HM just before they
disappear. (8) Unofficial HM-- when the elevator doors open the first time in the long
hallway, if you look up at the hallway where there is a slight kind of doorway overhead,
there is a HM right in the dead center. It's pretty easy to see. Just look straight ahead
in the middle upwards. (9) Has anyone seen the dummy from a Twilight Zone episode?
When you are on TOT and your elevator gets to the bottom and you turn toward your
door, he is sitting in a chair off to the side. (10) The bldg. is 199. tall. It was supposed
to be 200., but for a structure 200. tall, you need lights at the top for airplanes to see.
So it is 199. tall to keep the spooky feeling! (11) In Tower of Terror, when you first go
into the library to watch the movie, go all the way to the right by a bookshelf and there
will be a book open of a song and the title is "What, no Mickey Mouse?" (12) As soon as
you enter the lobby, on the right, is the concierge desk with glasses on it. On the wall
behind and above it is a large, dark plaque that says AAA13 Diamond Award hotel.
(13) On the Tower of Terror, the elevator doors that open up to the view of the outside
are built to add a bit of fear and excitement but mainly to relieve the air pressure that
builds up inside the elevator shaft. (12) I was told that TOT's acceleration was just a

 

[Virtucomp]

little more than 1G (a little more than gravity alone) while Rock & Roller Coaster has more
acceleration than that at the very start of the ride.

The Voyage of the Little Mermaid—(1) The wood floor of the ante-room of Voyage Of
The Little Mermaid is fake. It has a "shelf paper" photograph of wood pasted on (I think
concrete) which was then varnished. This technique is also used a lot on inexpensive
particle board furniture and might be elsewhere at WDW too.

RESORTS

General—(1) The only place in the MK where you can see the CR is Tomorrowland. The
only place in the MK where you can see the Poly is Adventureland. (2) At both the
Contemporary and the All-Star Resorts, there is a time referred to as "Children of the
Day." I believe each resort chooses two "Children/Families of the day." At the start of
day - child/family, using the lifeguard megaphone, announces "Lifeguard on Duty." End of
day - child/family, using the lifeguard megaphone, announces "Lifeguard Off Duty."

All Star Movies—If you count all of the Dalmatians (the icons plus the puppies on the
buildings), you will come up with 101 Dalmatians!

All Star Music—(1) The curtains have the music for "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Da" on them!
(2) You will see a series of musical notes scattered around the lobby. These musical
notes represent a favorite Disney tune - When you wish upon a star!

Animal Kingdom Lodge—(1) Offers several free programs: (a) a guided tour of the
hotel's African art collection at 2 p. m, (b) a Culinary Tour of Africa at 4 (in which you
get to meet the chefs at Jiko and Boma, and eat free samples; great if you want to learn
more about the food before you actually eat there), and (c) a Cultural Safari at 9 p.m. led
by an African CM, who tells you about their homeland. (2) They have a parade for the
kids through the lobby at 8pm. The kids get to pick out an instrument from the gift
shop, and they march around playing drums and then get a certificate.

Beach & Yacht Club—(1) At Beaches N Crème, there's a cool old Wurlitzer jukebox full
of Rock „n Roll classics that plays for free. (2) The Yacht/Beach Club and Old Key West
both have horticultural tours of the resort grounds one day a week. They're free.
Inquire at guest services at the resort. (3) The vintage car near the front entrance of
Disney's Beach Club Resort is a mint-condition 1927 Chevy Depot Wagon, or "Woody
Huckster," complete with wooden steering wheel, one manually operated windshield wiper,
and a wood cabinet seating area with bench seats.

Boardwalk—(1) Sound of seagulls overhead - even when there are no birds around. (2) In
the rooms, postcards are printed on the curtains. Those are real postcards that were
used and have different people's messages on them.