Random WDW Info - I Never Knew!

[madge]

Once our busdriver told us to look at the Swan and Dolphin. They have huge blackish squares/rectangles in their facades. This is because there was to be a monorail that traveled on that side of Epcot, and was to go through both hotels. Those rooms were filled into the resort when the monorail was nixed.

Bobbi

I'm not sure that's true. According to people at the S/D, it isn't.

And to the poster that mentioned the S/D being an eyesore (or something like that, LOL) there are some people that find Michael Graves' architecture to be quite striking. More about the Swan

 

[KAPO GIRL]

My mom and sister once worked for Disney, and they learned a bunch of the disney secrets but never really told me any. but i know a few!
*Main Street at disney world, the buildings gradually get smaller going toward the castle to make it look bigger.
*Disney is build something like 24 feet about ground for the underground tunnels for the "castmembers" to get around with.
*Splash Mt. the water is projected buut it depends on the weather of how much water is projected! ha! enjoy!

 

[dizprincess717]

Well, that's the story I've always heard. I think the animal just yells out "FSU!" though.

Yup, this is true! The little critter comes out of the top of the cave and yells "FSU!" as a little shout-out to Florida State University. My trainer at Splash told me that was true last year.

 

[pjb_hockey_mom]

*Disney is build something like 24 feet about ground for the underground tunnels for the "castmembers" to get around with.[/FONT

I've also heard that it's built above ground, or on a platform to accomodate for the tunnels.....

 

[KAPO GIRL]

WHAT..... you mean the drivers aren't really steering the boat???

are you seriously?? they barely pay attention! and they like 10 year olds do it sometimes! haha

 

[i<3disney70]

The Academy Award statue got its name "Oscar" after Walt Disney called his statue Oscar when he won for Snow White. The name stuck and they have been called Oscar ever since.

I heard that a backstage crew worker called it Oscar because it looked like her uncle Oscar. Where did you hear this info from? I heard mine from my friend Anna, but your probably right.

 

[KAPO GIRL]

Also another one! I've never stayed at the Grand Floridian, but when it was first build they gave out actual room keys!
I dont know it the actually key hole is still there or not But they give out the actual keys to the employees of the Resort!

 

[KAPO GIRL]

There was going to be an apartment there, but it never was actually finished into one.
It was used for telephone operators, then storage and is now used for a backstage/dressing area for the performers in the castle outdoor stage area.

It was suppose to be for walts family, the castle but not its for dining and noow for the year of a million dreams theyve finished it so one family will stay in it like every night or something!

 

[Ms. Heimlich]

In American Adventure, all the animatronics (spp?) wear real human hair pieces. They look more realistic and are protected indoors from sun, humidity, etc.

Also -- The costumes on AA are pieced together so the robots can "wear" them in a very un-traditional manner (Mark Twain has his legs crossed - they have to dress him as such). The costume folks use buttons, velco, etc. to get the clothes on.

The face princesses wear "fake" hair (wigs) sometimes made up of several wigs (think Jasmine) to keep their "princess perfect" hair in the florida humidity. The hair people make them by taking multiple wigs apart and reassembling them later into an appropriate style.

We learned this on a Backstage Magic Tour in August 2006.

 

[Bob P]

I heard that a backstage crew worker called it Oscar because it looked like her uncle Oscar. Where did you hear this info from? I heard mine from my friend Anna, but your probably right.

There are actually several stories on how the Oscar got its name. Check here:

http://www.answers.com/topic/oscar

 

[ryanmilla]

It was suppose to be for walts family, the castle but not its for dining and noow for the year of a million dreams theyve finished it so one family will stay in it like every night or something!

I'm sure someone here can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the apartment was actually going to be for Roy's family, since Walt died before construction even began on WDW.

It is confusing in publications, b/c it says the apartment was meant for the Disney Family. They don't often state if was Walt Disney or Roy Disney, but I believe this one was meant for Roy's family.

 

[Prose]

Nicole,

Thank you very much! I'm happy to hear you're enjoying the first book!!

Volume II will be in the same Q&A format, but there are about 700 All-NEW questions and descriptive answers! Look for it sometime in May. Visit my web site for more details, (and pre-orders will be accepted soon)

Lou -- How cool is it to see you online at the DIS....I love your podcast!!! Keep it coming. How about a podcast with a discussion of some of these "urban legends"?

 

[KAPO GIRL]

I'm sure someone here can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the apartment was actually going to be for Roy's family, since Walt died before construction even began on WDW.

It is confusing in publications, b/c it says the apartment was meant for the Disney Family. They don't often state if was Walt Disney or Roy Disney, but I believe this one was meant for Roy's family.

Well since Roy is Walt's family.. it makes sence that the apartment was for him too, and since it is called WALT disney world, im sure it was for WALTS family, none the less, i watch the travel channel and they said it was intended for WALT'S family.

 

[tink71973]

bump

 

[Mickey&Donald]

Splash is the longest ride in MK, NOT IASW!!!

Actually, not true. Splash is about 12 minutes long, and IASW is over 14 minutes at Disneyland and 13½ minutes at WDW.

 

[DisneyMama27]

I also purchased this after reading the column, and I also got a copy of the The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot, as well.

I wondered if there were versions for other parks! I will have to get my hands on these too!!


DH and DS did an Imagineer lunch and told us this funny story. The Imagineer they ate with was working on ToT. They were doing all the final checks on it and spent several nights in a row (after park closing) doing all the tests to make sure the effects, music, etc. were all synced, etc. Ironically, ToT rides were not a favorite of this Imagineer, but he rode for hours at a time every night. Finally, on the "last" check, he FELL ASLEEP - had to admit that to his colleagues and do the run one more time!

 

[MEK]

I don't know if anyone posted this already, but a bus driver we had on our last trip told us that the Disney bus fleet travels 10,000 miles a day. At $3.00a galloon for diesel fuel, gas cost are $30,000 a day! WOW!

 

[tarazandra]

I'm sure many know this, but for those that don't I'll post it anyway.

For the expanding room in the Haunted Mansion, at Disneyland the ceiling does not move, the floor goes down. But in Disney World the ceiling goes up and the floor stays in place.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

At many sit down Disney restaurants, if you ask for a specific dish, the chef may well give you the recipe. At least they will at Boma. Be warned though - you might not want to know just how much heavy cream is in that yummy chowder. Also, some of the dishes are rather complicated to make.

At Marrakesh, we didn't ask for a recipe, but just to know if a certain ingredient was in it. They brought us an ingredient list, but the waiter came and took it back a few minutes later.

 

[Ilovefozzie]

At many sit down Disney restaurants, if you ask for a specific dish, the chef may well give you the recipe. At least they will at Boma.

They did this at Rose and Crown. I was able to bring home the recipe for their Guinness Beef Stew. I make it at least twice a month...very very yummy.