Random WDW Info - I Never Knew!

[Ratpack]

Not sure if they are exactly true but here are three little tidbits:

Walt drew the first drawings of the beloved characters we see today when he was an ambulance driver in WWI. He hung them in the back to help bring a better mood to the patients while riding in the ambulance.

Heard also that Walt would meet and greet guests at Disneyland all the time and once he met a family leaving fairly early and asked why. They said they wanted to beat traffic as they had saw it from one of the rides. He decided then that he wanted a place where people could enjoy the magic without worrying about "beating traffic" and that is when Disney World first became a thought.

One of the first things built on the property at WDW was a private runway for Walt to fly in and survey the land. Here's a photo:

 

[ahowanitz]

When we did the IllumiNations cruise last summer, our skipper asked us if we knew why the Swan / Dolphin didn't blend in with the other water-themed hotels in the area. (That's always bugged me -- and it always seems to shatter the illusion when you're strolling the Board Walk and see those modern high rises over there!)

Nobody knew, so he explained.

He told us that the S / D were actually built first, and were originally supposed to go over on Hotel Blvd. But Eisner wanted to start developing the "Epcot Resort Area," and ordered them moved.

The result: one of the more glaring and disappointing lapses in Disney theming!

I have always LOVED the look of the Dolphin & Swan. Actually, seeing these when I was kid, I was always SO excited b/c they were so majestic and I knew I was almost there, to the magic of WDW!!! That's just me though. I can understand your dislike of them being there though.

 

[ahowanitz]

AmyBWV99, what did they change the label to that was offensive to Disney? I looked at all the Molson Canadian products and can't find anything about any of their labels that could be considered offensive.

Just curious.

I don't know if anyone has responded to this yet or not, so I'll go for it anyways.

Molson actually stopped this awhile ago, but their bottled Molson Canadian labels had pick-up lines or slogans on them (which I always thought was neat, but I can understand why Disney was offended). For the life of me though, I can't remember what an example was. Oh well...

 

[aniello35]

When you exit the tower of terror ride, on the wall, is a chalked square with lightly colored bricks. This is from a Twilight Zone episode where they had to draw a door on the wall to get their daughter back from another dimension. Also in the library of the tower of terror, they’re numerous items that were in different Twilight Zones episodes. I don't know if they were actual items used but they are good representations.

 

[AmyBWV99]

I don't know if anyone has responded to this yet or not, so I'll go for it anyways.

Molson actually stopped this awhile ago, but their bottled Molson Canadian labels had pick-up lines or slogans on them (which I always thought was neat, but I can understand why Disney was offended). For the life of me though, I can't remember what an example was. Oh well...

Slogans like:

Yes, I felt it too (picture of a firecracker)
I can bang that out in a second (picture of a typewriter)
You can write your number here (little line for number writing)
Sure you can have my number
We love you long time (Picture of a toilet)
I see London, I see France (binoculars)

Stuff like that. Not offensive, but 'on the edge' for Disney...

 

[GemmaPixie]

I see London, I see France

That one would be cool for Disney considering it's in World Showcase and you can see London (well UK) and France!

 

[psimon]

As I type, my DH and I keep thinking about more (we seem to know the most about Epcot).

1) Recently, Norway stopped sponsoring the Noarway pavilion. Disney now owns it.

2) The Norway pavilion used to serve a beer called Rignes. Carlesburg bought Rignes recently and mandated that Rignes can't be distributed outside of Norway. Thus, it's now Carlesburg at Norway and not a Norwegian beer.

3) The Canada pavilion used to serve Molson Canadian. They don't any longer because Molson products changed the label such that Disney found it offensive.

4) The Canada pavilion was the first place in the US to serve Moosehead Light.

What could possibly be offensive about the Molson label? Just curious....

---Paul in Southern NJ

 

[csharp7]

8. Many of the attractions in Epcot have vip lounges for its sponsoring companies. The one in the living seas has its own Large viewing window.

This is definitely true.....DH works for Hewlett Packard and when we go, we get to go to the VIP lounge for Mission Space. It's a nice little lounge with drinks, etc. And it has a big window overlooking all the suckers waiting in line. Then we get to go behind the scenes to the front of the line.

Yup - On all of my previous trips we used to do this. Universe of Energy used to be sponsored by Exxon, and both my parents worked there.

Nice little fruit and cheese spread, and Mickey juice boxes and then straight to the front of the line . But Exxon isn't the UoE sponsor anymore (and my mom isn't coming with us this trip.)

The white posts on Main Street are repainted every night right after the park closes to keep them looking brand new all the time.

They used to do this to the carousel horses too, but I think they stopped. At least at DL - I saw a lot of chips the last time I was there.

The water in Splash Mountain is required by law to be "drinkable". You can take a handful of water and it is perfectly safe to drink it. (note: doesn't mean you should) lol

I don't know about this - I do know that all the water at the MK is connected and filtered at one big plant. I lost my Tigger hat on Splash Mountain and a CM found it in the castle moat! It was a little worse for wear, but it has a great story now

 

[csharp7]

oops!

 

[j_lehr]

Not sure if this is Disney trivia but not all attractions at Disney are created by Disney imagineers. My family knows a guy who worked on special computer affects, animation and sounds for both Disney, Universal and Hershey Park (in PA). At Disney, his company worked on Soarin', Mickey's Philharmagic, Rock N Rollercoaster, and Mission Space (and I think there are others but that is all I can remember right now). At Universal, he was the voice of King Kong. At Hershey he did a 3D show that is in chocolate world. He has also worked a bunch of tv shows and movies.

 

[Harley-Mouse]

This is a bump

 

[LUVMICKEY]

I love all the trivia. Lets try to keep it going. Thanks everyone.

 

[Marion]

Just resurrecting an old post because I just found the thread and I've just seen the answer to this the other day!
From http://www.themouseforless.com/tripplanning/dining/dlarticles/club33.shtml

"If one was not previously aware of its existence, discretely tucked amid restaurants and shops in Disneyland's New Orleans Square, one would never imagine that something extraordinary lies behind the grayish-green paneled door unassumingly numbered "33." It's rumored that Disney Imagineers actually researched the color spectrum to determine the hue that was least likely to be noticed by the human eye--dubbing the shade of door paint, "No-See-Um Green."

WDW uses a special paint color called "Go Away Green"
(or something like that),
to paint certain parts of certain buildings around all of the parks.
It tricks your eyes when you're seeing something
from the monorail, etc.
I'm hoping someone here knows the exact info I'm trying to share?

 

[Guzzi]

I watched a Discovey Channel show about the World which included a section on the building of AK. According to the imagineer who was interview those trees are trimmed southern oaks. disney had / has a hugh tree/plant farm on the premesis in which they excelerated growth of the plants which the utilized in building AK.

I've been wondering about those big baobob trees in Africa in Animal Kingdom. I saw one near the entrance to the safari, and also along the safari route. They look like they are upside down, with roots up in the air.

One of the cast members said they are real and Disney brought them all the way from Africa and planted them. But later I read something online that said they are artificial. I am wondering which is true? If they brought them from Africa, wouldn't there be the worry of bringing in disease or insect infestation to Florida?

I also noticed the unusual sausage tree by the shops in Africa, which I was told is also real. I think this is true because I remember seeing one in Cypress Gardens in their botanical gardens.

 

[ahowanitz]

Im sorry but i don't think there is anywhere in the ride that tells you 4 g's. I have been on the ride dozens of times and have never seen or heard that at the attraction. They say you experience g-forces but they never say how many. Maybe you heard that from a CM.

Here is what I found....just as an update I guess...."The ride system was manufactured by Entertainment Technology Corporation. ETC builds human centrifuges that create 2.5 G's [1 to 1.5 G's in one second!], large-scale intelligent VR training simulators, to creating the next generation of motion-based simulation attractions which allow sustained G's and continuous 360º motion in up to four axes on the ride."

 

[GoofyWalker]

subscribing

 

[Brian_WDW74]

I watched a Discovey Channel show about the World which included a section on the building of AK. According to the imagineer who was interview those trees are trimmed southern oaks. disney had / has a hugh tree/plant farm on the premesis in which they excelerated growth of the plants which the utilized in building AK.

This is true. But there is one real baobab tree in AK. It stands outside the Tusker House. It was found growing just outside of Miami and purchased for a considerable sum.

 

[GemmaPixie]

I always thought the tree of life was real until this summer. Ruined it a bit for me

 

[tinkgurl]

Our bus driver one night was very talkactive and had us play Disney Trivia with him. One of the things he said: Walt Disney was actually afraid of mice! How ironic!

 

[Disneenut]

I love all the posts!

Found some more info... Will post soon!