Random WDW Info - I Never Knew!

[babiipiggiex3]

finally finished reading all 55pages! took me a week to do so too! but these are so interesting! I'll be sure to look out for some of them when I go next time!

 

[PudgetteD]

I haven't read through the entire 55 pages yet so my apologies if this has already been posted. From a book of Beatles trivia by George Martin: John Lennon signed the paperwork dissolving The Beatles while staying at the Poly.

 

[Amunet]

I would have had this thread read in 2 days but the modem decided to die!

I like the rumors and facts! I must get my hands on one of the books to spot hidden mickeys ...

 

[jsgrand0]

In response to the posts about sorting trash by hand -
I was a custodian at the Magic Kingdom in 2004. When we emptied the trash cans from on stage, they were brought backstage to the area where they were dumped (for the life of me I can't remember the name of the vacuum machine thingy). Prior to dumping them, we were expected to sort through them and pull out soda bottles/water bottles/cans/etc. They even had a contest at one point where managers put "coupons" in bottles and threw them in the trash. We got prizes for turning in the coupons.

And, unfortunately, some Disney employees do not have a ton of money. I can remember one guy in particular who would get so excited to find toys and such in the trash. He took them home to his children.

As far as lost items are concerned - if they aren't claimed after a certain amount of time, they are sent off to a place in the Magic Kingdom cast member parking lot called Property Control. These lost items, as well as slightly defective merchandise, can be bought at unbelievable bargains.

Assuming they did this back in '99 too, wish I'd known about it!

 

[lauran cameron]

I haven't read through the entire 55 pages yet so my apologies if this has already been posted. From a book of Beatles trivia by George Martin: John Lennon signed the paperwork dissolving The Beatles while staying at the Poly.

That's crazy cool!!!

 

[disneygirl777]

Actually there are two sections where the track flips: where you said and also when you get to the broken tracks (the part behind you at that time) I can verify this is 100% true as I saw it during a backstage tour If you're really quiet, you can hear it turn and lock into place. I always hold my breath because the chicken in me is afraid it won't flip.. but it always does!

I can also verify this as 100% true. Ask to sit in the very back row on Expedition Everest and sit in the left seat (as you're facing forward in the train). When the train stops at the broken track turn around and look at the track behind you (you may have to crane your next a little to see around the back of the train) and you will see the section of the track flip over.

On the Jungle Cruise look close at the face of the guy getting chased up the pole by the rhino (can't remember if he's the only one or if there are more guys getting chased up the pole, but he's the one on the bottom). Then, look close at the face of the groundskeeper with the dog in the Haunted Mansion. Look familiar?

Also in the Haunted Mansion look for all the symbolism in the attic. In the first picture you see of the bride, she's wearing a pearl necklace and the surrounding attic has wedding gifts. Then look at the second photo; she's wearing 2 pearl necklaces and the gifts are nicer and more abundant. This continues until you see the bride herself, wearing 4 or 5 pearl necklaces. Also, there are empty bird cages in the attic...she flew the coop!

Walt has 2 windows in the MK. The first is on the front of the train station. You can see it right when you come through the turnstiles. The second is above the ice cream parlor on Main Street, overlooking the castle.

This isn't really a secret or anything, but in the front plaza at MK, there is a statue of Roy Disney and Minnie. Most people pass this by and never even realize that it's there.

On any given day at MK, if attendance is high enough, they can throw an impromptu parade. It takes 2 hours of planning, though, including taking the floats out of the garage and getting the performers on them. So if you have seen a parade when there is nothing on the schedule at that time, that's what it is.

 

[micknpluto]

this is probably already posted.. but just in case its not!

They dont sell chewing gum anywhere on the WDW resort... with the hopes of cutting down on people throwing gum on the streets or wherever and not in a trash can. although you obviously can buy your own and bring it with you

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hey Chris!!

 

[mollygirl13]

Reading a book about the MK with tidbits of facts...Did you know that the voice of the autioneer on Pirates of the Carribean ("Show'em your larboard side") is the same voice as the "Ghost Host" at Haunted Mansion?

Very true.

He is the genius who is Paul Frees!

 

[disneywatcher]

here is something interesting about the castles, i read this a while ago so please fill in my missing information! as an art history and architecture afficionado, this particularly interested me:

many people know that sleeping beauty's castle in california is based off of a famous german castle (fill in here if you remember the name of it). but cinderella's castle in florida is actually a castle that would never have existed during any architectural styles - it is a combination of several styles, progressing as you look from bottom to top. the bottom is the most solid, like a romanesque fortress. as you progress upwards, the towers and decorations become more and more light and decorative, so you have high gothic flying buttresses. at the top of the towers they are the most lacey and airy looking. i do not remember exactly but this might be in a renaissance or baroque style.

sleeping beauty castle in paris has the most interesting story. obviously, it looks very different from its sleeping beauty sister castle in california which was based on a real building. the castle in paris is purely fantasy, and not based upon any architectural style other than storybook illustrations (and of course walt disney's animation). this is because the imagineers wanted to give a european audience something different to draw them - they already have (the original!) real castles available. so instead of making a copy and competing with real european architecutre, they went in the opposite direction and created something purely whimsical and fantastical.

The name of the castle was Neuschwanstein.

Not sure if this has been stated yet and just learned this from a guy in my DH's unit who used to be a CM.
The reason it's so hot in AK...heaters even in the summer! It's to make it feel as hot as it is in Africa!

 

[asdfghjkl13]

Not sure if this is true or not, but a Soarin cast member told me that JK Rowling originally went to Disney to build the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but they declined.

 

[micknpluto]

Hey Chris!!

Hello Dan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jtopp]

They have also done this at Dollywood(tn) for their festival of nations. I don't like those other cokes very much though . It is interesting to know what others are drinking though.

Also a coca cola tasting station on the strip in Las Vegas, but they charge a fee!

 

[StitchSpawn]

Not sure if this is true or not, but a Soarin cast member told me that JK Rowling originally went to Disney to build the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but they declined.

well if they did decline, that was a really stupid decision. However, I would imagine Disney never offered or Universal offered a better deal, realizing they could FINALLY have a "land" like WDW.

 

[doconeill]

My, what an ancient thread...

well if they did decline, that was a really stupid decision. However, I would imagine Disney never offered or Universal offered a better deal, realizing they could FINALLY have a "land" like WDW.

The generally accepted story (again, not 100% sure as I don't believe there was any official statement from either side) was that Disney made a proposal (rumored to be a single attraction), but it fell far short of what JK wanted (more like a "land"). Universal offered much more, and JK held all the cards.

 

[PrincessAli]

Again--not 100% , but I heard that JK wanted what was to be created as true to her books as possible and she was afraid that Disney would have Mickey portray Harry Potter.

 

[Lyons Family]

One day when we were bored, and decided we had to go on all the rides we never went on..............so we decided to ride the ferry boat from Magic kingdom to the ticket and transportation center.
We started talking to one of the elderly male attendents.
We asked about all the coins thrown on the pilons.
He said years and years of people throwing money onto the pilon at the docks have accuumulated over all the years and he would love to be a scuba diver for one night and collect all the silver........... from the murkey water because it has to be many "feet" deep. He has never ever heard of them getting it and donating it to charity as the rumor goes...............

 

[MouseEarsForAll]

3) Early in the mornings, the Main Street Bakery makes all of the cookies for the day. They 'can' the exhaut air over the ovens and pipe the air back onto Main Street all day so the bakery always smells like fresh baked cookies.

'Canned cookie air'???????

 

[StitchSpawn]

'Canned cookie air'???????

basically

 

[StitchSpawn]

certain parts of the winnie the pooh ride, you can smell honey