You may recall that I bought a book called Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World by Susan Veness. The book was great! I highly recommend it, whether it's your first trip or you've gone for years. While there were some details I already knew, in this book, there were so many I wasn't aware of. So, I typed up a list of things to look for while we're touring the parks. I think it will make this trip even more fun. Check these out:
MAGIC KINGDOM
(1) Big Thunder Mountain Ride at night and see a party in progress in 2nd floor of saloon.
(2) Pirates of the Caribbean As you exit, notice Davy Jones peg-legged footprints.
(3) Tonys Townsquare Restaurant To the left of the stairs, notice the Tramps tribute to Lady.
(4) Main Street Streetlights start off gas by Emporium and turn electric by Caseys Corner
(5) General Store (Main St.) Pick up the wall-mounted telephone inside store, next to cash register, near the front.
(6) Cinderellas Castle Above front and back entrances are the Disney familys coat of arms.
(7) Tinker Bells Treasures Store For a special view of Tinker Bell, look in the first keyhole in the sewing drawer next to the door at the front of the shop.
(8) Mickeys Philharmagic Notice the scent of jasmine and apple pie wafting at various points during the show.
(9) Peter Pan Look around before your ship flies out the nursery window. Watch for the building blocks near Wendys bed and just under the window, which spell out P Pan and Disney.
(10) Liberty Square
a. The river of brown gravel down the center of pavement represents the open sewer of the day.
b. Next to Christmas Shoppe, look at the upper window of the home next to the door with number 26 on the front. The lanterns represent Paul Reveres Ride. Walk around the corner of the same building and look at the upper window on that side for the rifle in the window.
(11) Haunted Mansion Just before leaving stretching room, listen for the gargoyles to say, Stay together.
(12) Splash Mountain Just as you begin your ascent, look up at the ceiling, where a little gopher pops his head out and shouts, F.S.U.! (Florida State Univ.)
(13) Tomorrowland Take a look at the Tomorrowland Times sold by a robot near the Astro Orbiter. Then walk around to the right, toward the Lunching Pad counter. See the phone booth? Pick it up.
EPCOT
(1) Test Track When you enter the heat chamber, look left. Someone is making breakfast, with two eggs frying on a bit of aluminum foil on the heat compressor.
(2) Drinking Fountains Standing on the pathway between Fountain of Nations and Mouse Gear, with the fountain to your right and the shop to your left, you will see 2 drinking fountains ahead of you. Take a drink and listen closely. Something is going on in there!
(3) Spaceship Earth As you pass the cave dwellers scene, take a quick flash photo of the wall directly to your right. Youll have a fun surprise when you see the picture later.
(4) Imagination Look at the water feature as you walk towards the pavilion. The water is shooting upward, instead of down.
(5) Leaving Future World towards World Showcase Look at the hilly area just beyond the rose garden between the Imagination Pavilion and Refreshment Port. Sometimes, in the summer months, you will see a small robotic contraption moving across the grassy hill. Its a solar powered lawn mower!
(6) Mexicos Plaza de los Amigos Most guests overlook the large contraption to the left of the Kidcot station. In fact, it is both a postcard creator and a rare free souvenir.
(7) Refreshment Outpost (World Showcase) Open the Coca-Cola coolers. Its a quirky secret, but when its working, it has real Kodak Moment potential, so have a camera ready (just not in the hands of the one opening the cooler).
(8) Germany Look at the three princes on
Das Kaufhaus. Look closely and youll see Mickeys likeness (three circles for his head) on the front of the left-most princes crown.
(9) The American Adventure
a. When you enter the USA Pavilions rotunda, walk to the corner of the room, to the left of the front doors. Among the original paintings adorning the walls, you will find a painting of a World War II B-17 Bomber. Stand parallel to the painting and walk its length, watching the bomber as you walk. Notice how it seems to follow you? It works no matter which side you start from. Also, notice that there are women in the painting, since most men were at war, and mechanics were still needed.
b. Walk to the back of the rotunda along the left-hand wall, to the painting entitled Lesson for the Future, which has a tie to the Magic Kingdom. The teacher is reading the Swiss Family Robinson.
c. As you walk up the stairs from the lobby, for the American Adventure show, youll notice the walls and ceiling adorned with real flags, all of which have flown over the United States at some point in history.
i. The banners in the middle row are American flags, including a version of a George III flag, the Betsy Ross flag and the current U.S. flag.
ii. Other flags are from the Revolutionary War or countries that laid claim to some area of land before it became the U.S. (Look for the white flag emblazoned with a large red X. Thats the Spanish Bourbon, the oldest flag in the bunch, dating back to 1513.
(10) Morocco
a. Youll know youve reached the Fez House when you enter the small courtyard decorated almost entirely in tiles. The upper story is the homeowners living quarters. If you stop and listen, youll hear the family inside (wait for it!). Apparently, a guest has shown up unannounced and the family is bustling about to get refreshments. If you pay close attention, you may hear the tea service hit the floor when one of the children trips over another. Stand there long enough and youll hear the English speaking guest arrive.
b. There is a small fountain to the right of the restaurant entrance. Stand there for a few minutes and you may hear a conversation from within the shop behind you. The merchant and one of his patrons are discussing some of the shops items.
(11) France Look up at the basket on the shelf behind the tasting counter, in Aux Vins (store of French wines). Ratatouille is peeking out from among the grapes.
(12) United Kingdom
a. The Tea Caddy shop is based on the Stratford-upon-Avon cottage owned by Anne Hathaway, wife of Shakespeare.
b. Enter the Toy Soldier store and go all the way to the back. Youll find a library used by Mary Poppins (and inexplicably Winnie the Pooh). On the large coat and umbrella rack is a bundle tied with string, addressed to Mr. Banks. To the right of the umbrella stand, youll find a small grouping of photographs. They are pictures of Christopher Robin Milne, son of A.A. Milne holding his beloved bear. The photograph on the shelf above the grouping is of Milne and his son.
Hollywood Studios
(1) Sids Cahuengas One of a Kind This shop, on the left as you enter the park, is the only place in WDW where you can buy an authentic photo of Walt Disney.
(2) Sunset Boulevard
a. Take the time to look at the area near the curb running alongside the Sunset Boulevard. There are contractors stamps at various points along the boulevard with the logo Mortimer Bros. Construction Co. 1928.
b. Look at the red trolley parked in front of Sunset Market Ranch. The trolleys number, found on the side, 694, commemorates when Sunset Blvd opened on 6/2/94.
(3) The Great Movie Ride
a. As you enter the James Cagney scene, just after Mary Poppins, look at the posters on the wall to your left. The bottom of one of them has been torn, and you can see Mickey Mouses shoes peeking out from behind.
b. Keep looking to your left, as you pass through the gangster scene. You may catch a glimpse of Mickeys silhouette in the right-hand corner of the Western Chemical Company buildings upper window.
c. Look at the hieroglyphics in the Egyptian scene. See if you can locate R2-D2 and C-3PO (directly across from Indiana Jones, on the left-hand side of the tram, just about at eye level near the snakes). A large hieroglyphic featuring Donald Duck as an Egyptian servant offering a slice of cheese to Pharaoh Mickey Mouse cab be found on the left-hand wall in the Well of Souls scene, directly in the corner of the third tier of hieroglyphics, just before you leave the area.
(4) Animation Courtyard
a. You might not have time for a family photo before your group departs for the Backlot Tour, so the attraction designers have thoughtfully placed a photo-op tram near the entry to the attraction. But watch out. . .you may get misted!
b. Stand in front of the giant Coke bottle, but be sure you hand someone your camera first.
(5) Streets of America
a. In the city area, the red fire hydrant in the alley two blocks up from the San Francisco backdrop, next to the Chevrolet building opens at random, with a cooling or possibly jolting shower of water.
b. A newsstand on the left side of the San Francisco backdrop has newspaper headlines of Steamboat Willie on the front cover! On the right-hand side of the backdrop are two newspaper boxes. By now, you know its worth taking a quick look.
(6) Jim Hensons Muppet Vision 3-D
a. Look up at the clock on the front of Muppet Vision. Thats Gonzo hanging from the minute hand!
b. Just as you enter the building, there is a box office to your right. Look under the mat for a key.
c. Dont look now, but some of the soldiers standing on the rafters above you in the pre-show area arent wearing any pants! They havent found them by the time they reach the final scene of the 3-D movie, either!
(7) Star Tours As you enter the room with the moving baskets along the Star Tours queue, look over the railing at the bits and pieces lying around. See if you can find the robotic Kermit the Frog sitting on the edge of one of the shelves below you and to the left of G2-9T, who is working on another robot. Then watch the foot connected to the pair of trousers lying to the left of Kermit. It moves!
(8) Backlot Tour On your way out of the Backlot Express, exit through the doors on the right leading out to the upper seating area (as opposed to those exiting into the courtyard where the police car from Roger Robbit is displayed). Before you exit, look at the plaster casts on the shelf above the windows. The one of the nun is particularly curious. Watch her eyes as you pass by; she is watching you!
(9) Indiana Jones Stunt Show Spectacular As you pass the entry to the show, to the left of the entry, down the path on the right hand side, there is a well with a sign saying DO NOT pull the rope. Notice NOT has been crossed out. You know what to do by now!
Animal Kingdom
(1) Discovery Island Trails For one of the best kept secrets in the park, take that first photograph of the tree from the walkway, but then walk to the back of the trails for an even more magnificent view, with no objections and no unwanted passers-by in the foreground of your pictures. If you arrive first thing in the morning or return toward the end of the day, it is likely you will have the area to yourself.
(2) The Boneyard There is a live crocodile that makes his home between the Dig Site and Dino Bites. As you leave the Dig Site area, walk toward Restaurantosaurus, give him a wave and smile as you walk past.
(3) Kilimanjaro Safari Ride For the enjoyment of the passengers, your driver will tune into music on the Jeeps radio, which plays an uplifting, inspiring tune. It is a composition called Hapa Duniani, incorporating a modified version of Baba Yetu, the Lords Prayer, in Swahili, as sung by the Voices of Celebration.
TODAY WERE IN SINGLE DIGITS!!!!
So, who knows? 
Of course, that made us a bit concerned. So, I called the dining number to see what's going on. 
We have no idea how that happened, but if you recall, our trip ressies had the same thing happen, so not overly surprising. Apparently, some of our ressies were under our actual home number, a few under a cell number and most under our old home number. Thankfully, the CM went through it all with me, to verify that everything we wanted did exist. Heck! Imagine if we showed up somewhere and there wasn't ressie? 
Two more days and well be only a week away. I truly hope there will be no more changes. So now, we are relying on the DISboards 
to get us through the final days. We even went to the local water park and every so often would sigh and say, I cant wait to get to Disney. We did go to the pool yesterday and the water park today, getting a nice tan going. 
We hope to return to the water park tomorrow and go to the pool sometime this week. Monday and Tuesday of next week, we arent opposed to doing that either. 
I'm excited for you! 
Not much longer!
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.. I loved reading it...
I was thinking of Disney when I bought it. My last camera wasn't fast enough so I missed out on a lot of good pics during our last trip. 
Have a great vacation. Be safe. 
I'll be looking for you on the TR. Stay tuned. . .
