There are a lot of secrets in the Disney industry… From secret parks to secret clubs, these are the very little-known parts that Disney doesn’t want you to know about!
Secret Abandoned Parks
There are two abandoned parks in Disney that sit unattended… River Country is a water park that closed years ago and Discovery Island is a nature attraction that closed more recently. Break-in if you dare…
Where The Beatles Broke Up
Many don’t know this, but the Beatles officially broke up at the Polynesian Resort in 1974. John Lennon was the final one to sign the paperwork…
Sorry, Bieber
Justin Bieber used to be a pretty rowdy kid back in the day… He, allegedly, got banned from Disneyland after punching Mickey in the groin. Okay, relax, Biebs.
Cinderella Rumors
This is an interesting take that most don’t know about… There is one Cinderella statue that children appear to love. They think she’s happy. Adults, on the other hand, feel a deep sense of sadness… Why is that?
“Closed” Is Always Bad
As of 2014, the parks of Disney have only closed three times: The National Day of Mourning for JFK, The Northridge Earthquake in 1994, and September 11th, 2001.
Andy’s Coming
It was a little-known fact among the biggest Disney fans that whenever you yelled, “Andy’s coming!” at the Toy Story characters, they’d have to fall to the ground. Then, this fact went viral, and Disney put a stop to it as it was happening too much.
Catland
Disney has about 200 feral cats living on the property, and management is totally fine with it since they help with any mice or rats that end up there.
Let’s Use that Drawbridge
Cinderella’s castle has a working drawbridge, but it hasn’t been used since the Grand Opening in 1983.
Best Fireworks Customer’s
The U.S. Military comes in first for buying explosives in the US, while Disney comes in for a close second.
The Golden Mark
There’s a bizarre golden circle outside of the famous castle. Many believe it’s the center of the park, but it’s actually just a surveyor marker when from when they were building the park.
A Bizarre Treat!
At Be Our Guest, a restaurant in the park, you can order “The Grey Stuff” which is just a delicious mousse dessert.
No Gum!
Disney does NOT sell any gum in the park. They want to keep these paths as gum-free as possible!
Can You See Mickey?
The developers of Disney’s Hollywood Studios did something pretty fantastic… They hid a giant Mickey face that you can only see from an aerial view!
For The Kids
The characters are actually discouraged from giving adults high fives.
Only The Luckiest Guests Can Stay Here
There are rooms in the castle that are only reserved for contest winners. The one pictured is Pirates of the Caribbean theme!
The Top Secret Entrance
The secret entrance to Epcot lets guests into the World Showcase from the Dolphin Hotel, Beach, and Yacht Club.
What Did They Do?
Yes, there are ‘jails’ for people who don’t know how to behave themselves… Thank goodness.
You Should Visit In…
January! This is the best time to visit since there aren’t many crowds and there’s a nice chill in the air!
How Many Sparrows?
There are three Jack Sparrows in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, but sometimes… There are four! Sometimes, Johnny Depp hangs out in the ride, just for fun.
Casual Pickup Game
There’s a hidden basketball court in the Matterhorn. It sounds like a nice spot to shoot some hoops!
Do You Know Morse Code?
Some smarty-pants decided to play Walk Disney’s inaugural speech in Morse code at the Louisiana Train Station.
That Famous Nixon Speech
Nixon gave his infamous “I Am Not a Crook Speech” at Disneyland.
No Sad Kids Allowed
If a kid drops their ice cream, souvenir, or ruins their clothes, Disney will replace all of that free of charge. This is called the, “No Sad Kid” rule.
The OG Rides
Out of all of the rides from the Grand Opening in 1955, 14 are still in use!
Land of Oz
When Disney was first built, developers wanted to build a Land of Oz, but it never came to fruition.
Keeping Up Looks
All Disney parks are always being repainted, touched up, and perfected nightly. Even overnight!
Selling Real Ammo
For the first year that the Penny Arcade was open, there was real ammo in the shooting games!
Low-Key Employee Rule
It’s a rule for park employees to point with two fingers or their whole hand. In some cultures, pointing wit hone finger is disrespectful.
Kinda Weird!
In Liberty Square, the brown pavement represents the sewage system underground. Why? No one really knows…
Epcot Ball Is Just A Giant Umbrella
Since the design of the Epcot Ball is so unique, it turns out that guests can stand under it and not get wet when it rains.
Bigger Than You Think
The Seas in Disney is so big that Spaceship Earth (another popular ride) could fit inside of it!
Sensory Adventureland
The people who designed Adventureland wanted to make sure that you really feel like you’re in a new world…
Real or Fake?
In a bizarre turn of events, the skull hanging on the back of the red chair on the Pirates of the Caribbean is actually real…
Steve Martin’s Early Start in Disney
Steve Martin actually worked in Disney parks before he was famous from movies!
Space Mountain Is Huge
This Space Mountain was an actual mountain, it would be the tallest in Florida.
Tinkerbell Doesn’t Care
Every now and then, a man dons the Tinkerbell outfit for the fireworks show.
Tom Sawyer Scavenger Hunt
Not too long ago, employee’s hid paintbrushes all over Tom Sawyer Island that, if found, could be turned in for a golden fast pass.
Tomorrowland!
Built in 1955, Tomorrowland was supposed to represent what the world would look like in 1986…
They Know About You…
A treasured guest is actually codewords for a disruptive guest who is on ‘the list’ of people to be on the lookout for…
Why Would They Do This…
All characters had to share communal underwear until 2001… Gross.
Look For The Mickeys…
There are hidden Mickeys all over each park, and even some in Universal Orlando!! Be on the lookout…
Underground Tunnels
Underneath the Magic Kingdom is a ton of tunnels so characters and medical personnel can get around quickly and unseen.
That Smell…
All around the Magic Kingdom, there are vents that push out scents of vanilla and peppermint. It’s supposed to make you happy!
Disney Bras?
When Disneyland first opened in 1955, they had a lingerie store called, “The Wizard of Bras.” No one knows why!
Keep On Goin’
Epcot’s World Showcase has room to build eight for countries… Let’s get to building!
Secret of Cinderella’s Castle
Disney World uses forced perspective to make the buildings look bigger than they are. The bricks at the top of the castle are smaller than the bottom, so they look taller.
You Can Never See A Neighboring Land
Disney designed the parks so that when you are in one land, you can never see a neighboring land. They used a lot of foliage to prevent that…
Secret Convo In The Hat Shop
There’s an old-school telephone in the hat shop on Main Street. When you pick it up, you can hear a conversation between a mother and a daughter talking about groceries.
Fake Flag
To avoid the rules of the national flag code, every American flag in the Magic Kingdom is fake. It’s missing one stripe and is technically a pennant. They do this so they don’t have to lower every single flag to half-mast on special occasions.
Secret Donald
Along with hidden Mickey’s, there are also some hidden Donald’s! His silhouette can be found on a chair in the Haunted Mansion’s library.
No Bathrooms in Liberty Square
The Imagineers wanted to keep Liberty Square historically accurate, so they have no bathrooms?
Secret To The Perfect Score
On Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, focus on the red robot and claw in the very first room. The surprise targets are 100,00 each!
Magic Kingdom’s Kiss Good Night
About 15 minutes after the park closes, you can see the “kiss goodnight.” While the park is emptying, Cinderella’s Castle lights up once more while “When You Wish Upon a Star” plays. Then, a message comes over the speakers, “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, on behalf of everyone here at the Magic Kingdom, we thank you for joining us today for a magic gathering of family, friends, fun, and fantasy. We hope your magical journey with us has created wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.”
Never Say, “I Don’t Know.”
There’s a rule for Disney employees. You must never tell a guest you don’t know about something… Or they will know.
Before Disney Princess…
Before a Disney Princess can get her crown, she must practice as a non-face character (or furry, if you will).
Abandoned Airport
A runway was built in 1970 just before Disney World opened. It was only used for a couple of years before it was shut down. Now it’s just used for some transportation.
Epcot Wasn’t Supposed to be a Theme Park…
Epcot was originally going to be a futuristic neighborhood where people could live their actual lives. These were halted after Disney’s death…
Secret Camouflage Character
In the Animal Kingdom, there’s a character called Divine. She’s a street performer who is disguised in leaves, vines, and green face paint… She’s easy to miss, so look hard!
Trash Cans Everywhere!
Fun fact: You’re never more than 30 feet from a trash can. So, don’t litter!
Where To Find The Only Booze…
There is an extremely difficult club to get into called Club 33. It’s the only way you can get alcohol!