Starting from the day when the Walt Disney Park in Florida opened its gates for visitors in 1971, there is hardly any other destination that has gained more popularity. However, the secret of the park’s success is not a surprise. Instead, Disney World’s popularity lies in the fact that it puts relentless emphasis on the convenience of the tickets to Disney and visitors’ experience. Apart from these, tiny bits of Pixie dust makes it a favorite of so many people.
Millions of people purchase tickets to Disney each year, and managing every detail becomes even more critical. Several things are going on in the parks that you won’t know about despite purchasing Disney’s costliest tickets. For example, the underground tunnels, to all the 30,000 visitors’ rooms, and more are some of them.
In this article, we will discuss some of the most amazing facts that most people are unaware of. These are like Walt Disney Florida secrets that you cannot discover with mere entry tickets to Disney.
Facts that remain unseen even if you have tickets to Disney
Here is a list of some interesting facts that will surprise you even if you are a veteran visitor to Disneyland. There are maximum employees in the Walt Disney World than all other parks put together.
If you add up the total employee numbers of all the parks worldwide, Florida’s Walt Disney World has more than the sum. In this case, we are including California’s Disneyland Resort, Shanghai’s Disney Resort, Paris Disneyland, Hong Kong Resort, and the Tokyo Disneyland. As we add up the total of all these, there are still around 5,000 employees less than the Florida Walt Disney Park figure.
Here, the total number of employees is approximately 70,000. Moreover, there is a unique fact about all the people who are part of this property, starting from the clerks to the princesses. They are all lovingly called as ‘cast members’ of Walt Disney Park. Besides, several people come for daily performances adding which this destination has become United States’ biggest single-site employer.
None of the Disney World structure is over the height of 200 feet
The Terror Tower and Expedition Everest at the Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom Respectively are exactly 199-feet tall. Moreover, this is not even a coincidence because none of the buildings or towers on any Disney properties are beyond 200 feet tall. The fact that taller buildings must keep flashing aviation lights may dim all the magic of the parks. Therefore, the park management maintains the 200-feet rule from the time the began to function.
Tickets to Disney used to cost the same as the present price of one water bottle
the first Magic Kingdom tickets started selling in October 1971, and the tickets to Disney then were $3.50 per set. That is precisely the cost of a Dasani bottle that you can purchase at Disney World now. Of course, it is not $3.50, but around $21, which includes the inflation over the years. However, it is sad that the Disney World ticket prices 2021 will be more than ever. You can expect to pay around $110 per pass now.
Hidden underground garbage system
There is an AVAC (Automated vacuum Collection) in the Magic Kingdom for the daily trash removal from the park. This system functions in the underground tunnels and utilidors through which park members can navigate across the park.
For proper use of the AVAC, the cast members regularly have to clean the trash and do the dumping using special procedures. The trash load travels underground with a force that pushes it at 60 miles per hour from that position. Finally, it comes to a pivotal location where the final processing, compressing and transferring takes place. The final trash goes into a special recycling center or a landfill.
Below your feet is an entire tunnel world
Apart from the special AVAC, there is a vast tunnel system within the Disney parks’ utilidors. It is like a mammoth network that mainly helps the park’s cast members to ensure proper navigation. Moreover, there are different color codes on the cast members’ doors to know where they are.
Even if any of them takes a wrong turn, it won’t be a problem because they are usually moving from one point to the other in select vehicles. These are like motor carts or the golf carts that you must have seen earlier. If you want to know whether guests have permission to enter these tunnels, that is possible only in the Magic Kingdom.
The train that runs along the Disney World track belongs to 1910
There is a fantastic photo opp around the Disneyland Railroad, which also has another remarkable history. It is that the steam engine which functions in this zone carries over 1.5 million passengers every year. Now, these trains were all built during the early 20th century. All four trains were manufactured around 1916 to 1928 and still hold top-notch shape. Moreover, the quality of the machines that run the vehicle is in superb condition too.
Epcot was initially meant to become a vast model community
It seems that Walt Disney had big plans when he started developing the Disney World a little at a time. Amidst all his plans, one of the most unique to create an Epcot model community. The full-form of EPCOT that a lot of people don’t know about is Experimental Prototype for Tomorrow.
The quite dystopian plan was to choose approximately 20,000 people to come and live in the Disney’s EPCOT city. Moreover, the plan for EPCOT consisted of huge residential properties, shopping areas, restaurants, and theaters. The unique plan about this was to have features of climate control within the community only. After Walt Disney’s death, his successors found the project very unrealistic and decided not to move on with the same.
Disney World’s fake American flags
Don’t be shocked because having fake American flags does not mean that Disney World is antinational. The main reason for not keeping the same flags is to keep traditional flag etiquette at bay. For example, if there is an original national flag in the park, it becomes mandatory to follow the ‘Flag code.’ For example, flying the flag only at half-mast during any mourning time, and more. Therefore, the American flags that you will see flying in the Disney World have something or the other missing. For example, it can be a star or a stripe. Since technically, these are pennants, no one has to worry about maintaining the flag etiquettes at all.
There is no sign of rainwater EVER off the spaceship Earth of EPCOT
It is such an architectural wonder that not a drop of water ever falls off the EPCOT Spaceship Earth, which is iconic. The 16-million ton sphere’s unique design is such that all the rainwater will travel along the passage inside the ball. Finally, it funnels straight into the Showcase Lagoon of the Walt Disney Park. So, that is a pretty great sign of recycling.
A very popular and tall fountain that is world-famous
The Innovention Plaza fountain in Epcot can shoot up water to a maximum of 150 feet. This fountain is world-famous because the one that is tallest in South Korea’s Busan can shoot till 180 feet, which is not a big difference, of course. Do you know how water will accumulate in the fountain shoots up all the water at once? Well, it can be over 2,000 gallons!
The bravest Cinderella Castle
The first thing that most people wish to witness after getting their Magic Kingdom tickets is the breathtaking Cinderella Castle. However, it is more than what you see, and the castle is almost like a fortress.
Most people believe what they see here and think that the castle is made out of stone when the truth is that the base material is fiberglass. There is a special why it was built in this way, making it capable of withstanding natural forces. Therefore, the pretty Cinderella Castle of Magic Kingdom can even bear hurricanes that lash out with a speed of 125 miles per hour.
There is always a trash can around you
As soon as you enter Disney Park for the first time, one thing that will indeed cross your mind is the amount of thinking behind the property. It seems that someone is omnipresent to look after all the guests. For example, carrying garbage along with you throughout the day is utterly annoying. Therefore, keeping in mind the cleanliness of the property and guests’ satisfaction, there are trash cans all around. Irrespective of where you are in the park, there has to be a trash can within the next 30 steps surely.
Can you stay in all the rooms at Disney World?
How many rooms do you think are there in Disney World in total? Well, there are over 30,000 rooms across all the Disney resorts and hotels. According to the latest calculation, a person will take decades to stay in every room at least once. Precisely, it will take a person over 68 years to complete all the 30,000 rooms.
Mickey Mouse is a fashionista
Mickey Mouse is the ultimate style icon and has a closet larger than some of the most fashion-forward people. He has a bunch of yellow shoes and red shorts and over 136 different sets of clothes. This collection includes a scuba suit and a tuxedo too. You may also want to know about Minnie’s fashion fetish. Well, her closet is smaller in comparison, and that consists of around 100 sets of clothes.
The number of lost sunglasses keeps increasing
Did you know that there is a record of over 1.65 million people losing sunglasses at Disney World since it opened? Moreover, approximately 210 sunglasses pairs reach the lost and found department of the theme park every day. Apart from that, there are over 6000 cases of missing cell phones, 18,000 hats, and around 3,500 cameras. So, make sure not to lost anything during your visit hours of Disney world.
The soda hydration factor!
It seems that every visitor to Disneyland purchases soda, and so on average, 75 million bottles of coke are sold here every year. Besides, if you compare this number with the 13 million water bottle sale, it is a shame. So, what we reckon is that you must hydrate more than that, and drink water more than coke.
Night tour of the Animal Kingdom
Even if you are entering the property with legit tickets to Disney, you may not have permission for a Night Safari. Well, since not all Disneyland creatures like to appear during the day, the night safari is an experience of a lifetime. It is when you can get to witness the nocturnal animals of the park in their natural form. For this, you will have to trek through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve for a few hours. After that, you can sit for a nice African dinner with wine and beer.
Magic Kingdom Vs. Disneyland: which is bigger?
The Magic Kingdom is spread over 142 acres, whereas Anaheim, Disneyland, and California occupy just 85 acres. The latter sounds tiny compared to a vast area of Disney World, which also has a wildlife reserve inside. Moreover, if you sum up the park area and the places around, the total is over 25,600 acres. The same is the total size of two islands in Manhattan.
Final thoughts
When the planning has already begun for your magical trip, and you also have the tickets to Disney, why not get to know a bit more. No matter how many times you have already been to the parks, the interesting facts mentioned above will undoubtedly make you more curious.
