Disney World Secrets are something every Disney fan wonders and even dreams about. The house of Mouse is known for keeping more than a few. From new and abandoned projects to affordable dining, secret clubs and more, we’ve got the dirt on the secrets of Disney World.
Table of contents
Disney World Secret Places
1. Tri-Circle-D Ranch
It’s no Disney World secret that horses trot down MainStreet USA, but where do they live? The Tri-Circle-D Ranch is one of the unnecessarily best kept secrets inside the resort.
At the ranch located near the Campsites at Fort Wilderness, all the Disney horses can be found, including Cinderella’s ponies. For no additional cost, guests can wander around the stables, talk to the cast members about the horses and learn about the jobs the animals perform.
For an extra fee, kids under 48 inches can take a pony ride. For older guests, there are trail rides through a woodland featuring deer, ducks and rabbits.
2. Discovery Island- A Mysterious Disney World Secret
If you have been a fan of Disney World secrets then odds are, you have heard of Discovery Island. No, we are not talking about the section of the Animal Kingdom Park with the same name.
The original Discovery Island is one of many Disney World’s hidden secrets. Prior to the opening of Animal Kingdom, the large Island in the middle of Bay Lake was a small wildlife park for guests to visit. The park cost about $12 for adults and operated from 1974-1999.
Inside the park you could find large aviaries with many species of birds. Discovery Island was mainly known for its emphasis on birds and plant life.
Once Animal Kingdom was finished and opened, all the wildlife on the Island was relocated and Discovery Island was left abandoned.
Years passed and guests soon forgot about the overgrown aviary oasis in the middle of Bay Lake. Trees overtook the aviaries, the pathways began to collapse and the plant life once on display, overtook them. When I was a kid, posts and netting could still vaguely be seen from aboard the boat transportation in the lake. Today, the trees have grown tall enough to cover it all.
Then, after about 20 years of decay, Disney’s dark secret came back into light. A YouTuber risked it all in 2019 to visit the island and record what was left. His photos can be found here.
3. River Country- Another Abandoned Disney World Secret
Discovery Island and River Country are often grouped together when it comes to Disney World secrets. They both existed in the same timeframe and era of Disney.
River Country was Disney World’s first water park. Elaborately themed to a Huckleberry Finn old fashioned swimming hole, the park used filtered water directly from the lake.
Old photos show guests plummeting off high drop water slides into pools and a manmade lake with dark water over its sandy shores.
River Country featured a mix of water slides, tube slides, a lazy river, tire swings and rope courses suspended above the water. Despite its amenities, River Country soon became outdated and unable to keep up with both Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. Both new parks had more capacity, easier parking, and more thrilling slides, like Blizzard Beach’s near vertical drop slide, Summit Plummet.
Twenty-five years after opening, River Country saw its last season in 2001 and quickly slipped into the realm of hidden secrets of Disney World. Disney dodged the issue of the park reopening for years, before finally announcing that it would never reopen.
For years, the lights and music of River Country would still operate, leaving the park to feel like a ghost of its former self. For a while, you could even walk directly up to the old entrance to see the relic of the past.
However, this hidden secret of Disney World was rotting away with zero maintenance done. Pools and slides filled with stagnant water, and plants took over. The fate was equal to that of Discovery Island, which is just adjacent to where the water park once flourished.
With the zika outbreak, the pools were filled in with sand around 2016. Shortly after, slides were slowly removed, and the land was cleaned up in preparation for the announcement and construction of a new DVC resort on the site.
4. The Disney World Secret Inside Cinderella’s Castle
While the castle in Disneyland was originally built as little more than an exterior shell to save on expenses, Cinderella’s castle was created to hold a restaurant on the second floor.
However, due to the castle being built with forced perspective, the inside does not necessarily match the exterior as far as floor heights go. Once you factor in the size of the restaurant and room for guests to walk through the bottom floor, there is not much space left for attractions. Instead, above the restaurant is a hidden Disney World secret.
A massive and elaborate Cinderella themed suite room is hidden inside the castle. With charming main street views, large rooms and beds, and an even larger bathtub, the Cinderella suite is not open for reservations.
A big question is always: “how much does a night in the Cinderella suite cost?” Unfortunately, a night in the suite is only available by special invitation or to periodic sweepstakes winners.
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Magic Kingdom Secrets
5. The Disney World Secret to Where the Bugs Have Gone
This may technically be a resort wide secret, but it all began in Magic Kingdom.
We all know Florida is infamous for awful mosquitos and other bugs. As a kid I used to look out the airplane window and wonder why so many of their pools had screened rooms built around them. Now I know it’s to keep the mosquitos and other biting insects out.
With annoying insects so prevalent, how can you visit Disney World and never need bug spray?
The big Disney World secret to mosquitos is actually multi-faceted. The park employs many ways to fight off the pesky biting critters, the first one being to remove any standing water.
Drainage ditches move water away from the parks and the resorts, and any water features located in the parks also contain fountains or a natural flow to keep the water moving. Mosquitos do not like flowing water to lay their eggs, so this approach reduces the number of mosquitoes in general.
A big Disney World employee secret is that no chemicals are used to aid in the prevention of mosquitos. Instead, a very faint liquid garlic is sprayed around the parks and resort. Apparently, mosquitos cannot stand garlic, even if its faint enough that we humans can’t even smell it. Who knew?!
6. Magic Kingdom’s Hidden Voices
Inside the Chapeau shop on Main Street USA is one of the most unique and often forgotten Disney World secrets.
At this location you can find an old style telephone. Guests can pick up this phone and listen to different phone conversations in progress.
The Mainstreet phone mimics the party lines of the late 1800’s and early 1900s. When you pick up the phone you will be listening to a conversation between some of the people who share the phone line.
Party lines were used in rural areas when individual lines were not available, so everyone shared and accessed the same phone connection.
7. Utilidors- the Most Popular Disney World Secret
The utilidors are most certainly the most beloved and most talked about Disney World secret. The utilidors are “tunnels” underneath the entire Magic Kingdom park. They are used to transport cast members, supplies, and trash throughout the park out of the view of guests.
For full details on this hidden secret of Disney World, check out of detailed article on it, here.
8. The Utilidors Are Not Tunnels
The utilidors are in fact not tunnels at all. The guest-accessible portion of the Magic Kingdom park is actually the second story, and the utilidors are the first story, ground level.
When you approach Magic Kingdom, you may notice a slow and steady incline towards the entrance.
This incline is what brings you from ground level to the second floor.
9. The Magic Kingdom Incline Has a Two-Fold Purpose
The incline as you approach Magic Kingdom is not only practical, but it also provides a theming element. When you approach the entrance, all you can see is the entrance, not what is behind it.
This was done so guests had an element of anticipation and surprise when the castle first came into view, upon entry.
10. Protecting the Hidden Backstage World
Sightlines exist in all Disney parks, but seem to be the most important inside Magic Kingdom. Magic Kingdom is the park with the most parades and characters.
The sightlines are large yellow lines painted on the ground in backstage areas. These lines tell cast members when they are fully out of sight from the guests.
Whether they are a walk-around character, a meet and greet character, or in a parade, no cast members are allowed to break character or remove their costumes until they are behind the sightline. This important staging element ensures that no child will ever witness the horrifying site of Mickey losing his head!
This fun secret about Disney was learned during the Keys to the Kingdom Tour in Magic Kingdom.
11. Disney World Trash- Where Does It Go?
A huge Disney World secret involves the trash that park guests generate. Inside the utilidors of Magic Kingdom, the trash is transported through vacuum tubes at a whopping 60 miles per hour. That’s highway speeds!
The vacuum tubes transport the trash to a large trash compactor before it is transported off property. We learned about the trash system as well as the utilidors on the Keys to the Kingdom Tour.
12. RIP, PUSH the Talking Trash Can
Magic Kingdom once had an interactive talking trash can named PUSH who would wander around the park and talk to guests. Push would occasionally join parades as well or ask guests for trash. He was also known to sing and dance.
PUSH was often brought out during busy days to visit with guests and help dissipate the crowds. As kids, we had the rare opportunity of interacting with him for quite a while with no other guests around. He continually asked us if we had any trash.
A little bit distraught about pleasing our new friend, we told him we had just thrown all our trash out a few minutes prior. We decided to try feeding him a leaf, which he did not find appetizing, but we found funny.
PUSH was discontinued in 2014. Click here to see a video of him interreacting with guests in his last year of operation.
Animal Kingdom Secrets
13. Rafiki’s Planet Watch
Rafiki’s Planet Watch is an often forgotten but well- known Disney Secret. However, did you know if you arrive to the Conservation Station early, you may be able to witness a surgery or vet procedure on one of the park’s inhabitants.
Vets work hard to ensure all the animals inside Animal Kingdom are well cared for and healthy.
Also, inside Rafiki’s Planet Watch, animal shows take place that are great for kids.
14. The Most Expensive Theme Park Attraction
Expedition Everest inside Animal Kingdom is hiding a costly Disney World secret. The ride was once the most expensive theme park attraction of all time, costing a whopping $100 million to build. We think the price tag was worth it!
15. The Immobile Yeti
A Disney World secret all hardcore fans are aware of is the paralyzed yeti. Inside Expedition Everest, the yeti seemingly grabs at your train car. Today, the effect is created by bright strobe lights.
But, when the ride first opened, the yeti actually moved. The large animatronic would swing his arm and grab at the trains. Soon, the weight and movement of the animatronic began to wear on the support structures of the ride. The effect has been immobile ever since.
For more on Expedition Everest secrets, take a look at our dedicated post.
16. Animal Kingdom’s Secret Entrance
A hidden secret of Disney World revolves around entering Animal Kingdom. When doing so, it can be quicker to cut through the Rainforest Café where a secret entrance is hiding. After cutting through the restaurant, you will find yourself in a courtyard with a private entrance to the park.
17. Hidden Animal Exhibits at Animal Kingdom
When inside Animal Kingdom, keep an eye out, or you will miss many animal exhibits. If you see an opening in a rock, try looking in it. Or, if you see a small pathway off to the side, give it a try. Many of Animal Kingdom’s animals are hidden just off the main paths.
A long and secret animal trail can be found around It’s a Bugs Life. Here you will see many bird species and get up close views of the Tree of Life.
18. SPOILER ALERT! Ostriches Don’t Really Lay Eggs at Animal Kingdom
When riding Kilimanjaro Safari, your safari guide will usually stop and point out a bed of ostrich eggs on the ground. As he or she continues to explain several facts about the birds and how they lay their eggs, you may start to notice that there are no ostriches around.
Animal Kingdom caretakers employ the use of fake eggs for more than guest amusement. The older birds are often given fake eggs to nest on to promote natural behaviors, while discouraging them to actually lay eggs.
Often times, these birds are too old to handle the physical strain of egg laying. So, they are allowed to pretend and can still teach the younger birds how things work.
For more secrets about Kilimanjaro Safari, click here.
19. The Disney World Secret to Feeding the Animals
In the mornings, the animals inside the Animal Kingdom park are fed prior to opening. But the animals are fed in the evenings during regular park hours.
The animals are fed around 5 o’ clock each evening. A quick evening safari ride will offer opportunities to see the savannah animals being fed or bunched together eating their dinner.
Another way to see dinner time feeding is to head to Animal Kingdom Lodge at that same time. Afterwards, enjoy an amazing dinner at Boma.
20. How Pandora Killed Beastly Kingdom, the Secret of the Missing Land
A big Disney World Secret about Animal Kingdom is its missing land. Animal Kingdom opened with a quickly put together Camp Mickey Minnie, a children’s area that offered small shows, but no real rides.
The children’s area was originally supposed to be extremely short-term area of the park, a holding area so to speak, while Disney gathered funds to build the Beastly Kingdom, the final land. As it turns out, Animal Kingdom was costly to build, so Disney put a hold on Beastly Kingdom. The thought was to wait until thee park opened and began making money before adding this special land for all make believe and magical animals. The land was planned to feature a rollercoaster through a dragon’s lair and additional attractions with unicorns and more mythical creatures.
However, Animal Kingdom opened shortly before the tourism crash following 9/11. So, beastly Kingdom was essentially scrapped, and Camp Minnie Mickey stayed until Pandora took over the land once intended for Beastly Kingdom.
Fans and enthusiasts who knew the Disney World secret of Beastly Kingdom held out hope for the eventual addition of the fantasy section to the park. But with the announcement and construction of Pandora, Beastly Kingdom has officially become as mythical as the creatures it was meant to showcase.
21. Secret Remnants of Beastly Kingdom Remain Inside Animal Kingdom
There are a few small remnants left of Beastly Kingdom remaining inside the Animal Kingdom park. It’s one of those Disney World secrets very few people know about.
The first and most obvious remains of Beastly Kingdom are the dragons used to decorate the entrance to the park. Above or below almost all of the Animal Kingdom signs, a dragon can be seen. A large dragon head is also displayed above one of the ticket booths.
Last, on the entrance bridge to Pandora, take a look across the water and to the right. On the shore, a crumbling rock formation resembling the shape of a dragon can be seen. This was built in the park’s early days to promote the land and for guests to see on the quickly defunct Discovery River Boats.
A unicorn statue could also be seen on the shores of the river, a bit downstream. It was quickly removed, to be eventually bought by a Disney Fan. Find the Instagram page here.
22. The Aforementioned Discovery River Boats
The Discovery River Boats are an attraction many do not know existed, making it a little-known Disney World secret.
This boat ride took guests on the Discovery River through the lands of Animal Kingdom. Small animals were showcased on the ride in between small shoreside exhibits.
One of these shoreside exhibits was outside the soon cancelled Beastly Kingdom and involved a dragon’s cave. The cave would blow fire and smoke as the boats passed. Originally, the cave was to have melted suits of armor outside, but while they were created, they were never added for fear of being too graphic.
The river boat journey proved to be too boring for guests. With abysmal attendance, the attraction was soon removed, and it, as well as its décor, became a Disney dark secret.
To learn more and see photos, click here.
Disney Hollywood Studios Secrets
23. The Disney World Secret to Fantasmic
Fantasmic is one of, if not the best, shows inside the Disney World Resort. But there is a Disney World secret hidden in the lagoon.
During the show, boats and characters travel through the lagoon as Mickey battles the dragon. However, the massive lagoon is actually only 1.5 feet deep! Given the shallow depth, rumor has it that the boats don’t float but are driven on the concrete bottom of the lagoon.
24. The Changing Icons of Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios is the only Disney World theme park that can’t seem to pick an icon. Upon opening, the icon of the park was officially the Earful Tower, a fake water tower adorned with Mickey ears.
Soon, a large Sorcerer’s Hat was constructed and acted as both a pin shop and the park’s icon. Nowadays, the giant hat is gone and no longer obstructing the view of the Chinese Theater.
The park’s current icon is the Tower of Terror or the Chinese theater. This is one park where the icon still seems to be undecided.
25. Changing Themes of Hollywood Studios Park
Not only has Hollywood Studios changed icons throughout the years, but it has also changed themes.
When the park first opened, it was about show business, and movie and tv production. Early rides, attractions and more put guests on the set from a filming and directing standpoint.
Many films and tv shows were even filmed in the onsite studios. Here’s a fun fact. In the early 2000s, guests were allowed to tour the studios and learn how television shows were made. My Dad was once selected to play the part of Al on the popular 90s show “Home Improvement” to demonstrate green screen technology. Unfortunately, his starring role never quite made it into production.
Unfortunately, this theme did not prove very productive. It was difficult to film on sets and in buildings with loud park guests outside. Soon, filming was moved back to California locations separate from the park.
The park today is still devoted to immersing guests into their favorite movies and TV shows, but in more traditional Disney style. In Toy Story Land, for example, you can interact with toys and see how the world would look if you yourself were one.
Likewise, Star Wars, Galaxy’s Edge transports you directly inside the Star Wars franchise, even allowing you to take part in the resistance movement through the ever popular ride, Rise of the Resistance.
26. Secrets of the Chinese Theater
Upon entering Hollywood Studios, it doesn’t take long to run into the Chinese Theater. Once home to the Great Movie Ride, this exact replica of the Hollywood building is now the shell for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad. What many Disney guests don’t know is that the replica of the Chinese Theater in Hollywood Studios is an exact replica of its real counterpart in LA, California down to every detail.
Rumor has it, when constructing the Disney version, imagineers used the blueprints from the original, for the exterior.
EPCOT Secrets
27. Spaceship Earth’s Millennial Secret
For the millennium celebration, Spaceship Earth was adorned with a Mickey hand holding a wand and the number 2000.
Many guests absolutely hated this addition, expecially when it lasted much longer than the millennium celebration. Once the millennium year had passed, rather than taking down the large structure as promised, Disney replaced the date with the word EPCOT. Guests hated this even more.
Luckily, the appendage to Spaceship Earth was removed in 2007.
28. Spaceship Earth’s Other Secret
The biggest Disney World secret surrounding Spaceship Earth is its ability to handle rainwater. Spaceship Earth is designed with a very specific rain diverting system.
While we do not know much about how the water is diverted, we do know that a unique and mysterious gutter system almost magically transports the water to the lagoon by the World Showcase, so that guests are never bothered by water dripping off the panels.
29. The Abandoned Pavilions of EPCOT- Horizons
A Disney World secret many newbies may not know is about the Wonders of Life and Horizons Pavilions. These Pavilions opened shortly after Epcot did.
Horizons was a slow-moving dark ride that showcased futuristic technologies for your home and life. The ride operated from 1983 until 1994 when General Electric dropp its Sponsorship.
The ride reopened again in 1995 when the World of Motion and Universe of Energy (which are both now defunct,) were both closed for refurbishment. With those two headlining attractions out of commission, Disney needed another attraction to divert crowds. Videos from this era show a run-down ride with broken animatronics, and a ride that had not seen maintenance for a year.
The ride permanently closed in 1999, when the Universe of Energy opened and Test Track replaced World of Motion. The pavilion was demolished over a year later to be replaced by Mission Space.
During the time between closing and demolition, the ride again sat abandoned, with no maintenance.
30. The Abandoned Pavilions of Epcot- Wonders of Life
While it’s no secret that EPCOT is made up of many pavilions, there is one that current guests may not recognize. The Wonders of Life pavilion showcased exhibits and attractions on health and the human body. Two of these attractions were E ticket rides.
Body Wars was the first simulator ride in Walt Disney World. It took guests through a journey of the human body by shrinking guests down to study the effects of a splinter on white blood cells.
Unfortunately, the ride often made people sick due to the jerkiness and swaying of the crude simulator technology.
Cranium Command, a show about the human brain, was hosted by Buzzy, an animatronic in charge of controlling the body of a 12-year-old boy. Buzzy, acting as a brain, went through a typical day and had to learn to interact with the organs to balance the body’s needs.
After its closure in 2007, The Wonders of life Pavilion became an abandoned Disney World secret for years, sitting empty and roped off. Prior to the closure, the pavilion operated seasonally for years, with little maintenance done to the attractions and exhibits.
Between 2007 and the recent EPCOT remodel, the pavilion was stripped of its rides and used occasionally during festivals. According to Internet rumours, Buzzy was stolen during this time, and now resides in some unknown location.
That is a brief history regarding the Disney World secret of an abandoned attraction in plain view in EPCOT.
31. Living with the Land’s Secret
Living with the Land provides a lot of the food used inside the restaurants in EPCOT. The restaurants serve fish raised from the tanks seen in the ride, as well as veggies and fruit grown in the greenhouses.
32. Japan Pavilion’s Secret
A big Disney World secret about the Japan pavilion in EPCOT is that a Mount Fuji Rollercoaster was originally planned for the space. These cast-aside plans eventually led to the creation of Expedition Everest.
33. Club Cool Used to Be Much Cooler
Club Cool has been showcasing different Coca-Cola drinks from around the world for years now. While many people are familiar with the brightly colored modern theme, it was not always that way.
When Club Cool first opened, and for years thereafter, Club Cool resided in an igloo. The entrance took guests through a cold room with real snow in it. It was freezing, but perfect for snowball fights.
Club Cool was removed during EPCOT construction in the mid 2010s and has once again been completely remodeled and reopened.
34. More Countries Were Originally Planned for the World Showcase
One Disney World secret is that the World showcase has room for 8 more countries. In the initial planning phases, all the spaces were filled.
Unfortunately, given the high cost to build the pavilions, many sponsoring countries backed out or never agreed to get involved.
Some of the countries that were originally planned and advertised but never came to be: Spain, Israel, and Equatorial Africa.
35. The Disney World Secret to the American Pavilion
The American pavilion in the World showcase has its own Disney world secret to share. The pavilion is the only building in the Disney parks to use the reverse of forced perspective. Rather than making the building appear taller like the others, forced perspective is used to make the building appear smaller.
In reality, to fit the auditorium for the stage show, the building is 5 stories tall. Since the pavilion was meant to reflect colonial times when buildings of such height were rare, Imagineers used forced perspective to scale it down to a more realistic size.
Instead of looking five stories tall from the outside, imagineers added extra tall windows and doors to make the building appear just over 2 stories tall.
36. What in the World Is the Outpost?
Located in the World Showcase, the African themed outpost has a small drink stand to quench your thirst. However, it’s rumored that you can do more than get drinks there.
In the Outpost, are a group of wooden crates. If you open them, one of them can spray you with water. Although, we have not confirmed this, many sources say it is true. We cannot wait to try on our next trip!
Disney World Ride Secrets
37. Space Mountain’s Height
Space Mountain holds quite a few Disney World secrets, one being its height. Space Mountain is set at 183 feet tall, with Cinderella’s Castle being only 5 feet taller. But, you may notice when you look at the landmarks in the park, Space Mountain appears much smaller.
As to not overshadow the castle from afar, Space Mountain is set 15 feet lower in the ground than the castle. This makes it appear large at the base, but not on the skyline. This is also why you immediately traverse multiple downward staircases upon entering the queue.
38. The Space of Splash Mountain
Splash Mountain was a well loved ride inside Magic Kingdom, and while it appears large from inside the park, few guests realized that the entire ride actually covered a whopping 9 acres.
This included the mountain façade, queue, and most importantly the show building. Speaking of the show building, did you know that most of the ride took place in the rectangle building behind the mountain?
Only a few short sections including the lift hill, garden scenes, final drop, and briar patch took place on the mountain. The rest took place in the show building which is hidden well away from the view of guests. In fact, the log ride vehicled traversed a drop within seconds of leaving the loading station. This is where guests entered the show building for the first time.
The show building also included a large area where water recirculates. According to our guide on the Keys to the Kingdom tour, if you’ve ever lost something on Splash Mountain, this is where it’s likely to be.
In 2025, Splash Mountain will reopen as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Since the retheming is mostly cosmetic, these same secrets will apply to the new ride.
39. The Baby Elephant of Kilimanjaro Safari
For many years, the Kilimanjaro Safari featured a story line regarding poachers. You, as a guest, would board one of the ride vehicles to embark on a “week long” safari. It wasn’t long, however, before your trip was interupted by news of poachers within the park, hunting down a baby elephant.
After a fast paced and bumpy ride, your safari vehicle managed to chase the poachers into a trap. Soon, you would turn the corner and find the elephant, Baby Red, safely in the back of a vehicle. Today, the original story line has been abandoned to give your safari driver more time to discuss the animals and the importance of conservation. As a result, the poachers and baby Red have become a Disney World secret.
40. The Cost of Horses, Carousel Horses That Is
Personally, I own horses, so I can attest to the massive cost associated with this passion. But, do you know it may be even more expensive to own carousel horses?
Cinderella’s Carousel has 90 horses. Each horse is valued between twenty thousand to one hundred thousand dollars. Many of the horses are even painted with gold leaf details. Keeping expensive replica’s like these in peak condition definitely takes more than pocket change.
41. Expedition Everest’s Decor
When Expedition Everest was in the planning stages, the Imagineers traveled to Nepal to get ideas for the theming of the ride. During these many trips, they began purchasing and transporting authentic décor back to Florida for the ride.
Nepalese artisans even created the Yeti murals seen in the ride queue and on the ride.
Additionally, an interesting Disney World secret revolves around Coca-Cola bottles in the queue. If you keep an eye out while waiting in line, you will see a case of glass Coke bottles that appear to be full of soda.
In fact, these bottles are full of Coca-Cola. The bottles were bought in Nepal during one of the many trips the Imagineers took while researching for the ride.
42. Submarine Voyage and the Little Mermaid
From 1971- 1994 the 7,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride occupied a large portion of the Magic Kingdom park in what is now part of the Fantasyland expansion.
When the ride closed, a Little Mermaid meet and greet, where guests could meet Arial, occupied a portion of the old ride. In 2012, this location became the Little Mermaid dark ride, but there are still nods to the Submarine Voyage hidden in plain sight.
If you scour the rock work in the queue for the LIttle Mermaid ride, you may see a familiar shape. Inside the rockwork is a carving of the Nautilus Submarines, the predecessor to this ride.
One more connection between the famous Submarine Voyage and the Little Mermaid ride is the water. When 7,000 Leagues Under the Sea was announced to be closing, Imagineers saved water from the ride in jars. During the construction of the Little Mermaid dark ride, the Submarine Voyage water was added to the ride.
43. R3X Pilot to DJ
In the first years of Star Tours in Hollywood Studios, your pilot was in fact NOT C-3PO. During this timeframe, your pilot was a droid named R3X, or Rex.
A well kept Disney World secret is that Rex can now be seen in Oga’s Cantina as the droid who is your DJ.
44. Dancing Snow White in the Mine Train Queue
Inside the Queue for the 7 Dwarf’s Mine Train, we see many nods to the dwarfs and mining for diamonds, but we do not really see Snow White. But, if you know where to look, you can find her.
When you first enter the building part of the queue line, there are barrels full of jewels that rotate. When rotated, each barrel reveals an image of one of the 7 dwarf’s on the ceiling. But, a Disney secret is what happens when all barrels are rotated at once.
If guests work together to spin all the barrels simultaneously, an image of Snow White will appear on the ceiling and perform a fun dance for guests.
45. The Dust of Haunted Mansion
Haunted Mansion seems to be covered entirely in dust and cobwebs. These elements are not authentic, and in fact, the ride is cleaned daily.
The dust and cobwebs are made by stringing hot glue between objects. On the Keys to the Kingdom Tour, we were informed how difficult it was to clean the “dirt” in the mansion.
46. Poor Mr. Toad
We will round off our last Disney secret with another Haunted mansion secret. In the queue, right by the door to the mansion is a cemetery. But have you ever noticed that there is also a pet cemetery?
The mansion’s Pet Cemetery is located near the exit. Once you leave the ride, stay to the left. Up on a small hill, you will see a cemetery with small headstones encircled by a gothic fence.
The headstones are hard to read, but inside the cemetery is a headstone for Mr. Toad. This is a nod to the ride Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride which, was replaced by the Winnie the Pooh Ride.
The Disney World Secret Club You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
47. Revealing the Secret Club 33
Club 33 is the ultimate Disney World hidden secret. Beginning in Disneyland in 1967, the club was established give Disneyland’s sponsors an exclusive place inside the park. As a result, Club 33 hosted some of the richest elite in its private lounge inside Disneyland.
Soon, in-park ammenities were added to the roster of Club 33 benefits and individual memberships were offered, for a hefty fee.
48. Club 33 Locations
Today, each Disney park has a Club 33 lounge, that are typically hidden in buildings with other names. The Club 33 in Magic Kingdom is located near the entrance to Adventure Land right off the main hub on the right as you cross the bridge. Inside Animal Kingdom, Club 33 can be found in the Harambe House. EPCOT’s can be found in the American Pavilion’s Constellation Club, and Hollywood Studio’s Club 33 Lounge is above the Brown Derby Restaurant.
49. Club 33 Pricing and Benefits
While pricing is something of a secret, but in 2020, we uncovered that Club 33 pricing started with an initial $33,000 fee followed by a $15,000 yearly fee thereafter. We imagine costs have gone up since then.
It seems a Club 33 membership is only for one location, meaning if you have paid to access Disneyland in California, you will have to purchase another separate membership for the Florida locations.
Perks of the club include at least 50 day passes to the parks per year, 5 days of VIP tours, and a concierge. Previously, a Club 33 membership also included unlimited instant FastPasses. We assume this perk has been replaced with unlimited access to the Lightning Lane.
Disney World Parking Secrets
Parking secrets may not sound very interesting, but if you plan to drive yourself to the parks instead of taking advantage of Disney’s internal transportation, you likely have a magical vision in mind. If it’s one where you pull into the lot, serenely park your car in a spot of your choice near the entrance, and then emerge from your car and head straight for the gate, the reality is quite different. That makes it worth learning a few Disney World parking tips.
50. The Conundrum Regarding Preferred Parking
As you enter the parking area, smiling but very determined cast members will be on hand to guide your course through the lot. This often means you’ll be directed to a space well away from the front gate. To accommodate guests who either don’t like to walk or want to be first in line, Disney World offers preferred parking for an additional cost. By paying for preferred parking, you are guaranteed a spot up close to the park entrance.
However, here’s the secret most guests don’t consider. If your group plans to arrive early at your Disney Park, you can skip the added cost of preferred parking while still getting a good spot on the lot. Most parking lots at the four main Disney theme parks start parking guests up close near the entrance. So, if you arrive early, you can net a similar benefit of preferred parking without the added cost.
That being said, if you plan to use your parking pass, (which can be used all day at any park for the one fee,) to park hop, paying for preferred parking may be beneficial for the parks you arrive at after opening.
51. Where to Find Free Parking at Disney World
While all the parks offer free parking for resort guests, Disney Springs offers free self-parking for all. This is a stark contrast to the theme parks which charge non-Disney resort guests a daily parking fee.
If you are not staying at a resort and want to score some free theme park parking, try leaving your car at Disney Springs and taking a bus to a resort, and then getting on a park bus from there.
While this method does take a bit of time, it may be worth it for you if you’d like to save some money as well as see a resort or two.
52. Parking Lot Trams, Who Needs Them?
On hot and busy days, the parking lot trams can make the journey from your car into the park much easier, and more efficient. When parking at the Transportation and Ticket Center for Magic Kingdom, or when parking at EPCOT, use the tram! These parking lots can be massive and have lots far from the entrance.
At Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, it can certainly be faster to skip the tram and walk to the entrance! From both these lots you will be able to see the entrance. You’ll quickly see that from most spots, walking is faster.
Disney World Secrets Tips for Visiting the Mouse
53. Uber and Lyft to the Contemporary – A Disney World Secret Worth Keeping Quiet
Many of us hardcore Disney fans have been utilizing Uber and Lyft from the moment they were allowed to operate inside the resort, but they’ve always been more or less useless when visiting the Magic Kingdom. The only transportation allowed to enter the Magic Kingdom gates are the Disney World buses, boats, the monorail and Minnie Vans which all can access the inner parking circle right in front of the park.
All other types of transportation have to drive to the transportation and ticket center. From there, guests will need to take the monorail or boat over to see Cinderella’s castle.
One of our favorite Disney World secrets is to use Uber or Lyft to the Contemporary resort and walk to the Magic Kingdom from there. The walk takes about five minutes. When you factor in the time it takes to wait for a bus at your resort, or to park at the TTC and board the monorail, Uber or Lyft can be much faster. We are hoping Disney does not catch onto this hidden secret of Disney World transportation and stop ride services from dropping off at the Contemporary.
For details, pros and cons on all the transportation options, click here.
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54. The Disney World Secret to Free Toiletries
If you find yourself upon your arrival tearing apart your luggage looking for a toothbrush, toothpaste, or any other common toiletry item, don’t despair. There is a secret tip that can help you out in a pinch.
Instead of heading over to the gift shop in your resort, where you’ll pay a premium for a toothbrush, just head to the front desk. Often times, if you explain that you left a necessary item at home, they will give you a replacement free of charge.
