The Disney park system is a large part of any Disney stan’s life. With each park created over a number of years, each space offers different types of secrets and hidden spaces. Many of these things, when created with such loving detail and vision behind them, are pretty awesome and therefore worth noting.
It’s true that when discussing Disney Parks several of the same topics come up again and again. Everything’s designed so each land is separate and distinct. However, even if you make regular visits, there are still things you can miss, and there are ways to put a different spin on a familiar thing. Here are 10 awesome things the Disney parks have hidden in plain sight.
Main Street Memories
The signs on the windows of Main Street, U.S.A. at the Disney Parks are all tributes to those who have contributed to the Disney company and park systems. One exception is Disneyland Paris, where some of the windows commemorate characters and Disney stories instead.
Several Disney family members have window honors, including Elias Disney, Walt’s father, which was briefly featured in the 2013 film Saving Mr. Banks. These honors are an excellent way for the park to honor those who have come before, as well as those whose work has made the parks a reality.
The Power of Popcorn
Ever wonder where the amazing smells of popcorn or freshly-made churros come from? Specific scents are piped into different areas of each park, which is quite impressive when you consider the mechanics.
Scents in one part of the park cannot interfere with others; for example, only “Pirates of the Caribbean” has that distinctly musty, at-sea scent. Like many things in the parks, it all comes back to nostalgia and having a good experience. Smell is a powerful motivator, as is childhood. Disney created a reputation, and they keep it, in part, through the smell of food.
Divine
In Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom, guests should keep a close eye out for Divine. Divine is a cast member who is essentially dressed as a walking plant, hence the name. When guests spot her, they might see leaves move. Considering the title of the area, it can be an extremely fun surprise to spot Divine, another human being among all the animals.
Most cast members are specifically in the parks for meet-and-greets and to take photos and autographs with visitors. However, occasionally you’ll spot another character like Divine, who is mostly there as scenery and is waiting for that one wandering eye to spot them.
It Takes Perspective
When you’re in art class, perspective can be an interesting concept to mess around with. When applied in real life, it can be astonishing, especially with large scale projects such as, say, castles.
The windows and stones used at the top of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, for example, are smaller than normal in order to force the perspective that the castle is larger than it actually is. The same thing is done with the buildings on Main Street. All of this is accomplished in order to trick a guest’s mind into truly seeing everything as having heroic proportions.
Liberty Square
Liberty Square, built to resemble colonial America, had Imagineers who were extremely careful about details and authenticity. Other than at the Liberty Tree Tavern and Columbia Harbour House, which are required by law, there are no modern restrooms in Liberty Square. On a happier note, the Liberty Tree has 13 lanterns to represent the 13 original colonies.
Liberty Square is also another look at how seriously Imagineers took the mandate that each section of each park looks and feels separate from the others. It’s set between Fantasyland, which is meant to be unreal, and Frontierland, which is also quite historical.
Magic Kingdom Flags
When looking around at the parks, you might notice American flags on Main Street. However, these aren’t really flags. Instead, they’re called pennants because they’re all missing either a stripe or a star. This way, Disney doesn’t have to follow regulation in regards to lowering flags to half-staff on certain days, for example, since these “flags” aren’t really American flags.
Next time you’re in a park, take as close a look as you can, and see what you find. Each park does, however, have one real flag, which is used for a daily flag retreat at both Disneyland and Disney World.
Shave & A Haircut
Disney World includes two barbershops, which is quite a surprise in the first place. The first, Harmony Barber Shop, is just off Main Street and is open to guests. Cutting your hair at the Magic Kingdom isn’t something most people would think about doing, but vacations are for trying new things, after all.
A new haircut can make someone feel like a whole new person, and it might be that much more special because of where it’s being cut. The second barbershop, Kingdom Kutters, is specifically for cast members, in order for them to maintain their Disney hairstyles.
Secret Suite in Cinderella’s Castle
The Magic Kingdom holds one hotel suite inside the park: A special suite inside Cinderella’s Castle. Only accessible via invitation or by winning a contest, guests cannot book a night here. Tours have also been suspended. The suite was created for Walt Disney and his family, though he passed away in 1966 before the park was completed and opened in 1971.
The rooms were unoccupied until Disney decided to renovate in 2006. The suite sleeps six and has a telescope that points toward the park’s ultimate destination, Fantasyland. Antiques and period-appropriate furniture from the 17th century finish off the rooms.
Tunnel System
For those who are big fans of secrets, this last one might not be new. After Disneyland’s completion, the story goes, Walt Disney noticed a cowboy from Frontierland walking through the sci-fi themed Tomorrowland to reach his station.
Dismayed by the break in the illusion, Disney had tunnels built underneath the parks to ensure that cast members were never seen in lands where their characters shouldn’t have been. When digging into the layers of the park system, it really helps to see how carefully ordered everything is for the sake of maintaining the magic.
