Disney World really does feel magical. And that's why millions of guests keep going back, year after year. Despite this popularity, most fans...
Disney World really does feel magical. And that's why millions of guests keep going back, year after year.
Despite this popularity, most fans don't know that much about Disney's deeper, darker history. Here are mind-boggling facts that will change how you view the House of Mouse!
1
Nixon's infamous "I'm not a crook" press conference took place in Disney World, also making it the first time a sitting president visited the resort
2
Walt Disney originally considered building Disney World in New Orleans, but instead turned it down because he found out that "Florida offered Disney everything while Louisiana’s politicians demanded everything" by hiking up prices for the planned area
3
There are almost no mosquitoes in Disney World (Florida) even though it is in a swampy territory abundant with bugs. They have a sophisticated mosquito surveillance program to try and eliminate them quickly.
4
"Myst Island" was a proposed theme park at Disney World. A limited number of guests would get ferried to an 11-acre island designed like Myst. They'd spend hours there, exploring areas and discovering clues non-linearly. Theoretically, no 2 guests would have the same adventure.
5
Disneyland and Disney World are "national defense airspace" no-fly zones, and have been since 2003.
6
Mary Poppins actress Julie Andrews was given the honor of hosting the opening of Walt Disney World on October 1st, 1971. October 1st is also Andrews' birthday.
7
John Lennon signed the papers to officially disband The Beatles while at the Polynesian Resort in Disney World
8
On 9/11, all guests at Disney World were evacuated effectively with little panic by Cast Members, who did so by forming a human wall and gently herding them out of the parks. The guests at first didn't understand why this occurred, and some saw a gunship flying low over WDW in response to 9/11.
9
A woman in Florida surgically implanted a Disney World MagicBand into her arm. MagicBands are used at the parks to keep track of tickets, purchases, and room keys. Disney now puts a "not intended for subdermal use" warning on all their MagicBands.
10
When asked by Jane Eisner what he would do next after traveling around the world, Richard D. Rutan replied 'I'm going to Disneyland'. This inspired the 'I'm going to Disney World' ad campaign launched in January 1987, with New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms being the first to say it.
11
Florida passed a bill in 1967 which would allow Disney to build their own nuclear power plant at Disney World, that law still stands
12
Visitors are not allowed to scatter ashes of their loved ones at Disney World or Disneyland. This seems to be a real problem, particularly around the Haunted Mansion attraction.
13
When acquiring land for future Disney World in Florida, Walt Disney went to extreme lengths to keep the project secret fearing land would become too expensive if sellers knew the true project. Disney created shell companies to scout and buy land. Walt died before Disney World opened.
14
The stores on Main Street shop windows are the names of those original shell companies Walt Disney created to buy Florida land
15
Disney World has the power to establish schools and form their own criminal justice system, although they have not chosen to do that yet.
16
Far and away the most expensive roller coaster ever built is Hagrid’s Magic Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Universal’s Orlando Resort, costing $300 million. Meanwhile, the second most expensive roller coaster is Expedition Everest at Disney World, costing three times less at only $100 million.
17
Mr. Toad has a headstone in the pet cemetery at the Haunted Mansion in Magic Kingdom at Disney World as a tribute to the now-extinct Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
18
Walt Disney World near Orlando briefly had a real airport with a singing runway. Grooves in the tarmac were spaced so the lines played the opening notes of "When You Wish Upon a Star" when planes rolled over them. The airport closed in 1972.
19
The former actor for Gaston as Disney World killed himself after accidentally lighting a firework on his head
20
Disney World has 7500 acres of empty land, stemming from a 1970 environmental promise Disney made to Florida to never build anything on it.
21
Disney World once considered building a fifth theme park dedicated to villains, called "The Dark Kingdom"
22
Walt Disney's original idea for EPCOT was an entire city of people living in Disney World. Everyone was required to work, and since EPCOT would own their land or home, nobody would have any municipal voting rights.
23
There are large tunnels called Utilidors running under the Magic Kingdom at Disney World. The Utilidors allow employees to perform services like trash removal and for characters to travel around the park without being seen.
24
The Main Street train station in Disney World was designed to look like the turn of the century railroad station in Saratoga Springs, NY. The station designed to replicate the Upstate NY station is the second most photographed building in the Magic Kingdom.
25
A 2016 study found that the Thunder Mountain roller coaster at Disney World reliably makes people pass kidney stones.
