Disney World is brimming with secrets and surprises, offering something new to discover with each visit. From hidden Mickeys to exclusive experiences, these insider tips will help you make your trip to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, even more magical.
Magic Kingdom
1. Disney chooses a family for the day to open the park. Every morning, one lucky family is selected to participate in a musical opening ceremony known as the “rope drop.” This event features Mickey and his friends and includes a private tour of Main Street before the park officially opens. To increase your chances of being chosen:
- Arrive at the park at least an hour early.
- Skip early morning dining reservations.
- Show enthusiasm and love for Disney.
- Chat with nearby Cast Members and be friendly.
- Wear your best Disney attire.
2. Pull the sword from the stone behind the castle. Try your luck at pulling Excalibur from its stone in front of Prince Charming’s Regal Carousel. Legend has it that only the bravest hero can succeed, so give it a shot!
3. Mail a letter to Santa from the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe. At Magic Kingdom’s Christmas shop, you can mail a letter to Santa all year round. Use the supplies provided by the store or bring your own letter from home.
4. Get sprinkled with pixie dust in Fantasyland. Visit Sir Mickey’s gift shop behind Cinderella’s Castle and ask a Cast Member to be pixie dusted. They’ll use a magic wand and some special words to make your day even more magical.
5. Pick up the phone in Le Chapeau to hear a secret memo. Stop by the hat shop Le Chapeau on Main Street, USA, and pick up the old-fashioned telephone on the wall to hear a secret conversation between the citizens of Main Street.
6. There’s a secret tunnel system under Magic Kingdom. Magic Kingdom has an extensive network of tunnels used by Cast Members and characters to move around the park quickly. You can explore these tunnels by booking Disney’s Keys to the Kingdom Tour ($114 per person plus tax).
7. There’s a suite inside Cinderella’s Castle. Cinderella’s Castle houses an exclusive suite that can’t be booked and is reserved for special occasions, such as celebrity stays or Make-A-Wish events.
8. There’s a secret members-only club in Adventureland. Club 33, Disney’s most elite club, has a secret entrance in Adventureland. Each Disney park has its own Club 33 location, accessible only to members.
9. Imagineers included their kids in the Be Our Guest restaurant. The cherubs on the ceiling mural of Be Our Guest restaurant feature the faces of the Imagineers’ children.
10. There are no bathrooms in Liberty Square. To maintain historical accuracy, Liberty Square does not have any restrooms, as they didn’t exist in 18th-century America.
11. Not all Main Street’s flags are American. Most of the American flags on Main Street, USA, are not authentic, missing stars or stripes, allowing Disney to bypass regulations on when flags must be lowered or lifted.
12. The Cinderella fountain is meant to look different to kids and adults. To adults, Cinderella’s statue behind her castle may appear sad, but to children, she looks happy and wears a crown thanks to the mural behind her.
13. The sidewalks magically keep you from tripping. Disney paints its sidewalks in different colors to create an optical illusion that helps prevent tripping.
14. You can’t see more than one land at a time in Magic Kingdom. Magic Kingdom’s design ensures that you can’t see other lands from where you are, using strategic foliage and landscaping.
15. Each second-story Main Street window honors Cast Members. The second-story windows on Main Street have inscriptions representing past Cast Members and Imagineers, like Roy O. Disney and Marc Davis.
16. The gravestones in the Haunted Mansion are nods to Imagineers. The headstones in the Haunted Mansion queue pay tribute to Imagineers who contributed to the ride, such as Yale Gracey and Marc Davis.
17. Cinderella’s horse is hidden on the merry-go-round. Look for Cinderella’s horse on Prince Charming’s Regal Carousel, identified by the golden ribbon around its tail.
18. Find a hidden Mickey on November 18th. In the Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid queue, a special hidden Mickey is visible only on November 18th, Mickey’s birthday.
19. Disney uses forced perspective to make things appear bigger. Disney uses optical illusions to make structures like Cinderella’s Castle seem larger than they are by adjusting the size of elements as they rise.
20. Scents are constantly being pumped through the parks. Disney enhances the immersive experience by pumping different scents throughout the parks, like popcorn on Main Street or gunpowder near Pirates of the Caribbean.
21. The water isn’t actually dirty on the Jungle Cruise. Disney dyes the water in the Jungle Cruise a greenish-brown to make it look more authentic.
22. Liberty Square has a “poop” path. The brown path in Liberty Square is said to replicate the lack of sewer systems in the 1600s, though this has not been confirmed.
23. The park uses AVAC garbage disposal. Disney World uses a pneumatic tube system to suck garbage through a vacuum-like tube to a central location, ensuring the park stays clean.
EPCOT
1. View Walt Disney’s childhood bedroom on Living with the Land. On the Living with the Land ride, look up at the second-story window of the farmhouse to see a replica of Walt Disney’s childhood bedroom.
2. Find a miniature festival in Germany’s Train Village. In the Germany pavilion, the miniature town celebrates the same festivals as EPCOT.
3. Look under the sea for a hidden Mickey. In the aquarium in the Seas Pavilion, find a hidden Mickey made of rocks in the sand.
4. Check for a sword in the Norway waterfall. Look behind the waterfall near the entrance to Frozen Ever After to spot a hidden sword.
5. Grab a drink to-go at Spice Road Table. In Morocco, you can order a drink to-go from Spice Road Table’s bar, even without a reservation.
6. Disney reuses old ride elements. Frozen Ever After in EPCOT uses the same track and vehicles as the old Maelstrom ride.
7. There’s a secret DVC lounge above the Imagination! Pavilion. Disney’s Vacation Club members can relax in a lounge located on the top floor of the Imagination! Pavilion.
Hollywood Studios
1. Drink from the water fountain in Batuu Marketplace for a surprise. In Galaxy’s Edge, the water fountain by the marketplace entrance reveals Dianoga from Star Wars: A New Hope.
2. Read the gas pumps near the entrance carefully. The retro gas station’s pumps near the entrance of Hollywood Studios display the park’s opening date: 05-01-1989.
3. Get extra points in Toy Story Mania during the first scene. Hit the mice on the barn walls and hen house’s roof in the opening scene to score more points.
4. The cobwebs in the Tower of Terror are real. Imagineers create realistic cobwebs using a hot-glue-like substance that collects real hair and dead skin cells over time.
5. The droid marks are real in Galaxy’s Edge. Droid tracks in the concrete were made by using droids modeled after R2-D2 from A New Hope.
6. There’s a lyric change on Rock n’ Roller Coaster. Aerosmith altered the lyrics of “Love in an Elevator” to “Love on a roller coaster” just for the ride.
Animal Kingdom
1. Ride Kilimanjaro Safari early or later in the day to see more animals. Animals are most active in the early morning and evening, making these the best times to ride.
2. Enter Animal Kingdom through the Rainforest Cafe. There’s a secret entrance to Animal Kingdom through the Rainforest Cafe, but you’ll need a reservation and park ticket.
3. There’s a fake waterfall in Pandora. The top waterfall in Pandora: The World of Avatar is actually a rotating wheel with mist, creating the illusion of falling water.
4. The props in the Expedition Everest queue are real. Many of the props in the Expedition Everest queue are authentic pieces from Nepal or real Everest expeditions.
5. There are 3 famous handprints on the exit of Flight of Passage. The handprints belong to Joe Rohde, John Landau, and James Cameron, key figures behind Animal Kingdom and Avatar.
6. Dinosaur has a sister attraction in Disneyland. Dinosaur shares the same track and ride vehicle as Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure.
Cast Member Secrets
1. Disney World employees aren’t allowed to point. Cast Members gesture with their hand or two fingers instead of pointing, as pointing is considered rude in many cultures.
2. Disney World employees go through strenuous training. Cast Members undergo an 8-hour training class known as “Traditions” before they start working in the parks.
3. There are designated ride testers. Disney employs testers to ride new attractions repeatedly to ensure they are perfect for guests.
4. Children are never truly lost in Disney. Cast Members are trained to handle lost children by taking them to a Baby Care Center until a parent arrives.
These secrets and tips will help you uncover the hidden magic of Disney World, making your visit even more enchanting. Enjoy exploring the wonders of Disney and creating unforgettable memories!
