There are some seriously fantastic attractions in Disney parks.
From beloved classics to new favorites, there’s pretty much something for everyone. Disney buffs everywhere know LOTS about their favorite rides, but we’ve got ten facts you might not have EVER known about some iconic Disney attractions!
1. There is a real bullet hole in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion.
Did you know that there’s a REAL bullet hole on Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion? According to the Orange County Register, if you look closely at the glass in front of the ballroom scene, you might notice a tiny bullet hole (Or B.B. hole! They’re not sure.).
Apparently (although unconfirmed), a guest shot a hole in the glass but the pane was too expensive and difficult to replace. Instead, Imagineers reimagined the bullet hole to look like a spider web. Spooky!
2. The bellhop letters in The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror are real letters!
Over in Hollywood Studios, you’ll find an attraction CHOCK FULL of Easter Eggs and hidden details! The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has a lot of nods to the teams that worked on the attraction and to The Twilight Zone series.
One surprising detail, though, is that the letters in the mailboxes near the bellhop stand are all actually real letters. Each one is either a guest letter acknowledging an awesome bellhop (Cast Member) or from retired bellhops.
3. Disney World rides are all under 200 feet tall.
This one isn’t about a specific ride and instead about all of Disney World’s TALLEST rides! Every single attraction and piece of theming in Disney World is under 200 feet tall, and with good reason.
The tallest are Tower of Terror in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Expedition Everest in Disney’s Animal Kingdom at 199 feet. The reason for this is that at 200 feet, buildings have to have a red beacon light for aircraft. Keeping them below that mark leaves the theming intact. Wouldn’t Expedition Everest look kinda funny with a blinky light?!
4. You can see some animatronic faces in more than one attraction!
Sometimes you might spot a familiar face in more attraction than one. Disney is known to reuse animatronic models in some cases and it certainly is fun to try to spot these.
Two of the more famous examples are that you can see Carousel of Progress’s Rover holding the keys on Pirates of the Caribbean and the Carousel of Progress Grandma sitting in a rocking chair as a GHOST in the Haunted Mansion. Oh and, not an animatronic, but the Jungle Cruise plane was split with The Great Movie Ride!
5. There are some surprising lyrics on Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is another Hollywood Studios attraction that has some great hidden details to spot. Some of them you won’t be seeing though — you’ll have to listen!
This detail is found in the music on the ride. Different songs can play depending on your ride vehicle but if you happen to hear “Love in an Elevator” by Aerosmith while your zooming through, listen closely. The lyrics were rewritten and rerecorded to “Love in a Roller Coaster” by the band!
6. There’s a Florida State fan on Splash Mountain.
We’ve got another one that you’re going to have to keep an ear out to hear. Plus, you won’t have too long to catch this one since it’s a part of the current version of Splash Mountain which is set to be reimagined soon!
Keep your eyes out as you get to the scene where Br’er fox catches Br’er Rabbit in the beehive. There’s a little gopher (potentially Br’er…Gopher?) who pops out from the ceiling and shouts, “Go FSU!” Hmm…we guess some of the Imagineers must have been Seminole fans!
7. Captain Hook and Mr. Smee hang out on Pirates of the Caribbean.
So yes, Jack Sparrow is a pretty famous pirate but he’s not Disney’s ONLY famous pirate. In fact, Captain Hook and Mr. Smee in Peter Pan were the bad pirates in town LONG before Jack Sparrow ever swiped on his first eyeliner.
On Pirates of the Caribbean, if you take a look at the Pirate drowning Mayor Carlos and his pal playing the flute, you might notice that the head pirate has a hook hand and the other a striped shirt and red hat. These fellas are a nod to the Peter Pan pirates!
8. Mr. Toad passed his ride building down to Owl for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
Those who have been going to Disney World for some time might remember that The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh now stands where a fan-favorite — and very beloved weird attraction — used to be. Anyone remember going to hell on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride? (If this idea is mega intriguing to you — you can still ride Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride in Disneyland!)
Well, if you’re still hankering for the old days you can find a little bit of solace by seeing an ode to the Toad in the Pooh attraction. You can actually see Mr. Toad handing the deed down to Owl in a painting in Owl’s house on the ride!
9. There’s a nod to the Nautilus on Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid.
On the other side of Fantasyland, you can spot an interesting formation in the rocks under Prince Eric’s castle as you head through the queue for Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid.
The grooves in the rocks form the shape of a Nautilus, which is a nod to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage, the attraction that stood in the same spot from 1971 through 1994.
10. Nemo makes an appearance on Monsters Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue!
And finally, back over in Disneyland Resort at Disney California Adventure you might see a familiar and not-so-monstrous face while you’re adventuring through Monsters Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue.
You can spot a clownfish tucked behind the sushi chef at Harryhausen’s and this guy is actually supposed to represent Nemo! How cool!
Those are all some pretty good details, huh?
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What are your favorite Disney ride secrets? Tell us in the comments!
The post 10 Things You Never Knew About Your Favorite Disney Rides first appeared on the disney food blog.