One of my favorite things about Walt Disney World is how often there’s more to a place than what you notice at first glance. You can walk through a restaurant, attraction, or resort lobby several times before suddenly spotting a tiny detail that has been sitting there all along. That’s no accident. Walt Disney Imagineering puts an incredible amount of thought into creating these spaces, right down to props and design choices that many guests will never notice.
Today, Imagineering gave us a closer look at some of the storytelling hidden throughout the brand-new Hurly-Burly lounge at Disney’s BoardWalk, and now we have a whole list of things to look for on our next visit. The story actually begins before you even walk through the door. Hurly-Burly’s seaside design is filled with ocean-inspired details, from the wave patterns across the building’s exterior to the seashell trim around the entrance. Even the name has a story behind it.
“Hurly-burly” refers to a noisy commotion or uproar, which Imagineering says was inspired by the playful pandemonium of a live audience bursting into applause. Once inside, the details get even better. The lounge is themed as a former vaudeville theater, and Imagineering created a fictional history that guests can piece together as they explore. Rather than spelling everything out for you, much of that story is told through the things you’ll find hanging on walls and tucked onto shelves.
Bulletin boards in a back hallway contain old audition notices, theater sign-in sheets, notes from performers, and even advertisements for other businesses around Disney’s BoardWalk. One audition notice is for The Tempest, while another board includes an advertisement for the BoardWalk’s Trattoria al Forno. These details would be easy to walk right past on your way to grab a drink, but together they help make Hurly-Burly feel like a theater that has actually been part of the BoardWalk for years.
Meet Polly Delmar
At the center of Hurly-Burly’s backstory is Polly Delmar, the fictional star whose career is represented through costumes, props, posters, and personal belongings scattered throughout the lounge. One poster advertises Polly Delmar and her “Pearls” in a comedy and coastal cabaret, while her necklace and gloves have been framed nearby. Look above and around the bar and you’ll find even more remnants from past Hurly-Burly productions, including old luggage, theatrical equipment, and Pearl the puppet.
The nautical theme continues throughout the space, but many of those elements have another connection to Hurly-Burly’s theatrical past. Imagineering points out that the seashell-shaped lights along the bar resemble fixtures that were common in vaudeville theaters, making them a perfect fit for the lounge’s seaside setting. Ship wheels, waves, pearls, seashells, and other ocean imagery appear throughout the decor as well.
There’s also a moon prop from a fictional production called Vaudeville by the Sea, an “Illustrious Pearl” sign, and an old banner introducing Polly Delmar herself. Here’s another detail I especially love: Imagineering says the props and story reveal themselves in chronological order along the walls. Wandering around Hurly-Burly can essentially become a little scavenger hunt as you piece together the history of this fictional theater and its performers.
I love these kinds of Disney details. You could walk into Hurly-Burly, order a cocktail, enjoy the entertainment, and have a perfectly great evening without noticing any of this. But once you know there’s a story hiding on those walls, suddenly you’re looking at everything a little differently. The next time you visit, take a few extra minutes to look up, peek at those bulletin boards, and pay attention to what’s sitting on the shelves because there might be a whole story hiding right in front of you.
The post The Disney Details You Might Miss Inside the NEW Hurly-Burly Lounge first appeared on The DIS.
