13 Disneyland Secrets to Improve Your Knowledge of Disney’s Original Theme Park

in Disney, Entertainment, Theme Parks

Walt Disney with collar shirt

DISNEYLAND UNVEILED (1954) - In front of an early rendering by Disney legend Peter Ellenshaw, Walt Disney unveils his plans for Disneyland to a national television audience during the premiere of "Disneyland" the television show, October 27, 1954.

Disneyland is filled with secrets and hidden details. These details often have elaborate histories that are hiding in plain sight. In my book, Disneyland Secrets: A Grand Tour of Disneyland’s Hidden Details, I have collected more than 150 stories behind the small details that are hidden throughout the parks.

Disneyland opened over 60 years ago and now holds hundreds of secrets that are waiting to be unlocked. Below I have taken thirteen secrets from the book to share with you. These stories were all collected from interviews with Cast Members, previous Disneyland history reading, or time spent roaming Disneyland.

Related: Actor Reveals Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion Has a “Secret Room”

#13 Secrets of the Walt and Mickey Partners Statue

Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse statue at Disneyland California. Image shot 2009. Exact date unknown.

The Partners statue, unveiled in the central hub in 1993, and which portrays Walt Disney holding hands with Mickey Mouse looking out toward the future, has several easily missed references to Walt.

According to Disney Historian Jim Korkis: On Walt’s tie, there is a small insignia for the Smoke Tree Ranch in Palm Springs, CA. Disney had a house there and had the logo stitched into many of his ties. On Walt’s right hand there’s a Claddagh ring in honor of his Irish heritage. Both Walt and his wife, Lillian, purchased Claddagh rings during their 1948 trip to Ireland and wore them often.

Related: There Is a Secret Donald Duck Inside the Haunted Mansion

#12 The queue of Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters is lined with big battery boxes.

Many of these props are labeled Glendale, California, USA. The batteries pay tribute to the home of Walt Disney Imagineering, the creative team of people behind everything in the Disney parks.

#11 A famous, non-Disney character is featured inside Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

mr toad crest

Behind the middle window of the constabulary is the silhouette of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. He can be seen on your upper left just after leaving the pub room.

#10 “Swisskapolka,” the theme song from the original Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse attraction, still plays on a phonograph in the upper room of the treehouse.

Many have joked that the theme of the treehouse was switched from Swiss Family Treehouse to Tarzan’s Treehouse because the song was way too catchy.

#9 On the King Arthur Carrousel, one horse is more decorated than the others.honorary ambassador julie andrews

The white horse with the collar that reads “Honorary Ambassador” was dedicated to Julie Andrews for her Disney film work and for her stint as the official Disneyland ambassador during the 50th Anniversary of the park. The horse is decorated with touches from her most popular film, Mary Poppins.

#8 The original Disneyland Submarine Voyage was comprised of eight submarines.

finding-nemo-submarine-voyage_alt

Based on world rankings at the time, this made Walt Disney the commander of the eighth largest submarine fleet in the world.

#7 Real logs were used to build the fort on Tom Sawyer’s Island.

To transport these full-sized tree logs to the island, they were floated across the river similar to the way that logs were transported in old-fashioned wood mills.

#6 A majority of the mining equipment throughout the queue and attraction of Big Thunder Mountain is authentic.

big thunder mountain railroad

Imagineers searched swap meets, abandoned mines, and ghost towns throughout Wyoming, Nevada, Colorado, and Minnesota to find enough authentic equipment.

#5 A large spider web festoons the ballroom in the Haunted Mansion.

This web was added when a guest with a slingshot made a hole in the large glass panels that separate the hallway from the ballroom. The glass is built into the foundation of the Haunted Mansion and so it would be very costly to remove.

#4 The flames in the Pirates of the Caribbean looked too real for the Anaheim Fire Department.

cropped-46b9f_pirates-caribbean-ride.jpg

The flames in the Pirates of the Caribbean look so real that the Anaheim Fire Department was concerned they would not be able to tell the difference between the real and faux flames during an emergency. Even though they realized that it was all part of the show, a special system was put in place to shut off the burning town effect in the case of an actual fire.

#3 Three trees along the backdrop of Toontown behind Minnie’s house form the letters WDI.

WDI stands for Walt Disney Imagineering. They are the team of designers who create everything that is included in the Disney theme parks around the world.

#2 Inside the Pirates of the Caribbean there is a real skull on the headboard.

featured image the-skull-on-the-headboard-in-the-pirates-of-the-caribbean-disneyland-is-real

When the attraction first opened, all of the skeleton heads were real. They were purchased from the UCLA Medical Center. The only remaining real skeleton can be found in the treasure room on the headboard of the bed.

#1 The final plans for the Jungle Cruise were made on the Disneyland construction site, by Imagineer Harper Goff.

He used a sandbox to sculpt the sand into the shapes of the jungle river. Once completed, the bulldozers replicated his sandy forms.

disneyland secrets cover fireworksStuff Even Mickey Doesn’t Know

When a theme park has been around for 60 years, it hides a lot of secrets. Disneyland expert Gavin Doyle has swept aside the pixie dust and uncovered little-known stories about the happiest place on earth that will make you a master of the magic.

Doyle develops each of his dozens of secrets into a brief story that illuminates a forgotten moment in Disney history, or sheds light on a neglected area of the park, or reveals something new about an iconic attraction, such as:

  • Why is the address of Disneyland 1313 Harbor Boulevard?
  • What’s up with the Jewish menorah on Main Street?
  • Why is there a fake book called “Walt & You” at City Hall?
  • Where can you find Sherlock Holmes at Disneyland?
  • Is there really a pet cemetery at the Haunted Mansion?

Shhh! It’s a Disneyland secret. Until you read this book…

Do you have a favorite Disneyland secret? Be sure to share this article and your favorite secret to spread Disney magic.

View Comments (4)