Culture Club: What First Time Disney Guests Might Not Know

in Walt Disney World

A couple of Guests using Disney Genie+ in front of Cinderella Castle at Disney World

Credit: Disney

To say that the Disney fanbase has become its own culture wouldn’t be far from the truth, as Disney fans have developed their own terms, rituals, and even languages witnessed both in and out of the Parks. This might seem strange and unusual to those unfamiliar with the practices, but a little Disney-speak could go a long way on their next trip.

Disney Guests taking a selfie in front of R2-D2 Fab 50 Golden Statue
Credit: Disney

Terms like “Rope-Dropping,” “Tommorowland Transit Authority,” “face-characters,” and “DisneyBounding” might sound foreign to some uninitiated Guests, but they’re all part of the magical package for those that frequently visit the Disney Parks. New fans with upcoming Disney vacations can get a quick crash course in some cultural norms from a recent Reddit post on the subject.

Related: “Its a Debacle,” Disney Guests Say They’ve Lost “Disney Magic”

Ignoring all the wonderful rides and attractions available at the Disney Parks, one thing that will be on a lot of Guests’ minds is definitely the food. Walt Disney World definitely has more than its fair share of places to eat, but it can be a little overwhelming deciding where to go.

Casey's Corner Magic Kingdom
Credit: itscarolineyall Instagram

Two terms visitors need to familiarize themselves with are “quick-service” and “table-service.” The former refers to any restaurant with a fast-food vibe and a pickup window, usually mastered by the My Disney Experience app. The latter, however, is typically any restaurant that Guests can sit at a table and order, usually in need of a reservation.

The use of these terms have gotten so common that many longtime fans continue to use it outside the Parks. u/queenmydishesplease1 shares their use when they write,

“I use that term very frequently; it’s so useful to differentiate real life restaurants as quick service vs table service!”

And u/OrtizDupri adds a very interesting bit of information on the subject.

“Funny enough, the official name for fast food restaurants is “quick service restaurant” – I work in the space and QSR is the common abbreviation and there’s even a monthly magazine called QSR that has news and info.”

mickeys philharmagic
Credit: Disney

Another piece of the Disney subculture worth mentioning is the use of mood music in various locations throughout the Parks. We don’t just mean instrumental variations of famous Disney tunes alone, but entire curated playlists of songs pumped into all the resorts, attractions, and restaurants.

When asked about things only Disney Parks fans would know, u/stitchlover greatly illustrates this phenomenon when they answer,

“Knowing the songs from the attractions and or lands and being able to sing or identify them. Also, Disney playlists on Spotify. The main one for me is that the TV in the room is always playing the park hours channel. It’s great background music.”

Like any culture, subculture, or movement, the Disney fandom has a language all its own. It’s a language primarily built on a frequent use of acronyms, something which can even make die-hard Disney fans grow weary.

pirates of the caribbean disney world
Credit: Walt Disney World Resort

Not all fans will know what WDW, PotC, or MNSSHP mean, but anyone who’s been to Walt Disney World tor ride Pirates of the Caribbean during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party will. u/carolinejay humorously mentions the importance of a few more when they add,

“Can’t forget ASS [Alien Swirling Saucers] and MILF [Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor]. Pretty sure the imagineers knew what they were doing when they named those attractions.”

If you can understand all that frequent use of ABCs, thank the Phoenicians and the Imagineers.

Related: Disney Answers Guest Complaints on Disney Wish

Of course, not all fans are quite onboard with the frequent stacking of abbreviations. Code-speak isn’t exactly for everyone, especially users like u/mylocker15 who writes,

“Grew up going to Disneyland occasionally but loved Disney in general and when the internet was new I would visit forums at the time. I had not gone to WDW yet, and so many forums would be like ‘hey I need advice for mnsshp,’ ‘should I get the so and eat at the qrzt with the dado or get the sdatrx?’ Confusing as heck. I grew up calling Pirates of the Caribbean Pirates for short never ever POTC.

The Disney fandom is a culture learned primarily through immersion and experience. Disney trips only get better with repetition, knowing when to go, what to eat, where to stay, and what works for the individual(s). You don’t have to know everything, but a little studying before the big exam always helps.

Do you know something casual fans don’t know? Tell us at Inside the Magic in the comments below!

 

 

 

 

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