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Disney secrets that may surprise you

Are you looking for Disney secrets? You’re in the right place. As of April 2020, Disney is currently closed for the next few weeks. However, you can still book a future vacation with some exclusive deals! Make sure to contact me (I’m a Disney travel agent) for all the latest deals and news.

You may not be able to visit Disney yet, but you can start dreaming of your next Disney vacation. Here are a few Disney secrets that may surprise you. These ten Disney secrets will help you impress your family and friends during your next vacation.

1. “Family of the day.”

Disney chooses a special family to open the Magic Kingdom. I mentioned how we did this at Universal, and Disney does it too! Disney selects a family to open the park at “rope drop” at the Magic Kingdom. How to get selected? Arrive early (front of the line!), wear matching gear, and be excited. The last part is the easiest!

2. Underground Tunnels

This might not be a big secret, but some guests still don’t know about it. The utilidors underneath the Magic Kingdom are filled with storage areas, dressing rooms, staff cafeteria, and backstage areas that guests never see.

The utilidors keep the magic alive because you’ll never see anyone out of place. Speaking of Magic Kingdom, it is cleverly designed so that you never see one land while in another. 

3. Cinderella’s Castle

Cinderella’s Castle, and other tall Disney icons, aren’t as tall as you think. Disney uses forced perspective (or magic) to make them look taller than they are. 

4. Cast members are not allowed to point with one finger

There are different stories to the two-finger pointing rule. The first is that it’s more polite. The second is that Walt pointed with two fingers due to holding a cigarette. Either way, that’s just one of the many rules cast members have to follow. 

5. Disney has an abandoned airport just outside of Magic Kingdom

It hasn’t been open in years, but you can spot what remains of Disney’s only on-property airport just before entering the Magic Kingdom on the monorail. Supposedly, you could hear “when you wish upon a star” while driving over the runway at 45 miles per hour. 

6. There is no gum in Disney

To help keeps the park clean, no gum is sold in the parks or anywhere on Disney property. You are allowed to bring your own, just make sure to throw in in the trash. 

7. Epcot was initially conceived as a community 

The “C” in Epcot stands for community, which is what Walt originally planned for Epcot. Although it’s now one of the four theme parks, it was initially meant to be a futuristic neighborhood.

8. You’re never far from a trash can

The story says that Walt used to watch how long guests would search for a trash can. The magic number seemed to be 30 feet. Thanks to this, you’re never more than 30 feet from a trash can at Disney. 

9. The trash get one of the fastest rides

Speaking of trash, small pipes shoot the trash through the utilidors 60 miles an hour at the Magic Kingdom. That’s fast!

10. The red carpet experience

The walkway to the Magic Kingdom is red. Walt wanted to lay out the red carpet for guests. 

11. You can actually (maybe) stay in Cinderella’s Castle

Typically reserved for special occasions or contests, there is indeed a suite in Cinderella’s Castle. You probably won’t be able to stay there, but you can get a peek on Disney’s website.

12. There are hidden Mickey’s throughout the parks

This one isn’t really a secret, but it’s a lot of fun to find the hidden Mickey’s!

13. Adults can’t wear costumes, but…

The Disney rules explicitly state that those over the age of 14 can’t wear costumes. However, some clever park guests have come up with a fun workaround known as “Disneybounding.” Disneybounding is putting together an outfit based on a character, and it’s a lot of fun. 

14. There is a barbershop in the Magic Kingdom

Harmony Barbershop on Main Street is a working barbershop. You can even get a cute “first haircut” souvenir for the little ones. 

15. Names on Main Street windows

The names painted on the windows on Main Street honor those who have contributed to the parks in some way. It’s hard to get on the list, so it’s a real honor to be there.

Disney secrets

I hope that these 10 Disney secrets helped you learn something new for your next Disney vacation. Which Disney secret were you most surprised to learn? Let me know in the comments.

Do you want more Disney vacation ideas?

• Disney World Tips and Tricks
• Five reasons why you need a Disney Travel Agent
• Yes, there are free things at Disney World!

Booking your Disney Vacation

Now that you know just a few of the many Disney secrets, it’s time to start planning your vacation. Planning a Disney vacation is a lot harder than it sounds! In my opinion, it’s one of the hardest vacations to plan. Between dining reservations, Fast Passes, figuring out where to stay, whether or not you need a car, it’s a lot!

One of the best Disney World Tips that I can give you is to book with a Disney Certified Travel Agent – like me! Booking with a Disney Travel Agent will save a lot of time and money. Here are the types of things that I do as a Disney Travel Agent:

• Itinerary Planning
• Helping figure out which dining plan is best for you (if any!)
• Helping with Advanced Dining Reservations
• Fast Pass Recommendations
• Tips on how to make the best use of the My Disney Experience App
• Making sure that you get the most current promotions to save you money!

If booking with a Disney Travel Agent sounds like the right thing for your family, make sure to contact me! Better yet, go ahead and fill out my custom travel request form and let’s start planning your epic Disney World vacation.

DIY your Disney Planning

If you plan to DIY your vacation, I understand that too! I highly recommend buying your tickets through Undercover Tourist if you choose not to use a Travel Agent. There are a lot of really scammy sites out there, so make sure you’re booking through an approved partner (like Undercover Tourist,) or an approved Travel Agent!

If you plan to stay off property, I recommend checking out Expedia to see what is available in the Orlando area outside of the Disney Resorts.

 

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