More random facts
Totally agree with Regina...the behind the scenes tours were the best! Here's what I remember in addition to her list:
From "Backstage Safari" at Epcot --
-They wash their animals every night! They claim it's a way to keep them trained and getting them used to human interaction. I'm convinced they do it out of vanity to keep the animals looking pretty in the safari.
-Giraffes give birth standing up. A baby giraffe starts walking on its own within 15 mins after birth, and they're about 4 feet tall when they're BORN!
-The flamingo "island" on the safari is one of the largest "hidden Mickey's" in the park. The island itself is shaped like Mickey's head.
-There's a giant moat between the hill where the lions perch and where the trucks go by; they hide the moat with lots of shrubbery. That's why it looks like the lions could just run down the hill and attack you, but they don't!
-The Safari trucks can only go at a maximum speed of 8 MPH. There are two trucks that can go 14 MPH, and they refer to them as the Ferrari trucks (or something like that).
-The safari ride itself is bigger than the Magic Kingdom. The whole Animal Kingdom park is bigger than all three other theme parks (MK, MGM Studios, and Epcot) combined.
From "Keys to the Kingdom" at Magic Kingdom --
-The names that are printed in the "store" windows above the Main Street USA shops are often names of financiers, imagineers and developers who helped build Disney World. Walt Disney's own name is on one of the windows at the end of Main Street facing Cinderella's Castle.
-Medieval rules state that each royal can't have more than one castle on each continent. Therefore, continents with more than one Disney theme park always have different castles. For example, in North America, Disney World in Florida has a Cinderella's Castle, while Disneyland in California actually has Sleeping Beauty's Castle. Ditto for Asia.
-On the Jungle Cruise ride, right before you get to the waterfall, there are three tribesmen who seemingly yell out tribal greetings. If you listen carefully, one of them actually says "I love Disco!" However, on the real ride, this is the point where the tour guide gets all excited and tells you to take cover so you don't hear this.
-Also on the Jungle Cruise: the boats run on a track, but the operators can control the speed at which they run. Don't piss off your operators or else they'll slow the boats down where the water-spraying elephants hang out. They dye the water with a non-toxic chemical so that you can't see through the bottom of the "river".
-The "flags" outside the Hall of Presidents, etc., are considered props and not real flags. Therefore, traditional flag rules such as retiring flags, or lowering them to half-staff, don't apply.
-The Presidential Seal in the Hall of Presidents is not a fake. That's why they put a barricade around it.
-The only thing that determines if you can "play" Mickey is your height. Many Mickey's are girls. Some Minnie's are played by guys.
-This is why they don't let anyone under 16 go on these tours. :-)
From "Backstage Safari" at Epcot --
-They wash their animals every night! They claim it's a way to keep them trained and getting them used to human interaction. I'm convinced they do it out of vanity to keep the animals looking pretty in the safari.
-Giraffes give birth standing up. A baby giraffe starts walking on its own within 15 mins after birth, and they're about 4 feet tall when they're BORN!
-The flamingo "island" on the safari is one of the largest "hidden Mickey's" in the park. The island itself is shaped like Mickey's head.
-There's a giant moat between the hill where the lions perch and where the trucks go by; they hide the moat with lots of shrubbery. That's why it looks like the lions could just run down the hill and attack you, but they don't!
-The Safari trucks can only go at a maximum speed of 8 MPH. There are two trucks that can go 14 MPH, and they refer to them as the Ferrari trucks (or something like that).
-The safari ride itself is bigger than the Magic Kingdom. The whole Animal Kingdom park is bigger than all three other theme parks (MK, MGM Studios, and Epcot) combined.
From "Keys to the Kingdom" at Magic Kingdom --
-The names that are printed in the "store" windows above the Main Street USA shops are often names of financiers, imagineers and developers who helped build Disney World. Walt Disney's own name is on one of the windows at the end of Main Street facing Cinderella's Castle.
-Medieval rules state that each royal can't have more than one castle on each continent. Therefore, continents with more than one Disney theme park always have different castles. For example, in North America, Disney World in Florida has a Cinderella's Castle, while Disneyland in California actually has Sleeping Beauty's Castle. Ditto for Asia.
-On the Jungle Cruise ride, right before you get to the waterfall, there are three tribesmen who seemingly yell out tribal greetings. If you listen carefully, one of them actually says "I love Disco!" However, on the real ride, this is the point where the tour guide gets all excited and tells you to take cover so you don't hear this.
-Also on the Jungle Cruise: the boats run on a track, but the operators can control the speed at which they run. Don't piss off your operators or else they'll slow the boats down where the water-spraying elephants hang out. They dye the water with a non-toxic chemical so that you can't see through the bottom of the "river".
-The "flags" outside the Hall of Presidents, etc., are considered props and not real flags. Therefore, traditional flag rules such as retiring flags, or lowering them to half-staff, don't apply.
-The Presidential Seal in the Hall of Presidents is not a fake. That's why they put a barricade around it.
-The only thing that determines if you can "play" Mickey is your height. Many Mickey's are girls. Some Minnie's are played by guys.
-This is why they don't let anyone under 16 go on these tours. :-)
Labels: Orlando 2007
posted by Viv at
4:16 AM
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