Best Secrets in Disneyland

[DoomBugger]

Sorry if I have repeated anything but here are a couple / few off the top of my head:

-Walk through the castle. Look to the right just past the shops entering Fantasyland and there is a golden spike in the ground that was supposedly nailed in by the man himself. It was the geographical center of DL and remained so until the advent of ToonTown. It is a neat tribute to the past.

-If you buy a balloon for your kid and lose it, no worries. Take the remnants to a balloon kiosk and they will replace it free for the day. Even if you find a broken balloon or the remnants of one you are encouraged to take it to a balloon kiosk and you will get a free balloon.

-The Disneyland RR steam trains need to have water re-filled in them about every three revolutions around the park.

-The deepest spot on the Rivers of America is around 10 feet at Fowler's Harbor where the Columbia docks (in front of the HH and Splash)

-If you know where to look in the skeleton room in Indiana Jones you can spot a skeleon with Mickey ears on. The embroidery even says, "Bones."

-There is atleast one real skull in Pirates. In the 60s when the ride was being built plastics were not quite there yet to recreate real human bones so they improvised and used a couple real specimins. I hear a couple have been replaced over the decades but that the one in the bed with the red cusion is still, to this day... A REAL HUMAN SKULL!

Hows that for a few, I got tons more...

 

[brocklesnar69]

Sorry if I have repeated anything but here are a couple / few off the top of my head:

-Walk through the castle. Look to the right just past the shops entering Fantasyland and there is a golden spike in the ground that was supposedly nailed in by the man himself. It was the geographical center of DL and remained so until the advent of ToonTown. It is a neat tribute to the past.

-If you buy a balloon for your kid and lose it, no worries. Take the remnants to a balloon kiosk and they will replace it free for the day. Even if you find a broken balloon or the remnants of one you are encouraged to take it to a balloon kiosk and you will get a free balloon.

-The Disneyland RR steam trains need to have water re-filled in them about every three revolutions around the park.

-The deepest spot on the Rivers of America is around 10 feet at Fowler's Harbor where the Columbia docks (in front of the HH and Splash)

-If you know where to look in the skeleton room in Indiana Jones you can spot a skeleon with Mickey ears on. The embroidery even says, "Bones."

-There is atleast one real skull in Pirates. In the 60s when the ride was being built plastics were not quite there yet to recreate real human bones so they improvised and used a couple real specimins. I hear a couple have been replaced over the decades but that the one in the bed with the red cusion is still, to this day... A REAL HUMAN SKULL!

Hows that for a few, I got tons more...

Please... post them!

 

[valenrandy]

I have no idea how I managed to miss this! Now I have something to hunt for next time we go!

Where excactly is this at? ont the AIW side? Front entrance side?
Nemo side or where?

 

[DoomBugger]

The Main Street cars are replicas of I think a 1903 Ferguson and were built specifically for Main Street so they are like 8/10ths scale or something. They are powered by 10 HP motors and many have been in service since the 1956, a year after the park opened and are still going strong. They max out at 3 MPH.

Some LA and Orange Co. Maps and guides consider and classify DL Main Street as a real street.

Main Street uses "forced perspective" to make the buildings seem taller and larger and the entire street is a tribute to Walt's home town of Marceline, Missouri at the turn of the 20th century. Downtown Disney has a confectionery (candy chocolate shop) called "Marceline's Confectionary" as another tribute to the small Missouri town.

Main Street has a wooden indian. This is a tribute to the location of the old smoke shop that used to be one of Walt's favorites. There is another indian in Frontierland also.

The Mad Hatter shop has the Chesire Cat in the glass behind the counter. Watch for about 30 seconds and he will appear.

The Haunted House, Indiana Jones, Pirates and Splash Mountain are all actually on the OUTSIDE of the park.

I'll post up more later, I have just tons and tons, I'm just getting started.

 

[valenrandy]

ALSO!!!!

Walk up to the castle and take the small path that is just to the right and you will see alot of little statues and a waterfall as some one else here already noted. The is also a well, a WISHING well
Drop a coin into it and be amazed!

It worked in september of last year!

 

[King Triton]

When the "It's a Small World" ride is decorated for Christmas you'll see an image of Elvis inside the big Christmas tree. After you pass it, look back and you'll see the lifesize face of Elvis inside the tree. I kid you not. I saw this myself. I'm a big Elvis fan so I loved it!! I hope they have this every year.

 

[fairycat]

Some of these are more well known some may not

--In Winnie the Pooh look behind you in one of the rooms you will see the head of the "Mounted Animals" from the old Country Bear Jamboree

--Many of the Animatronics you see on the paddle boat in Splash Mountain are actually recycled characters from the old "America Sing's" that was put in the old "Carosel of Progress" (now Innoventions) building in the 70's and 80's.

--On Main Street look at the windows you will see tributes to many people who worked with Disney, at Disney and tributes to Walts Family

--Over the Fire Station next door to City Hall you will see a upstairs window, that is Walt's old in park apartment. It is still decorated as it was in his time. The light in the window is a tribute to Disney, in his day they would put a light in the window to let CM's know he was in residence. It is always lite now since he is always at the park now, they say.

--On POTC after the drops as you pass the skeletons on the beach wait till you almost hit the curve to the steering skeleton, and turn around, the rock formation that supports the standing skeleton with the seagull hat, forms the head of Goofy.

 

[bumbershoot]

The Mad Hatter shop has the Chesire Cat in the glass behind the counter. Watch for about 30 seconds and he will appear.

The Haunted House, Indiana Jones, Pirates and Splash Mountain are all actually on the OUTSIDE of the park.

I've read that about those rides before...

I cannot believe I haven't noticed that at the Mad Hatter shop! Considering the amount of time I have spent in there...searching for the perfect hat, buying an UNperfect hat, looking for a hat for DS, buying a replacement hat (set of pirate ears) when his black felt pirate hat was stolen from the stroller (grr), getting an ACTUAL replacement for the pirate hat when CMs heard his story and gave him a slip of paper to get it truly replaced, losing my camera while looking at hats, realizing it and rushing back in and searching it, asking the CMs about it and being handed my camera back (said camera then got lost forever almost as soon as we got home from vacation and I uploaded the pictures...it REALLY wanted to be lost!)....with that amount of time being spent in that place you would THINK I would have noticed it!


I know no secrets that aren't already posted everywhere...wish I did.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

What is your absoulte BEST little secret about Disneyland?

Hey guys. I'm going to DL soon and have never been. I was wondering if there was anything that you would suggest that I do when I'm there. I know about the rides and shows but I was wondering about low-key, side attractions. For example in WDW in MGM at the Muppet 3D show you can find the key under the mat or at MK the wishing well near Cindy's Castle.

I love finding these things at WDW but I'd like a head's up for when I go in Feb.

Well I could tell you about the secret bathroom, but then the rest of those that know about it would put a bounty on me.

9) Also, when you ae entering Fantasyland from the Main Street hub, and you pass under the castle, look down to find a gold stake in the ground that was driven into the ground by Walt Disney himself!

Though this is a popular notion, often peddled by cast members, sometimes in jest, It is actually a a survey marker , and was not driven into the ground by Walt. It's not made of gold either.

I think that stake is supposed to be the original centre of Disneyland.

Nope. It is not now, nor was it ever, the center of Disneyland. The original center of Disneyland if you look at the original layout was slightly west of where the Partners statue stands today.

 

[BecBennett]

Ahh poo, Well there goes that idea...

 

[lvstitch]

Well I could tell you about the secret bathroom, but then the rest of those that know about it would put a bounty on me.



Though this is a popular notion, often peddled by cast members, sometimes in jest, It is actually a a survey marker , and was not driven into the ground by Walt. It's not made of gold either.



Nope. It is not now, nor was it ever, the center of Disneyland. The original center of Disneyland if you look at the original layout was slightly west of where the Partners statue stands today.

Yes please do not give away the location of the secret bathroom. I had to find it on my own and so should everyone else

 

[AJA55]

Sorry.....I havn't read all the posts but....here is the Disneyland list that I had put together for our trip last year provided by many, many people here on the Dis:

DINSEYLAND

People watching from the porch on Main. St.

Listening to the party lines at the Market House is a kick.

You can also snack at the tables next to it and listen in at the dentist's office.
Take time to REALLY look at all the windows and LISTEN closely as you go down Main St. If the rocking chairs on the front porch of the house halfway down on the right side (as you go toward the castle) are vacant, go sit for a while and watch people.
---------------

Co-pilot the Mark Twain. Walking the decks of the Mark Twain at night. ( non-fantasmic nights)

Actually seeing all the stuff below decks on the Columbia.
---------------
Pirates @ Tom S Island

There is a music show and pirate stunt show that lasts roughly 35 minutes altogether and begins at the top of every hour starting with the first show at 10AM. This is not listed in the Times Guide and I found this out by asking the PLATSI CMs.

If you want a shaded spot like we did and most other people do during mid-day, then if possible grab a spot in front (i.e., right at the netting) of the elevated viewing area.
---------------
Also look for the Wicked Queen in the window above Snow White's Adventure ride. Also, I thought I read that there's also an apple on a pedestal near there that if you touch it, you can hear the Queen's evil laugh.

Just as you enter the line to Snow White there is a brass apple, try to pick it up.
---------------
Watching the Cheshire Cat appear and disappear in the mirror of THE MAD HATTER hat shop (next to tea cups, in Fantasyland).
---------------
The Villains Lair meet & greet area at Disneyland, right inside the Castle to the right, is consistently one of the funniest & funniest spots in the whole park during the daylight hours. Viva la Villains!
In Fantasyland - go into the Villain shop and turn the key of the cage that holds the witch.
---------------
Small World: Over in Disneyland's ride, on the Eiffel Tower, you'll see a doll which is a tribute to the original World's Fair attraction's doll designer, Imagineer Mary Blair. Cool, huh?
---------------
Stand by the wishing well on the side of the castle and listening to Snow White sing, and her echo in the well.
----------------
Go to the Disney Gallery up above Pirates of the Caribbean. Make sure you go out on the back patio, too.

The gallery is just that, an art gallery. It has tons of memorabilia and historical Disneyland pieces. One of the coolest things in there right now is the bone throne from Pirates 2. The gallery has limited hours and is only open Fri-Sun and opens at noon and closes 1 hour prior to park closing. I hear they are revamping some of the exhibits right now as well.
---------------
Free map of Jungle Cruise if you ask Skipper at end of ride
---------------

On the exit ramp from Indiana Jones, once you're outside, there is a place where the shrubbery parts and you can see (and be seen by) the jungle cruise boats.
---------------
You can ask for a "Marabic Translation Card" for Indy...
I do not know if they always have them, but I have read that you can ask a CM at the shop in the area that is themed for the ride...
---------------
In the queuing line for Indiana Jones, deep inside, in the middle of all of the bamboo poles, there is one that looks a little crooked. Pull on it hard

In line at the well pull the rope that says not to.
---------------
On the Winnie the Pooh ride at Disneyland, if you turn around after you pass the scene where Pooh is pigging out on honey, you can see 3 animals that were from the Country Bear Jamboree (a tribute).
---------------
The popcorn machines. There are popcorn machines all over the place. Look at the little guy that is turning the wheel for the popcorn, he is different in every land!
---------------
New Orleans Square - at different times during the day they throw mardi gras beads to the guests - sometimes from the balcony, and sometimes the band members do it.
Wander around New Orleans Square, or sit on a bench there and watch people.
At NOS and listening to the nightclub sound loop.
---------------
Go to see Billy Hill and the Hillbillies at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon.
---------------
Innoventions - You may recognize the voice of Tom Morrow. It is the actor Nathan Lane, who did the voice for Timon in The Lion King. Also, if you can't read the note in his pocket, it says "Buy 10 W 30". If you have the time, watch the robot after he gives his spiel and the other guests have moved on. He will move and act like a person who is bored and waiting for his next group of guests!
---------------
Astro Orbiter - When you look at the tail fins of the 12 rockets, notice that each has a different sign of the zodiac.
---------------
That "Talk to Stitch" exhibit sounds cool! Tell me more!
It's similar to the Turtle Talk with Crush over at DCA but more of a one on one experience. You start by signing up on a waiting list if you are interested in talking to Stitch. The wait will vary depending on how crowded it is but each 'visit' runs about 5 minutes each. When it is your turn, you are led to the area that is set up with a large 'video phone' system that allows you to talk to Stitch directly. Stitch is shown on the vid-screen while conversing with your party and it is completely different each time you do it. Stitch's conversations are completely improvised (by whoever is operating him) and directly dependent by what you ask, say, are wearing, etc. It's very entertaining.

At the end of your visit, Stitch asks to take your picture and you get a souvenir card with a website/password to retrieve your pictures later (Stitch keeps a copy for himself).

---------------
If you go to the VMK area in Tomorrow land, they will give you "quests" where you have to answer questions about DL. If you do not know the answer, you have to go look. By way of example was what the license plate number was on the vehicle sitting in front of the Indy ride. It is kind of like Trivial Pursuit for DL.
---------------
When in Toontown, try to open the door by the Electric company and see what happens.
---------------
Mickey's House- When you enter Mickey's house, the first room contains a passport with stamps from everywhere a Disneyland is located.

 

[lilallybean]

Not sure how I missed this thread before, but I am thrilled to have been directed here! This is exactly the lil tid bits that I love! Thanks all and keep them coming! Only 4 months until my trip!

 

[MommyWithDreams]

This has to be my favorite thread ever. Keep em coming!

 

[Yakety76]

I am adding all kinds of tips for my family's trip in one month. Thanks for sharing everyone!

 

[bumbershoot]

That "Talk to Stitch" exhibit sounds cool! Tell me more!
It's similar to the Turtle Talk with Crush over at DCA but more of a one on one experience. You start by signing up on a waiting list if you are interested in talking to Stitch. The wait will vary depending on how crowded it is but each 'visit' runs about 5 minutes each. When it is your turn, you are led to the area that is set up with a large 'video phone' system that allows you to talk to Stitch directly. Stitch is shown on the vid-screen while conversing with your party and it is completely different each time you do it. Stitch's conversations are completely improvised (by whoever is operating him) and directly dependent by what you ask, say, are wearing, etc. It's very entertaining.

At the end of your visit, Stitch asks to take your picture and you get a souvenir card with a website/password to retrieve your pictures later (Stitch keeps a copy for himself).

Where is that?

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

What is up with the secreat bathroom??? Any hints on how or where to find it?

 

[remain seated please]

Walt's Apartment on Main Street features a living room area, a bathroom with shower, and a hot plate. There's no kitchen in there. There is also a small set of stairs that leads to a terrace that is above the public restrooms between the Fire Station and City Hall. Lillian Disney used to serve tea to guests on that terrace.

While waiting for the train to arrive at the Frontierland train station you can hear a teletype. The message that is being sent is Walt Disney's dedication speech from opening day.

There is a plaque located on the ground in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. Buried beneath the plaque is the Disneyland 40th Anniversary "Time Castle" which was placed in the ground on July 17, 1995.

The wishing well to the right of S.B. Castle that has been often referred to on this thread is known as Snow White's Grotto. An Italian artist created statues of the 7 dwarfs and gave them to Walt Disney as a gift. They are on display in that area.

Every 15 minutes the clock tower on It's A Small World opens up and a parade of dolls marches out of the facade with music from the ride. At the end of the parade, the tower displays the current time.

The draw bridge to Sleeping Beauty Castle has only been raised and lowered once since opening day. That was when the castle was closed for a complete remodel of Fantasyland in 1982/83. During that remodel, King Arthur's Carousel, Dumbo, The Flying Elephant and the Mad Tea Party were all relocated within Fantasyland to where they all stand today.

 

[Lynzer Torte]

In the queue line for Star Tours, there is a robot with robotic duck feet. These feet were once used for the ducks in "America Sings".

 

[fairycat]

AJA55 sadly some of the info. you offered is no lonegr valid

First the Gallery is no more, it was supposed to be a VIP apartment for Disney and friends but on his death was not used, after many years of office space and more it became the Gallery, at the end of 2007 it closed to the public. It will now be offered as a prize in the Million Dreams campaign, starting soon.

As of my last trips (about one week ago) the Snow White apple no longer appears in its original spot, the Evil Queen still peeks out the window though, but now on a loop .

Villian's Liar has not been there for a number of years, it was a great idea and I so wish they would bring it back but the shop is now dedicated to Family Crests and the like. You won't find the villians there any more.

I miss it terribly. That shop also used to be home to the scarest and my favorite nightmare inducing thing at DL. The wicked witch "box" it was a small animatronic wicked witch in a glass box, that looked like a cage, she was chained and would beg you to let her out. She stayed in that shop for years and later moved to the new La Bat en Rouge, until she was put away when La Bat became the Pirate shop. I hope she will come back.