The happiest place on earth: Disneyland!

We’re all familiar with the much loved amusement park but we bet you didn’t know these little-known mind blowing facts:

1. Disneyland is home to a secret apartment that Walt Disney built above the Main Street Fire Station. He used it as a private retreat and a place to entertain VIP guests.

2. The park has a secret basketball court hidden inside the Matterhorn mountain, which is accessible only to employees.

3. The characters who walk around the park are not allowed to break character, even if someone asks them for directions or help.

4. There’s a few celebrities that use to work at Disneyland including Steve Martin, Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Costner.

5. The Disneyland Monorail was the first daily operating monorail in the United States.

Advertisement
Advertisement

6. The skull and crossbones on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride were originally real, but were replaced with fake ones due to guest complaints.

7. The original concept for Space Mountain was actually a ride called “Spaceport” that would have taken guests to different planets.

8. The It’s a Small World ride has a secret backstage area where the boats go when they need repairs.

9. Staff mustn’t point with single finger, they must always use two fingers and glide their arm rather than being abrupt.

10. In 2023, the most popular Disneyland attraction is Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

11. The Enchanted Tiki Room was the first attraction to feature audio-animatronics.

Advertisement
Advertisement

12. The famous Dole Whip, a pineapple-flavored soft-serve ice cream, was first served at Disneyland in 1986.

13. The Disneyland Railroad has four different trains, each named after a famous historical figure: C.K. Holliday, E.P. Ripley, Ernest S. Marsh, and Ward Kimball.

14. The original Autopia ride featured real gas-powered cars, but they were eventually replaced with electric cars due to safety concerns.

15. The New Orleans Square section of the park is home to Club 33, a secret restaurant that requires a membership to access.

16. The Matterhorn Bobsleds ride was inspired by Walt Disney’s trip to Switzerland, where he saw the Matterhorn mountain.

17. The Haunted Mansion ride has a secret room called the “Stretching Room” that guests pass through before boarding the ride.

Advertisement
Advertisement

18. The Disneyland Fire Department is actually a real fire department and has responded to several emergencies in and around the park.

19. The Disneyland cast members who work in the park are actually referred to as “cast members,” as if they were part of a play or movie production.

20. Sleeping Beauty’s Castle is 23 meters tall. It was designed to appear taller through a process known as forced perspective.

Want more? Get more from Galey & Emily Jade