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Muppets humor hiding in plain sight at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Have you seen the PizzeRizzo sign glitch out, revealing a secret message? Only visible at night, in a low traffic area.
Disney takes a lot of flack over Smuggler’s Run: It’s just jacked up video game. Who cares about coaxium? Hondo who? But you know what else it is? A freaking engineering marvel! There are 28 identical cockpits with crews all operating simultaneously, TWENTY EIGHT! How many guests
Roger Rabbit was poised to be Disney’s next big thing, he was featured all over OG Disney-MGM Studios. Now only a few remnants remind folks of his prior fame. His giant footprints in cement may particularly confuse kids today. Do current guests miss or even remember poor Roger?
If you recognize these glasses, you lived in another century. And you were lovin’ it. The McDonald’s Millennium celebration glasses for Walt Disney World were legit cubes of solid glass. Anybody still have their collection?
The Tower of Terror was once an icon at Disney World. Not the real ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios, but the billboard. It was a work of art. Forced perspective, a brewing storm-- and a dimensional, shaking elevator cage of terrified riders! Are you sad it's gone?
99.999% of EPCOT guests will never stand across the lagoon with a giant telephoto lens pointed at the Morocco pavilion able to see Tower of Terror behind it. But we love that the .0001% see this! Is this the best Disney sight line ever?
The Tower of Terror fog effect in the queue is absolute PERFECTION on quiet nights. It doesn’t always work. Have you wandered the spooky sidewalks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on a late, empty evening?
Remember when Eisner spread postmodern whimsy across Disney? Buildings told stories, had personalities, and maybe even a sense of humor. Hotels where dolphins swam on the roof or a building where the Seven Dwarfs are literal pillars of society. Dated today? Maybe, but this wasn't
Disney installed fancy lighting in the pavement at new EPCOT and then it immediately broke. Why reinvent the wheel? For about 25 years the park had cooler fiber optic lights that NEVER broke! Remember? We do!
Our favorite Imagineering effect in Star Wars Galaxy's Edge often goes completely unnoticed. Most don't even think about it when visiting Disney's Hollywood Studios. Ever wonder how this landspeeder is actually hovering??
What could be more relaxing than the Land boat ride during a summer thunderstorm at Walt Disney World? Sit back and enjoy the soothing sound of the rain cascading against the greenhouses at Epcot.
Before MagicBands or RFID chips or even biometrics there was ink. Disney used to stamp guests hands with a rubber stamp as proof that they could re-enter the park! Who else remembers riding the Fantasyland dark rides excitingly watching the UV stamps glow in the black-light?
We are STUNNED that Disney has not canceled the Electrical Water Pageant yet. It makes no money, is as old school as it gets and we LOVE it! Are we alone? Is this still valid entertainment in 2023? Have you ever actually seen it or do you even know it exists?
Ever wonder why the boats in Living with the Land at Epcot have roofs? It’s because of the Rainforest scene. It literally used to RAIN in this part of the ride. Disney World turned off the effect years ago. But the boat roofs remain
Try to watch only the penguins MuppetVision at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It takes multiple viewings to even notice this show-within-a-show. Diligent conducting, multiple violin solos, alarmed reactions to the on-screen antics. Hard to believe they spent money on this!
Wednesday got you stressed? Step aboard the Peoplemover for a lofi journey around Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom. No IP, no corporate machinery. Just simple Disney World placemaking.
In the early 90’s Eisner’s design focused approach spread to all the street signage at Walt Disney World. Also used at Euro Disney, the iconic signs were bold, bright and most importantly unlike those used in the “real world”. Did you notice as they faded away the last two years?
Roger Rabbit used to be everywhere at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Now he’s relegated to an upper window gag at Echo Lake that goes unnoticed by everyone. Has Roger lost his relevance? Or should Disney World be using him a lot more?
World Drive at Disney World used to be filled with high-quality billboards. This one for Disney’s Animal Kingdom literally dispensed stinkbug fog! Now all of them have vanished. Was Flik the best one? There is only one right answer.
Is there a more exclusive place to dine at Walt Disney World than ABOVE the walkway from Fantasyland to Liberty Square? When you find this “secret” room in Columbia Harbor House, you will never go back. Here you are lord of the Magic Kingdom. The envy of all commoners.
Would guests today have any clue who this forgotten character from the Disney box office dud “Emperor’s New Groove” is? “Llama Kuzco”(yes, that’s his name) briefly appeared in the parks, bewildered guests shunned him but would 2,000 babies actually be excited to meet him today?
If you stayed at a Walt Disney World resort any time this century, chances are you've seen Stacey, the effervescent host of Must Do Disney on the Resort TV! There's different programming now, but for most of us, Stacey was IT! Do you get pumped for your trip just seeing her?
Was there ever a cooler experience at Walt Disney World than hitting the Monorail lottery and riding up front? It’s the little things that can make WDW special, this one is now, sadly, lost.
Imagine a Pirates of the Caribbean queue where this fountain is still running. We are DEEP into the Castillo by this point. Magic Kingdom Guests today never even notice it. But it was one of a hundred tiny details that created an aura of believability to Pirates at Disney World.
It’s crazy but paper FASTPASS has been gone nearly TEN years, phased out through 2013 and eliminated in 2014. We loved and miss the elegance of the FREE original system. Are we somehow better off now or did Disney fix what wasn’t broken?
Forgotten. Ignored. Unceremonious stroller parking for the oblivious Disney World masses. Yet this mural in Germany pavilion at Epcot is the entrance to the never-built Rhine River ride. A vacant show building sits behind it. Do you ever stare longingly at what might have been?
Disney doesn’t get more iconic than The Haunted Manor, yet not is all as it appears. The gothic stone exterior you think houses the happy haunts is a mere facade, a giant show-building is their actual home. Does knowing this destroy the magic or enhance the wonder?
Playfully splashing at the water’s edge; the dinosaur on the defunct Discovery River Boats was the least seen animatronic in Animal Kingdom, maybe in any Disney park! There is very little video of him, were you one of the lucky few to see him live?
Thousands of tourists pour past EPCOT’s Japan Pavilion everyday ignorant of a massive abandoned show building just feet away. Disney has tried to build attractions here, sadly today the building sits empty, used only for storage. Does Japan finally deserve an actual attraction?
Rome still burns in EPCOT’s Spaceship Earth but Disney removed one of our favorite (and most offbeat) details years ago. Who remembers the animated chariot that used to be projected here? You are iconic! All roads lead to Rome after all.
You’ve ridden Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom dozens of times. But have you ever heard the stretch room gargoyles whisper at you to leave?? Hang back when everyone exits into the loading area. It’s a deliciously creepy Disney World secret!
Iger said this today: “It is my intention to restructure things in a way that honors and respects creativity as the heart and soul of who we are. “! It’s at if the clouds are parting and beams of light are shining down for the first time in a very long time.
A convention hallway? Maybe a government building? No, it's just what passed for a Disney queue entrance in the late 80s. But around that corner, a high seas Norwegian adventure awaited you in Epcot. Can you picture what lies ahead? You are not the first to pass this way...
Riding the monorail up front, especially as a kid, may be the Disney experience we miss most. Did you ever see it? If so you have major bragging rights. What’s the one park memory you wish you could relive?
In 1986 Disney CEO Michael Eisner filmed an intro for The Disney Sunday Movie: “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” while riding ON the Nautilus at WDW. Could you Imagine something like that happening today? Oddly, one of the guys standing on the back is one half of Parkeology!
Maelstrom at Epcot had a cool feature where the boats appeared over a waterfall OUTSIDE the building. Disney closed this cave with Frozen Ever After and it looks unnatural to us. Like CGI in an old movie. Are we wrong?
GenXers will remember the magic of collectible glasses from McDonald’s! These used to be a big deal back in the day. This set was part of Walt Disney World’s 25th Anniversary. Who completed the whole set? Anybody still have theirs??
Who else loves watching first-timers react to a Disney World trick? You board the shuttle at Star Wars Rise of the Resistance from the starboard side. When you reach the Star Destroy, you exit from... the starboard side. Most passengers are flummoxed!
Walt Disney World Quest Magical Racing Tour is truly an all-time great video game. Think Mario Kart, but in iconic WDW attractions, complete with tons of secret short cuts. Do you have a favorite track? And don't say Tomorrowland Speedway.
What a beginning! Illuminations: Reflections of Earth starts with a prologue. A night to "gather around the fire." Then with a single puff of breath, every torch on the World Showcase lagoon is extinguished and the drums begin to build. Was this show the best Epcot has ever seen?
This optical illusion in Pirates of the Caribbean doesn’t get enough love. From a distance, it’s a single skull face. But as you round to the side, it’s revealed to be several completely separate rock formations. Have you seen this trick at Magic Kingdom?
Welcome to the 1990s, when your best chance at a professional video INSIDE A DISNEY PARK might be a kid's singalong video. Some of us grew up with this. Some of us bought it as adults (nothing wrong with that). Did this play frequently in your house?
Checking into your Disney hotel used to mean receiving custom folders jammed with all sorts of stuff. We are huge fans of ephemera: paper and information never intended to last. Do you miss this type of stuff or is your phone better? This is a window into a magical time for us.
Imagine seeing this arcane character from a Disney flop prancing around the parks today! Would you have any clue who this dude is? “Meet the Robinson’s” had decent reviews but failed at the box office sending him to the land of obscurity for evermore.
Do you sometimes study the stagecraft rather than the actual show? Like us at Disney's Hollywood Studios: 1) Carefully identify holes in balcony. 2) Observe arrival of arrows during Muppet Vision 3-D. 3) Stay in theater to see arrows retract back into wall.
It’s easy to be cynical about stuff like this but we love the Star Wars Coke packaging in Galaxy’s Edge. More work went in to creating these than many could imagine. Neither Disney or Coke had to do this, but they did. We can’t think of better in-world product packaging, can you?
Slinky Dog Dash at Disney's Hollywood Studios is cobbled together from toys and other spare parts. The Stand-by Entrance sign is a dog tag. Only when you look behind it, you see it's really Buster's tag, the dog from Toy Story! And do you know that address?
The strange case of the Flat Mickey! He’s a metal cutout perched on the roof of a BACKSTAGE area at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. He’s been there for decades. Most guests are oblivious, but he is clearly visible from the Express Monorail. Have you seen this hidden Mickey?
Expedition Everest is packed full of intricate details but few guests ever see the decidedly less pretty reverse angle. Disney added a few touches for those who sneak long distance glimpses. Have you ever spotted this forbidden perspective?
Anyone else snorkel the famed Shark Reef at Typhoon Lagoon? Gone since 2016 (replaced by lounge chairs) the Shark Reef holds an almost mythical status among park fans. You didn’t dream it, it really was a thing!
Hidden behind Muppet Vision is a corridor almost 0 modern Disney World guests have seen: the extended queue! Maybe used once or a twice a year, if that. It's lined with a dozen delightful parody posters, Muppet Lab experiments and an occasional googly-eyed vent. Have you seen it?
The Great Movie Ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios had a beautiful queue that literally took you through a movie theater, showing trailers for all of the Great Movies. We miss the flickering darkness of this last scene before the big ride. Did you have a favorite trailer?
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire was incredibly popular 20 or so years ago. Before Toy Story Mania, and after it was a working soundstage, this space housed the Millionaire attraction. It was fun, surprisingly well executed and had real prizes. Now no one ever talks about it.
That heart-stopping moment when you are 100% certain your Disney Skyliner bucket is going to collide with the one in front of you. Every. Single. Time.
The vanishing idol from Tower of Terror is one of the greatest effects in any Disney park. The idol is real. It’s not a projection or behind glass, guests are close and see it from different angles. Parts remain visible until the last moment. It’s AMAZING, is it the best ever?
Man, the 90’s, when every trip to the mall included an exciting visit to the Disney Store? Was it the facade, the figures or the giant mountain of plush that made it feel like home? It slowly faded into irrelevancy but we think it may be time for a comeback!
Ah, the days when a trip to Walt Disney World would mean yet another CD that we HAD TO BUY. Millennium Celebration is only 5 tracks, but it's absolute gold. Reflections of Earth, Tapestry of Nations parade, We Go On... Do you still own your copy? And is it still in rotation??
Tower of Terror used to have lap-bars (we don’t need no stinkin’ seatbelts) and some riders would literally float off the seat all the way down. Did anyone else experience this zero G adrenaline rush in the early days of the OG TOT? It was Awesome!
Remember when the Magic Kingdom had a straight up puppet show?!? The Legend of the Lion King was a real thing. Few people know this existed and others don’t believe it when told. It closed 21 years ago making way for PhilarMagic. Freaking puppets!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom originally carried a deep backstory regarding conservation and mankind’s impact on nature. Do you think that message is still clear today? Do people understand this scene from Kali River Rapids for example? Sometimes time dulls edges and meaning is lost.
Modern Disney World can still pull off a few amazing surprises. Amos the Mouse, from a long-forgotten 1953 short film, recently popped up in Liberty Tree Tavern, devoid of fanfare. Just something for you to discover by accident. Have you been lucky enough to find him yet?
Imagine gazing out to sea from your Disney Cruise Line adventure and seeing an actual ghost ship. The Flying Dutchman from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies once prowled the shores of Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. Now where's the Davy Jones meet-and-greet?
The 90s were a time where Disney really ramped up the idea of releasing pop star covers of their songs. The Disney Parks got their own entire album! If you ever wanted to hear the Barenaked Ladies sing Grim Grinning Ghosts, this is the CD for you. Who still has their copy?
Disney used huge Boeing drones to fly X-Wings over Galaxy’s Edge for a press event, but why can’t us normals catch a glimpse? Are you excited by these types of tech demos or frustrated that they never seem to be incorporated into the parks full time? Are they teasing us or what?
Catastrophe Canyon at Disney’s Hollywood Studios was pure spectacle and could reset itself every few minutes. Remember the facts your tour guide would give you? The pumps were powerful enough to shoot a basketball over the Empire State Building!
The old Disney's Hollywood Studios car entrance was a cleverly hidden overpass with filmstrip banners. We had forgotten that the frames used to be dimensional, with characters popping out from the background. The new entrance is more efficient, but was this one more fun?
How can ONE park have FOUR icons? One was intentionally built to block another, two are now gone and none have ever really stuck. What a mess. Which is your favorite? What do YOU think the Disney Hollywood Studios Icon should be? We think there is one obvious choice!
Muppets Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios was once a vibrant center of comedic action. The fountain, now reduced to only Miss Piggy, originally featured Fozzie, Gonzo, Animal and more. Do you miss the old version? Why does Disney legit suddenly hate fountains?
In olden times, Disneyland used live performers to enhance attractions like Haunted Mansion and the Matterhorn. This practice has definitely waned. Do you miss the spontaneity of live actors? Or do you prefer a consistent, reliable experience?
The Disney-MGM (Hollywood) Studios “Singing in the Rain” lamppost was a classic from a classic film. Was there ever a cooler photo-op? It came with a built in rain shower, Disney should be all about details like this. Did YOU get the shot?
Most people remember New York Street at Disney's Hollywood Studios. But do you remember San Francisco Street? Now replaced by Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. Most of that hill is a painted flat. The Golden Gate Bridge is a dimensional prop on top of the old Hunchback theater.
Most race right past them, but the animated dioramas in the Main Street windows are a Disney World tradition. They used to change more regularly. We love that they still swap in Mickey's Christmas Carol during the holidays. Who else stops to admire all the details?
You have seen the backside of water but have you ever seen the backside of Expedition Everest? Disney did not completely finish the side facing away from the park but they did (sort of) theme it. Few guests ever notice or see this side. What do you think?
Taken from the “hidden” Slinky Dog path at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that we talked about last week. There’s a story reason why the train goes backwards for a bit. He’s made out of a Slinky! He must compress before he can launch. A spring, a spring, a marvelous thing…
Casual fans know about the rope at Disney's Hollywood Studios near Indiana Jones. But true fans know that the rope MUST be pulled every time you pass by. Not for you. Never for you. But as an act of kindness to others nearby, who are unaware of its existence. Correct?
The very firetruck Kermit rides in the finale of Muppet*Vision 3d used to sit outside the theater. It made exiting guests feel as if the chaos had just happened in real time. No one seems to remember this fantastic detail. We wonder if guests today care about this type of thing?
Disney closed perhaps the most beautiful attraction ever when they shuttered Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, few guests realized the main ride was housed in a hidden warehouse, not the pristine lagoon. Is this the attraction more guests wish they could see (or see again)
Ever wonder what it’s like to be Tinker Bell? Not the cute animated sprite but rather a real human (often a guy) hurtling down a cable 10 stories above the hub with explosives going off around you. Better hope that line is secure! Would YOU do it?
Remember when Disney was going to keep Animal Kingdom open late? Pandora, nighttime safaris and of course the spectacular Rivers of Light show. It lasted all of a year before dramatic changes were made. It closed altogether a few years later. Did you see any of it?
We are still sad that Disney took this super cool, totally operational, fully realized animatronic and let it rot to dust. How many places, other than a fake movie tour in Paris and now the garbage, could he have gone? The Energy dinosaurs are somewhere. What will their fate be?
It’s been nearly 20 years since the magnificent 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea lagoon was removed from Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Almost 30 years since the ride operated. The subs followed a winding path that made the journey feel epic! Did you get to ride or is it now but a dream?
Kids today have it so easy. In our day, you weren't just a passenger on Kilimanjaro Safari. No, you had to grow eyes for poachers. Now the warden doesn't even bother to fly his plane over the reserve. Anyone else feeling like their poacher-spotting skills are deteriorating?
Walt, Roy, and Iger only opened 1 park each. Card Walker got 2. But Michael Eisner opened SEVEN Disney parks on his watch. The industry may never see another run like that. Eisner has his flaws, but can we give him some love for this?
The World of Disney at Downtown Disney, er, Disney Springs once had giant characters looming from the ceiling in epic 90s fashion. Now things are more... industrial. Do you like the toned down, modern look? Or do you roll with John Smith and his cup of tea and deadly paintbrush?
Do you recall this charmingly anachronistic animation? For decades Disney had a projection of a horse and chariot racing through the streets of ancient Rome in Spaceship Earth. You didn’t imagine it, it was real and fans notice this stuff!
It’s 1996 and your parents are super excited about this new CD-ROM that allows them to virtually visit WDW! The Walt Disney World Explorer actually was great for its time. Does anyone else remember this or are we the only nerds who bought it?
Did you or anyone you know win anything during the “Year of a Million Dreams”? From late 2006 through 2008 (that’s not a year BTW) Disney gave away Fast Passes, merch, trips & more; we got jack, maybe a FP or two. Any big winners out there? Even this “Dream FP” would be awesome!
Disneyland, amazingly, continues to squeeze room for new attractions out of its tiny space. Meanwhile Walt Disney World doesn’t know what to do with all it’s land. Have you noticed this area?What would you use it for? We could have an entire haunted land!
Tokyo gets all the best stuff! Remember, the Oriental Land Co. is demolishing Space Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland so they can build a new modern one from scratch. Old news we know but are you ever envious of Tokyo Disney, or even flat out jealous, or sometimes angry? We are!
Who else spent hours dominating Walt Disney World Quest Magical Racing Tour? No disrespect to Mario, but this is our favorite racing game! Legit WDW courses with great details. And the best part— hidden shortcuts!
People always rush through this queue section in the Seas with Nemo. But it's awesome for 2 reasons. 1) It has maybe the best themed Disney railings anywhere! 2) This is original waiting area for Living Seas' Deluge movie. Old Epcot, baby! Anyone else think of this EVERY TIME?
Did you ever run into PUSH, the talking robotic trash can? He used to roam around Tomorrowland harassing guests for nearly 20 years before being dumped for some reason in 2014. If you ever saw him as a kid it was easy to think you made him up but he was 100% real!
Sometimes it's the subtle details that matter. The exit speedramp at Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion features ICONIC yellow bats. Disneyland goes for a full-on never-ending rug pattern. Both are cool. Do you prefer simple or ornate?