1. There Are Human Remains in the Haunted Mansion
The Haunted Mansion drive at Disneyland is one of the scariest places in the park , but not for the rationality you ’d expect .
In his 1994 bookMouse Tales , former Disney employee David Koenig tells the report of a tourer group that requested a little spare time on the drive so they could take a immediate memorial for a 7 - year - old boy . Disney gave the family permission , but it turns out , the memorial was only half their plan . When the griever were tell apart sprinkling a powdery marrow off their “ doom buggies , ” the Haunted Mansion was quickly exclude down until all the remains could be scavenge up .
This was n’t an isolated incident . sneak ash scatterings have occurred all over Disneyland . Not everyone judge to evade the rules , though . Every yr , several family enquire for permission . concord to one Disney spokesperson , the answer is always no .
2. The Cats Own the Night
Each nighttime at Disneyland , after the sunburnt kinfolk and exhausted cast members have made their path home , the park satiate up again — this time , with hundreds of feral cats .
Park official love the feline because they facilitate hold the black eye population . ( After all , a park full of animated cartoon black eye is more tempting than a park full of real ones . ) But these kat are n’t a fresh addition to the Disney household . They first show up at Disneyland shortly after it opened in 1955 , and rather than spend time chase them away , park official decided to put the computed axial tomography to work .
Today , there are plenty of benefit to being a Disney - employed mouser . When they ’re not prowl the ground , these corporate fat African tea pass their solar day lounging at one of the park ’s five permanent feeding stations . Of course , Disney also go to great duration to get by its feline universe . Wranglers at the common work to spay and neuter grownup cats , and any fourth dimension kitty are found , they ’re put up for adoption .
3. It’s a Good Place to Be a Flasher (Again)
Just before the final , five - story drop on Splash Mountain , Disney cameras take a snapshot of the riders to catch their facial reflexion . The idea is to provide guests with a wholesome relic of the experience . But in the late 1990s , the pic took a turn for the obscene after flasher started baring their breasts for the television camera . Soon , Splash Mountain had gained a reputation as “ Flash Mountain , ” and web site featuring the braless photos begin work up .
In its effort to subdue this Tourists Gone Wild phenomenon , Disney began hiring employee to monitor the photos , educate them to perpetrate anything offensive before it got display on the giving screen . Since then , the act of flashers has dwindled . In fact , the countermeasure was so effective that in May 2009 , Disneyland decided that it did n’t need employees to supervise the photographs anymore , put an end to what must have been one of the strangest jobs in the park — view for braless rider .
4. Fully Formed Mustaches Are Welcome
Even though Walt Disney had a mustache himself , he desire his employees clean - shaven . The idea was to make certain they looked as different from the stereotypical image of a creepy fair worker as potential . So , for 43 days , Disney musical theme park worker were prohibit from growing facial hair . But on a momentous day in March 2000 , the company took a gargantuan spring forward and decide to grant the park ’s manlike employees the right hand to sport mustaches . ( Beards , goatees , and Chester A. Arthur - way muttonchops were still off terminal point . )
There was n’t much clip for rejoicing , though . When several employee part to turn out their facial fuzz , management pull in that they hated the stubbly face . The rule was chop-chop repair . Today , for have a mustache at the park , Disney employee must either have them when they ’re hired or grow them during vacation .
5. Disney World Is Its Own City
Four years after opening Disneyland ’s doors in 1955 , Walt Disney became convinced that it was meter to expand his franchise . After reconnoitre several location , he decided on a plot of ground in Orlando , Fla. But there was a major obstacle standing in his way . The ground shed over into two counties , mean the undertaking of construct Disney World would want navigating the bureaucratism of two local governments . To skirt the issue , Disney petitioned the Florida State legislature to let the company order its own land , essentially create Disney World a disjoined urban center .
The request was n’t as novel as it may seem , however . regime often produce special dominion for private companies because the arrangement is reciprocally good . The caller wins by receive more power over things such as building codes and revenue enhancement - free bonds , while the local regime saves money on offer infrastructure . In the end , the state catch an economy - boost business sector that it pay niggling to help build .
So , that ’s what Florida did . On May 12 , 1967 , the Reedy Creek Improvement District was born . regularize by a board of supervisors , the agency has powers typically reserved for urban center and county governments . It has the agency to give schools , create its own criminal justness organization , and open a nuclear power flora — although it has n’t take to do any of those things yet . The company also have all of the seat on the board , and it can always count on its occupant ’ support . After all , they ’re all Disney employees .
6. They Paint the Town Green
If you look beyond the fantasy of the Magic Kingdom , Disney hopes you wo n’t see anything at all . The less - than - magic part of the park , such as fence , garbage bins , and administrative building , are all coated in a color known as “ Go Away Green”—a shade that ’s meant to serve things mix in with the landscape gardening .
According to Disney officials , there ’s no set expression for the colour , but that has n’t discontinue die - hard fans from adjudicate to recreate it . One enthusiast collected paint chips from the car park and take them to The Home Depot , where he supposedly found an precise match — useful noesis if you ’re looking to wither into the background at Disneyland .
7. You Can Shoot Hoops Inside a Mountain
Disneyland ’s Matterhorn is well experience for its bob - like rolling wave coaster that deform down the giant peak . But few masses outside the common know that deep inside the 147 - foot . mountain loiter a basketball game royal court .
How did Disneyland become a place where your ring dreams could come dependable ? After construction of the Matterhorn was completed in 1959 , the roller coaster invade the bottom two - thirds of the mountain , while the top third remained empty . What to do with the additional space ? Walter Elias Disney employees voted to put in a basketball court of law . Because a regularisation motor inn would n’t gibe inside the mountaintop ( sometimes deception ca n’t scoop physics ) , only one goal was instal .
As for the report about the homage being install to skirt building ordinance , that ’s just an urban legend .
8. There’s a Speakeasy
Hidden behind a tiresome green doorway in Disneyland ’s New Orleans Square is one of the park ’s most exclusive and mysterious attractions : a VIP lounge call Club 33 . Walt Disney construct the nightspot as a private hideaway for dignitaries and celebrities , and he even went to New Orleans to personally pick out the knickknacks for the interior .
During the 44 years that Club 33 has been in operation , it ’s serve the likes of Johnny Depp , Elton John , and stacks of executives from companies such as Boeing , Chevron , and AT&T. But if you ’re hoping to join , you ’ll have to be patient . It pick out about 10 yr to get off the wait inclination , after which you ’ll have to fork over $ 10,000 in initiation fees and another $ 3,500 each year that you ’re a member . But it ’s worth it ; Club 33 is the only place at Disneyland where you may ditch the kids for a cocktail .
