July 9, 2021
Location: Norway, Epcot
The queue for Frozen Ever After has several
different details scattered throughout it paying tribute to both the
first film and the events that followed shortly after. Just before
guests enter into the town square area they pass by a bulletin board
with different articles posted upon it.
One of these articles is a newspaper clipping from
the Southern Isles Gazette. The article goes through the scene at
the end of the film discussing how Prince Hands was disgraced but
had some unexpected snow hit him while he was working with manure

June 18, 2021
Location: France, Epcot
As we get closer to October 1st, not only are we
getting closer to the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World, but we
are also getting closer to the opening of the ratatouille attraction
opening up in Epcot. For the past few months the area leading
towards the attraction has been open for guests to explore. While
the majority of the details found in the section resemble the rest
of the France pavilion, there is one detail that should not be
overlooked and it just happens to be where guests will sit.
On the benches throughout the area guests can sit on
various benches and at the end of the benches they can find this
detail found in the ironwork:

That's right It's none other tan Remy in his chef's
hat!
June 11, 2021
Location: Main Street, USA, Magic Kingdom
The windows of Main Street pay tribute to the
Imagineers and other people who have played an important part in the
creation of Walt Disney World. One of these windows is shown here:

"Iwerks-Iwerks Stereoscopic Cameras Ub Iwerks Don
Iwerks"
This pays tribute to a father and son duo who have
both played a massive role in the formation of the Disney company.
Ub Iwerks was the original animator who worked on the Mickey Mouse
cartoons and worked with Walt Disney at the earliest moments of the
company. Ub's son, Don, would eventually work for the company
as well and the two of them together would create new camera
techniques used specifically for the theme parks which are still
being used today.
Thanks to their work with cameras they are
recognized by having a business which specializes in stereoscopic
cameras!
June 4, 2021
Location: Future World, Epcot
Recently the entrance to Epcot has gone through a
transformation featuring new planters, a new fountain, and a new
item that is often being overlooked.by guests. While most people
focus on the changes that are at eye level, the detail we are
looking at today is on the ground. The manhole covers changed from
their traditional look to now resemble the triangles of Spaceship
Earth along with the Epcot logo found in the center!

May 28, 2021
Location: Japan, Epcot
The Kawaii museum in the Japan pavilion is a
showcase of Japan's cute culture. Around the room guests can find
different items from Japanese culture that embody the culture of
cute. Some of these items consist of road barriers that look like
bunnies, toilet paper holders, and more. However, a nod to the past
of a Disney park can be found in the kitchen area.

Do you see it? On top of the refrigerator you can
find tis popcorn bucket:

Duffy the Disney Bear, who at one point made
appearances in Epcot, has been a major draw to guests visiting Tokyo
Disney. He has his own stage show and is one of the most popular
characters in the park. To celebrate his ten year anniversary at the
park, a celebration, Journeys with Duffy, was born!
May 21, 2021
Location: Africa, Disney's Animal Kingdom
Throughout the fictional town of Harambe guests can
find various signs that are written in both English and Swahili
giving visitors instructions for the area. Today we will take a look
at this area outside of Tusker House:

Just outside of Tusker House guests can find this
sign:

The sign found here gives some very important advice
to the guests that are stopping by outside of Tusker House. The sign
is instructing guests that they are not allowed to have any
livestock past that point. So please keep that in mind next time you
are visiting Animal Kingdom.
May 14, 2021
Location: Marketplace, Disney Springs
When World of Disney reopened after the
refurbishment a few years ago the storyline went from Mickey and the
gang traveling around the world and seeing other Disney characters
to the building being a prior animation building. We've discussed in
the past about the different tables found around the shop have
doodles placed upon them featuring various Disney characters.
While in the area that was formerly the princess
room features the biggest tribute to the storyline of what was once
there. Above the exit of the building guests can see that this used
to be the Village Marketplace Annex Animation Studios:
April 30, 2021
Location: France, Epcot
A few years ago a new gazebo was put into the France
pavilion to be used as a meet and greet area for characters like
Belle from Beauty and the Beast and Aurora from Sleeping Beauty.
While the gazebo may seem simple at first, there is one detail that
pays tribute to both princesses:

The ironwork here features a rose paying tribute to
the rose found in Beauty and the Beast and as a simple nod to
Aurora's name while living with the fairies being Briar Rose!
April 23, 2021
Location: Discovery Island, Animal Kingdom
The details found around Discovery Island focus on
various animals that all pay tribute to the items around them. While
most of these details may not be in your face,, the closer you look
at items the more you will notice the connection between the animals
and their surroundings. Today we will be taking a look at this
pattern on the ground of the restrooms at Discovery Island:

While at first glance it may seem like a simple
pattern on the ground, upon closer inspection you may notice that
they are dung beetles which mainly feast on items people may deposit
in the restroom!
April 16, 2021
Location: Saratoga Springs
Throughout Saratoga Springs guests can find
references to several different Disney horses from common horses
like Philippe from Beauty and the Beast to Buck from Home on the
Range. So the big question is who are these two characters found on
the walls inside the guest rooms?

The two characters found here are Johnny Fedora and
Alice Bluebonnet, and no, we aren't talking about the horses in the
picture, but in deed the hats. The two characters shared a love
story in the 1954 Disney animated package film Make Mine Music where
they met in the windows of a department store. During the short film
the two become separated by are always longing to be together until
they live out the rest of their lives as the hats on two horses in
front of a carriage!
April 9, 2021
Location: All-Star Movies
The stairwells at the All-Star Resorts often mimic
the area that the are in. Their are hockey goals and The Mighty
Ducks section, fire hydrants at the 101 Dalmatians section, books
similar to the one found in The Sorcerers Apprentice in Fantasia,
and boxes of toy soldiers in the Toy Story area. But what about the
Herbie section?
The four main stairwells for Herbie feature four
different clapboards. Each one of them pays tribute to a different
film featuring Herbie. As you can see with the one below, this one
features the Production being Bananas, a reference to the fourth
Herbie movie, Herbie Goes Bananas. Below it you can see that the
date is 6/80, a reference to the film's release being in June 1980!

April 2, 2021
Location: Rafiki's Planet Watch, Disney's
Animal Kingdom
When the Animation Academy made it's way to Rafiki's
Planet Watch it resulted in a subtle change to the Affection Section
with a tribute to an often forgotten Disney character. Prior to
enteringthe area guests will see a sign which reads "Like your
artwork? The goats love it too."

If the goat found on the picture doesn't look too
familiar, it's because e is originally from an often forgotten
Disney film, Home on the Range, which actually debuted 17 years ago
today! The character is none other than Jeb who lived on Patch of
Heaven from the film!
February 12, 2021
Location: Future World, Epcot
The Seas with Nemo and Friends is a fun loving
attraction allowing guests to go searching for Nemo while also being
reunited with other friends and eventually seeing the characters
inside an actual aquarium with real fish! While it is a simple
journey we take, most people overlook the simple journey we take
once we enter into the building.

While entering into the line guests begin to waddle
back and forth through the queue as we make our way to the under the
water section. The motions guests are going through here are meant
to be symbolic of us taking the journey sea turtles take once they
first hatch. We start at the edge of the beach and slowly wander up
the path back and forth until we eventually make our way into the
sea much like a newborn sea turtle would do!
February 5, 2021
Location: Dinoland, USA, Disney's Animal
Kingdom
After guests enter into Dinoland, USA there is a
message board straight ahead featuring various memos and pictures
for the people working at the dig site to see. One item, however, on
the top right features something very unique!

This map may not seem like anything special at first
glance, but it is actually a map of Dinoland, USA as it looked on
April 22, 1998, the day Disney's Animal Kingdom first opened. While
most of the layout seems to be the same, there are a few things on
here that are different. For instance, the attraction Dinosaur is
still labeled as Countdown to Extinction and the area where Chester
and Hester's Dino-rama currently sits houses two different areas
known as the Fossil Preparation Lab and Dinosaur Jubilee.
When the park first opened the area where Chester
and Hester's currently sits was home to tents that allowed guests to
enter inside and see real dinosaur bones and understand paleontology
a little bit better. This lasted for the first couple of years until
it would be replaced by Primeval Whirl and Triceratop Spin in 2002!
January 29, 2020
Location: Future World, Epcot
The Festival of the arts is going strong at Epcot
right now and along with it comes some amazing details that may go
overlooked by many guests. Drawing on Inspiration consists of seven
different artist renderings that Imagineers created based off of
what their interpretation of seven Epcot attractions are.
One of the attractions they were given was Journey
Into Imagination and the interpretation done by Morgan Richardson
who left a little tribute to an extinct part of the Imagination
pavilion.

If you look at the bottom left corner of the
rendering you will see that there is a film strip featuring
characters from Captain EO which called the Imagination pavilion
home not just once, but twice!

January 22, 2021
Location Marketplace, Disney Springs
The World of Disney is meant to be the remains of an
old animation studio that Disney had. If you walk around the store
you can find various drawings of different Disney characters,
posters of older Disney films, and much more. If you pay close
attention to the registers you can see that animators have created
various doodles on them including some obscure Disney characters.

While Maleficent is the main focal point of the
drawing on this desk, pay close attention to the character in the
top left corner.

This pirate may seem like an obscure addition to the
table, but this character is a very important part of Disney
history. When Disney was creating the attraction that would become
Pirates of the Caribbean Walt Disney discussed the plans on the
Disneyland television show and one of the main characters he
featured on the show was this specific drawing of a pirate which
sadly never made it into the final attraction!
January 15, 2020
Location: United Kingdom, Epcot
The Festival of Arts has returned and the paintings
that once joined character meet and greets have now made a home in
the UK gardens. While each of these paintings have amazing details,
today we will be taking a look at the one of Mulan.

While at first it may appear to be a simple drawing
of Mulan, if you take a look at the bottom left corner you can see
that the name of the artist is Mushu. At that moment you should also
note that it is in fact not a painting, but due to Mushu being a
dragon, he has actually used fire to create the art instead of
simply making a painting
January 8, 20201
Location: Adventureland, Magic Kingdom
The Island Supply shop found in Adventureland is now
officially known as Island Supply by Sunglass Hut, but that wasn't
the case from 2014 and before when it was simply known as Island
Supply. While at first glance there doesn't seem to be anything
special while looking at the store, guests should pay close
attention to the roof of the building

On top of the building guests can find a station
featuring several different colored threads which may seem confusing
to some considering the location is now a shop exclusive to
sunglasses, but the threads pay tribute to the former shop here.

Prior to the invasion of the sunglasses, the area
here was known to sell a variety of tropical clothes. Like some
foreign clothing stores, the clothes would have been made at the
location of the building and then sold there as well. This group of
threads is a tribute to the idea that the original store was not
just a shop, but a workplace as well!
January 1, 2021
Location: Disney's Animal Kingdom
The Theater in the Wild, which is home to Finding
Nemo the Musical, is the only attraction that doesn't belong to a
specific land. Due to this the theater it calls home is known as the
theater in the Wild due to it being literally in the wild compared
to the rest of the lands found inside of Disney's Animal Kingdom.
That's not the detail we are going to be taking a look at today
however. What we want to look at is the exterior of the building

Prior to the addition of Disney's Animal Kingdom's
nighttime show, Rivers of Light, the area that sits across from the
theater used to be filled with trees causing the theater to feel
more in the wild than it does now. To help give that illusion
through all times of the day, the paint job on the exterior of the
building has a simple, but effective detail added to it to make you
truly feel like you were in the middle of the woods.
Take a close look at the paint here to see shadows
of trees being placed upon the walls outside. Prior to the addition
of the seating area for Rivers of Light, it was believable that
these may be actual shadows the sun was placing upon the building,
but now we can tell that it is in fact a paint job added to give
that illusion!
December 18, 2020
Location Liberty Square, Magic Kingdom
Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe at the Magic Kingdom is
divided up into three different houses, each with it's own theme.
While one of these pays tribute to Walt's Grandfather and another
pays tribute to the items found inside, the part of the shop found
closest to Main Street, USA actually pays tribute to a character
guests may be familiar with not just in a Disney film, but in
Liberty Square itself!
Just across the street from Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe
guests can find Sleepy Hollow, a quick service restaurant based upon
the town where the Ichabod Crane portion of The Adventures of
Ichabod and Mr. Toad takes place. As you may recall, Ichabod was a
teacher and specialized in his musical ability. If you take a look
out on the corner of Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe you can see that this
portion of the shop actually belongs to everyone's favorite
schoolmaster!

December 11, 2020
Location Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom
When the Tangled restrooms opened up guests received
one of the most detailed sections in the park, all in the form of a
restroom. The question for some is where in the Tangled storyline to
the restrooms fall into? One step into the men's restroom actually
has the answer for this in the form of Wanted Posters on the wall.

As you can see here we have three wanted posters.
One for Flynn Rider, one for his old partners the Stabbington
Brothers, and finally one for Short (a member of the snugly Duckling
crew).
Over the posters we can see that Flynn has finally
been pardoned for his crimes, thanks to his connection to Rapunzel,
while the Stabbington Brothers have been captured, much like they
were at the end of the film. As for Shorty, we have the joke that he
is still "At Large."
December 4, 2020
Location: Echo Lake, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
Star Tours is an immersive experience where guests
are not only allowed to see out their front window while they visit
planets like Hoth, Naboo, and Tattooine, but there is also a small
screen on the right side of the ship which allows guests to see
outside of the ship and sometimes even offers glances at the
Starspeeder 1000 from above. While at first glance guests may
question how they can see their own ship without an extra set of
eyes, the queue offers an answer to how this is done.
While walking through the queue for Star Tours
guests pass by C-3PO and R2-D2 working on the Starspeeder 1000 that
we are about to hop into. However, careful observers will notice
that near them is also a spot where a droid sits poking his head
towards us. Bellow this droid guests can find his name IC360 (I see
360).

The entire job of IC360 is to do all the camera work
that guests will see outside the ship while traveling aboard the
Starspeeder 1000!
November 27, 2020
Location: Discovery Island, Disney's Animal
Kingdom
The shops on Discovery Island are some of the most
detailed shops in Walt Disney World. The shop known as Island
Mercantile shows the unique connection that the particular shop has
to animals and nature. While in the shop, pay close attention to
some of the locations above the cash registers.
Here you can find some pictures of beavers which at
first glance seem like a fun detail However, if you look at the area
surrounding the registers you see the connection is much more
important. The register area is actually created by various pieces
of wood that beavers hav chewed away!

November 13, 2020
Location: Frontierland, Magic Kingdom
The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad queue is
incredibly detailed featuring references to different Disney parks
and different Disney films. While passing through the first room
guests an find a safe, some safe bars, and one wanted poster:

If the two characters found in the Wanted poster
appear familiar, then you are probably familiar with the two Disney
films featuring Amos and Theodore starring Don Knotts and Tim
Conway! The poster here references The Apple Dumpling Gang, which is
referenced multiple times throughout the queue!
November 6, 2020
Location: Liberty Square, Magic Kingdom
We've talked about Hidden Mickey's in the past, but
today we are going to be taking a look at a different hidden
character. The Haunted Mansion is one of the most detailed
attractions found throughout the entire Walt Disney World Resort.
While guests are going by the endless hallway scene, guests will
notice this following chair on the left hand side.

At first glance the chair doesn't appear to be
anything special,, but after closer observation you may notice the
design on the front actually forms a hidden Donald! The curvy line
on the top is his sailor hat, the two circles in the middle are his
eyes and then beginning between his eyes to the area below him is
his bill!
October 30, 2020
Location Caribbean Beach Resort
Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort pays tribute to all
things Caribbean and one of the most overlooked aspects can be found
at Banana Cabana. The last percussion created was made in the
Caribbean and has been widely used around the Caribbean. The
instrument? the steel drum. To pay tribute to this classic
instrument, guests can find the steel drum in an unusual form.
While at Banana Cabana look up. Here you will find a
group of steel drums hanging from the ceiling in one of the most
unusually, yet unique, light fixtures found throughout all of
Disney!

October 23, 2020
Location Africa, Disney's Animal Kingdom
The city of Harambe at Disney's Animal Kingdom is a
city that keeps being slowly built over the years while also using
the resources that they have found scattered throughout the town.
Today we are going to be taking a look at some items that they have
found to help the seating area at the Harambe Marketplace.

While walking through the area you can find some
wood structures holding up canopies to allow guests some shady
areas, but there is one section where the citizens of Harambe used
some resources that they had found throughout the entire town. The
canopy closest to the entrance for the area actually features
various forms of sheet metal that they may have found down by the
Harambe Wildlife Express platform to keep guests dry during rainy
days!

October 16, 2020
Location: Toy Story Land, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
Everything in Toy Story Land is over the top, but
even some of the most basic details can be overlooked. For instance,
while in line for Toy Story Mania guests will come across this area
overlooking Andy's room.

While at first glance your eye may look straight
towards Andy's bed or the tinker toys holding lighting fixtures up,
our Fun Find this week deals with the safety sign. While at first
glance it may appear to be a typical warning sign guests can find
for any attraction, upon closer inspection you may notice that this
is actually a ripped up piece of paper. And not only that, but the
paper is being held into place by a single, larger than life,
staple!

October 9, 2020
Location: Asia, Disney's Animal Kingdom
Is the yeti real? Throughout Asia at Disney's Animal
Kingdom guests can find several fliers up for issues like logging
and for various businesses like lodging, but there's one location in
Asia that connects directly with the queue for Expedition Everest:

That's right! According to a flier found on the back
of the door at the exit of the Expedition Everest gift shop a
researcher has found evidence that the yeti is indeed real and that
they are going to host a meeting at the Yeti Museum, which si fon
while in line for Expedition Everest!
October 2, 2020
Location, Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is the king of puns.
Scattered throughout the queue and even on the attraction, guests
can find several different play on words. Near the exit guests can
find the follow creates:

While the crates are obviously filled with
explosives for mining, the name of the company on the outside of the
crates features the pun we all needed:

Lytum & Hyde Explosions, or if read carefully, light
'em and hide!
September 25, 2020
Location Dinoland, USA, Disney's Animal
Kingdom
Two years ago Disney decided that due to recent
developments that some dinosaurs are more closely related to ducks
than reptiles that they should do an overlay of Dinoland, USA themed
around Donald and his duck friends. One of the sections added during
this was a meet and greet for Scrooge McDuck with several different
references to the world's richest duck.

On the bookshelf you can find several books
referencing Scrooge's life on screen and in comics, but one of the
most interesting nods also pays tribute to Donald Duck's sister
Della Duck. The book is entitled The Life and Times of Della Duck.
While Della Duck is the name of Donald's sister, The Life of Times
is a reference to the Scrooge McDuck comic series which debuted in
the 1990s highlighting the life of Scrooge McDuck. The series name?
The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck!

September 18, 2020
Location: Africa, Disney's Animal Kingdom
Scattered around Africa at Disney's Animal Kingdom
guests can find numerous posters on walls advertising different
businesses that are in service here in Harambe. Throughout the land
guests can find numerous posters for the Twiga Travel Agency:

The Twiga Travel Agency promises customers that they
will be able to find the Africa of their dreams once booking with
them for a safari. Just like many items found throughout Harambe,
Twiga is obviously a Swahili word for something, but what? the
picture found here should tip you off. Twiga is Swahili for Giraffe!
September 11, 2020
Location: Galaxy's Edge, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
While boarding the Millennium Falcon, the crew that
gets you to your loading position will repeatedly tell you to be
safe because they don't have seatbelts in the back and they are
flying too. While we exit the attraction never seeing those cast
members again to see if our crashes caused them too much turbulence,
there is one item that does allow us to see the damage we may have
done.

While entering into the cockpit, guests can find the
case on the side with Aurebesh which reads, "Danger: Highly
Explosive." While boarding the case is closed and those who don't
read Aurebesh probably pass by without a care in the world.
While exiting the flight, however, guests pass by
the same crate which is now open with multiple yellow canisters
scattered around on the ground. Apparently our flight didn't go too
smoothly for those in the back, but at least it wasn't big enough to
set off the yellow canisters

September 4, 2020
Location: Toy Story Land, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
All around Toy Story Land are various references to
the Toy Story films and short cartoons, but some of the best
references pay tribute to the beginning of the films themselves.
Today we are going to take a look at a reference found near the exit
of the original tracks of Toy Story Mania.

While exiting the attraction from the original
tracks, guests can find a box for Lenny, the binoculars Woody uses
during the original Toy Story film. It's not the box that it's
important, but the price tag:

Here you can see the toy is going for only 99 cents,
but the sale date at the top of the price tag reads 11 and 13, which
is a reference to November 13, 1999, the exact date Toy Story 2
debuted in theaters!
August 21, 2020
Location: Discovery Island, Disney's Animal
Kingdom
Slow down! That's the underlying theme found
throughout Disney's Animal Kingdom and there are reminders
everywhere. Today we are going to be taking a look at some of the
benches in Discovery Island and the subtle reminder it shows.

As you can see there is nothing too special about
this rock wall bench at first glance, but if you take a look at the
ends of the bench you may notice that there is a subtle reminder to
slow down in the form of one of the slowest animals of all, the
snail!!

August 14, 2020
Location: World Showcase, Epcot
The China pavilion at Epcot features a room
showcasing the plans and locations at Shanghai Disneyland. While
several of these items focus on costumes or small models, one item
in the room is a to scale replica that can only be found in Shanghai
and Epcot.
The Enchanted Storybook Castle Rotunda at Disneyland
Shanghai features four mosaics that help showcase the four seasons
by featuring the princesses. While Tiana represents the
transformation in summer and Merida showcases courage in fall and
Anna and Elsa are obvious choices for Winter, it is the Spring
season that can be found inside the China pavilion.
The Wish features Rapunazel in a Spring scene. To
help guests in China get excited about the possibility of visiting
Shanghai Disneyland a life size portion of the mosaic featuring
Rapunzel can be found on the wall featuring a very small portion of
the full mosaic:

August 7, 2020
Location Disney's Wilderness Lodge
The Carolwood Pacific Room located at the Disney
Vacation Club section of Disney's Wilderness Lodge is filled with
different train items owned by Walt Disney's personal railroad and
inspired by it as well. In the past we have discussed the train cars
pictured below, but today we will discuss it's connection to the
Magic Kingdom.

The Walt Disney World Railroad at the Magic Kingdom
has four train engines with three of them being named after people
most Disney fans know Walt, Roy, and Lillian Disney. The fourth
engine is named the Roger Broggie. But who is Roger Broggie? He is
considered Disney's first Imagineer. He had worked on many
locomotives with Disney throughout the years, but his first project
with Disney was on the train cars found here in the Carolwood
Pacific room.
Thanks to the creation of these two cars, along with
others, we now have Disneyland and Walt Disney World!
July 31, 2020
Location Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom
The exit of Space Mountain has some of the most
amazing details that guests pass by excitedly due to their recent
out of this world adventure. However, someone taking their time may
notice a few details that shouldn't go overlooked. Today we will be
taking a look at the luggage.

While the luggage doesn't seem to be anything
extraordinary at first glance, guests with a careful eye, and a
remembrance for the retired Epcot attraction Horizons may recall the
name Mesa Verde. At the end of the classic attraction guests had the
opportunity to chose between three different futures that they coud
visit with the most popular one to be chosen being Mesa Verde. As a
tribute to this retired attraction guests can still find this
sticker to the fictional destination to this day here at the exit of
Space Mountain.
July 24, 2020
Location Hollywood Boulevard, Disney's
Hollywood Studios
The Hollywood Brown Derby is modeled after the
famous Brown Derby restaurant found in actual Hollywood, California.
It is a location where Hollywood's elite have dined and have their
pictures drawn to be placed on the wall. It isn't Disney's first
connection to the restaurant.
In the film Fun and Fancy Free Willy the giant is
searching for Mickey, Donald, and Goofy and actually picks up the
giant brown derby hat to see if they are inside and then places the
hat on his head. But that, still, is not the earliest connection the
famous restaurant has to Disney.
Walt Disney Imagineer Herbert Ryman once helped
create caricatures of various celebrities that came to the Brown
Derby. To pay tribute to that, guests visiting the Brown Derby
restaurant inside of Disney's Hollywood Studios can se the following
picture showcasing Herb Ryman creating a caricature of Georgie
Jessel!

July 9, 2020
Location: Voyageur's Lounge, Riviera Resort
Just outside of the Voyageur's Lounge at Disney's
Riviera Resort, guests can find several pictures of Walt Disney
along with his friends and family on various trips to France and the
Riviera so it's only appropriate once guests enter into the lounge
itself they will find a few nods to Walt Disney himself.

As you can see from the picture above there is a
Mickey Mouse plush similar to the one we have seen Walt with in
several historic pictures. While this is an authentic vintage Mickey
Mouse stuffed animal created in the 1930s, it is the item to the
left that has true significance. Here guests can see a fedora hat
which at first glance looks similar to the one we see Walt wearing
in the adjacent picture. And there's a reason the two look similar.
This is the actual hat worn by Walt in the photograph!
July 2, 2020
Location: Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom
Near the Fatnasyland Train Station guests can find a
bunch of luggage piled up with various items written upon them. Most
of these are references to various Disney and Pixar films, but today
we will be taking a look at this red piece of luggage:

Red's Amazing Juggling Unicycles is a reference to
the 1987 Pixar short cartoon, Red's Dream. In the film a unicycle at
a bike shop dreams of joining the circus and being a unicycle
performer. Underneath you can see that the unicycle is manufactured
by Eben's Bikes, which is the name of the bike shop found in the
short film!
June 26, 2020
Location: Marketplace, Disney Springs
The Aristocats doesn't have a ton of references to
the film found throughout the Walt Disney World Resort, however a
few years ago a small kiosk near Rainforest Cafe opened up with the
name of Aristocrepes. While there doesn't appear to be anything
referencing the film besides the name, observant guests can find a
very soft piece of wood work near the napkins and spoons and napkins
that can give a glimpse into the film.

Here guests can find a hidden Toulouse at both of
the utensil stations placed secretly in the woodwork!
June 19, 2020
Location Marketplace, Disney Springs
In the 1933 Silly Symphony cartoon, the Three Little
Pigs, we see the Big Bad Wolf obsessed with trying to turn the three
pigs into his lunch. He huffs and puffs and blows down the first two
houses, made of sticks and straw, but he eventually meets his
untimely end by climbing up on the chimney of the roof made of
bricks.
A few years ago, Disney opened up a small kiosk in
Disney Springs' Marketplace which is called B.B. Wolf's. The menu?
Brats, hot dogs, and other items one may have made by finally
catching a pig. The building itself is ironically made of bricks. If
you take a look at the roof of the building you will once again see
the Big Bad Wolf up there, but this time in weather vane form!

June 12, 2012
Location, Disney Springs West Side
This week the rest of the Disney owned shops in
Disney Springs opened so naturally I walked around and took pictures
when I came across a fun find I have often overlooked. While
entering the Star Wars Galactic Outpost on Disney Springs' West
Side, guests can find a massive sign above them written in Aurbesh
(the Star Wars language)

While at first it just seems like an ordinary sign,
after going through and translating it you realize that the sign is
quite clever. It pays tribute to Maz, a character found in the
sequel trilogy, and the sign reads
"Maz's Rules: All are welcome. No fighting. Follow
the will of the Force. It says, 'Buy more stuff.'"
So Maz is making sure all who enter into her store
leave with full hands and empty wallets. We always knew she was a
smart businesswoman.
June 5, 2020
Location Marketplace, Disney Springs
The Marketplace Co-op has some of the most unique
items to purchase found throughout Walt Disney World, but some of
the details found within are just as unique. The shop itself is
actually broken up into six different sections each focusing on a
different theme. In the back left corner, guests can find Cherry
Tree Lane.
The Cherry Tree Lane section of the shop focuses on
unique dresses inspired by different Disney films and theme park
attractions, but that shouldn't be overlooking the fact that the
name of the shop itself is inspired by the road Jane and Michael
Banks live on in the film Mary Poppins.
If there was any doubt that this was a reference to
Mary Poppins, guests would just need to take a look at the sign in
front of that section of the store to find none other than Mary
Poppins' umbrella hanging below the sign!

May 29, 2020
Location: Dinoland, USA, Disney's Animal
Kingdom
Dinosaur concludes with guests returning to present
day be exiting what feels like the inside of a toaster and turning a
corner and hearing Dr. Seeker state, "You made it! And guess who
made it back with you? I better find him before security does.
Thanks for everything!"
While hearing this guests pass by a mirror where
they can see themselves and in addition to that they can see a
television showing the Iguanodon we had been sent to retrieve. While
the television part seems natural, it is actually plan B for the
attraction. The original idea was to digitally enter in the
Iguanodon into the ride vehicle so while guests passed by the mirror
they would see themselves, along with the dinosaur, there. When the
idea didn't work out the way they had intended everything was
scrapped, except the mirror, which still is seen to this day!

May 22, 2020
Location: Marketplace, Disney Springs
Have you ever walked by this square placement in
betwen Ghirardelli and World of Disney at the Marketplace and
wondered what it was?

At one point this was home to a large "attraction"
at Downtown Disney which gave guests the opportunity to see things a
little bit differently. It was a kaleidoscope, but the memory of it
still lives on. If you head over the the carousel near Earl of
Sandwich you can find paintings on the upper layers showcasing
various items found at Downtown Disney through the years. One of
these pictures is none other than the kaleidoscope that once sat
there.

May 15, 2020
Location: Disney Fantasy
We've all heard the story of Walt Disney being at
the park with his daughters and watching them on the carousel and
wishing there was a place where he could have a little fun too. A
little tribute to that story can be found onboard the Disney Fantasy
at La Piazza.
While the overlying theme of the area is meant to
resemble parts of Italy, the central bar is actually themed around a
carousel. The Imagineers placed it there because tey felt it blended
well with both the theme of Italy while also connecting it to Walt's
origins that originally led to Disneyland, Walt Disney world, and
eventually the Disney Cruise Line's creation!

May 8, 2020
Location Disney Springs, Walt Disney World
When World of Disney went through the refurbishment
not too long ago a lot of the beloved character figures found
throughout the store disappeared, but luckily a little bit of
character remained at the cash registers. We have taken a look at
the sketches before found on the countertop where guests purchase
their items, but today we are going to be taking a look at a
different group of character sketches than before.
When someone talks about doing a Disney character
sketch most people would think about characters like Mickey or
Minnie or Anna and Elsa, but not many would have their first thought
go to characters from the Disney parks, but one Imagineer did go
there right away!

As you can see in the sketch found here, the three
hitchhiking ghosts, Gus, Phineas, and Ezra, along with two of the
elephants from the bathing pool at Jungle Cruise were added to the
tabletop for a little extra Disney park fun!
May 1, 2020
Location: Hollywood Boulevard, Disney's
Hollywood Studios
Today Disney's Hollywood Studios turns 31 years old
and to celebrate we are going to be taking a look at the park's
newest attraction, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway. The entire
attraction is filled with details and Easter eggs dealing with the
beloved mice and the Easter eggs begin right away in the very first
room.

While most focus on the beautiful park scene laid
out in the distance, pay close attention to the tunnel you are about
to enter. Above the tunnel is a number which reads 1928, a reference
to the year that both Mickey and Minnie made their debut.

April 24, 2020
Location Frozen 2
While we are all at home, we should take a look at
some fun finds found at Disney films we all know and love. This week
we are going to take a look at Disney's newest animated feature
film, Frozen 2!
At the very beginning of the film viewers can see a
young Anna and Elsa playing with a bunch of figurines Elsa has
created from snow. While most of them don't seem special, there are
two that have a very close resemblance to other Disney characters.

Elsa is holding onto an elephant who, upon further
observation, has a similar necklace that Dumbo wears while at the
circus. In addition to Dumbo, just below him on the ground viewers
can spot a figure that is none other than Baymax from Big Hero 6!
April 17, 2020
Location: Future World, Epcot
While walking through the queue for Journey Into
Imagination with Figment, guests pass by several doors with
different names written upon them.While each of these pays tribute
to a different member of the Disney fictional family, today we will
be taking a look at one:

So who exactly is Dean Higgins? From 1969 through
1975 Disney released a trilogy of films often referred to as Dexter
Riley trilogy consisting of the films The Computer wore Tennis
Shoes, Now You See Him, Now You Don't, and The Strongest Man in the
World. The three films take place at Medfield College and many
hijinks cause turmoil for the dean of the school, the one and only
Dean Higgins! This isn't the only reference to the Dexter Riley
trilogy found at Journey Into Imagination, but we will take a look
at the others a different day.
April 10, 2020
Location: Adventureland, Magic Kingdom
"I wonder what happened to Rosita?" This question
has been asked for years at the Enchanted Tiki Room. Another search
for her whereabouts can be found at Skipper's Canteen.
Just after entering the dining area on the left hand
side, guests can find a bulletin board with several different notes
from and for various people who live in Tomorrowland. Here we can
see that a letter has been written to Rosita, courtesy of The Tiki
Room, Adventureland Proper. Slightly faded, however, you can see a
stamp has been used over this which reads "Return to Sender. Gone."

April 3, 2020
Location: Port Orleans Riverside
The Princess rooms found at Port Orleans Riverside
have a very unique storyline hidden around them. As the story goes,
Tiana has opened up a new place for her and Naveen to stay right
down from the bayou. When she first opens up the location she
invites all the other Disney princesses over and each of them has
brought a housewarming gift for her.
Today we will be taking a look at the main item
guests focus on when entering the room. When Jasmine stopped by the
house warming party she brought along to gifts. While we will take a
look at the second item in the future, today we are going to be
looking at the carpet.. To be more specific the Magic Carpet that
her and Aladdin fly off on during their Magic Carpet Ride!

March 27, 2020
Location: Disney Casting
Prior to Alice entering the full blown world of
Wonderland in the 1951 classic film, Alice had to enter through the
doorknob to enter the wonderful new world ahead of her. This
symbolism can be found at Walt Disney World. Just across the street
from Disney Springs, next to the Grapefruit Garage, guests can find
the Walt Disney World Casting building.
The location found here is where cast members begin
their journey into a brand new world of graduating from guests to
cast. To help make this amazing transition possible, the doorknobs
found on the doors here are the same that Alice had to use in order
to enter the wonderful world of Wonderland:

March 20, 2020
Location: American Adventure, Epcot
The Regal Eagle restaurant which recently opened at
Epcot's American Adventure, is filled with Muppet puns and details
that shouldn't go overlooked. The restaurant features some signature
sauces, and one wall allows guests to see just how literal the
Muppets went in order to create it:

Here you can see that the Spicy Mop Sauce was in
fact made with an actual mop!
March 13, 2020
Location: Riviera Resort
The Riviera Resort is full of amazing detail and fun
finds. While the entire area has several nods to Europe, one section
pays tribute exclusively to Walt Disney has his travels to Europe
and the Riviera.
The room adjacent to Le Petit Cafe is set up to
resemble a library. While the atmosphere of the room is nice and
relaxing, most Disney fans will be doing anything but relax when
they realize the items behind glass cases are all original items
from the Walt Disney Archives!

Found in this picture is a Mickey Mouse stuffed
animal created in the 1930s, next to a hat that was personally owned
and worn by Walt Disney himself!
March 6, 2020
Location: Hollywood Boulevard, Disney's
Hollywood Studios
On Wednesday Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
opened at the former location of The Great Movie Ride. The
attraction is packed with details playing tribute to the Imagineers,
Mickey Mouse, old cartoons, and of course, The Great Movie Ride.
While guests are traveling through the carnival
scene they will find Donald Duck in a booth in the center of the
room. If you look to the left of the booth, on Donald's right, you
will find the poster which reads The Great Moving Ride, an obvious
nod to the former attraction that called this location home.

February 28, 2020
Location: World of Disney, Disney Springs
When World of Disney went through the refurbishment
recently it got rid of a lot of the characters found throughout the
store, but there were a few locations where some obscure characters
were added in. All of the check out counters represent different
animation desks and stations that could store various drawings.
While looking at the top of the tables guests can find various
sketches upon it of rare Disney characters.
One of the characters drawn upon it is Goofy dressed
in his El Gaucho Goofy clothes featured during the film Saludos
Amigos!

February 21, 2020
Location: American Adventure, Epcot
One of the most quoted lines from Muppet Vision 3D
is by Sam Eagle when he is asked by Kermit about the fireworks show
and he states "It's called A Salute to all Nations, but Mostly
America." Sam Eagle's patriotism has gotten him a home above the
Hall of Presidents in the past and now his own BBQ restaurant in The
American Adventure pavilion at Epcot.
The Regal Eagle, which opened on Wednesday, pays
tribute to several different often overlooked Muppets (which we will
cover in the future) but more important are the nods to Sam himself.
The often quoted line from Muppet Vision 3D can actually be found in
two locations within the restaurant in parody form.
One is found on a wall"

While the other is on a poster:

February 14, 2020
Location: Magic Kingdom
The Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade was the third
rendition of the parade which was originally known as the Celebrate
a Dream Come True Parade. The parade featured floats starring
Mickey, villains, characters in flight, princesses, and a float
known as the Wish Upon a Star float.
This float featured two sides. On one side it
focused on characters from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs while the
other side featured characters from Pinocchio. Among the details was
a fish bowl with Cleo that Figaro was desperately trying to reach
into.
When new attractions replace old ones Imagineers
typically leave items from the previous attractions in place to pay
tribute to the fallen attraction. The same is true when it comes to
parades. While the Celebrate a Dream Come True parade may be gone,
the Festival of Fantasy Parade is still very much alive along with a
small detail from the former parade.
On the final float of the parade a wheel spins
around and upon it is Figaro who passes by Cleo's fishbowl every few
seconds. The mischievous cat is still desperately wanting to get the
fish inside all these years later!

February 7, 2020
Location: Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom
Prior to Test Track being located in Epcot, the
location was home to a different attraction that focused on
automobiles, along with other forms of transportation in an
attraction called World of Motion. During one of the scenes of the
attraction was a motor accident which resulted in several different
creatures on the loose with some of the most memorable ones being
the chickens.
When the attraction closed some of the chickens were
moved to the first version of The Barnstormer where they would freak
out every time the plane would crash through the barn while the
second group of chickens are still present to this day in
Tomorrowland.
While on Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin pay
close attention to the scene featuring the volcano in the backdrop.
While all of the creatures found here are different alien species,
there is one group of characters that seem out of place:

That's right! Here guests can find some of the
chickens that originally called World of Motion home!
January 31, 2020
Location: Dinoland, USA, Disney's Animal
Kingdom
When Disney's Animal Kingdom opened, Dinosaur, or
Countdown to Extinction as it was known the first two years, was
sponsored by McDonald's. While it isn't uncommon for different
Disney attractions to be sponsored by different companies, there is
a nod to the original sponsor that can be found in the loading area
still to this day.

"While the pipes found here may not look important
at first glance, one may notice there is writing on the red, yellow,
and white pipes. If you create the chemical elements found here you
will see that they actually are the material that would make up
ketchup, mustard, and mayo!
January 24, 2020
Location: Adventureland, Magic Kingdom
In the back area of Tortuga Tavern is a room that is
often closed up and locked up. The only time the room is open is
during the busiest park hours. When it is open for guests, there is
a special surprise waiting for guests to discover. In the back of
the room, near a pathway that leads into Pecos Bill, guests can find
a glass case:

While at first glance it doesn't look like there is
anything special about the items here, after a closer look you may
notice that the case is filled with items representing different
moments from the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. Within the
case you can find a bushel of apples, a jar of dirt, some pirates
clothing, and a ring filled with keys.
The ring of keys represent the keys that were held
by the dog in the films, the bushel of apples represents Captain
Barbossa who stated that'd be the first thing he ate once the curse
was lifted, and the jar of dirt was carried by Jack Sparrow to avoid
Davy Jones from being able to reach him.
January 17, 2020
Location: Galaxy's Edge, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
The Rise of the Resistance line takes guests on a
winding labyrinth through the bases of the Resistance. About halfway
through the line guests can see a group of jumpsuits featuring
different helmets and colors signifying the different groups that
Rebellion and Resistance figthers have been part of. One of the
helmets has the following message written across it:

What does this translate to? If you remember in the
Star Wars films one of the most common insults the Empire throws at
members of the Rebellion is calling them Rebel Scum. Apparently this
Resistance fighter wants to show that to them it is actually a
compliment and had the title written upon his helmet.
January 3, 2019
Location: Future World, Epcot
Spaceship Earth has gone through multiple
transformations through the years. During the most recent
transformation in the late 2000s, the descent was switched over to
the interactive game we all know today. This wasn't always the case.
Originally the descent featured more scenes featuring futuristic
ideas that actually became a reality, like Skype. There is still one
remnant of the past found at the end of the star room.

While exiting the room, take a look behind you and
up against the back wall. Here you will find the spaceship that once
sat near the beginning of guest's descent back towards Future World!

December 20, 2019
Location: Riviera Resort
Disney's Riviera Resort opened this Monday.
Throughout the resort Disney brought on several Disney and Pixar
animators to create new artwork depicting some classic characters
found in new settings. Today we are going to take a look at one
found in Le Petit Cafe.
La Petit Cafe, found in the main lobby of the
resort, is a quaint little coffee shop that appears to be simplistic
in design, but if you take a look at the picture on the wall to the
lefft while facing the barista you will see the following painting:

Here you can find three geese walking in front of a
French bistro known as Le Petit Cafe. While it is a nice little nod
to the cafe you are inside, it's the geese that are the true stars
of the show. Do they look familiar? They should! They are Uncle
Waldo along with Abigail and Amelia Gabble from 1970s The
Aristocats!
December 13, 2019
Location: Fort Wilderness
Chip and Dale have been the unofficial mascots of
Fort Wilderness for quite some time. The two of them can be found on
the majority of the merchandise and the two host a nightly sing
along in the center of the resort. With Christmas season here the
two of them have made a new debut at the lobby of the resort:

Hanging off the chimney guests can find two
stockings. The two feature everyone's favorite chipmunks, Chip and
Dale!

December 6, 2019
Location: Grand Floridian
The Enchanted Rose is the Grand Floridian's newest
location that is inspired by the live action version of Beauty and
the Beast. The lounge area is broken up into a few different areas
each with a different feel about it.

The main bar area has some amazing details about it,
but the most impressive one is the chandelier that sits in the
middle of the room. While the chandelier is impressive, upon closer
inspection one may notice that it isn't just an elaborate design,
but a repredocution of Belle's dress from the live action film!

November 29, 2019
Location: Main Street, USA, Magic Kingdom
It's the most wonderful time of the year! The Disney
parks have transformed into their Christmas outfits and one of the
most often overlooked decoration is found in the Emporium Windows
which transform from their usual showcase of classic Disney animated
films into the story of Mickey's Christmas Carol:

In the very first window we see the scene where
Donald visits Scrooge to ask him for money. While the entire display
is a close recreation of the scene, there is one detail found in the
window that is not featured in the film:

The money bags found here read "Property of WED
Federal." The WED found here references Walt's initials, Walter
Elias Disney: W.E.D.
November 22, 2019
Location: Galaxy's Edge, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
Disney+ is taking the world by storm and the stars
of the new streaming service are the original content series that
have come with it. One of the most popular new series on the
platform is The Mandalorian, a new live action Star Wars show.
While a lot of people tuned in to watch The Mandalorian expecting to
see a character similar to Boba Fett arrive on screen, most people
have instead become obsessed with the character known as "The
Child," but nicknamed Baby Yoda.
While it was unsure if The Mandalorian would have a
presence in Star Wars Galaxy's Edge, this week saw the arrival of
the first connection to the series. Inside the Toydarian Toymaker
guests have been able to purchase small stuffed animals of their
favorite Star Wars characters. While Yoda has been one of these
characters since day one, Disney has created a similar holding
location for one stuffed animal so the stuffed Yoda will appear as
Baby Yoda does in the series:

November 15, 2019
Location: Galaxy's Edge, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
While walking through the marketplace at Star Wars
Galaxy's Edge, it's difficult to overlook the wood carver's station
located across from the restrooms. While most of the carvings found
here are familiar sites for most casual Star Wars fans, there is one
creature here that may not be too familiar to most visitors to
Galaxy's Edge:

This is a carving of a Tooka, a subspecies of a Loth-cat.
While the creature has never appeared in a Star Wars film, they have
made multiple appearances in the Star Wars animated series Clone
Wars and Star Wars Rebels. In addition to that, guests can find a
living breathing one somewhere in the land, but we will get to that
in a different article.
November 8, 2019
Location: Star Wars Galaxy's Edge, Disney's
Hollywood Studios
Star Wars and droids. The two go hand in hand like
peanut butter and jelly. Most people who grew up with the original
trilogy think of the classics like R2D2 and C3PO while the younger
generation will think of droids like BB8 and K2SO. It makes sense
that a major portion of Galaxy's Edge focuses around the Droid Depot
which celebrates all things droids. Once inside the shop, guests can
find a group of familiar droids fenced in.

While we will be taking a look at which droids are
which in a future Fun Find Friday, today we will be taking a look at
the sign found on the cage out front:

The Aurebesh found here is a nod to one of the most
iconic Star Wars lines found in the entire Star Wars Universe. The
sign reads: "Notice: These aren't the droids you're looking for."
November 1, 2019
Originally published October 28, 2011
Location: Sunset Boulevard, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
Before we dive into this Fun Find Friday, I would
like to send out a very happy birthday wish to my mom, Judi! She
turns 21 once again this year! That's got to be some sort of record!
Most week's I tell a story that goes along with our
fun find while leading up to the ultimate fun find (of that week)!
This week, I'm going to start off by showing you the Fun Find and
then sharing with you a little story that goes along with it.

Next time you are in the right waiting area for The
Tower of Terror, take a look at the bookshelf that sits across from
the entrance way (and to the left of the television) to find this
envelope with the host of The Twilight Zone's name written upon it:
Rod Serling. Pretty cool fun find, right? Well, yeah, but there's a
lot more to this story than just a nod to the host of the show.
Throughout this now classic attraction are several
little fun finds that deal with old Twilight Zone episodes. This is
just one of them, but is easily one of my favorites. In the first
season of the Twilight Zone, Keenan Wynn (who appeared in several
Disney films including The Absent-Minded Professor and Herbie Rides
Again) plays the part of a playwright named Gregory West in an
episode entitled, A World of His Own.
During the episode Gregory's wife Victoria stumbles
across a shocking revelation: her husband is in their living room
sharing a drink with a woman she had never seen before! When she
confronts Gregory he quickly tries to explain to Victoria that the
woman he saw was in fact fictional. When Victoria continues to doubt
him he begins to share a secret talent he possesses with her. It
seems that whenever he writes about any person or creature in full
detail that person or creature will soon appear in his living room.
Victoria proclaims that her husband is crazy, but he
shows her the ultimate proof that what he is saying is true. He
takes out an envelope from the safe which is marked with Victoria's
name. He explains that Victoria is in fact one of his creations and
not real at all. Victoria, upset by this foolishness, throws the
envelope into the fire to show him how ridiculous he sounds.
Instead, Victoria begins to fade away and eventually disappears.
Gregory frantically begins to write down Victoria's
description once more in order to bring his wife back. While
writing he soon realizes that he would much rather be with the
apparent mistress. He finishes up the mistress' description by
giving her his last name.
I know, how does Rod Serling's name connect with any
of this? Well, at the very end of the episode Rod comes on to
explain that nothing in the episode could ever truly happen in the
real world. In the background, Gregory sits by his desk and
interrupts Rod by saying he shouldn't just deny things so quickly.
When Rod continues to talk, Gregory shows the audience an envelope
with Mr. Serling's name written upon it which he then throws into
the fire. Rod then disappears from the show as well and The Twilight
Zone is officially in Mr. Gregory West's hands!
Now I know you probably have one more question. If
Rod Serling's name is on an envelope in the right library room, is
there any reference that can be found in the left? Why yes there is!
Next time you are in this room, keep your eyes peeled for an
envelope with the name Victoria West written upon it!
October 25, 2019
Location: O'Gills Pub, Disney Fantasy
Have you ever been sailing across the ocean aboard
the Disney Fantasy and thought to yourself, "I wonder what the
people who were in charge of the creation of this look like?" I know
most people may not be thinking that, but if any passengers were
curious they would simply need to go to O'Gills and take a look at
the picture of the Fighting Fish team found in the back corner.
While the picture found here is an actual picture of a team photo,
none of the faces of the players actually belong to the bodies. The
faces featured here are none other than the heads of the design of
the Disney fantasy!

October 18, 2019
Location: Tomorrowland, Magic Kindom
Tomorrowland has always tried to give guests an idea
of what the future will look like whether it is an actual serious
prediction or more of a whimsical one. The queue for Space Mountain
has given guests a chance to see what Disney has in store for the
future when it comes to a new resort that promises to be out of this
world. When guests are traveling along the long ramp they pass these
signs on the left hand side.

At the second panel guests can see that in the
futrure Disney has a space resort known as Disney's Hyperion Resort!
Hyperion is a reference to the original street that the Walt Disney
Company called home!

October 11, 2019
Location: Toy Story Land, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
The streets around Walt Disney World often pay
tribute to the history and details found around the Walt Disney
Company's history and films. The area of Toy Story Land has a
reference to a single line found in Toy Story 3 and thanks to the
addition of Galaxy's Edge guests can see it while transferring from
one land to the next.
While going from Galaxy's Edge to Toy Story Land
guests can see the back side of Woody's Lunchbox through the trees
along with the street address for the restaurant:151 Ascot Drive.
The street name pays tribute to the first time Barbie meets Ken
where she points out that he has a "Nice Ascot."

October 4, 2019
Location: Galaxy's Edge, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
Galaxy's Edge has references to every Star Wars film
that has been created, but much like everywhere else in Walt Disney
World it is important to look up in order to find all the details.
During The Empire Strikes Back there's a famous scene where a Star
Destroyer chases the Millennium Falcon through an asteroid field.
While guests can at times experience a similar asteroid field
experience on Smuggler's Run, there is a reference to that
particular scene found in the marketplace.
While going through the various stalls in the
market, guests can find a lot of details within the toy shop. While
most people focus on the toys and the signs outside the shop, it is
most important to look toward the sky while within the store. While
in here guests can see a toy recreation of the same famous scene in
The Empire Strikes Back!

September 27, 2019
Location: Main Street, USA, Magic Kingdom
The Town Square theater found near the entrance to
the Magic Kingdom gives guests the opportunity to meet either Tinker
Bell or Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Due to the location being a
theater, guests can find several items around the area dealing with
theater life. While waiting to meet Mickey and Minnie, there is a
Rehearsal Schedule board showcasing the various productions along
with their rehearsal time. Needless to say, there's a fun find here:

The five productions each pay tribute to a different
Disney short cartoon or Disney characters. The first production is
Mickey and the Seal Duet. "Mickey and the Seal" was a 1948 short
cartoon which featured a seal following Mickey home from the zoo
where he becomes Pluto's nemesis.
The next production is the Lonesome Ghosts
Disappearing Act. "Lonesome Ghosts" was a 1937 short cartoon that
featured Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are ghost hunters and enter into
a haunted house where they find a group of ghosts who just happen to
also be scared of ghosts.
Clarice Solo Act is a reference to the love interest
of Chip and Dale named Clarice. She only appeared in the 1952 short
cartoon "Two Chips and a Miss" where the two lovable chipmunks fight
over Clarice while trying to impress her with their own special
skills.
Humphrey Hop references the song that was first
found in the 1956 Humphrey the Bear cartoon, "In the Bag" where J.
Audubon Woodlore teaches the bears to clean the park by singing The
Humphrey Hop!
The final production found on the board is the
Golden Harp Solo is a reference to the 1947 Jack and the Beanstalk
parody "Mickey and the Beanstalk" where Mickey, Donald, and Goofy
enter the giant's house in the sky and steal the singing golden
harp!
September 20, 2019
Location: Norway, Epcot
From 1988 until 2014 Maelstrom was a staple
attraction in World Showcase. The attraction took guests past
classic Norway icons including Vikings, polar bears, and trolls.
Eventually the attraction would close up to make way for Frozen Ever
After. Due to the popularity of Frozen, an area between Norway and
Mexico became a meet and greet area for Anna and Elsa where guests
would enter into Anna and Elsa's Royal Sommerhus.
Around the Sommerhus guests can find different
dolls, carvings, and tapestries dealing with Anna and Elsa's past.
Included among these tapestries is the following one:

Paying tribute to Maelstrom, guests can find the
three headed troll along with the falls that the final rock troll
pushes guests back over!
September 13, 2019
Location: Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom
The Princess and the Frog focuses around the story
of Tiana falling in love with Prince Naveen while also pursuing her
dream of owning her own restaurant. During the adventure several
different storylines interweave throughout giving heartfelt side
stories to characters like Louis the alligator and Ray the firefly.
Ray's storyline focuses around the love of his life,
Evangeline. While Evangeline is just a star in the sky, his love and
dedication to her throughout the film is amazingly enough the
central love story in the middle portion of the film. At the end of
the film, Ray is sadly killed by Dr. Facilier, but in doing so he
becomes a star in the sky near his beloved Evangeline.
While the final shot of the two is touching, viewers
of the film were somewhat disappointed that they never had the
opportunity to actually see Evangeline. That is, until Princess
Fairytale Hall opened in Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland.
While guests wait to meet the princesses they can
observe several portraits of Disney princesses. While the majority
of these portraits feature just the princess from their respective
films, the one that features Tiana also features Ray next to another
firefly. The firefly is none other than the beautiful Evangeline!

September 6, 2019
Location: Africa, Disney's Animal Kingdom
Around Harambe guests can find the intricate details
to make guests believe that they are in an actual town that was
created by the locals. In the Harambe Marketplace, guests can find
an ofter overlooked detail that should help sell the fact that this
wasn't created by Imagineers, but by citizens of Africa:

While guests can find advertisements Hoteli Burudika
and New Fresh Laundry Cleaning, most people don't see how the
laundry sign is being held up:

If you take a look at the cement holding the sign
you may notice that instead of the sign being properly entered into
the wall, it is being held by cement. Keeping with the idea that the
town was built by actual members of the town, guests may notice that
the cement is actually patted down by human hands!

August 30, 2019
Location: Galaxy's Edge, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
Star Wars Galaxy's Edge opened yesterday and as we
have discussed over the past few weeks, there are several details
scattered around that deal with all Star Wars films in the
franchise. The area is mainly divided into two sections: The First
Order and the Resistance. Near The First Order section guests can
find these shelves with helmets lined up.

Despite this being The First Order section, the
helmets actually belong to The Resistance predecessor, The Rebel
Alliance. The helmets found here belong to the Rebels who fought in
both the Battle of Hoth and the Battle of Endor.
August 23, 2019
Location: Sunset Boulevard, Disney's
Hollywood Studios
In the past we've talked a little bit about the
windows of Main Street, USA and the way they have honored different
Imagineers and their contributions to the parks. One item we have
glossed over briefly are the windows found at Disney's Hollywood
Studios. Unlike the windows on Main Street, USA, these ones pay
tribute to references to films or are just simple gags to make us
laugh.
One of these is found along Sunset Boulevard where
guests can find a window for the International Brotherhood of Second
Assistant Directors. While it is not as recognized as the main
director of a film, the window pokes fun at the job's unglamorous
position by giving it an unflattering tagline and initials:

"We're Standing Behind You" and IBSAD (I be sad).
August 16, 2019
Location: Galaxy's Edge, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
The exit for Smuggler's run takes guests on a long
tunnel filled with some obscure details, but one of the most
detailed, and exciting is this:

What is it exactly? If you remember in The Force
Awakens Rey and Finn first meet Han Solo and Chewbacca aboard the
Millennium Falcon. Shortly after meeting them Han explains to them
that they are currently transporting Rathtars. Shortly after Han is
boarded by Bala-Tik and Kanjiklub who are about to kill him, but
luckily Rey releases the Rathars on accident which results in a
chase around the ship.
During the chase one of the Ranthars runs into a
wall leaving almost an imprint of his body. Here in the hallway,
however, guests can find that a damage has left his mark in
the walls!
August 9, 2019
Location: Galaxy's Edge, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
Star Wars Galaxy's Edge is 20 days away from opening
in Disney's Hollywood Studios, but previews for the immersive land
have begun and there are so many details that need to be covered so
let's start by taking a look at the loading area for Smuggler's run.
While guests wait to board the cockpit of the
Millennium Falcon they are invited to explore the Main Hold of the
ship. While the main attraction is the Holochess table that was
original seen in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, there is more to
see here once guests start to explore the area.

On a shelf just behind the Holochess table guests
can find the blaster mask along with the remote droid that Luke
Skywalker trained with while travelling aboard the Falcon with
Obi-Wan Kenobi!

August 2, 2019
Location: Future World East, Epcot
In the past we've taken a look at multiple nods to
attractions that have disappeared and been replaced by new
attractions. Today we are going to be taking a look at a small nod
to a classic Epcot attraction that disappeared to make way for
Mission: Space.
Horizons, which ran from 1983 until 1999, was
essentially a sequel to the classic Carousel of Progress. During the
attraction guests could see various screens depicting different
futures guests could participate in. In addition to that, some
screens could be found just as a small addition to the attraction to
help enhance it.
While most of these screens are gone, guests can
still find videos from Horizons while they wait in line for the
attraction's replacement: Mission: SPACE.
Just after guests pass the Fastpass merge portion of
the queue they will pass by a control center. The small screens on
the panels mainly focus on space exploration, but occasionally will
feature clips from Horizons!

July 26, 2019
Location: Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom
The story of Cinderella is retold at many locations
found throughout Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland. The most difficult
location to see this retelling is found inside the Cinderella Castle
Dream Suite. While the retelling is best seen while inside the
building, but guests can actually see the story while in Fantasyland
as well.
While looking up at the castle, guests can find six
windows about two thirds of the way up. Three of the windows face
towards Fantasyland while the other three face towards Sleepy Hollow
and Liberty Square.


While inside the suite the story would be told from
the far left window to the far right window, but for guests outside
they need to follow the windows from the far right to the far left.
The first window features the house that Cinderella
lived in with Lady Tremaine and her step sisters. The next window
features the letter inviting Cinderella to the ball. The next window
showcases the clock striking midnight. The following window is
Cinderella's glass slipper which she left behind at the ball. The
second to last one shows Jaq and Gus Gus carrying the key to
Cinderella's rescue while the final one shows the castle where
Cinderella and Prince Charming live happily ever after in.
July 19, 2019
Location: Skyliner Lounge, Disney Fantasy
The window in the back of the Skyliner Lounge aboard
the Disney Fantasy changes cities every few minutes along with the
atmosphere of the entire bar. One of these locations takes guests to
a harbor where a ship is at port:

While it is difficult to see what ship it is at
first glance, guests willing to walk right up to the window will
realize that it is none other than the Disney Magic!

July 12, 2019
Location: Disney's Wedding Pavilion
When guests are planning on getting married at Walt
Disney World they still have to go through the wedding planning
process to figure out exactly what kind of wedding they want to have
and what type of reception they would like to experience. But
where does this planning process take place for guests on property?
In order to answer this question we must take a look
back at the 1991 film released under Disney's Touchstone label,
Father of the Bride. During the film George Banks' daughter is
getting married and the family hires a wedding planner who is played
by funnyman Martin Short. The wedding planner, named Franck (not
Frank), takes the Banks family through a series of events while
helping them pull off the perfect wedding.
This takes us back to Disney's Wedding Pavilion.
When guests are planning their building they can meet up with a
wedding specialist in a wedding planning building appropriately
named Franck's.

July 5, 2019
Location: Toy Story Land, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
A few years ago the popularity of Toy Story Mania
resulted in in a third attraction being added to the already popular
attraction. With the new track a new loading area for the attraction
was created exclusively for the track and of course some fun details
came along with a detail that was overlooked during the first Toy
Story film.
If you recall, at the start of the film Woody calls
a meeting so the other toys get the horrible news that Andy's
birthday has been moved to that day. during the movie he goes over
three points from his notes which include finding a moving buddy,
thanking Mr. Spell for the plastic corrosion awareness meeting and
of course, the fact that Andy's birthday party is now on that day.
One interesting aspect is the fact that Woody
already has the notes written on the pad despite calling an
emergency meeting so how did he pull of writing this new information
on the pad without any prior knowledge?
The fact is, he didn't. He had his notes for a
meeting set up, but due to an emergency meeting he could only go
through two of the three notes before dropping the bomb shell on the
other toys. So what was the third point during the meeting? While in
the load/unload area for Toy Story Mania's third track, guests can
actually find Woody's pad along with all three points:

It appears that the third item that should have been
covered was a lot less stressful than the birthday party being
moved: Bubble wrap- don't pop.
June 28, 2019
Location: Coronado Springs
In 1540, Francisco de Coronado left Mexico to the
American Southwest in search of a magical land that was meant to
hide The Seven Cities which was rumored to have more riches than
anyone had ever seen in one location.
While many explorers searched for the Sven Cities,
no one ever came to find their location which is believed to be lost
somewhere in the desert. The story of Francisco de Coronado and his
failed search for treasure inspired Carl Barks to write a story
known as The Seven Cities of Cibola in a 32 page Uncle Scrooge
comic. The story had Scrooge, Donald, Huey, Dewey, and Louie
discovering the treasure but then being victims of a cave in which
resulted in them all having amnesia resulting in them forgetting
about the treasure.
So how does this connect with Coronado Springs
besides Coronado Springs being named after the location of the famed
explorer? It all comes down to the newest restaurant at the resort,
Three Bridges Bar & Grill at Villa Del Lago.

Plastered upon the walls of the restaurant guests
can find various artwork upon the walls, but the interesting of all
are various pages from the comic book The Seven Cities of Cibola:

June 21, 2019
Location: Toy Story Land, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
"Andy's coming!"If you've ever seen any of the Toy
Story films or short cartoons you probably remember that any time a
human enters the room all the toys must fall down so they don't give
away the fact that they are actually alive. This is also true for
Toy Story Land, but this time, guests who enter the land are also
considered toys in addition to the toys scattered throughout the
land.
So what happens if a human arrives and us, the toys,
aren't paying attention? Don't worry, the toys have us covered. If
you head over towards Woody's Lunchbox, guests can find a large
tower made of various toys in the center of the seating section. On
the top of the tower, guests can find the highest point in the land.
Standing at the highest point is a toy soldier keeping watch so us
toys can enjoy some fun without constantly being on the lookout to
see if Andy's coming.
June 14, 2019
Location: Toy Story Land, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
While walking through Toy Story Land guests can find
references to all three Toy Story films in some way, shape, or form.
When the land opened, Toy Story Mania received a brand new exit and
exit which introduced new elements to both sections of the
attraction. While guests exit the attraction they can come across a
box for Lenny, the toy binoculars found in the Toy Story films.

While there doesn't appear to be anything special
with the box at first glance, guests should pay close attention to
the price sticker on the top right corner:

The numbers found on the sticker are 11 13 and 99
cents. The three numbers found here represent the date that Toy
Story 2 made its debut: November 13, 1999!
June 7, 2019
Location: Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom
The Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom is a fun,
interactive game found throughout the Magic Kingdom. The game is
played at different windows that each are themed to fit in with the
area, but still be interactive with the game itself. One of the most
interesting examples of this can be found outside of Sir Mickey's:

The interactive game at this specific window occurs
on a chalkboard which reads "Higitus figitus Migitus Mum =
Presti-digi-tonium." The words written here may seem familiar to
you, which they should if you've ever watched the 1963 Disney
animated film The Sword in the Stone. The words are one of the many
spells spoken (and sung) throughout the film by Merlin. While it
would be a cool fun find just having the phrase written there, but
there's more to the story than meets the eye.
Prior to the shop being Sir Mickey's, the shop was
actually two separate stores. One side began as the Aristocrats
shop, which was a typical gift shop while the other side of the
store, which was open until 1996 which was known as Merlin's Magic
Shop, named after the wizard who spoke the spell written here upon
the chalkboard!
May 31, 2019
Location: Liberty Square, Magic Kingdom
The Haunted Mansion is one of the most detailed
attractions found throughout the Walt Disney World Resort. Towards
the start of the extended queue guests come across the following
organ:

On the front of the organ guests can find that the
brand is Ravenscroft. So why Ravenscroft? While it seems to be a nod
to the raven found throughout the attraction and on the top of the
organ, it is actually a nod to voice actor Thurl Ravenscroft. While
Mr. Ravenscroft has provided his voice acting skills to many
different characters throughout the years both for Disney and for
other companies, he is well known by Disney fans for his voice work
in the parks.
Here at the Haunted Mansion he provides his voice as
Uncle Theodore, the head of the Phantom Five. Who are the Phantom
Five? They are the five singing busts found in the graveyard scene
of the attraction!
May 24, 2019
Location: Future World East, Epcot
Mission: SPACE is an often overlooked attraction
that actually has a lot of history hidden within it. While guests
are approaching the preshow area they can even find a history of
humans with space which includes historic events such as first
humans in space, first man on the moon, and a look at the future
with the future family in space.
Today, however, we will be taking a look at an
actual item that had made it's way into space that now resides at
Mission: SPACE.

In front of the attraction, guests can find various
plaques that feature famous quotes by astronauts and famous members
of history discussing the universe. While facing the attraction,
take a look on the far right side. Here guests can find a plaque
which was flown into space in the year 2000 with the quote "To all
who follow their dreams 'to infinity and beyond!'"

May 17, 2019
Location: Sunset Boulevard, Disney's
Hollywood Studios
Last summer Disney California Adventure went through
a massive upgrade when Paradise Pier transformed into Pixar Pier.
While Paradise Pier, which opened with Disney's California Adventure
in 2001 may be gone, it's not forgotten.
this takes us to Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Scattered throughout the park, guests can find billboards on top of
buildings throughout the park, but there's one in particular that
should receive a closer look. The billboard found on top of the
Beverly Sunset Boutique:

Not only is the billboard advertising Paradise Pier,
but guests can even find attractions in the background including
California Screamin', The Golden Zephyr, and the original Sun Wheel!

May 10, 2019
Location: Echo Lake, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
In 1991 Disney released their first attempt at a
live action super hero movie in the form of The Rocketeer. Their
hope was that the film would be successful enough that they could
add an entire land based around the movie to Disney-MGM Studios. In
preparation for the film they added a few different items to the
park as a test run. One of the additions was the addition of Peevy's
Polar Pipeline, a quick service restaurant named after the older
mechanic in the film, Peevy.

The area is filled with multiple references to the
film, but one most people overlook deals with the menu placed upon
the wall. Peevy had recreated the design of the rocket pack on a
pair of blue prints. The blue prints have been repurposed at the
restaurant by having the menu printed upon them!

April 26, 2019
Location: Adventureland, Magic Kingdom
While guests approach The Pirates of the Caribbean
there are several things people will notice: the clock tower, the
crow's nest, and the cannons. One thing they may not notice is the
sign hanging above the Fastpass entrance:

The name of the fort guests enter into is Castillo
del Morro. Castillo del Morro is translated from Spanish as the
Castle on the Hill. While the storyline of Pirates of the Caribbean
begins in present day, it's important to note that when guests go
down the waterfall at the start of the attraction they are actually
traveling into the past. Prior to the drop all of the pirates found
in the attraction are skeletons of pirates, but after the drop we
transport into the past to live in the time when pirates actually
exist.
The first scene guests pass after the drop is a
pirate ship doing battle with a fort. The fort found here is the
very same fort guests enter into while going through the queue:
Castillo del Morro. So while we know the attraction takes place in
the past, we don't have a specific year that we are traveling to.
This brings us back to the sign.
The sign in the front reads MDCXLIII which reads
1643 in Roman Numerals. Since we know the fort was built in 1673, we
know that the storyline most likely takes place shortly after the
construction completed in 1673, 300 years prior to The Pirates of
the Caribbean opened in the Magic Kingdom!
April 19, 2019
Location: Future World, Epcot
Today we released a new Crazy Challenge video on our
Facebook page and YouTube channel focusing around the Easter Egg
hunt at Epcot along with the Flower and Garden Festival scavenger
hunt which revolves around Spike the Bee.

What a lot of people ask during the festival is how
the Imagineers came up with the character of Spike the Bee. Spike
wasn't created by the Imagineers, but originally starred in a series
of Disney short cartoons. He made his first appearance in the 1940
short Window Cleaners where he was known as Baarrington the Bee.
Three years later his name was changed to Spike when he appearance
in Home Defense. Since then Spike has appeared in a total of 13
short cartoons.
While most guests may not know him from his cartoon
days from the 1940s through the 1950s, he is becoming a more popular
character now than ever due to his recent cameo at the Flower and
Garden Festival.
April 12, 2019
Location: Liberty Square, Magic Kingdom
The number one concern for Disney is the safety of
their guests. In order to ensure the safety of the guests, Cast
Members are scattered throughout the parks to ensure that guests are
safe and not putting themselves in dangerous situations. Since Cast
Members can't be everywhere in the park at all times, security has
to place cameras in strategic locations to not take away from the
theming of the areas. For instance, have you taken a look at the
Hall of Presidents building before?

While at first glance there doesn't seem to be
anything unusual about the building, careful observers will notice
that the bell in the bell tower is incapable of ringing. Why is
that?

That's right! In the bell sits a camera instead of a
ringer! After all, Safety always comes first!
April 5, 2019
Location: Sunset Boulevard
Another Halloween is upon us and
what better way to celebrate than by visiting
the attraction that's storyline begins on
Hollywood in the year 1939. The attraction? The
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror of course!
In the past we have talked about
references to The Twilight Zone
in the library and
elevator shaft before, and today we will be
making our way back to the library for another
reference to the classic television show.
In a season three episode of The
Twilight Zone entitled To Serve Man, a group of
aliens known as the Kanamits land on earth and
visit the United Nations where they promise to
help Earth by showing them better ways to grow
food. While the people of Earth are originally
skeptical about the intentions of the Kanamits,
they eventually decipher the title of a book the
aliens have brought to earth. After deciphering
the title, they realize that the book is
entitled To Serve Man. Realizing that
the Kanamits are actually there to serve them,
they begin to take their advice and in turn,
world hunger is no longer a worry amongst the
planet Earth.
Several Earthlings begin to take
trips to the Kanamits' planet, but due to the
over interest in visiting the planet, many
people are put on a waiting list including two
of the people who deciphered the title of the
book. While one of them finally is allowed to
visit, the other decides to translate the rest
of the book. Here, they realize that the title
To Serve Man doesn't focus on helping out the
people of Earth, but is in fact a cookbook which
teaches the Kanamits how to actually serve man
as a meal.
So how does this connect with
the Tower of Terror? In both libraries, guests
can find the book, To Serve Man,
waiting to be discovered. If you enter through
the library on the right hand side, the book is
found on a shelf on the opposite corner from the
television screen, while on the left hand side
the book is found on your right hand side just
after entering the room.

March 29, 2019
Location: Main Street, USA, Magic Kingdom
A few years ago an area at the Hub disappeared that
was beloved by guests to the Magic Kingdom for years: The Rose
Garden. The Rose Garden had been a staple of the Hub for years that
allowed guests to get away from the chaos of the park while enjoying
the quiet and literally taking the time to smell the flowers.
This area wasn't always a place of tranquility, but
a loading area for an often forgotten Magic Kingdom attraction. The
Swan Boats, which ran from 1973 through 1983, took guests around the
moat in front of Cinderella Castle. The slow moving attraction was
paddled by an attraction hostess, but due to the track system in
place the boat had ample room to move from one location to another
without being constrained to a specific track.
While most guests have no idea the attraction ever
existed, especially since The Rose Garden disappeared for the Hub
expansion, there is still evidence of the former attraction. Every
few years the moat in front of the castle goes through a
refurbishment process resulting in little to no water being found in
the area.
When the traces of water are minimal, guests can see
the faint remnants of the former track of the Swan Boats sitting on
the bed of the waterway:

While difficult to see in the picture, you can see
the faint location of the two former tracks. One is below the rock
while the other is below the duck!
March 22, 2019
Location: Sunset Boulevard, Disney's
Hollywood Studios
When Disney-MGM Studios first opened the park
consisted of Hollywood Boulevard, Echo Lake, Mickey Avenue, the
Streets of America, and the Animation Courtyard. One of the most
popular sections of the park, Sunset Boulevard, wouldn't open for
another five years. When the section did open it was home to many
replicas to famous movie theaters including the often overlooked
Legends of the Hollywood.
When guests look at the Legends of Hollywood they
can find the only address for a building on Sunset Boulevard on the
left side of the main entrance. The address: Ninety-Four:

It's just another nice nod to the year 1994, the
year Sunset Boulevard debuted!
March 15, 2019
Location: Sunset Boulevard, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
Walt Disney struggled financially the majority of
his early years. While his father went from one failed business
venture to the next, Walt began to find success in the late 1920's,
but used the majority of the profit he made to build newer stories
or to create new short films.
In 1937, Walt and his team released the first full
length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. While most
fans know that Walt used the majority of the profits to build a new
studio, there is one purchase that Walt made that now makes Disney's
Hollywood Studios home.
One of the things Walt always wanted to buy himself
was a nice car. While he had cars in his adult life, he always
promised himself that once he had the money, he would buy himself a
real nice car. So sitting just being the Trolley Car Cafe, you can
see the first really nice car Walt ever bought for himself. And not
only that, this car was the actual car owned by Walt Disney himself!

March 8, 2019
Location: Blizzard Beach
When guests first enter into Blizzard Beach they can
find the Beach Haus gift shop on their left hand side. While the
building looks like a nice cozy beach house, there is one item on
the exterior that isn't so picture perfect:

So what's the story behind the hole in the wall? The
silhouette belongs to the Ice Gator. As the story of the park goes,
a snow storm came across Central Florida one day leaving behind a
path of snowy destruction. Just when the cast members were trying to
figure out what to do they discovered the Ice Gator at the top of
the peak skiing down the hills.
After a view times down the slope he headed towards
the top of Mount Gushmore where a ski slope was put into place in
the form of Summit Plummet. The Ice Gator skiied down and launched
off into the air and crash landed here at the Beach Haus!
March 1, 2019
Location: Main Street, USA, Magic Kingdom
Inside the Magic Kingdom's City Hall guests can find
different pictures of Walt Disney scattered along the walls behind
them after they enter into the park. Some of these pictures feature
Walt in Disneyland while others feature him on his beloved Carolwood
Pacific Railroad. There is one picture found upon the wall that
features Walt's brother Roy along with Mickey Mouse on opening day.

It may seem odd that all the pictures found here
feature Walt with the exception of this one, but there's a story
that goes along with this moment in Disney history. The Magic
Kingdom opened almost five years after Walt Disney passed away
giving Roy the responsibility of making sure Walt's final dream
would come true.
When Roy showed for the opening ceremony of the
Magic Kingdom everything was set as Roy stood ready to deliver his
speech in the middle of Town Square. Just before the presentation
began Roy realized that was something missing. Roy then made the
request that Mickey Mouse should join him in Town Center during the
ceremony.
Roy's reasoning wasn't because Mickey is the symbol
of the Walt Disney Company, but because in Roy's eyes the
personality of Mickey was one and the same as Mickey Mouse. By
having Mickey next to him, Roy had his brother with him. So while we
may not see Walt in every picture found on the wall, he is still
there in spirit.
February 22, 2019
Location: Toontown, Disneyland
The queue for Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin is one of
the best themed queues found throughout the Disneyland Resort. There
are numerous details that can often be overlooked which pay tribute
not just to Who Framed Roger Rabbit? but many different Disney films
and characters. About halfway through the queue guests can find a
man facing away from guests reading a paper.

The paper he is reading discusses the winner of a
horse race. The horse found on the paper is none other than Horace
Horsecollar!!

February 15, 2019
Location: Future World, Epcot
Last we took a look at a hidden detail in the
Egyptian scene of Spaceship Earth, but today we are moving forward
in the attraction to more recent times. I'm talking about the moon
landing scene where we see a family witnessing the historic moment
where man lands on the moon for the first time.

While the family sits there enjoying the moon
landing, guests have something else to enjoy in the scene. To the
left of the television is a crate full of records. The record on the
front of the box changes out regularly. Typically it doesn't have
any real rhyme or reason, but when Mary Poppins Returns hit theaters
the record swapped out to the original Mary Poppins soundtrack!

February 8, 2019
Location: Future World, Epcot
Back in October we took a look at a detail in the
Egyptian scene of Spaceship Earth and how verbal communication isn't
the only type of communication found within the attraction. Just as
a quick recap we looked at the symbols found behind the pharaoh with
the duck and sun being known as the Son of Re' and the circular
symbol below being known as a cartouche.

The cartouche found in ancient Egypt, the symbols
found within the circ le, are the actual names of the ruler, while
the Son of Re' is a symbol signifying the person whose name is in
the circle is a ruler. While one would believe that the name of the
pharaoh found upon the wall would be the actual pharoah seated in
front of the wall, this isn't the case in this situation. How do we
know this? Papyrus of course!
As we learn in this scene, an unknown Egyptian found
in the scene is inventing papyrus, a sort of paper. Papyrus leads
to... well, you know the drill. Sitting on the table in front of the
pharaoh is a piece of papyrus that is barely dangling over the edge
of the table.

By examining this from all the best angles, one may
notice that these two cartouches don't exactly match up with one
another. While the one found on the wall may be the name of a former
pharaoh or the papyrus could be a letter from a different pharaoh we
may never know, but it just goes to show that every little detail in
the parks can be broken down.
February 1, 2019
Location Morocco, Epcot
The Epcot International Festival of Arts has
officially been underway for two weeks and this year a new addition
has been added to the Festival which has made it even more
entertaining to visit.
In the past Disney has put up a hide and seek game
throughout World Showcase featuring popular paintings that have an
added touch of Figment. This year the game still exists, but in
addition to that game, Disney has added a new thing to search for:
hidden characters! Scattered in the countries, guests can find Timon
and Pumbaa in The African Outpost, Mushu in China, and the character
we are looking at today: Abu.
Hidden in the busy streets of Morocco, guests can
find Abu painted upon a well. It looks like he has returned to his
life has a theif since he is reaching out for a jug to place inside
his bag of items. If you look closely inside his bag of items, you
can find the one and only lamp that belongs to Genie!

January 25, 2019
Location: Future World West, Epcot
Have you ever walked through the queue of The Seas
with Nemo and Friends and been in awe of all the details found
throughout it? In the past we've discussed things like the hidden
1401 in the queue and the acronym for NEMO, but the queue itself is
telling a story as guests walk through it.

The queue line swerves back and forth until guests
eventually go under a dock which then leads them to the rest of the
queue which takes guests underwater which also includes a trip under
a boat. So what does this all mean?

One of the main missions of Epcot is to educate
guests even if that means that the education is snuck in there in
subtle ways. The queue is one of those times. While guests are going
through the queue they are tracing the steps of a newborn sea
turtle. Their journey typically begins in the dark as they flip flop
their way in a swivel pattern towards the sea. Once they arrive to
the ocean their journey isn't safe immediately as they come across
other hazards such as wildlife in the ocean and possibly even
motorized vehicles.

Just goes to show that even a simple queue has more
of a story to it than one may imagine.
January 18, 2019
Location: Oceaneer's Club, Disney Fantasy
In the animation section of the Oceaneer's Club
aboard the Disney Fantasy guests can find several some figurines of
characters that we all know and love. Then we have this very random
character sitting aboard the shelf:

Who is he? What is he? Why does he look like a dog,
but have human like ears? All good questions. His name is Albert
Quackmore and if he doesn't look too familiar don't feel bad. Albert
made his first appearance in a 1967 Uncle Scrooge comic book that
was released solely in Italy. He would make appearances in various
Uncle Scrooge comics both overseas and in the United States
throughout the years while Uncle Scrooge creator Carl Barks was
still creating comics.
However, many of the other artists who worked on
Uncle Scrooge comics would include him in a story or two, but most
of the artists hated one thing about Albert. His ears. They mainly
found it creepy that this dog like creature had very humanized ears.
After Carl Barks retired the character of Albert disappeared,
however he will live on here in the Oceaneer's Lab aboard the Disney
Fantasy for years to come!
January 4, 2018
Location: Frontierland, Magic Kingdom
"I once knew a man with a wooden leg named Smith."
"Really? What's the name of his other leg?"
This classic joke from the 1964 hit film Mary
Poppins actually ended up being a pivotal moment of the film may
seem like something that would never be referenced within the park.
Despite seeming like a random line from a film that is set nowhere
near America's Frontier, there once was a reference to the film at
the Frontierland Train Station.

Once in the baggage area there sat a leg with the
word "Smith" written across it. The leg sat there for years as a
subtle reference to the film until it was taken away. Unfortunately
no one knows if it was stolen or just taken away by Disney, but the
leg can no longer be found within Frontierland.
December 28, 2018
Location: Fort Wilderness Campground
In addition to today's Fun Find Friday, I also
released a new video on my YouTube page where I search for remnants
of the old Fort Wilderness Campground Railroad. While searching for
the old railroad tracks, I stumbled across a map at the entrance of
the resort which gave me an unexpected look into the past.

Do you see it? While the resort has remained
practically unchanged for numerous years, there are other things
found throughout Walt Disney World that have changed, specifically
the icons for Disney's Hollywood Studios along with the renaming of
Downtown Disney to Disney Springs.
So why is this important? Take a look at the bottom
right section of the map where it shows where the buses will take
guests to.

Here you can clearly see that the map featured here
is not current, but how old is this map? Guests may first notice
that the name Downtown Disney is still present on the map meaning it
is at least two years old, but the more important item to look at is
the icon for Disney's Hollywood Studios. The current icon for the
park is the Hollywood Tower Hotel, home to the Tower of Terror and
prior to that the park was represented by the Sorcerer's Hat which
sat in the park from 2001 until 2015.
The Earful Tower was the park icon from 1989 until
2001 meaning this map is definitely from a year prior to 2001 when
the Sorcerer's Hat took over, but after 1998 when Disney's Animal
Kingdom first opened up!
December 21, 2018
Location: Europa, Disney Fantasy
Over the past few weeks we've discussed the hidden
688's found in Europa aboard the Disney Fantasy. As we discussed a
few weeks back, there are three hidden 688s found throughout Europa
as a reference to the ship number that it had during construction.
There are only three hidden 688s found throughout the ship with all
three being in Europa. The final one is inside O'Gill's Pub.
On the back wall of the pub, guests can find a
painting of a leprechaun. While at first glance there doesn't seem
to be anything unique about the picture, but upon further inspection
a hidden 688 may be found.

If you look in the band of the leprechaun's hat,
barely etched in you can find the final reference to the ship's
number: 688.

December 14, 2018
Location: Europa, Disney Fantasy
A few weeks ago we took a look at the significance
of the number 688 aboard the Disney Fantasy. For those of you who
missed it, when a cruise line ship is in construction it is assigned
a construction number. In order to pay tribute to that original
construction number, Disney has hidden the construction number for
the Disney Fantasy (688) in three locations around Europa. Last time
we took a look at it's hidden location outside of Ooh La La, but
today we will be taking a look at the second location which is
hidden in La Piazza.

La Piazza has a Venetian theme filled with a
carousel, Italian masks, and even a moped. At first glance it seems
like the numbers wouldn't be hidden in a very obvious location, but
guests who want to go for a ride better make sure their plates are
up to date. That's right! On the back of the moped guests can see
that the license plate is none other than 688!

December 7, 2018
Location: Marketplace, Disney Springs
During the holiday season the former Marketplace bus
loop transforms into the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail.
Scattered throughout the trail guests can find 27 themed trees that
focus on characters (like Minnie Mouse), movies (like Robin Hood),
and attractions (like The Haunted Mansion). While the trees are the
main attraction, the advertisments found scattered along the walls
steal the show for those willing to pay attention to them!

One section of the wall features four advertisements
next to one another with each one focusing on a different park. the
ad on the left is the most basic acting as an advertisement for the
Main Street Cinema featuring Donald and Daisy in silhouette form.
The poster to the right features an ad for The Dino
Institute which is advertising holiday rates, but on top of the ad
is a continuation of the attraction we all know and love. At the
conclusion of the Dinosaur attraction, guests bring back an
Iguanodon from the past to the present for Dr. Seeker, but as Dr.
Seeker points out, the dinosaur is lost and he better find him
before security does. Over the ad we see that Dr. Seeker is still
searching for the dinosaur with specific instructions to not tell
Dr. Marsh about the search.
To the right of the Dinosaur advertisement is an ad
for The Dreamport via the Rainbow Corridor. Now the Dreamport is
never far away when you use your imagination. That's at least the
advice The Dreamfinder used to state during the original Journey
Into Imagination attraction. The ad found here showcases the Rainbow
Corridor which once sat on the second floor of the Imagination
pavilion as an interactive experience for guests after going on the
classic attraction.
The final ad is wishing guests a rock 'n ' rollin'
holiday season from the famous Lock 'N' Roll Parking System. Fans of
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith know that the Lock 'n'
Roll Parking Systems is the loading area for the attraction.
Underneath the logo a call back to the attraction is found letting
people know that they are now offering Super Stretch valet parking,
a nod to the type of ride vehicle guests ride while on the
attraction!
November 30, 2018
Location: Europa, Disney Fantasy
Prior to when a Cruise Line ship is named it
receives a temporary number that it is recognized. The numbering
system began years ago and worked the way up on a continuous number
scheme.until modern day cruise ships were created. Since the
original names of these ships are numbers, the Imagineers of the
Disney Fantasy decided to hide the ships number in multiple places
around the ship as a tribute to the original name.
When guests are in Europa, specifically near Ooh La
La, there's a mirror advertising a fictional cafe known as del Cafe
sur la mer. Below is a fictional address number: 688. As you
probably guessed by now, the number 688 is the ship number for the
Disney Fantasy.

November 23, 2018
Location: Toy Story Land, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
When Disney's Hollywood Studios first opened up as
Disney-MGM Studios it was a full working studio where animated films
like Lilo and Stitch were created, television shows like The New
Mickey Mouse Club were filmed, and live action films like The
Newsies were worked on. While most of the items found in the working
studio could be seen by guests, there were some behind the scenes
areas that guests never saw that are extremely important to the
production of the films. One of these areas still exists today!
Behind Walt Disney: One Man's Dream sits the Roy O.
Disney Production Center where audio recording for various films and
shows found around the Walt Disney World Resort. While this section
of the park had never been visible to guests before, now with the
opening of Toy Story Land, guests can see the sign for the building
near the giant Woody at the entrance to the land. Just turn around
and take a look past the bushes to find the sign for this historic
building!

November 16, 2018
Location: Dinoland, USA, Disney's Animal
Kingdom
In the past we have gone into extensive detail about
Dinoland, USA and the back story found throughout the land. As you
may recall after some fisherman discovered dinosaur bones, the small
fishing resort they were staying at became the first Dino Institute.
As the years passed, the small town began to flourish as more
visitors came to see the bones of the creatures that once roamed the
earth.
With the added income to the town and the Dino
Institute, the original location of the Dino Institute became an
excavation site and a dorm for young paleontologists to live in
during their studies. With the original location being taken over, a
new Dino Institute was built in 1978. For the first twenty years the
location was used as a showcase for various fossils until they
introduced a way to bring guests back to the time of the dinosaurs
with the invention of the Time Rover.
The current home of the Dino Institute has a plaque
near the entrance commemorating the opening day of the location near
the entrance to the building. One may notice an interesting detail
about the plaque. The opening date is April 22, 1978, twenty years
to the day before Disney's Animal Kingdom opened!

November 9, 2018
Location: Castaway Cay,
Disney Cruise Line
While guests snorkel out on
Castaway Cay there are numerous fun finds
waiting for them to discover. Instead of going
through each of them individually, this week I
created a video that allows you to see the items
with your own eyes. Enjoy!
November 2, 2018
Location: Aqua Lab, Disney Fantasy
When the Disney Fantasy opened
in 2012 it introduced a brand new addition to
the Disney Cruise Line that hadn't been seen
before: The Aqua Lab. While the details found
around the Aqua Lab focus around Huey, Dewey,
and Louie, there's one interesting detail that
doesn't have anything to do with Donald's
Nephews:

The sign advertising that swim
diapers are not allowed in the area features
Roger Rabbit holding on to Baby Herman from the
Who Framed Roger Rabbit? film!

October 19, 2018
Location: Main Street, USA, Magic Kingdom
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party has always
been one of my favorite events of the year. While the party is
highlighted by events like the Hocus Pocus Spelltacular and Mickey's
boo to You Parade, there are soome details added to the park
specifically for this event. One of my favorite details for the
party once sat around the Partners Statue at the Hub at the end of
Main Street. Here guests could once find four bronze statues of
Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto in Halloween costumes as well.
During the Hub expansion the area where these statues once sat was
replaced by planters and any hope of them returning seemed lost.
Or so we thought. It ends up the Hub Expansion
brought these bronze statues back in an unexpected way. With the
addition of the Hub increasing in size, Disney also added a more on
stage friendly exit to the park behind Main Street East. Throughout
the years, Disney had used this backstage exit to help filter out
the crowds when the park was extremely busy. When the expanded the
Hub, they finally added planters, along with billboards, to this
backstage walkway to appear more show ready. This year, Disney added
a nice little touch to this back stage area for guests during
Halloween time.
That's right, Disney has brought back these statues,
but only for when the park is extremely crowded:


October 12, 2018
Location: Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom
The Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover has
gone through a few changes throughout the years with various names
such as the WEDway Peoplemover, Tomorrowland Transit Authority, and
the current name which combines the two, the Tomorrowland Transit
Authority Peoplemover. During the most recent change some of the
classic dialogue disappeared including the paging of Mr. Morrow
whose party was arriving from Saturn and not the moon, and also the
mention of the actual ride system guests were on: the Blue line.
Guests were welcome aboard "the blue line" and were
referred to as blue line passengers. The idea was guests were in an
actual working city which would result in numerous trains for
citizens to travel upon to get from location to location. When the
narration changed to its current format, two remnants of the former
spiel stuck around and still exist today.
You see, the Blue Line wasn't the only train systems
citizens of the future could travel upon. While they were never
actually mentioned on the ride, there was a green and red line
citizens could travel upon as well. The only two references to them
can still be found today just after passing the model of Progress
City.
On the right side of the track, guests can find a
robot in a tube which is labeled red line, while another sign nearby
directs guests towards where the green line sits:


So even though the times have changed, a bit of the
old attraction still exists!
October 5, 2018
Location: Future World, Epcot
Spaceship Earth takes guests on a trip that
transports guests through thousands of years to witness the
evolution of communication. While the evolution of communication in
the attraction focuses on everything from the cave man days all the
way to computer technology, there is one form of communication that
is brushed aside and never spoken about in the attraction. The form
of communication is hidden in the picture below:

Notice the wall behind the Pharaoh? While the
hieroglyphics found here may appear to be nonsense, we should all
know by now that the Imagineers have clearly done their research.
The duck and the sun found on the right wall are known as the Son of
Re', a title given to a ruler. Below that you can see a group of
symbols found within a giant oval. The giant oval is known as a
cartouche. In Egypt, the images found within a cartouche is the
actual name of the Pharaoh. While the symbols found here don't
directly correspond to a specific Pharaoh, it is believed that they
may represent King Seti I.
So next time you're on Spaceship Earth pay attention
not just to the dialogue that's being spoken on the attraction, but
all the details hidden within the attraction that help propel the
story forward.
September 28, 2018
Location: Toy Story Land, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
Traditionally, Pixar releases a new short cartoon
before every one of their feature films. While the obvious short
cartoon to be found in Toy Story Land would be one that is found
before one of the Toy Story films, but in reality the reference we
are taking a look at today is from the short cartoon, "Partly
Cloudy" found before "Up."
The short cartoon takes a look at an insecure gray
cloud named Gus who sculpts babies that are more dangerous than the
cute and cuddly baby animals one may typically associate with
babies. How does this short cartoon come into play at Toy Story
Land?
While guests ride Slinky Dog Dash they come across
multiple reminders of moments and characters from the Toy Story
films including the grand finale which is very similar to the grand
finale of Toy Story 2 where Wheezy sinces You've Got a Friend in Me:

While on the attraction, pay close attention to the
book that's above Wheezy's head at the end of the attraction. The
children's book found here is none other than Partly Cloudy!

September 21, 2018
Location: Main Street, USA, Magic Kingdom
In 1941 Disney released a short cartoon called "The
Nifty Nineties" which took a look at life in the 1890s and consisted
of Mickey and Minnie meeting one another, going on a date to a
vaudeville show, and then taking a car ride. The short cartoon
featured a cameo by two of the animators for the cartoon, Fred Moore
and Ward Kimball.
The two appear in the vaudeville show in an act
called "Fred & Ward, Two Clever Boys From Illinois." Both Fred and
Ward were caricatures of the artists and the two animators provided
the voices of their respective characters. But what does this have
to do with Main Street, USA?
While in the queue for the Mickey Mouse meet and
greet at the Town Square Theater, guests can find various flyers for
other acts that have appeared in the theater and also various acts
that may be coming in the future. One of these posters is for a
future appearance by Mickey the Magnificent and the opening act is,
you guessed it, Fred & Ward!

September 14, 2018
Location: Toy Story Land, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
Toy Story Land is filled with subtle details to the
Toy Story films. We've taken a look at a few of these details in the
past, but today we will be taking a look at a detail that hints at
one of the most often forgotten characters within the Toy Story
franchise.
When people mention Toy Story, most people focus on
characters like Woody, Buzz, Rex, Bo Peep, Jessie, and various other
characters. Other people may think of the human characters like
Andy, Sid, Al, Molly, or Bonnie, but it's rare for a person to
instantly go to one of the two named animals in the Toy Story
franchise. At the end of Toy Story the toys have their worst fear
become a reality when Santa brings Andy and Molly a puppy for
Christmas. In Toy Story 2 we discover that the dog is named Buster
and is happily living with Andy and his family at their new home.
The entrance for Slinky Dog Dash consists of a
digital watch to show off the current time for guests Fastpass
return times while the wait time is displayed on a giant gold
circle. While the gold circle doesn't seem special at first, if you
look at it while actually inside the queue you can see the
following:

That's right! This is the back of Buster's dog tag!
Not only is this an amazing reference to Buster, it also helps
guests know that the timeline we are in while in Toy Story Land
takes place roughly around the time that Toy Story 2 takes place in
Andy's new home due to the fact that Buster is present!
September 7, 2018
Location: Fantasyland,
Disneyland
The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique has
become a staple at Disney parks and cruise ships
around the world. When they first debuted in the
early 2000s they quickly became more and more
popular resulting in most guests completely
forgetting what the former resident was at the
various locations.
Lucky for us, today we will be
taking a look at a nod to the former home of the
Disneyland location! Two years after Disneyland
opened a toy shop opened next to Snow White's
Scary Adventures which was named Tinker Bell's
Toy Shop The shop remained open under the same
theme until the mid 2000s when it had a brief
run as Once Upon A Time - The Disney
Princess Shoppe.
Despite the changes, three
characters remained at the entrance to the shop,
and still remain there until today, to remind
guests of what once sat in the location. Here
guests can find Captain Hook, Mr. Smee, and Tick
Tock carved into the woodwork near the entrance:


August 31, 2018
Location: Sunset Boulevard, Disney's
Hollywood Studios
At the start of this summer Paradise Pier in Disney
California Adventure was completely updated to a new land known as
Pixar Pier featuring familiar experiences with new storylines. While
Paradise Pier may not exist anymore, there's still a reference to
it, but incredibly enough, the reference isn't found in Disney
California Adventure, but Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Above the Villains in Vogue store there's a
billboard that can be found advertising Paradise Pier. On this
billboard guests can find attractions like The Golden Zypher,
Mickey's Fun Wheel, and of course California Screamin'!

August 24, 2018
Location: Castaway Cay
Castaway Cay is a treasure trove of details just
waiting to be explored. Scattered throughout the island are
references to some of the most rare and obscure members of the
Disney family. However, today we will be taking a look at a
reference to one of the most recognizable.
One of the activities guests can do on Castaway Cay
is snorkeling (and my personal favorite). While guests explore some
of the island's private reefs there are a few items scattered within
the water waiting to be discovered. One of these items can be found
towars the left side of the water when facing out towards the ocean.
About halfway out, guests can find the following sight:

Minnie Mouse! While many of the items found
scattered throughout the snorkeling waters have a history of
originally belonging somewhere else, this Minnie Mouse statue was
created exclusively for guests snorkeling in Castaway Cay!
August 17, 2018
Location: Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom
Sir Mickey's is one of the most overlooked Magic
Kingdom shops that is also quite possibly the most detailed of all
shops in the park. The store takes elements from both The Brave
Little Tailor and Mickey and the Beanstalk. Today's
Fun Find Friday takes a look at the windows to the right of the main
entrance.
Within the window on the right guests can find items
that Mickey may have had in his work shop in The Brave Little
Tailor. On the wall inside the window guests can find some
sketches that Mickey may be creating. Here guests can find
references to both Goofy and Pluto together along with Clarabelle
Cow!


August 10, 2018
Location: Main Street, USA, Magic Kingdom
The meet and greet for Mickey Mouse lets guests out
into the shop Curtain Call Collectibles which continues with the
magician theme that guests can find during the met and greet with
Mickey. Everything fits well with the theme, but one item seems to
be a little off:

What is this miniature house doing up on the shelf?
Prior to Mickey Mouse meeting guests on Main Street, USA he would
meet with guests in the Judge's Tent of Mickey's Toontown Fair.
Prior to entering into the Judge's Tent, guests had the opportunity
to bypass the meet and greet and exit Mickey's Country House through
his garage.
Inside Mickey's Garage he had a work station
with various projects he was recently working on. One of these
projects was none other than the house that now resides in Curtain
Call Collectibles!
August 3, 2018
Location: Mickey's Toontown, Disneyland
While searching throughout Walt Disney World in
between 2004 and 2010 for references to Disney animated films, I was
disappointed because I was constantly hoping to find a reference to
the 1980s Disney animated film, The Great Mouse Detective, but sadly
I couldn't find it anywhere.
That is, until I went on a trip to Disneyland. While
walking through Mickey's House, guests can find various references
to movies, books, food, and more with a twist to fit in with the
fact that Mickey is indeed a mouse. One of these mouse references
can be found below the TV, where a book for the long sought after
reference awaits, The Great Mouse Detective:

July 27, 2018
Location: Toy Story Land, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
Scattered around Toy Story Land are the various toys
that Andy has left in the backyard. While we have spent the last few
weeks taking a look at a few of the toys scattered here and the
hidden meanings behind them, today we are going to take a look at
the one section of the land that isn't based around toys, but around
food: Woody's Lunchbox.

Woody's Lunchbox is the lunchbox that Andy has left
behind in his backyard featuring Woody, Jessie, Bullseye, and Stinky
Pete. Scattered throughout the area are various food items that one
would typically find inside a child's lunchbox, but today we aren't
going to be taking a look at a food item, but one of the most common
items found within a lunchbox that isn't based around food, the
parent's note.
Scattered around the area, guests find various
wrappers that make up the various tables in the area. The one that
is closest to the exit near the restrooms bears a striking
resemblance to most lunchboxes found in elementary schools:

Here you can see a sign that reads "You're my
favorite deputy! Love, Mom"
July 20, 2018
Location: Toy Story Land, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
The details found within the queue for Slinky Dog
Dash are incredible. The entire area is scattered with various toy
boxes that guests can walk through. This includes the Dash and Dodge
track along with Slinky Dog himself. Just before guests board,
however, a box for everyone's favorite dino, Rex, can be found.

While most people may look at the fact that Rex
appears to be a look more ferocious looking than the nervous Rex
that we all know and love today. However, the detail you should pay
attention to is the sticker on the upper left corner.

The sticker is from Al's Toy Barn which guests were
first introduced to in the 1999 film, Toy Story 2, but what's even
more notable are the numbers found on the sticker. at the top are
the numbers 11 and 22 while the price is $19.95. What do the numbers
represent? November 22, 1995, the date that the original Toy Story
was released in theaters!
July 13, 2018
Location: Toy Story Land, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
Toy Story Land is officially open and with it a ton
of fun finds waiting to be discovered! Over the coming weeks and
years we will be going into detail about all of them, but today we
are going to start by taking a look at the entrance to Alien
Swirling Saucers.

Does the entrance look familiar? According to the
storyline, Andy won the Alien Swirling Saucers while at Pizza
Planet. He took the play set and placed it in the backyard along
with the Dash and Dodge coaster starring Slinky Dog. But why does
the entrance look so familiar? It ends up the owners of Pizza Planet
decided to keep the restaurant in the minds of kids after they got
back home. To throw in this subliminal message, they made the
entrance to the toy look like the entrance to Pizza Planet as seen
in the film:

As you can see both entrances feature guards who
hold shields shaped like pizzas with spears with a slice at the end!

July 6, 2018
Location: Main Street, USA, Disneyland Paris
There are a lot of similarities between the Disney
parks in the US and the Disney parks found over in Paris. There's
still the search for adventure in Adventureland, the whimsy of
Fantasyland, and the charm of Main Street, USA. While there are a
lot of similarities there are also some differences like
Tomorrowland's transformation into Discoveryland.
Tomorrowland isn't the only name change, however.
While famous Disney characters like Mickey and Minnie keep their
names, Goofy's name changes to Dingo. Since Goofy's name changes it
also makes sense that his circus counterpart in Storybook Circus
named the Great Goofini switches as well.
While walking through the Disney & Co. store there
are a few merchandise displays that have advertisements for the
circus on the side. While the other advertisements make no mention
of a country, Goofy's has the tagline of "Never seen in the United
States!" with the name for the act being Dingofort the Mighty!

June 29, 2018
Location: Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom
Who doesn't love the wonderful world of Toy Story?
Alright, you in the back can leave. Now for those of you who are
still around that love Toy Story let's head over to Buzz Lightyear's
Space Ranger Spin at the Magic Kingdom to find this weeks Fun Find!
If you recall the original Toy Story film talked
about how Buzz joined the gang in Andy's bedroom. For the toys stuck
up in Andy's room while Andy's birthday was going on, a group of
green army men headed down to the living room with a baby monitor to
keep the other toys up to date on what Andy was getting from his
friends.
While riding Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin you
reenter the world of Toy Story. At the very end of the attraction
you will hear instructions on how you have to exit your ride
vehicle. The instructions come from none other than a hidden baby
monitor seen to the right of your vehicle!

June 22, 2018
Location: Sunset Boulevard, Disney's
Hollywood Studios
The Twilight Zone Tower of Hotel pays tribute to
numerous episodes of the classic Twilight Zone television series. In
the past we've taken a look at some of these references, but this
week we are going to be taking a look at a reference that can be
found at the end of the attraction. After going through the series
of drops, guests end up at the bottom of the elevator shaft and in a
storage room.
While the majority of the props found here appear to
fairly bland, one item is extra creepy and often catches the eye of
a the terrified traveler:

The ventriloquist dummy originally appeared in the
Twilight Zone episode Caesar and Me. In the episode a man has a
dummy who is alive and and gives out awful advice to anyone who
comes their way.
June 15, 2018
Location: Tiana's Place, Disney Wonder
When New Orleans Square first opened in Disneyland
in 1966 there was no previous Disney film that had a connection
between New Orleans and the section of the park. Naturally, Disney
had to create new and unique storylines for the land in the forms of
Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion. In 2009, however,
Disney Animation released a hit film in the form of Princess and the
Frog which takes place in the beloved city of New Orleans.

Recently the Disney Wonder decided to honor the
Princess and the Frog by opening up the restaurant Tiana creates at
the end of the film, Tiana's Place. While the entrance of Tiana's
Place resembles the town of New Orleans, there is an ad at the
entrance that should not go unnoticed:

Here guests can find an advertisement for various
activities not just in New Orleans, but New Orleans Square.
June 8, 2018
Location: Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom
Cinderella Castle is one of the most iconic
locations in the world. Every year millions view the glorious
landmark, but most of those people don't realize the secrets hiding
in plain view. While most people know of the mosaics in the main
hallway that depicts the story of Cinderella, few know that the
story is told at one other location at the Castle.
In 2005, Disney created the Disney Dream Suite to
allow guests the opportunity to spend one magical night inside
Cinderella Castle. One of the details they added was a retelling of
the story for Cinderella upon some windows. While the windows are
best viewed inside the suite, guests can find the windows from down
below as well. The first three face towards Sleepy Hollow:

Since the story is meant to be seen from inside the
suite, when looking from the outside, the story panels from each
window are viewed from right to left. Starting out with the far
right window, guests can see the house of Lady Tremaine where
Cinderella lives. The second window features the invitation to the
ball While the window on the right depicts a clock about to strike
midnight.
The story continues on the next set of three windows
which face out towards the center of Fantasyland:

Continuing on the right window, guests can
find Cinderella's glass slipper which she leaves behind at the ball.
The second window here features Jaq and Gus holding onto the key to
rescue Cinderella from her tower, while the final window features
the depiction of Cinderella Castle from the film where she ends up
living happily ever after.
June 1, 2018
Location: Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom
The Carousel of Progress has a very rich history
which began during the 1964 World's Fair. While the first three
scenes have gone through a few changes during the years, the final
scene changes drastically every time it goes through a massive
update. The final scene currently finds the Progress Family sitting
around waiting for their Christmas turkey to finish cooking.

While all of the other scenes only find John in the
main scene, this scene actually finds all members of the family,
including Grandma and Grandpa in the same room. The question is if
the grandparents actually live with John, Sarah, Jimmy, and
Patricia. The answer actually can be found on the back wall near the
stove. Here a blackboard shows that Grandma and Grandpa flew in from
somewhere. The flight number? 1964, the year the Carousel of
Progress debuted. The arrival time, however, is a reference to the
opening of the Magic Kingdom, 10:01 or October 1st.

Ironically enough, the Carousel of Progress wasn't
around when the Magic Kingdom opened. It didn't make its way to the
Magic Kingdom until 1975.
May 25, 2018
Location: Star Wars Launch Bay, Disney's
Hollywood Studios
Today is the 41st anniversary of the original Star
Wars along with the official release date for Solo, the 10th Star
Wars film to be released. In honor of this today we are going to be
taking a look at a fun find found in the Star wars Launch Bay. Just
before entering the cantina, guests may notice two lights on either
side of the doorway that seem to be a little odd, yet familiar.

If you recall, in 1980's Star Wars: Episode V
The Empire Strikes Back Luke Skywalker is attacked by a Wompa
while the Rebel Alliance is stationed on Hoth. While recovering from
the injuries, Luke is assisted by a medical droid to gain his
strength back. The lamps found at the entrance to the cantina here
are the same heads as the droids that nursed Luke bath to health on
Hoth!
May 18, 2018
Location: The Oasis, Disney's Animal Kingdom
When Disney's Animal Kingdom first opened the park
was going to revolve around real, extinct, and mythical animals.
While the idea of mythical creatures fell by the wayside, the idea
still stuck around with various signage throughout the park. In
fact, the original logo of the park featured a lion, an elephant, a
dinosaur, and an antelope. In the middle of these animals was a
dragon representing the mythical animals that never came around.
As time went by, the original logo began to
disappear throughout the park. Up until recent times guests could
still find the logo on park benches and lamps found in the Oasis,
however, recently the lamps in the Oasis have been replaced by
different lamps which fit the theming of the area.
The lamps at the entrance plaza, however, still
exist. They are a reminder of what the park's original vision
intended to be, dragon and all:

May 11, 2018
Location: Top of the World Lounge, Bay Lake
Tower
The top of Bay Lake Tower is home to the Top of the
World Lounge, an area designed for Disney Vacation Club members and
their guests. Keeping with the futuristic theme of the resort, the
back window features a giant reproduction of one of Bob Gurr's
original sketches for the Disneyland monorail:

While the details found in the window are amazing,
there is one detail that often goes overlooked by people after it
was added after the Lounge's original opening. In the bottom left
corner, guests can find the actual signature of Bob Gurr, Imagineer
extrodinaire!

May 4, 2018
Location: Animation Courtyard, Disney's
Hollywood Studios
Happy Star Wars Day! In honor of May 4th, aka, May
the 4th (Force) be with you, today we are going to be taking a look
at an often overlooked spot in Disney's Hollywood Studios to have a
very unique Star Wars experience.
Multiple times a day on the stage in the center of
the park the Star Wars show, Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away takes
place giving guests the opportunity to see some of their favorite
Star Wars characters appear on stage together. For today's Fun Find,
we are going to be taking a look at an even more up close and
personal view of these characters.
Since the characters need to make their way
backstage, before and after the show there's a small parade of sorts
where the majority of the characters go to and from the stage.
If guests want an up close and personal view of these characters,
they can wait for them to pass by with nearly no guests around near
the restrooms over by Star Wars Launch Bay and the exit of Walt
Disney: One Man's Dream.

April 27, 2018
Location: Hollywood Land, Disney California
Adventure
With the new Avengers film being released today, it
only makes sense to take a look at the newest area about to be built
in Disney California Adventure in the form of a new Avengers Land!
Last year when the Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout opened
many fans noticed a detail found to the right of the entrance to the
attraction:

Here they could find a hatch with the famous
Avengers A found on the cover. Fans began to speculate correctly
that a land dedicated to the Avengers would soon be opening up tying
in the Guardians of the Galaxy attraction as well. So what is the
hatch for? Currently the storyline focuses on the idea that the
hatch is a secret entrance to the Avengers headquarters, but as the
new area opens up in the future more details will emerge.
April 20, 2018
Castaway Cay is truly paradise on earth. However,
there is one problem. You only have a limited amount of time on the
island, which means many of the fun finds found on the island are
still out there waiting to be discovered by people like me. Today we
are going to take a look at what may be the first discovery guests
come across while on the island.
Just after disembarking the ship and making your way
to Castaway Cay, guests will find a building on the left hand side
that appears to be insignificant at first glance, however, upon
closer inspection guests can discover a nod to the head of the Walt
Disney Company. Here guests will find a sign showing an
advertisement for Captain Bob Iger:

Bob Iger is the current CEO of the company, and
while he wasn't the CEO when the Disney Cruise Line first debuted in
1998, he still receives an honor by having his name featured here on
the island. Much like the windows of Main Street, USA in various
Magic Kingdom style parks around the world showcase nods to various
people who have played an influential role in the creation of the
Walt Disney Company, these signs can be found scattered all around
Castaway Cay paying homage to influential members of the Walt Disney
Company. And much like Walt's window being the first window we found
on Main Street, USA, the CEO, Captain Bob Iger, is the first name we
find here on Castaway Cay.
April 13, 2018
Location: Frontierland, Magic Kingdom
About a quarter of the way through the queue for Big
Thunder Mountain Railroad guests will approach two large bulletin
boards filled with various pieces of paper posted against them. In
the very center of the left board, guests can find the following
sheet of paper:

Here they can find the patent for the Automatic
Train-Brake. Picture on Fig. 1 is a drawing of a train engine, along
with the first car, for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. At the top of
the sheet is the name T.W. Baxter. This is a reference to tony Wayne
Baxter, the head Imagineer who worked on the Big Thunder Mountain
Railroad project resulting in him being recognized several times
throughout the queue.
In addition to the nod to Tony Baxter, guests may
notice that this invention was patented on July 17, 1877. the
reference in the date isn't tied directly to Big Thunder Mountain
Railroad, but to Disneyland which opened on July 17, 1955, 78 years
to the day after Tony Baxter filed his patent for the Automatic
Train-Brake.
April 6, 2018
Location: Dinoland, USA, Disney's Animal
Kingdom
The Cretaceous Trail is one of the most overlooked
sections in Dinoland, USA. Scattered throughout the trail are
various dinosaurs guests can find while the entrance gives guests an
opportunity to meet Donald Duck in paleontologist form. Near the
entrance to the trail, guests can find a bulletin board filling in
various information about duck billed dinosaurs.

Towards the top of the bulletin board is a piece of
parchment that the showcases the last sighting of various
duck-billed creatures. While some of the sketches found here feature
pictures of duck-billed dinosaurs, there are a few pictures on here
that are worth taking a closer look at. Starting towards the far
right portion of the picture, guests can find the timeline has hit
the year 1987 along with "yesterday". 1987 features pictures of
Huey, Dewey, and Louie while yesterday features a picture of Donald.

The picture of Donald from yesterday has him
wearing his meet and greet outfit that is just a few yards away.
Huey, Dewey, and Louie, on the other hand, are found in the year
1987. While the three ducks had made numerous appearances in short
cartoons and comics prior to 1987, the picture here is referring to
their debut in the hit TV show DuckTales. Their description even
includes a nod to the Junior Woodchucks boy scout type group that
they were in on the show.

Towards the left side of the piece of paper is the
Late Cretaceous Period with a picture of the one and only bubba the
Cave Duck. Bubba made his debut in the second season opener of
DuckTales where he enters into the present day (1988) and is
eventually adopted by Scrooge McDuck!
March 30, 2018
Location: Walt Disney Theatre, Disney Cruise
Line
There are a few common things found throughout the
four ships in the Disney Cruise Line Fleet, but the biggest common
item is probably the Walt Disney Theatre where the nightly shows
take place. At the entrance to each of these theaters, guests are
greeted by a giant picture of Walt Disney:

While at first glance everything in this picture
seems very similar to how we all remember Walt, there is one thing
missing that was found on Walt at almost all times. A cigarette.
When Walt first started doing his weekly television shows he always
made sure that he would never be found smoking on the show
In order to keep with this image, the cigarette in
Walt's hand was airbrushed out, however there is one thing the
airbrusher missed. there is just a small little piece of smoke
hovering above Walt's hand coming from the invisible cigarette
below.

March 23, 2018
Disney Wonder, Disney Cruise Line
On the third level of the Disney Wonder, guests can
find the adult district. The district consists of three lounge
areas: Cadillac Lounge, Azure, and the Crown & Fin Pub. The Crown &
Fib Pub pays homage to all things British, and in one corner it has
nods to multiple Disney references. Today we will be taking a look
at one of these references.

The pile of newspapers in the corner may appear to
be sparatic, but in reality have some hidden treasures. The paper
that sits below the box can barely be seen popping out:

Here guests can discover the newspaper article found
in the film The Great Muppet Caper. The film focuses on twin
reporters, Kermit and Fozzie, who head to the United Kingdom in
hopes of cracking a jewel thief case. In the process the two get
caught up in the action more than they ever dreamed they would, but
on the plus side they made the headlines of the paper found here!
March 16, 2018
Location: Main Street, USA, Magic Kingdom
The entrance to the Magic Kingdom is an extremely
iconic sight. The train station stands between guests and the actual
view of Cinderella Castle to act as a grand reveal of the castle,
but there is more hidden here than meets the eye.

We've talked about the windows of Main Street in the
past and how they honor the people who helped creat the Magic
Kingdom, but we haven't gone into much detail about what it all
means. The windows of Main Street are set up much like the credits
of a movie. Honored on the windows are art directors, writers,
designers, and so much more. Like the credits of most movies, the
producer of the movie is typically the first name found at the start
of the credits, which brings us to our first window on Main Street:

Above the Train Station, guests can find a window
which reads "Keeping Dreams on Track. Walter E. Disney - Chief
Engineer-" Walt Disney, the chief creator of the Magic Kingdom, gets
the honor of being the producer of the credits found here at the
entrance to Main Street, USA.
March 9, 2018
Location: Asia, disney's Animal Kingdom
I am often asked if I ever get sick of going to
Disney every day and the honest answer is not at all. Every day
there are new opportunities and experiences to have making every day
unique at the parks. Even better than the new things are the old. No
matter how often you go to the park, there are still times where you
discover a detail that's been hiding right in front of you. Today we
will be taking a look at one of those experiences.

The Maharajah Jungle Trek is easily one of my
favorite locations in Disney's Animal Kingdom. The ancient ruins are
full of so much detail that it's near impossible for me not to stop
there every time I explore the path in hopes of finding a new
discovery. I get so excited, in fact, that I often zoom by the
entrance to the path where today's Fun Find Friday is located.

Just after entering the path, guests walk under a
quick covering (pictured above) which is covered with various news
paper articles found throughout Asia. Upon first glance, there
doesn't seem to be anything special going on in the area, however,
after taking a closer look, guests can find a hidden Disney
character hiding in plain sight!
On the left side of the ceiling, there is a
newspaper article that has a very small picture hidden upon it.
While it would make sense to have a character like Mickey or Minnie
who are often well known around the world found here, Imagineers
decided to hide one of the most evil villains of them all here:

That's right! Maleficent, from Sleeping Beauty, can
be found here at the entrance to the Mahrajah Jungle Trek!
March 2, 2018
Location: Fantasyland, Disneyland Paris
There are two shops which reside within the castle.
The one on the left (while entering from Main Street, USA) is known
as Merlin L'enchanteur. Merlin's shop is one of the most detailed
shops found throughout the park, which is saying something since all
the shops here have intricate details. Due to the fact that the shop
doubles as Merlin's workshop, there are multiple references to the
film found within.
Due to the fact that while in the castle we are in
the 1500s or 1600s seeing some of the items in here seem to be a
little out of place. The most out of place item of them all hangs
from the ceiling:

While seeing an airplane hundreds of years before it
was actually created may seems odd, it's important to remember what
actually occurs in the film, The Sword in the Stone. During the
film, Merlin talks about how he has traveled to the future at
various times and seen different items. One of the things he shows
Arthur is an invention from the future: this airplane!
February 23, 2018
Location: Critter Country, Disneyland
One of the worst things about Disney parks is
eventually some classic attractions close down. When Walt Disney
World opened up in 1971, the majority of the attractions were
duplicates of attractions found at Disneyland. One attraction,
however, became the first attraction to open up in Walt Disney World
before being duplicated in Disneyland. The attraction? Country Bear
Jamboree.
When the attraction opened up in Disneyland it took
over some real estate in Frontierland creating a brand new land in
the form of Bear Country. Eventually Splash Mountain opened up
changing the name again to Critter Country. Unlike Walt Disney
World's version of the attraction, Disneyland's had two theaters
resulting in a lot of open real estate disappearing.
Eventually Walt Disney World opened up an attraction
based around The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh just around the
same time when Disneyland's Country Bear Jamboree was starting to
lose popularity. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh was set to
replace The Country Bear Jamboree in Disneyland, marking yet another
attraction that originated in Walt Disney World before being
replicated in Disneyland.
When The Country Bear Jamboree closed its doors,
most of the residents disappeared, however three decided to hang
around, literally. Just after exiting the Heffalumps and Woozles
scene take a look up and you can find Max, Melvin, and Buff staring
at the location of their former glory.

February 16, 2018
Location: Grand Floridian
The lobby of the Grand Floridian is a very elegant
place. Everywhere guests look they can find the look and charm of a
high luxury resort one may find in the early 1900s. At times it
seems like you may not even be inside of the Walt Disney World
Resort. Luckily, this isn't the case.
There are several nods to Disney characters found
hidden throughout the resort and today we will be taking a look at
my favorite one. When guests walk into the lobby from the doors
which lead towards the pool, they will be located directly behind
the grand staircase found in the lobby.
What most people don't do while entering from this
position, however, is look down. If you looked down you would find
the following image on the ground:

Here guests can find Peter Pan, Wendy, John, and
Michael flying off to Neverland!
February 9, 2018
Location: Adventureland, Disneyland
In 1989 the classic film, Indiana Jones and the Last
Crusade, hit theaters concluuding the original Indiana Jones
trilogy. During the film, Indy and his father are in search for the
Holy Grail, the very same cup which Jesus used at the Last Supper.
When they finally arrive at the temple where the Grail is located,
they find an old knight there who warns them that they must choose
wisely amongst a few dozen cups in order to discover the correct
one.
If they choose incorrectly, death will befall on
them, but if they choose wisely, they will be granted ever lasting
life. Indy, knowing that Jesus was a carpenter, chooses a wooden cup
where he is informed that he did, in fact, choose wisely.
While exiting the Indiana Jones attraction in
Disneyland, guests swerve through a seris of caves and a temple, but
they aren't treated to as many surprises exiting the line as they
are entering it, with the exception of one.
Hanging from the ceiling is a crate with some words
of advice written upon it:

Just like the knight told Indy, here we are
reminded that "Real Rewards Await Those Who Choose Wisely"
February 2, 2018
Location: Future World, Epcot
The Fountain View location in the center of Future
World is currently home to a Starbucks which replaced an ice cream
location, which in turn opened up in the 1990s. However, prior to
that the location was home to an original piece of Epcot history.

From October 1, 1982 until January 30, 1994, the
central portion of Future World was home to CommuniCore. This area
was like a prequel to Innoventions which allowed guests to discover
futuristic technology that would possibly someday be used in their
very own homes sometime in the near future.
In the past we have discussed various locations
where guests can discover some of the original Epcot logos around
the park. Upon the backside of the menu in front of Fountain View,
guests can now find the very logo for CommuniCore which could be
found at the original Epcot location from 1982 until 1994!

January 12, 2018
Location: Fantasyland, Disneyland Paris
In the back corner of Fantasyland is Toad Hall,,
beloved home of Mr. J. Thaddeus Toad. Unlike Toad Hall in
Disneyland, the one here in Disneyland Paris is home to a
restaurant:

While the Toad Hall plaque usually reads Semper
Absurda which is Latin for Always Absurd. Here in Disneyland Paris,
since the facade of the building is home to a restaurant instead of
an attraction, the Latin motto is slightly different.

The logo here reads No Consumus Froglagus, which
while not actual Latin, is a playful way to let you know that this
is the home of Mr. Toad so there is No Consuming of Frog Legs!
January 5, 2017
Location: World Showcase, Epcot
Have you ever noticed the height of the buildings
found throughout World showcase? While walking around you may notice
that, with the exception of towers in Italy and Japan, the world
showcase pavilions that don't feature an attraction are much shorter
than the rest.This is the case for almost all of the pavilions, but
have you ever noticed how tall the Germany pavilion is?

When Epcot first opened there were plans to include
a boat ride that would transport guests along the Rhine River on the
Rhine River Cruise. Along the way, guests would pass by miniatures
of locations found throughout Germany.
The attraction never came into being, but there was
some preparation for the attraction. For instance, a door was put up
where the load area would sit. In addition to that, the building
which houses Biergarten was raised up in preparation for the
attraction. Due to this preparation, the height of the building is
higher than most of the buildings around World Showcase much like
Norway and Mexico,
December 29, 2017
Location: Future World West, Epcot
A few weeks ago we took a look at the names found on
the door halfway through Journey Into Imagination with Figment and
as promised, today we are going to talk about the meaning behind the
door that the door sits by.
Just after passing the Sound Lab, guests head over
to the Sight Lab, but along the way they pass by a computer room
which to most people seems to fill no real purpose. We all know that
it does however, so let's take a look at the door:

Here guests can see a sign which clearly reads, "No
Tennis Shoes Allowed" while a letterman jacket can be found hanging
in the window and tennis shoes sit outside. As discussed the other
week, the lab here has several references to The Computer Wore
Tennis Shoes. While all the mishaps in the film occur due to a
accident which occurs in the computer lab, the computer referenced
in the title of the film doesn't deal with an actual computer, but a
person!
Dexter Ridley, the main character in the film,
absorbs all the knowledge of the computer making him a super genius.
Dexter, who attends Medfield College, has his letterman jacket
hanging in the window here on the attraction, while his shoes sit
outside. It's a reference that most won't catch, but it's one of the
largest references to a Disney film inside an attraction that isn't
directly related to the film.
December 22, 2017
Location: The Landing, Disney Springs
One of the most famous scenes of any Indiana Jones
films is the very first scene featured in any of the films. The film
starts off with Indy in Peru in 1936 where his guide and him enter
into a temple filled with booby-traps. After retrieving the golden
idol found within the temple, Indiana Jones has a daring escape from
a giant boulder just to be bested by his rival waiting outside to
retrieve the idol for himself.
Indiana then has to escape from the angry tribe
which the idol belongs to and eventually makes his way to a seaplane
waiting in a river being piloted by Jock Lindsey. Since then Jock
Lindsey has set up a bar at Disney Springs filled with many items
from his travels around the world.
In the back left corner of the bar, high upon a
shelf, it looks like Jock Lindsey may have escorted Indy back to
Peru. Here guests can find the idol that Indiana Jones first tried
to retrieve on his first adventure featured on the big screen:

December 15, 2017
Originally published August 12, 2016
Location: Backlot, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
I know we visited Sci-Fi Dine In recently, but after
dining there again last night I discovered something I've walked
past several times in my life. After walking into the lobby area
there are two different hallways that lead to the dining area.
Unlike our last fun find, this week's can be found on the hallway on
the right.

Before we get to that, let's do a little
history about the restaurant and Disney-MGM Studios. When the park
first opened up on May 1, 1989, there were only three attractions:
The Great Movie Ride, Studio Backlot Tour, and the Magic of Disney
Animation. As time would go on, Imagineers did their best to connect
various attractions and resstaurants to other portions of the park.
Some of these connections were large like the various references to
Who Framed Roger Rabbit while others were fairly small and simple,
like today's Fun Find Friday.
When Star Tours opened up in late 1989 there weren't
a lot of ways to connect it to other sections in the park. Sure,
there were a few references to Star Wars in The Great Movie Ride,
but overall the attraction stood alone. That is, until April 20th,
1991, the day Sci-Fi Dine-In opened up nearby. With both the
attraction and restaurant focusing on a Science Fiction theme, it
just made sense that the two would blend together in someway, shape,
or form.
Sure, last year the restaurant celebrated Star Wars
by having a dining overlay with the films and characters in the
restaurant, but what the restaurant really needed was something
permanent, which brings us back to that hallway on the right.
While walking down the hallway, guests can find
various items scattered in little cubbies on the left-hand side.
Towards the end of the hallway two small boxes feature pieces of
paper that at first glance don't seem to be anything but random
decoration:


So what are these pieces of paper exactly? Upon
further investigation, guests can see that each picture shown
consists of three pictures and words written underneath. In the
picture below you can see that the words written state "Rex makes a
sharp left bank as we continue our fall. Ahead a crate can be seen
entering the room." Above the words the picture on the left features
a robot, the picture in the middle looks like a Death Star trench,
and the picture on the right is R2D2.

This, along with the other drawings are the
storyboards for the original Star Tours attraction! Rex was the
pilot in the original attraction. Much like the original attraction
and the storyboard, Rex was on the left side of the cockpit, while
in the middle of the attraction was the screen showcasing where we
were, and on the screen on the right was a video featuring R2D2!
December 8, 2017
Location: Future World West, Epcot
In the past we have talked about the doorways
leading towards the load area for Journey Into Imagination with
Figment and their connections with films like Flubber, Honey, I
Shrunk the Kids, and The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes. Today we will
be taking a look at a section of a doorway on the actual attraction
and see how it connects to one of the doorways in the queue.
One of the doorways in the queue belongs to the
often forgotten about Disney character, Dean Higgins. Dean Higgins
appears in the Disney films The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, Now You
See Him, Now You Don't, and The Strongest Man in the World. In the
trilogy of films he is the Dean of Medfield College where he often
gets caught up in the craziness created by Dexter Riley and his
friends.
While his door in the hallway appears to be random
to about 99.9% of the people who pass by it, it's important to
remember that in his films a group of college students imported the
memory of a computer into a college student, made a student become
invisible, and also used their brain power to have one of these
students become the strongest man on the planet. Throughout all
these fantastic stories, the heart of the films was Imagination.
How does this connect to the ride? Just after
passing the sound lab and heading into the sight lab, guests pass by
a room with four name plaques on the outside:

Here you can find the names for Professor Quigley,
Wilby Daniels, Dexter Riley, and Merlin Jones. Professor Quigley is
a professor at Medfield College who is often found supporting Dexter
Riley and his friends in their crazy adventures, but is also the
middle man between them and Dean Higgins.
Dexter Riley, played by Kurt Russell, has to save
the college from bankruptcy in all three films that he appears in.
In The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes he has to win an academic
decathlon to keep school funding, in The Strongest man in the World
Dexter creates a potion to give him super human strength and uses
his new found powers to restore financial stability to the college
while in Now You See Him, Now You Don't, Dexter discovers a potion
to create invisibility which, you guessed it, helps restore the
college from financial instability.
Wilby Daniels, whose name can also be found on the
door, is a character best remembered for The Shaggy Dog, The Shaggy
D.A. and The Return of the Shaggy Dog. While Tommy Kirk, who plays
Wilby Daniels in the original Shaggy Dog film would appear in
multiple Disney films set in a college age storyline, The Shaggy Dog
was not one of them, however, his character of Wilby Daniels would
eventually live in the town of Medfield, the location of Medfield
College in the Shaggy D.A. when the character was played by Dean
Jones.
While Professor Quigly and Dexter Riley's stories
focus around things that the characters created through the power of
imagination, Wilby Daniels happened to just have found an old ring
that was cursed resulting in him being transformed into a dog.
The final character on teh door is Merlin Jones, who
is also played by Tommy Kirk.Merlin Jones appears in The
Misadventures of Merlin Jones and the Monkey's Uncle. Much like the
Dexter Riley trilogy, both films focus on a college that will
receive funding if the college students come together to create some
sort of scientific innovention . The film takes place at Midvale
College, yet another fictional college created by Disney. By the
time Dexter Ridley and Wilby Daniels would make apperances in the
late 1960s and early 1970s Disney would rename the college from
Midvale College to the Medfield College we all know and love today.
So while going past this hallway in the attraction,
you are passing a lab where some of the greatest imaginations that
have ever appeared on screen have joined together to most likely
save the college once again.
But why are their names found on this specific door?
Join us next Fun Find Friday to have that question answered!
December 1, 2017
Location: Main Street, USA, Magic Kingdom
When the Magic Kingdom first opened, the West side
of Main Street, USA was divided into two sections. The South end was
still a massive store known as the Emporium while the North end
consisted of Coke Corner (now Casey's Corner), the Penny Arcade, the
Main Street Bookstore, and the House of Magic. The area between the
South end and North ends of the streets was a continuation of Center
Street which still exists on the East side of the street today.
In 1995, Center Street on the West end disappeared
by having another an expansion to the Emporium built connecting the
South and North ends of the street together. Unfortunately, with
this addition the Penny Arcade, the Main Street Bookstore, and the
House of Magic became history. While the interior was still
considered part of the Emporium, the exterior became different store
facades including the Hall of Champions.
Inside the Hall of Champions various trophies and
sports items were scattered around the store to fit with the theming
although many of the items inside the store were typical merchandise
items. All seemed lost to the past of Main Street, USA until last
month.
One of the sections in front of the Emporium which
used to have the Hall of Champions signs disappeared and was
replaced by an old friend:

Sure, the store is still part of the Emporium and
isn't a working magic shop like it was when the park first opened
up, it's nice to have a little piece of opening day Magic Kingdom
back on Main Street, USA.
November 24, 2017
Location: Mickey's Toontown, Disneyland
The queue for Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin is
extremely detailed and deserves a walk through to find all the
secrets waiting to be discovered. As soon as guests enter into the
building they can find two walls with license plates scattered upon
them. Each of these plates references a different Disney location,
film, character, song, or phrase:

The license plates here read "CAP 10 HK" (Captain
Hook), " L MERM8" (Little Mermaid), "101 DLMN" (101 Dalmatians),
"FAN T C" (Fantasy), "RS2CAT" (Aristocats), "ZPD2DA" (Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah),
and "3 LIL PGS" (The Three Little Pigs).
The other wall has the following:

The plates here read "2N TOWN" (Toon Town), "BB
Wolf" (Big Bad Wolf), "MR TOAD" (Mr. Toad), "1DRLND" (Wonderland),
"1D N PTR" (Wendy and Peter), and "IM L8" (I'm Late).
November 17, 2017
Location: Studio Backlot, Disney California
Adventure
The Collector, also known as Taneleer Tivan,is the
owner of the Tivan Collection, aka home of the Guardians of the
Galaxy Mission: Breakout attraction. The Collector is the original
member of the Elders of the Universe, a group of the final members
of a race that finds obsession with various tasks. In Tivan's case,
it's an obsession with collecting various items throughout the
galaxy.
In the newest chapter of the Marvel Cinematic
Universe, Thor and Hulk battle it out before the Grandmaster. The
Grandmaster has an obsession with gaming, and much like the
Collector, he is a member of the Elders of the Universe. So what
does this have to do with anything?
Inside the Collector's exhibit at Disney California
adventure, guests can find the following painting:

Here guests can see that The Collector and the
Grandmaster have participated in a game of some sort and the
Grandmaster, who specializes in gaming, appears to have lost to the
Collector. Just one more way to show the connections between various
characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe while in the theme
parks!
November 10, 2017
Location: Studio Backlot, Disney California
Adventure
Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout is home to
the Tivan Collection, the personal collection by The Collector of
items from around the galaxy from the Guardian of the Galaxy films.
While a lot of items in the collection may seem odd and strange to
visitors, there are a few artifacts here that are very familiar to
Disney park fans. Today we will be taking a look at one of these
items.
After passing through the Collector's personal
office, guests enter into the loading chamber for the elevator lifts
that will bring guests to see the rarest item of them all, The
Guardians of the Galaxy! While here, however, a few surprises are in
store.
In preparation for Disneyland's 60th anniversary,
the park received several upgrades around the resort. Included in
these upgrades was the replacement of the yeti on the Matterhorn
Bobsled attraction. The former yeti, lovingly known as Harrold, was
replaced by a more terrifying beast to keep up with the times.
While it would appear that Harrold was lost forever
to some, The Collector stumbled across this tossed aside beast and
has decided to have him take up residency within his collection.
Harrold can be found on a balcony halfway through the boarding area
of the attraction!

November 3, 2017
Originally published April 12, 2013
Location: Muppet Vision 3-D, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
This past Monday Disney lost one of its most beloved
Disney Legends, Annette Funicello. Annette was one of the original
stars of the Mickey Mouse Club, handpicked by Walt himself, who
would eventually go on to a successful singing and acting career.
From singing Tall Paul to starring in The Monkey's Uncle, Annette
had a truly memorable career with Disney.
To show their love for Annette, Imagineers added a
detail to the preshow area of Muppet Vision 3-D when the attraction
first opened. While we've gone into a lot of detail about this
amazingly detailed area, I think it'd only be appropriate to focus
on this object right here in Annette's memory:

Just after passing through the hallway and entering
the room, this net can be found almost immediately to your left. So
what is it exactly? Well, those orange and green cubes are blocks of
Jello. I know, pretty random, but this is the Muppets we are talking
about here. So what on earth does this mean? Well, since it is the
Muppets it's a clever play on words. This is indeed a net full of
Jello, a very close name to Annette Funicello!
October 27, 2017
Location: Echo Lake, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios has been going through
some drastic changes over the past few years. In early 2015, the
Sorcerer's Hat disappeared, later that year the Magic of Disney
Animation closed. Shortly after that the Studio Backlot Tour closed
followed by Lights, Motors, Action and the Streets of America. And
in the middle of all of it, in 2015, the original park icon, The
Earful Tower, disappeared.
While a lot of these items may be gone forever,
their spirit still lives on over at the ABC Commissary. Just above
the order area is a giant mural of Disney's Hollywood Studios before
the Sorcerer's Hat even made it's way to the park in 2001!

Upon the mural, guests can still find the entrance
of the Magic of Disney Animation sign along with the Earful Tower
off in the distance!


Just goes to show that not everything at Disney
disappears forever!
October 20, 2017
Location: Fantasyland, Disneyland Paris
Unlike the American Disney parks, Disneyland Paris
has a slower moving vibe around it. In place of multiple attractions
where guests board ride vehicles, guests explore walk through
attractions that take guests on trips through Captain Nemo's
submarine, Aladdin, or a maze in Wonderland. Due to these slower
moving experiences, it makes sense that a slow moving animal can be
found hidden upon Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Crawling up the Castle turrets, guests can find
little golden balls decorating the side. While at first they appear
to be simply little balls, upon further inspection it's the animal
that best symbolizes the pace of the park:

That's right! A group of snails can be found slowly
and silently ascending the castle!
October 13, 2017
Location: Sunset Boulevard, Disney's
Hollywood Studios
It's Friday the 13th which means it's time for a
trip over to the Hollywood Tower Hotel!
AAA has always given awards to hotels and resorts
around the country a coveted 5 Star Award for exceptional service.
While many hotels have strived to reach this coveted award, the
Hollywood Tower Hotel, home of the Tower of Terror, strived for a
little more.
While in the lobby of the Hollywood Tower Hotel,
take a look at the wall behind the concierge desk. Upon the wall
guests can find the following plaque hanging there:

While difficult to see, AAA awarded the Hollywood
Tower Hotel with a special unprecedented 13 Star Award to
commemorate the 13 stories that guests plunge during their visit!
October 6, 2017
Location: Grand Avenue, Disney's Hollywood
Studios
This past week the Baseline Tap House, along with
Grand Avenue, opened up at Disney's Hollywood Studios. The new
section of the park has taken over the former area known as Streets
of America. While Streets of America may be gone, there are still
some references to the previous area that are still found in the
area.
One of the most beloved shops in Disney's Hollywood
Studios, The Writer's Stop, has been replaced by the Tap House, but
the Writer's Stop lives on in a simple detail found upon the
shelves.
The Base Line Tap House is meant to represent the
inside of a printing press shop, so due to this, scattered
throughout the store are various items that one may find in a
printing press. On the shelves are a total of ten letters scattered
around revealing a nice nod:



If you read all the letteres from left to right you
can see that it reads Writer's Stop. Not only that, but the letters
found here are the actual letters from the sign from the old shop!
September 29, 2017
Location: Adventureland, Magic Kingdom
While guests enter into Walt Disney World's Pirates
of the Caribbean attraction, they will pass underneath the following
sign at the entrance:

When the attraction first opened up in 1973, the
name written here was simply El Castillo, which translated from
Spanish means The Castle, a fitting name due to the fact that the
fortress that Pirates of the Caribbean is housed in looks
reminiscent of of a castle. The name of the fort would eventually be
renamed to the Castillo del Morro due to the influence that the
Castillo San Felipe del Morro in San Juan, Puerto Rico had for the
design of the attractin's exterior.
Underneath the Castillo del Morro section of the
sign, guests can find the date MDCXLIII A.D. While originally the
Roman Numerals found here were a representatation of 1973, the year
Pirates of the Caribbean opened in Walt Disney World,, the reference
here is actually to 1643, the year that the actual fort in San Juan
was established!
September 22, 2017
Location: All-Star Sports
The All-Star Resorts are often overlooked by most
guests as cheap and gimmicky resorts that may not have as much
backstory as the rest of the resorts found throughout Walt Disney
World property. While that may be true at times, there are some
details found within these resorts that are often overlooked by
guests even though the details are larger than life.
In the Football section of All-Star Sports, guests
can walk through a football field that has various plays laid out
upon the large field. While the play may result in a a touchdown,
it's the pennants that circle the section that lead us into today's
fun Find Friday.
While the Baseball section of the resort's pennants
focus solely on Major League Baseball teams, the Football section
does not feature a single team from the National Football League.
Instead, guests can find team names for college teams such as
Bulldogs, Boilermakers, and my personal favorite, Badgers.
While that seems like a nice little detail, there's
two notable teams from the state of Florida that are missing: the
Florida Gators and the Florida State Seminoles. So how can Disney
reference so many college teams without paying tribute to the
biggest rivalry in the state of Florida?
As mentioned earlier, sometimes details are larger
than life and staring at us without us knowing it. The two giant
football helmets are painted in Orange and Blue and Garnet and Gold,
aka the school colors for Florida and Florida State!


September 15, 2017
Location: Future World, Epcot
Spaceship Earth is one of the most iconic
attractions found throughout Walt Disney Word with several details
just waiting to be discovered. While we could go on and on about
the audio-animatronics in the attraction (that'll be for another
time), today we are going to be looking at a detail found towards
the end of the ascent in the attraction.
While guests begin to get closer to modern forms of
communication like Newpapers, movie theaters, and television,
there's a detail found on the right hand side of the attraction that
may be overlooked on your first and second or twentieth ride
through. The detail can be found in the radio scene:

While the scene seems very simple with not a lot of
detail, the item that needs to be given the attention here is the
microphone in front of the radio announcer. Here we can see that the
radio station is WDI. While this isn't a nod to an actual radio
station, it is a nod to the creators behind Disney parks around the
world: Walt Disney Imagineering!
September 8, 2017
Location: Discovery Island, Disney's Animal
Kingdom
Pizzafari is one of the most detailed restaurants on
Disney property. Every room has a unique theme while focusing on
special details throughout the rooms that most people may never
notice. The detail we will be looking at today isn't just a detail
that most guests miss out on, but a detail that an Imagineer
overlooked as well!
The largest dining room in the restaurant is the
upside down room. All of the animals painted upon the walls and
found scattered throughout the room are hanging upside down in some
way with the exception of one animal (which will be a whole
different Fun Find Friday). Today, we will be taking a look at the
back portion of this room where an Imagineer started a detail that
was never finished.
Upon the wall guests can find a row of opossums
hanging from a tree. While at first nothing seems to be odd about
the picture, but at closer look, you may notice something wrong with
the third opossum from the right:

No, not the one with the body. The third opossum
over is missing! Here you can just find a tail hanging from a tree
with a missing body!
September 1, 2017
Location: Main Street, USA, Disneyland Paris
While in Disneyland Paris one wouldn't expect to
find too many references to one of the most American films Disney
ever created, however Main Street, USA still pays tribute to all
things American including a very slight nod to the walt Disney live
action film, "Pollyanna."
Within the gift shops on the right side of the
street there are various department signs hanging from the ceiling.
While most of these feature items like clothing, children, toys,
among other things. In the second section of stores on the right
hand side, about half way down, guests can find the following sign:

The sign reads Harrington's, and if you recall in
Pollyanna, that was the name of the Glad Town that Pollyanna came to
and slowly changed the lives of everyone who lived there.
August 25, 2017
Location: Mickey's toontown, Disneyland
It's no question that Mickey Mouse is a pretty big
deal. Throughout the past 89 years he has touched the lives of
millions in his short films, feature length films, theme park
appearances, television appearances, and much more. The mouse has
really done it all throughout the years. And what better way to
celebrate his achievements, than by walking around Mickey's House in
Disneyland's Toontown?
Scattered throughout the house guests are treated to
numerous fun finds, but today we are going to be taking a look at
this detail found on a shelf in Mickey's living room:

The certificate of merit reads: "Awarded to Mickey
Mouse for excellence in Alpine Climbing" and is dated July 25, 1936.
Next to the certificate is a picture of Mickey climbing up a
mountain. The picture is from the classic Mickey Mouse short,
Alpine Climbers. The short cartoon debuted on, you guessed it,
July 25, 1936!
Another detail to pay attention to is the name of
the mayor of Toontown. While most characters mentioned around
Toontown are familiar to guests, the mayor is a new character made
specifically for the land. Her name? Anna Mation
August 18, 2017
Location: Hollywood Boulevard, Disney's
Hollywood Studios
This past Sunday Ellen's Energy Adventure and The
Great Movie Ride closed up for good. While the two beloved
attractions may be gone, that's not going to stop us from sharing
some amazing details in both attractions! This week we will be
taking a look at a detail in the Alien scene of The Great
Movie Ride that was often overlooked by guests.
While first entering the spaceship Nostromo, there
are multiple computer screens on the lower left hand corner. While
some of these just feature nonsense numbers and letters, the first
one looks a little like this:

The middle paragraph reads "The Nostromo welcomes
all aliens visiting today from the Glendale Galaxy. We hope you have
a pleasant stay with us." This is a nod to the fact that Walt Disney
Imagineering is located in Glendale, California!
August 11, 2017
Location: Hollywood Boulevard, Disney's
Hollywood Studios
With The Great Movie Ride closing up in only two
days, today we are going to be taking a look at a fun find found in
front of the classic attraction. In order to get into this fun find,
we need to take a look at a brief history of how the attraction came
into being.
The idea for a movie making pavilion was first
proposed for one of the empty locations in Future World over in
Epcot with the main attraction focusing around a Great Movie Ride
that took guests into some of the most classic scenes in American
cinema. It was quickly decided that the idea was igger than just an
individual pavilion, but had the legs for an entire theme park.
So the idea took off quickly and Disney began to
search high and low for various activities that they could do to
give guests a completely immersive Hollywood experience while still
remaining in Florida. Film production began on multiple films and
television shows, animators began to work on films like Mulan,
Brother Bear, and Lilo and Stitch, and attractions began to be
thought up of that would give guests the ideas of how a film truly
was made.
There was just something missing though, and that
was the actual celebrities. Sure, guests were meant to be the star
of their own story, but Disney wanted to bring actual stars to the
guests to feel like they truly were in Hollywood.
It was decided that in front of The Great Movie
Ride, handprints would be placed out front mimicing the handprints
found in front of the actual Chinese Theater in Hollywood which the
exterior of The Great Movie Ride was mirrored after.
Disney brought out some of their biggest stars like
Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Dick Van Dyke, some of their biggest
collaborators like George Lucas and Jim Henson, and then of course,
some true Hollywood legends. Most of these ceremonies were held in
front of actual guests so they could truly get a feel for what
Hollywood was all about. I know, I know. What's the Fun Find?
Today's Fun Find takes a look at one square which has a very unique
background to it:

April 29, 1989, just days before Disney-MGM Studios
opened to the public, several celebrities were invited to have their
handprints placed in front of the attraction so guests visiting on
opening day woul d have handprints already set in stone to give the
theater a feeling of having been around for ages already up to that
point.
Audrey Hepburn, who was best known for films like
Roman Holiday, My Fair Lady, and Breakfast at Tiffany's began to
choke up while making her mark in cement. When she was asked why she
was getting so emotional she let the press know that throughout her
entire career, she had never been selected to have her handprints
placed in actual Hollywood and that being honored at Disney-MGM
Studios was like having a dream come true for her.
Quickly the actual Graumann's Chinese theater got
hold of the story and apologized to her for being overlooked and
they quickly insisted that she come out to have her handprints
immortalized in front of their theater. She responded by politely
declining stating that her handprints were at Disney and that would
always be good enough for her.
August 4, 2017
Location: Future World, Epcot
In the Fall of 1999, the entrance of Epcot received
the brand new addition known as Leave a Legacy. From 19999 until
2007, guests could purchase a tile that allowed their face to remain
at the entrance of Epcot for at least ten years:

While looking through the tiles, you can find
numerous guests that have visited the parks throughout the years,
but one thing most people overlook is the fact that sometimes
celebrities visit the parks as well. On the fourth row up in section
F on the front right section of the Leave a Legacy, guests can find
the five members of the Orlando, Florida based band NSYNC. The band
was still together when the Leave a Legacy originally debuted and
the five members still stand together here in Epcot:

July 28, 2017
Location: Future World East, Epcot
When I first started this website, it coincided with
my book which takes a look at the Disney animated film references
found throughout the Walt Disney World. The website would allow me
the chance to update new references to films that I may have missed
while doing research in 2009. For years I have often wished I hadn't
missed an obvious reference in the original draft, but I've been
wanting to write about it for quite some time.
The reference can be found at the Universe of
Energy's Ellen Energy's Adventure. With the attraction closing in
less than three weeks, it's time that we finally take a look at this
missing reference.
The most exciting portion of the attraction is when
guests have a chance to go through a giant diorama featuring
multiple dinosaurs. While several of the influences come from the
Grand Canyon Concourse on the Disneyland railroad, one specific
scene is taken from the 1940 classic, Fantasia!
During the Rite of Spring portion of the film,
viewers watch the struggles that dinosaurs would have gone through
including the battle between a Stegosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Luckily for people visitng Epcot, they have had a chance to witness
this famous battle for the past 35 years here at the Universe of
Energy!

Ellen's energy Adventure will be closing for good on
August 13, 2017. Make sure to check it out before it's gone for
good!
July 21, 2017
Location: Adventureland, Magic Kingdom
At times connections between the parks and movies
are extremely obvious, like Dumbo the Flying Elephant presenting
Dumbo from the classic film. Then there are other references that
aren't even meant to represent a film, but due to both the film and
the attraction taking inspiration from the same sources, happy
coincidences occur. Today we are going to be talking about one of
these happy occurrences.
While recently at Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room
I took a look at a nearby Tiki statue and was shocked to see a
detail that would have meant little to me this time last year:

In addition to the Enchanted Tiki Room being
inspired by the islands of Hawaii, the 2016 hit Disney film, Moana,
was also inspired by the islands. During the film, Moana is given
the task of returning the heart of Te Fiti to its rightful location.
Along the way she meets up with Maui who stole the heart in the
first place and the two take on the task together while singing some
catchy tunes.
The heart of Te Fiti was an already existing shape
found in Hawaiian culture and clearly the animators for Moana were
not the first ones to take inspiration from the shape. As you can
see, the stomach of the tiki god here also features this shape and
has for 45 years before it made its debut in Moana!

July 14, 2017
Location: Pandora, Disney's Animal Kingdom
We are once again returning to Pandora - the World
of Avatar this week to take a look at an often overlooked detail in
the exit of Avatar Flight of Passage. While guests travel the first
portion of the queue, they enter into a cave featuring multiple hand
prints and cave drawings in one of the earliest documentations of
the Na'vi residents on Pandora. Amongst these Na'vi handprints are
the handprints of humans as well as they began to visit the planet
After leaving the initial cave area, the handprints
become less scattered and not as present as they are in the first
room. Once guests are leaving the attraction, however, there are
three handprints that can be found on the bottom wall on the right
hand side in the long corridor that leads back to the land of
Pandora. What's different about these three handprints are the
initials that accompany each one:

So who are the the owners of these three handprints?
They actually don't symbolize characters from the film, but the
creators of Pandora (both on screen and in the park). The JR stands
for Joe Rohde, who is an Imagineer that not only helped design the
land, he was the main creator for both Pandora and the entire park
that is Disney's Animal Kingdom. The JC and JL belong to the two
main filmmakers for the Avatar film, James Cameron and Jon Landau!
July 7, 2017
Location: Pandora, Disney's Animal Kingdom
Since Disney's Animal Kingdom opened in 1998, there
has been a weird phenomenon occurring at Disney parks and it
revolves around the evolution of the restroom. Prior to Disney's
Animal Kingdom, the theming of the restrooms was practically
non-existent and a restroom was just a restroom.
In the past 19 years though, the restrooms around
Disney have started to help tell the story found around the land in
some way or another and the restrooms in Pandora follow suit with
their very own storyline.
Outside of the restrooms located near the entrance
to Pandora guests can find the following sign on the building out
front:

Since the Mo'ara Valley was once inhabited by humans
trying to retrieve the energy source precious to the Navi, there are
remnants of the culture they left behind scattered all around. The
sign outside of the restroom shows that the building that now houses
the restroom was at one point a decontamination station. To
take it a step further, the sign even subtly hints that the stalls
found within the restroom were at one point decon stalls that would
allow guests to get rid of waste they may have caught while
exploring the planet. Subtle? Due to the majority of guests passing
by the sign without paying attention, it's surprisingly subtle while
also being in your face about the new purpose of the decontamination
center!
June 30, 2017
Location: Frontierland
The first attraction guests come across in
Frontierland is the often overlooked Frontierland Shootin' Arcade.
Here guests have the opportunity to shoot 97 different targets that,
when shot, interact in various ways. Some of them result in items
moving, owls hooting, and tombstones creaking. the most popular
target is the sign in the middle of the room, which when shot, turns
into a For Sale sign from the usual sign instructing guests that the
name of the town is Boothill.

But why Boothill? While most people associate it
with Tombstone, Arizona where the cemetery in the legendary
town is known as Boothill Cemetery, that's actually only partially
true.
Boothill is actually a common phrase for graveyards
in the 1800s where men would be buried with their boots on
after losing in gunfights within various towns. So next time you are
in Frontierland, stop by and pay respect to those men who just
weren't quick enough on the draw.
June 23, 2017
Location: Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom
Beginning in the late 1920s until the success of
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the Walt Disney Studios was located
on Hyperion Avenue. Throughout the years, Disney has paid homage to
the studio where the classic Disney characters, along with the first
full length feature animated film was created throughout their
parks. Today's Fun Find takes us into the queue of Space Mountain
for one of these references.

While in line for Space Mountain, guests can find
several maps on the left wall featuring maps of various galaxies.
The second map along the wall The second map along the wall
features the Titan Stations - Sector Two. While most of the
locations found here represent names that would appear in a galaxy
far, far away, pay special attention to the location on the map on
the far right:

That's right! This spot in the galaxy is home to the
Disney's Hyperion Resort, a nice little nod to Hyperion Avenue in an
attraction that opened forty years after Disney earned money for
their new studio in Burbank!
June 16, 2017
Location: Carsland, Disney California
Adventure
Today the third film in the Cars franchise will be
released so naturally we will be taking a look at a Fun Find in
Carsland, the California Adventure land dedicated solely to the very
first Cars film.During the credits of the original Cars film, there
is a great scene where Mack arrives at a drive in movie theater. In
honor of that drive in theater, today's Fun Find Friday will take a
look at a nod to a live action Disney film found within the land.
While waiting for Luigi's Rollicking Roadsters,
guests can find a bulletin board filled with several memorabilia
items placed upon it. While most of these items focus around racing
stars in the Cars world, there is a movie poster for a Disney live
action film that is set inside the world of Cars. The film? 20,000
Leaks Under the Sea (a play on words for 20,000 Leagues Under the
Sea):
