Last updated on December 29, 2022
Then the visitors cameResort Walt Disney WorldemFlorida, left an indelible mark on the American psyche. However, the success of the resort, which opened in 1971, is not surprising.It made an impression because it put the visitor experience first and combined it with a touch of magic.Whether you live and breathe Disney culture or are just beginning to learn about it, this park is a fascinating place. Here are 71 fun facts about Walt Disney World Resort that might surprise you:
1.Contrary to popular belief, most of Disney World Resort is in the town of Bay Lake, not Orlando. Orlando is just a larger and better known neighboring city.The town of Bay Lake is a good place to visit and explore.
2.All Disney World structures are less than 200 feet tall. The Everest Expedition at Animal Kingdom and the Terror Tower at Hollywood Studios are 199 feet tall.The reason for this is that buildings over 200 feet are required by law to put on aviation lights.Needless to say, this would spoil some of the resort's vibe.
3.To reduce trash, Disney World Resort was designed so that no one has to walk more than thirty steps to find a trash can. As consequence,It is among the cleanest amusement parks in the United States.
4. Disney World has closed four times since it opened.In 1999, the resort was closed due to Hurricane Floyd. Then the 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and the 2002 blackout closed the complex twice in a row. When the complex closed in 2001, it took less than half an hour to evacuate everyone. In 2020, Disney World closed for the fourth time following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
5.More than 10,000 guests came on the first opening day of the Disney World Resort.At that time, the ticket was only $3.50.These days, tickets can cost around thirty times that price, depending on which park you visit. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the complex saw about 50,000 visitors a day.
6.Disney World Resort features tunnels known as "Utilidors" that span nine acres and are fourteen feet underground serving the Magical Kingdom. These tunnels contain breakout rooms for performers, cloakroom sections and garbage chutes, etc.In addition, they allow performers to reach different areas of the park without being seen.
7. The Hollywood Studios at Disney World were real movie studios when they opened in 1989.Famous films and shows were filmed there until the early 2000s when the facility closed. These studios produced films such as Lilo and Stitch, Mulan, and Brother Bear.
8.To fully estimate the land area covered by Disney World Resort,It should be noted that it has 4,000 hectares of landscapes and gardens.Football stadiums cover less than 1.5 hectares. Thus, Disney World has the equivalent of more than 3,000 soccer stadiums of landscapes and gardens.
9.A lot of work has gone into creating the Animal Kingdom at Disney World, which spans 500 acres.A powerful team of seven "Imagineers" (ie designers/builders) led by Joe Rohde, the Creative Portfolio Executive, scoured the planet to capture what wildlife looks like in an authentic way.In total, they covered over half a million miles, which is the same distance one would travel around the planet twenty times.
10 The first attraction added to Disney World's Adventureland in two decades was The Magic Carpets of Aladdin.Adventureland has many legendary attractions including The Enchanted Tiki Room, Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean. Overall, however, this part of the complex changed little between 1973 and 2001 before the addition of the Magic Carpets of Aladdin attraction.
11The amount of money Disney World spends on fireworks is believed to exceed any other private company. Only the US military spends a comparable amount. Although Disney does not release exact numbers,Experts estimate that the amusement park spends around $50 million on fireworks shows every year.
12TrotzThe Beatles ended in 1970 after the release of Let It Be.They officially named it a day at Disney World in 1974. John Lennon received paperwork legally disbanding the Beatles over the Christmas holidays while he was staying at the Polynesian Village Resort.
13Em 1970,Lake Buena Vista STOLport or Lake Buena Vista Airport was built at Disney World to serve as a transportation hub for employees and visitors.The goal was to offer direct flights to Disney World so people wouldn't have to fly to the Orlando airport. However, the airfield did not last long and only operated for a few years before it was closed.
14 president Richard Nixon delivered his infamous "I'm Not a Thief" speech on the grounds of Disney World at the Contemporary Resort.In November 1973, the conference at which this paper was presented was held in one of the resort's conference rooms.
15.Some Disney World rooms offer wildlife views.Animal Kingdom Lodge has 46 acres of bushland that is home to over 200 birds and mammals.These includeGiraffe, marabou stork andZebra. Nature is literally just around the corner.
sixteen. The Disney Harvest program donates leftover food to Central Florida's Second Harvest Food Bank.This helps fight hunger in that area. In addition, Disney donates over £20,000 of fresh food to this charity each year.
17Disney World has an amazing theme park called Experimental Prototyping Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT). This consists of a few sections, namely World Showcase and Future World,and the centerpiece of this park is Spaceship Earth.Visitors experience it all through imagination, energy, inventions and land, sea and space.
18Spaceship Earth at EPCOTIt is designed to prevent water from spilling when it rains.Rainwater flows through a gap in the sixteen million ton sphere and is channeled into the World Showcase Lagoon. Truly a recycling miracle.
19The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disney World has six trains with memorable names.Your name is I.M. Valente, I.B. Bountiful, U.B. Corajoso, I.M. Destemido, U.R. Valente and U.R. bold.
20However, Cinderella Castle at Disney World has an opulent exteriorAppearances can be deceiving.Inside the castle there is only a Cinderella table, a boutique and a restaurant. There is also a hotel room that is almost impossible to book. This room was originally intended to be Walt Disney's personal quarters.
21 EPCOT Land Pavilion grows over thirty tons of fruit and vegetables each year.This product is served in all Disney World restaurants such as the Garden Grill.
22Each World Showcase Pavilion at Disney World features the specific history, details, architecture and culture of the countries it honors. Visitors can admire the Victoria Gardens in the Canadian Pavilion, marvel at artworks in the Moroccan Pavilion and stroll the streets of Paris in the French Pavilion.
23It is well known that Walt Disney died half a decade before Disney World opened.However, fewer people know than his older brother Roy Disney.– who oversaw the construction of the park – died a few months after it opened.
24At Disney World, you can buy just about anything with a Mickey Mouse theme. Although,The only thing not for sale is the exact color of his pants.This information is secret and will not be shared with the public.
25IsMonorail trains at Disney World have made the equivalent of thirty trips to the moon and back since 1971.In 1990, twelve new vehicles were introduced along the 14-mile route to replace the previous fleet.
26Before the Corona pandemicDisney World cast members have washed more than 300,000 pounds of laundry in an average day.So if you washed a single load of laundry every day for 52 years, you would wash as much as performers wash in a day. In addition, up to 32,000 pieces of clothing were dry cleaned every day.
27The Magic Kingdom at Disney World used to have a Seventh Earth known as Mickey's Toontown Fair. However, when the resort expanded in 2012, it was incorporated into New Fantasyland.
28Aerosmith wasn't the first choice for the Rock 'n' Rolla coaster at Disney World.The company originally wanted the Rolling Stones to play the song for the tour.However, the band's fee was very high. The concert was also rejected by other bands such as U2.
29Liberty Square im Magic Kingdom von Disney Worldthere are no toilets.This is done so that this area of the resort is authentic for its time.
30Daily at 5:00 p.m.,An Army veteran performs a flag ceremonye Main Street e Magic Kingdom.
31The Contemporary Resort and Polynesian Village opened in 1971 at the same time as Disney World.The plan was to later open an Asian-themed resort.However, the Grand Floridian was eventually built on this site and opened in June 1988.
32.As you walk down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, you might catch the scent of a bakery. However, this is not real food. Instead of,The Smelitzer machines were hidden in the park's ventilation shafts to emit pleasant scents.
33.EPCOT has nightly fireworks,with over 2000 fireworks with light, torch and laser effects.Each exhibit costs $25,000.
34.The Magic Kingdom train station contains items left behind by famous "guests" including Disney movie characters like Mary Poppins.
35.IsParking at Magic Kingdom has space for over 12,000 vehicles.This area covers 125 hectares and exceeds the size of the theme park.
36.Straws and caps are not provided with Coca-Cola beverages at Disney World's Animal Kingdom. TheIt serves to protect the animals.So try not to spill your drink.
37.When visiting the Magic Kingdom, many people take their photos on the Disney World Railroad. The trains running on this railway are steam-powered and fully functional.Served 1.5 million passengers per yearbefore the corona pandemic.There are four trains in use, built between 1916 and 1928.
38.Disney World's costume department has over 1.2 million items of clothing, making it thethe largest wardrobe department in the world.All performers have three costumes.
39.Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom has a winding brown path that represents the sewage that flowed through America's colonial streets. At that time there was no indoor installation.
40. Lightning rods are scattered throughout Disney World parks.Look closely and you might notice one. The Hollywood Studios Crossroads replica is the most visible. Mickey's right ear serves this purpose as it is made of copper.
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