Looking for fun?Who isn't? Here you'll find fun Disney facts and Disneyland trivia.
There's a basketball court in the Matterhorn. It's a small space at the top of the structure where cast members (aka employees) can rest. Some say there's a ping-pong table too. Others say it's now used as a storage facility.
Hidden Mickey on Google Earth (Florida)
There are "hidden Mickeys" scattered throughout the park. Look around: The Mickey Mouse head shape can be found in bushes, formed by buildings, etched in surfaces, and countless other places. There are entire websites and smartphone apps devoted to finding them.
Ever feel like it takes longer to walk into Disneyland than it does to leave? That's a trick purposely played on your senses. The Disneyland architects use "forced perspective" on Main Street to make the road going toward Sleeping Beauty's castle seem longer than when you're on your way out. The windows on the second floor of the buildings are smaller than the first, the buildings curve in slightly, and other subtle tricks make the excitement of entering Disneyland seem to last longer.
Club 33 is a secret club inside Disneyland. It's at 33 Royal Street by the Blue Bayou and Pirates of the Caribbean ride. You can see it on the way out of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride-- look at the second level of the Blue Bayou restaurant. Club 33 has about 400 members and waiting time for a membership is about 3 years. Membership fees range from $9,500 to $25,000, with annual fees an additional $3-6,000.
When the moat around Sleeping Beauty's Castle is dredged, the money retrieved from it is given to charity.
Walt Disney never owned Disneyland. He was the creative genius behind the concept and had stock in the company, but he never owned a controlling share.
Having a birthday at Disneyland? Go to City Hall on your way in. They'll give you a personalized sticker to wear which may earn you some special recognition by characters and cast members around the park.
Fantasmic lasts about 22 minutes and costs $30,000 to produce. This nighttime fireworks-and-water show is held twice each night during the peak season and on weekends only during the off-season.
The Haunted Mansion is actually located outside of Disneyland. When you walk through the portrait hall on the way to the "stretching" room, you're really walking under Disney's railroad tracks toward a soundstage-like building outside of the park. The stretching room is really an elevator that takes you underground into this soundstage.
Splash Mountain has earned the nickname "Flash Mountain" because of women exposing themselves to the cameras in the ride. A camera snaps a photo of each log as it goes over the steepest waterfall, and some women think it's funny to whip up their tops while they say "Cheese". Cheesy!
In 1959, the Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev wanted to go to Disneyland but wasn't allowed to. Apparently the LAPD thought it would be too risky. Khrushchev was not happy about it.
Disneyland used to have its own postmark so when you mailed a postcard on Main St., your recipient knew it had been mailed from Disneyland. (It no longer does.) Main Street also used to have a bank you could open an account in and a printing press that published an actual newspaper.
Disneyland is open 365 days a year.
Over 200 cats roam the park at night to control mice (wild ones, not Mickey or Minnie) and other vermin. They're around during the day but prefer to come out at night since they are nocturnal-- and also since the late cleaning crews tend to feed them. See if you can spot any! Thanks to Kerry from San Bernadino
Thank you to annual passholder Lauren of Santa Ana for these next 3 tips and Disneyland trivia.
The Goofy Water in Toon Town at the gas station is fun to drink at night. (It turns different colors.)
There's a Magic Lamp in a store across from the Jungle Cruise. For $1 you can rub the lamp and hear some silly jokes. Your kids might like it!
Downtown Disney has fun bands on the weekend evenings.
Catch the mini water-and-light show at the Disneyland Hotel. Go to the Fantasia Fountain way in the back of the grounds, beyond the waterfalls.
Ask a monorail conductor if you can sit in the very front car. It's a pretty cool experience!
For more Disneyland trivia like which now-famous people used to work humble jobs at the park, see the bottom of the Disneyland Job Tips page.
On a cold day, head for the Grand Californian Hotel and curl up by their huge outdoor fireplace. It's totally free and you don't need to be a guest staying there. More on the Grand Californian here.
