Disney World is a huge place with tons of little details that are easy to miss. On your next trip to Disney World, be on the lookout for some of my top ten personal favorite sights.
1. The Sword in the Stone
The Sword in the Stone has always been something I associate with Disneyland, but did you know there’s actually one in Disney World as well? The Sword in the Stone is located in front of Prince Charming’s carousel, and makes for a fun photo opportunity. It’s been rumored that there’s a cast member who watches the sword from a distance and uses a switch to operate it, deciding who will get to lift the sword.
2. Steering the Liberty Square Riverboat
Next time you ride the Liberty Square Riverboat, ask a cast member to ride in the wheelhouse. If you’re allowed, you’ll get to sit with the captain, “steer” the riverboat, and take home a commemorative co-pilot certificate. The boat is run on a track and the steering wheel doesn’t really do anything, so there’s no need to worry about crashing the boat.
3. Cinderella’s Wishing Well
On a pathway behind the castle to Cosmic Ray’s, you can find Cinderella’s wishing well, a charming well for making wishes and throwing pennies. The area is perfect for pictures and taking a break, since there are usually very few people there. Another plus is whatever coins you throw into the well are collected frequently and donated to children’s charities.
4. Lady and the Tramp
Near the entrance to Magic Kingdom is an Italian restaurant called Tony’s Town Square, based on the restaurant Tony’s from Lady and the Tramp. In the movie, the dogs place their paw prints in wet cement, inside of a heart that a human couple drew. At Tony’s Town Square, you can find their paw prints in a heart right outside of the restaurant.
5. Audrey Hepburn
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is home to the Chinese Theatre, a replica of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. In front of the building are the hand prints of celebrities such as Mickey Mouse, Robin Williams, Michael Jackson, and Audrey Hepburn. Disney World is the only place in the world where you can find Hepburn’s hand prints. When she did her hand prints, she cried and said she was emotional because she’d never been asked for her hand prints before. The original Grauman’s Theatre immediately took action by contacting Hepburn and asking for her hand prints, but she turned them down, making Disney World the only place in the world to find them.
6. Muppet Vision Key
At Muppet Vision 3D, you’ll find a booth near the entrance with a sign that says ‘Back in 5 minutes key is under mat’. Lift up the mat at the booth and you’ll find a key. Before you get too excited, the key is screwed into the ground, so you won’t be able to try and take it home with you. It still makes for a fun little magic moment, though.
7. Love in a Roller Coaster
This one is a bit harder to find, but still pretty awesome when you can get it. On Aerosmith’s Rock ‘n Roller Coaster, there are six limos, with only five that ever get used. During the ride, Aerosmith music is blasted through the speakers, one of them being Love in an Elevator. If you listen close at the end of the ride, you’ll hear the lyrics were changed to ‘Love in a Roller Coaster’.
8. Pearls in Japan
Epcot’s Japan is home to a store called Mitsukoshi. In this store, you’ll find a large tank of water full of oysters. Pick an oyster and a cast member will take out the pearl in that oyster for you to take home as a gift. The pearls are typically around $16 and make a fun experience. There are also settings for the pearls for you to choose from.
9. Christopher Robin’s Room
In the England Pavilion in Epcot, there used to be a meet and greet area for Winnie the Pooh and his friends. This meet and greet was at the back of a shop called The Toy Soldier, and was decorated to look like Christopher Robin’s bedroom. Today the meet and greet is no longer in operation, but if you go to the very back of The Toy Soldier, you’ll find a door for cast members only. Peer inside and you’ll see Christopher Robin’s bedroom, still in perfect condition.
10. The Electric Umbrella
For any fans still missing Push the Talking Trash Can, visit the Electric Umbrella in Epcot to meet a talking trash can. Look for the trash can that’s plugged in and throw something away to hear it talk to you.
