Disneyland Facts and Secrets You Probably Don’t Know

Growing up in Southern California, my friends and I became Disneyland fanatics. We constantly searched for Hidden Mickeys and for some reason even checked Disney parks wait times while at school as a pastime.

By far, our favorite thing to do was collect endless amounts of Disney secrets and give them to innocent bystanders who never asked for them. As an adult, I have chilled out with my Disney trivia in daily interactions, but if you attend Disneyland with me in person you bet I will jump on the opportunity to tell you about Walt’s apartment. I also still love watching channels like Theme Park History and Defunctland. All of this basically means I have a lot of Disneyland knowledge and no outlet for it.

There is a basketball court inside the Matterhorn

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No, this isn’t an old wives’ tale. The court is a small space in the attic of the mountain. When the attraction first opened, it was used as a rest stop for hired climbers to scale the sides of the mountain. Now, it is used as a starting point for when there is a flight to the castle during the fireworks.

Shady Things Happen on the Haunted Mansion

This ride is known for its’ family-friendly spooks and ghoulish song that plays as you avoid your demise. However, some people do ask Disneyland if they can spread ashes on the ride. Their answer is always no. But others do not ask, and attempt to spread ashes while on the ride.

The Splash Mountain Nickname

Splash Mountain (which will soon become Princess and the Frog themed!), takes a photo of guests at the last drop. Some guests have in the past taken advantage of this feature and have flashed the camera. Earning it the name “Flash Mountain”. As a result, Disney created a position specifically to keep an eye out for these special photos. As of 2009, the position no longer exists.

You Can Have a Snack While You Wait in Tomorrowland

All of the plants in Tomorrowland are edible! Although I would strongly recommend not indulging in picking the grass and taking a bite, you technically could.

They make doors invisible

Alright, I’m exaggerating here. When Disneyland does not want you to pay attention to certain areas of the park (e.g. cast member sites, construction sites) they paint it a color called No see em green. This color is aimed to make you eye gloss over the less glamorous bits.

Doritos were invented in Disneyland

At the parks opening, the Frito-Lay company owned a restaurant in Disneyland. Their restaurant had an abundance of tortilla chips that would often go uneaten, so as a result, Doritos were born.

Technically, no one has died

Although a handful of guests have definitely passed away on Disney attractions, no one has been pronounced dead on Disneyland property. This is because paramedics can only pronounce people dead once off Disney property to avoid a death toll.

People have been born in the park!

On the other side of the spectrum, there have been four babies born in Disneyland. The first one being Teresa Salcedo, pictured above. Contrary to popular belief, these babies do not receive a lifetime pass.

Take a closer look while on Star Tours

The C-3PO and R2-D2 that you see in the queue, are actual props from the Star Wars movies. George Lucas wanted the ride to feel authentic so he loaned Disney these classic characters.

There is an apartment above Pirates of the Caribbean

Before Walt Disney passed, Imagineers were building an apartment above the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction for him and his wife. He passed during the process and it has since turned into a space for VIP guests and is known as the “Disneyland Dream Suite”.

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