50 Fabulous Fascinating Walt Disney World Facts

Walt Disney World is the most visited vacation resort in the world and is roughly the same size as San Francisco. The resort is full of interesting statistics and trivia. Here are our Top 50 Fabulous Fascinating Walt Disney World Facts. How many do you know?

Disney World is Massive

The Walt Disney World resort is about the size of San Francisco and to date only around a third of the site has been developed. The original land was purchased by Walt Disney for around $5 Million dollars.

Disney World Tunnels

There are service corridors under Disney World that allow cast members to walk between the different areas. In addition, this allows theming to be maintained in specified areas.

Ever wondered why you never see a costumed character not quite dressed? The secret tunnels is the answer.

Trash Cans

You never need to walk more than 30 steps to find your nearest trash can. Walt Disney implemented this after working out that people would drop litter if they needed to walk more than 30 steps.

Gum

You can’t buy gum in Disney World. Singapore is another famous place where there is a ban on chewing gum. However; there are no restrictions on bringing gum into parks.

It’s A Small World

The first incarnation of It’s a Small World debuted at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

Expedition Everest & Tower Terror are both the same size

They are both 199 feet. Structures over this need a red flashing light on top due to aviation laws.

Mr Toad

Mr Toad’s Wild Ride was an original park favourite and there were many protests prior to its closure. Toad can still be seen in a picture at Winnie the Pooh where he hands over the deeds to the ride to Owl. In the pet cemetery of the Haunted Mansion, there is a tombstone for J.Thaddeus Toad.

Feel like Chicken Tonight?

Walt Disney World Resort includes more than 200 restaurants, more than any other single-site vacation destination in the world.

Food

Over 10 million hamburgers are sold at Disney World each year.

Turkey Legs

More than 1.6 million turkey legs are consumed at the parks every year. However, what happens to the rest of the turkey?

Can I have a Pepsi?

Pepsi isn’t sold at Walt Disney World. However, more than 50 million Cokes will be each year.

Park Full

Although rarely full; apart from major holidays; the maximum capacity of the Magic Kingdom is 100,000. On average just under 50,000 people attend Disney World each day. The Magic Kingdom is the most popular theme park in the world.

Hidden Mickeys

There are thousands of Hidden Mickeys throughout the resort and more are added with each change. A Hidden Mickey is a representation of Mickey Mouse that has been inserted subtly into the design of a ride, attraction or other location. Why not see how many you can find on your next visit?

Cinderella’s Castle

Is 189 foot tall and is made out of fibreglass.

13 Gargoyles appear on the outside of Cinderella Castle.

The whole castle took 18 months to build.

A lot of Hotel Rooms

There are 30000 rooms you can book at Disney World. Our guide tells you more about Walt Disney World Resorts.

70,000 cast help make your vacation.

Walt Disney World Resort is the largest single-site employer in the United States. 70,000 cast members are employed to help make your vacation magical.

Smile for the Camera

Disney’s PhotoPass photographers take between 100,000 and 200,000 photos of guests at Walt Disney World Resort every single day.

Liberty Oak

Liberty Oak is the focal point of the Liberty Square area. More than 500 young trees have been grown from acorns harvested off the tree.

Summit Plummet

The big thrill ride at Blizzard Beach is 120 feet high. With speeds of up to 55 mph, it is one of the world’s fastest free-fall water slides.

Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid

There are 183 characters in Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid. 128 are featured in the “Under the Sea” scene.

The largest character, Ursula is 7 1/2-feet tall and 12 feet wide!

Cinderella Castle Secret Room

There is secret suite inside the castle. The suite cannot be booked and is only used as part of competitions.

Recycling

More than 57,000 recycled bricks from nearby Rollins College were used in the landscape of The Landing at Disney Springs.

Animal Kingdom Drinks

To keep it safe for the animals you cannot get plastic straws or cup lids at the Animal Kingdom.

Lost your sunglasses?

You are not alone!

Every day an average of 210 pairs are turned in to Walt Disney World Lost & Found.

Opening

The Magic Kingdom opened on the 1st October 1971 as the first part of Walt Disney World.

Alcohol

Traditionally alcohol was forbidden in the Magic Kingdom.

In 2012 Be Our Guest became the first venue in The Magic Kingdom to sell alcohol but all other restaurants remained dry.

Recently other table service restaurants in the Magic Kingdom have started to sell a small quantity of alcohol.

Railroad

The Walt Disney World Railroad circles around the entire 1.5-mile perimeter of the Magic Kingdom and makes stops at Main Street, Frontierland, and Fantasyland.

The 7th Land

There used to be a 7th Land in The Magic Kingdom called Mickey’s Toontown Fair. It merged into New Fantasyland during the 2012 expansions.

What does Epcot mean?

Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow……obvious really!

Epcot was initially intended to be a Utopian City of the future planned by Walt Disney. His original vision did not materialise but the name resurfaced for the 2nd Walt Disney World Park.

Epcot

Walt Disney’s original plans for Epcot can be seen when riding Tomorrowland Transit Authority.

Spaceship Earth

Spaceship Earth is 180 feet tall and covered with 11,324 tiles.

World Showcase

2 pavilions have been added since the park’s opening. Morocco in 1984 & Norway in 1986.

Chinese Theatre

The Chinese Theatre is a full-scale recreation of the original Hollywood Theatre’s exterior and lobby.

Hollywood Brown Derby

The restaurant is a replica of the original restaurant in Los Angeles. The original restaurant was destroyed by fire in 1987.

Beastly Kingdom

The original plans for the Animal Kingdom featured an area called Beastly Kingdom. The Beastly Kingdom was to feature mythical animals such as unicorns & dragons.

The section was never built due to budget cuts. Eventually, a new land Pandora – The World of Avatar was built on the land reserved for the Beastly Kingdom.

Animals

There are around 2000 animals representing 300 species at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Tree of Life

Isn’t a real tree but built around an old oil platform.

It is 145 feet tall and features 325 carvings.

Kilimanjaro Safaris is Big

The attraction is bigger than the entire Magic Kingdom. Kilimanjaro Safaris is the biggest attraction in all the Disney Parks.

Reproduction

The first birth at Disney’s Animal Kingdom was a kudu. Kudu are African antelopes. Since then over 150 breeds of animal have reproduced in the park.

Mountain Ranges

The floating mountains in Pandora – World of Avatar are 156 feet tall. Forced perspective is used to make the mountains appear larger than they actually are.

It takes place after the movies

Avatar – The World of Pandora is set a generation after the movie and future sequels events.

We are advised that Pandora is now a place of calm and learning

Spreading ashes at Disney World

This is strictly not allowed but is a regular occurrence. There are strict cleaning protocols in place should this happen.

Uncle Henry is more likely to end up in a Henry than on Dumbo!

Mickey Mouse has a lot of clothes

In fact, he has over 300 outfits

A lot of trees

Disney World decorates more than 1,500 Christmas trees at holiday time.

The Land Pavillion

More than 30 tons of fruit and vegetables are grown there every year for Disney restaurants.

There are a lot of buses

More than 270 Walt Disney World buses transport guests around Walt Disney World. This makes the Walt Disney World fleet the third largest in Florida behind Miami and Jacksonville.

A world record pool

Stormalong Bay, Disney’s Beach Club Resort swimming area, holds 750,000 gallons of water, making it the largest sand-bottom pool in the world.

IllumiNations

More than 26,000 feet of lights outline the Epcot World Showcase pavilions during IllumiNations.

World Showcase Lagoon

The World Showcase lagoon is 185 acres in size and is larger than Disneyland in California!

Those pesky birds

The Eiffel Tower in Epcot is coated with a sticky substance so birds won’t perch on it. The tower isn’t full size but is made to look larger than it is. Birds perching would spoil the illusion.

Do you have any other Fabulous Fascinating Walt Disney World Facts? Leave a comment below if we have missed your favourite Disney World Facts