What is your favorite little detail that Disney put into a WDW park?

[azcavalier]

Let me see if I can explain this better. I was reading yesterday in the Imagineer's Guide to The Animal Kingdom, specifically about the village of Harambe, and it talked about how they did the roads, they never use asphalt, it's always concrete. They tint the concrete the color of asphalt, then they put chicken wire in the top inch, pull it out just before it sets to get the proper texture, and then they blast it down to expose some aggregate so that it looks like blacktop. They don't use asphalt because the heat will cause it to get sticky, and it messes with women's shoes. Also, to make it authentic, they actually engineer sticks (not real wood, as that would rot) and put them in the "road" that you walk on in the village, so that it looks like in some places sticks fell onto the road after it was paved. Also, there's a place where it looks like the footings for a wall that have been paved over, but exposed by time and weathering. Apparently, the village used to be surrounded by a wall, but all that's left is the footings for the wall.

People always ask me why we love WDW so much when we have other great parks here, such as Busch Gardens. Well, it's the little details, that must have been a pain in the rear to put it. It would have been so much easier to just pave a roadin Harambe and let it be. Most people would never really notice. Instead, they engineer fake sticks, put in bicycle treads (like someone rode a bike through the wet cement), stone wall footings for a wall that has never existed, etc. THAT'S why we love Disney.

So, the wall is just an example. What are some of the details that YOU have noticed in and around the parks that just amaze and impress you? I would love to see what you guys have noticed, so that I can be just a little more amazed the next time I go (which is in just a month!)

[LoriMistress]

The park being clean is a nice detail. :mickey:

[Faver]

Where do I start!:mickey:
Daily Parades and Fireworks.... who else does that?

Unbelievable food options, for every palate

no gum on the walkways!!

Fastpass!

and great CM's that provide ubelievable service!!!

[azcavalier]

While I agree with those sentiments wholeheartedly, those are a little more broad than what I was hoping for...

[Mousemates]

The patterned "?fiber optic?" lights built into the walkways in Epcot.

[minnesotafreeze]

My favorite detail is the queues while you wait for a ride. Disney gives you interesting things to look at while you wait in line for a ride. A great example is Star Tours. I think that queue is more interesting than the actual ride.

[IamBelle]

I love the details before Expedition Everest. There are things from the area around the real everest and i heard they recently added what ppl think is a yeti print in one of the cases

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

"I Love Disco!" On JC. It was made in the 70's. The jewels and stuff in the Cambodian temple from the Aladdin parade.

The felt lining the wall in Mansion that is down the endless hallway. The Jacks hidden in the ride. The headless men in the attic for Constance.

The hidden Mickeys on the uniforms at Emporium.

The "Pooh path" in Liberty Square. The two lanterns in the windows. The shotgun in the window. The 13 lanterns from the Liberty Tree. The correct 'incorrect' spelling of Pennsylvania.

I could go on but I think those are enough.

[minnesotafreeze]

What is the Pooh Path? I have never heard of that before.:mickey:

[pink]

I agree about Star Tours, I only ride the ride to look at the decorations in the line! I thought I was the only one.

Overall I just appreciate the shows and special suprises before the ride. For example, the shadow of the frog in the rocking chair waiting in the line for Splash Mountain. Some of the pre-ride videos I love: Test Track, Rock N Roller Coaster, Muppets 3D.

:mickey:

[Mickey91]

:mickey:The music.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Hidden Mickeys, uniform details, consistency in characters...

[disneymom2000]

I love that the topiary's in the parks match the theming for each park like of course the mickey/minnie at Magic Kingdom and the large and small brooms with buckets from Fantasia at Disney Studios and then I love that the little "hub" in front of the castle has tiny bronze statues of disney characters.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

What is the Pooh Path? I have never heard of that before.:mickey:

Well, have you ever noticed how there are no bathrooms in Liberty Square? The one in LTT doesn't count because the rest is required to have one.

Well, that's because in the 1700's they didn't have bathrooms. So they kept the waste in chamber pots and when those got full, they would throw them out the windows. The towns would have cobble stone roads to collect it all and pull it away from the city.

So in Liberty Square, they have a brown cobblestone path that runs throughout the land. It stops at Frontierland and the bridge to connect to Fantasyland.

So the CM's dubbed it the "Pooh path" because it was used for, well you know.

[Wickster1970]

The hidden key at the Muppets 3D show at HS.

I can't wait to ask my son to lift the mat...he will get a kick out of it.

[synesthesiademo]

The headless men in the attic for Constance.

Is Constance the name of the HM bride?

This is probably really bizarre, but I LOVE the architecture of the Monorail station for Epcot, as well as the architecture of the parts of Epcot before you get into the park (but especially the Monorail station!!!) The blue-grey and roundness of it screams FUTURE to me.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

Yes. It is her official name as dictated by the marriage licenses and banners on the wall. The husbands were Ambrose, the second was Frank,the third was Reginald, the fourth was just the Marquis, and the fifth was George. But that doesn't sound right.

If you weren't following in the thread about the ring missing, Constance actually has a ring on her finger so they CM's are supposed to say she took it back and that's why it's not outside.....

[GhostHost999]

This will sound crazy, and I don't even know if they still have this, but when I was last there, some of the paths in Future World had fiberoptic lights embedded in them. When I first noticed them, the monorail was going by overhead and I was taking a nice view of spaceship earth while my g/f was getting a drink. It's a small thing but it just stuck with me.

[AmandaChan]

I would have to say the bear carved out of the 'wood' in the water next to one of the bridges in AK. I randomly looked into the trees when on the bridge once and I happened to see it. I had to look at it for a second to realize that it was a detailed BEAR in the water off in the distance. Nothing or no one was pointing it out -- it was just there for you to notice.

I also love the fiber optics in the ground at Epcot.

And just this year I noticed there was a hanging man at the climax of the queue in HM. I happened to look up and see him hanging with the lights started flashing. I showed my husband the second time.. I mean, who looks up at the ceiling??

And a final one - when my husband and I wore our bride and groom mickey ears they stopped us next to the bride on HM and we literally sat there looking at her for 2 minutes. I am convinced that someone did it on purpose when they saw us on camera.. and it seriously did freak me out, my heart was pounding.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

I'm sure they would have done it on purpose....if there were any cameras on the ride.

There are absolutely 0 (zero) cameras on the ride.

Trust me, I know.

As a side note, the hanging man also appears in the loading area. His portrait is the last one on the wall, the one with the noose and the axe. Wonder what he used the axe for...

Remember that thud from the room after the lights go out? Well, how do you think he got down from the ceiling? Cut the rope with the ax.

[Epcot fan 421]

I really love the details on Tower of Terror. Such as the 30's music being played, signs pointing to other parts of the hotel such as the pool, a empty cracked fountain with large vines growing in it, the smell of a dusty hotel. And if you notice on the left side of the elevator when you come in, there is a inspection certificate, the name signed is actually the name of a man that turns out to be the devil on a Twilight Zone episode and it's dated October 31, 1939.

[wdwfansince75]

There are so many details at WDW, that no one can spot them all....almost anywhere in the parks (and in most of the resorts), you can pause, look around, and see details that are appropriate to that time and place. I discover something new to me on every trip.

While many cite details of the buildings, the details of the landscaping are fantastic....nothing seems to contrast with the theme or the scene. The building details, great as they are, are designed and implemented, and done...the landscaping changes from season to season, incorporates living, growing, blooming, and dying things, and is always perfect for time, theme, and location....

[A Big Kid]

My favorite is a little known, I mean VERY little known, hidden Jaffar in the AK.

[IamBelle]

My favorite is a little known, I mean VERY little known, hidden Jaffar in the AK.

I have heard of this, where is it??

[RBrooksC]

I have the book about the Disney Parks also. What I love is what details the book brings to the forefront. I love the crossfades Disney does to bring you from one land to the next. I love the forced prospective to make the world seem bigger than it really is. I love how the buildings that may be seen from one land into another are designed that when seen from a distance looks like it belongs.

A good case in point is ToT. It can been seen when looking at the Morocco pavilion. However, due to the way it is designed, the view one gets from Epcot of ToT makes it within the design of the Middle Eastern style pavilion.

[azcavalier]

There are so many details at WDW, that no one can spot them all....almost anywhere in the parks (and in most of the resorts), you can pause, look around, and see details that are appropriate to that time and place. I discover something new to me on every trip.

While many cite details of the buildings, the details of the landscaping are fantastic....nothing seems to contrast with the theme or the scene. The building details, great as they are, are designed and implemented, and done...the landscaping changes from season to season, incorporates living, growing, blooming, and dying things, and is always perfect for time, theme, and location....

That's why I started this thread! I'm sure that there is a ton of amazing little details that just make your jaw drop when you start to think about it...many of which I have no idea are even there yet. Like the poo path! That's awesome! I had never noticed that there are no bathrooms in Liberty Square (i'm the one that started the Hidden Bathroom thread this past Spring). I'll be looking for that path come September.

[GrumpyFan]

Ok, here's a couple of my favorite little, albeit, odd details that I appreciate about WDW.

Bathrooms - most of the bathrooms at WDW have their own theme and are decorated uniquely. Also, they are usually kept in very good condition and clean, especially considering how much they're used.

Trash cans - the unique style for each land/area and their placement of trash cans so closely together. It's intriguing to me how I don't really see or think about a trash can until I need one. I think I read where trash cans are placed in such a way as to prevent a guest from having to take no more than 25 steps to get to one. Apparently, they found that more than this and people start to drop their trash. Also, the fact that very rarely will you see a trash can overflowing.

[Imagineer1981]

As a side note, the hanging man also appears in the loading area. His portrait is the last one on the wall, the one with the noose and the axe. Wonder what he used the axe for...

Remember that thud from the room after the lights go out? Well, how do you think he got down from the ceiling? Cut the rope with the ax.

Jessica, thanks for all the great info!!!


I
And just this year I noticed there was a hanging man at the climax of the queue in HM. I happened to look up and see him hanging with the lights started flashing. I showed my husband the second time.. I mean, who looks up at the ceiling??

Who doesn't look up at the ceiling? I thought everyone saw the hanging man?

Now back to the subject at hand: as someone who wants to be an Imagineer and is getting closer I hope everyday, its the little details that make Disney above all other parks. From waking up Tinkerbell in the morning, to finding a hidden mickey, to Mainstreet's train station being the current for an opening scene with the final reveal being the castle, dino footprints by countdown to extinction, the transition of mainstreet's music in to adventureland...things that most people don't even notice are what makes it so special, and its those extra touches that parks like Six Flags and Busch Gardens don't understand.

[slegrant]

I love it when your riding Pooh's adventure and as your going through you see a picture of Mr. Toad.
Ialso enjoy how detailed the theming is for each resort. It's a big part of vacation exploring the diffrent resorts.
I read in Keys to the Kingdom that in Hall of Presidents the cloths , glasses and time pieces are all period and made exactly how they were made in the era they were President.
Jessica, I love all your comments about the details. I would love to hear more.:mickey:

[bruin1344]

there is so many to chose from, i read imagineers guide to mk, ak, and epcot, its amazing how much detail is put into every attraction or even section of a park

i was amazed how liberty square/frontierland are set up so when you go from haunted mansion/end of fantasyland to thunder mountain, you are going from 1700s to late 1800s and from east usa to west usa, ex. columbia harbour house is boston of mid 1700s while thundermountain is one of the western states in late 1800s

[chrisb26]

I love all the little details that Disney has. Especially those that you don't always notice the first time you look.

One of these is when your walking across the bridge at AK to Camp Minnie Mickey if you look out onto the river, there is a small waterfall if you look closer its actually in the shape of a dragon made out of the rocks its pretty cool.

The amount of hidden Mickeys also amaze me and what is even more so is how they even incorporate hidden Mickeys in their decorations they put up for different seasons. For example for Christmas they add lots of hidden Mickeys in the decorations. I noticed alot when I was looking at the Osborne Lights they had a bunch of hidden Mickeys throughout.

Some more that are more noticeable but are still my favorite are the amount of detail that goes into the ride queue. Usually there is so much detail and at times as much as the ride has which is amazing. That is just something that will be difficult to find at any other park.

[WDWdriver]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the windows on Main Street. Most of the second floor windows above the shops have lettering that appear to be advertisements for businesses supposedly occupying the space behind the windows. In fact, each "advertisement" is actually a tribute to a person or group of people who had a significant role in the development of Walt Disney World or Disney motion pictures. In some cases they honor Disney family members. I can't list them all in this post, but here are a few:

- General Joe's Building Permits
Retired Major General William E. "Joe" Potter was the first Disney employee in Florida, and directed the initial construction of Walt Disney World.

- Yucatan Engine Works
Honors Earl Vilmer who discovered the steam engines used on the WDW Railroad. He found the dilapidated engines in Mexico's Yucatan Penninsula and supervised their restoration.

- Elias Disney - Contractor
Father of Walt and Roy.

- Lazy M Cattle Company of Wyoming
Lists all of Walt's and Roy's children.

- Iwerks-Iwerks Stereoscopic Cameras
Honors Ub Iwerks and his son Don. Ub Iwerks was the first Disney animator and did all the drawings for "Plane Crazy", the first Mickey Mouse short.

- M. T. Lott Company
Honors Donn Tatum, former President and Chairman of the Board of Walt Disney Productions. The sign lists the names of various "dummy" companies used by Walt to buy up the Florida property without attracting attention. Other company names on the window include:
Ayefour Corporation
Bay Lakes Properties
Reedy Creek Ranch Lands

- Pseudonym Real Estate Development Company , Roy Davis President
Another tongue in cheek reference to the purchase of the Florida property. Roy Davis was a name used by Roy Disney when he was meeting with realtors or inspecting properties.

- Buena Vista Magic Lantern Slides
Honors the special effects group at Walt Disney Imagineering. Two of the names, Yale Gracey and Bud Martin, are also honored with headstones in the Haunted Mansion queue graveyard.

- Seven Summits Expeditions
Honors Frank Wells, former President and Chief Executive under Michael Eisner. Frank was an active outdoor enthusiast and a mountain climber. His goal was to climb the highest peaks on all seven continents. He completed all but Mt. Everest before he was killed in a 1994 helicopter accident. His window is the highest on Main Street.

- Dreamers and Doers
Honors Roy O. Disney who is credited with carrying on Walt's dream, and bringing WDW to reality.

- Walter E. Disney, Graduate School of Design and Master Planning
Known to the CMs as "Walt's window". It is the only window that faces Cinderella's Castle. The window honors Walt and his team of master planners.

There are many more. Take the time to look up at them the next time you stroll down Main Street, USA.

[azcavalier]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the windows on Main Street. Most of the second floor windows above the shops have lettering that appear to be advertisements for businesses supposedly occupying the space behind the windows. In fact, each "advertisement" is actually a tribute to a person or group of people who had a significant role in the development of Walt Disney World or Disney motion pictures. In some cases they honor Disney family members. I can't list them all in this post, but here are a few:

- General Joe's Building Permits
Retired Major General William E. "Joe" Potter was the first Disney employee in Florida, and directed the initial construction of Walt Disney World.

- Yucatan Engine Works
Honors Earl Vilmer who discovered the steam engines used on the WDW Railroad. He found the dilapidated engines in Mexico's Yucatan Penninsula and supervised their restoration.

- Elias Disney - Contractor
Father of Walt and Roy.

- Lazy M Cattle Company of Wyoming
Lists all of Walt's and Roy's children.

- Iwerks-Iwerks Stereoscopic Cameras
Honors Ub Iwerks and his son Don. Ub Iwerks was the first Disney animator and did all the drawings for "Plane Crazy", the first Mickey Mouse short.

- M. T. Lott Company
Honors Donn Tatum, former President and Chairman of the Board of Walt Disney Productions. The sign lists the names of various "dummy" companies used by Walt to buy up the Florida property without attracting attention. Other company names on the window include:
Ayefour Corporation
Bay Lakes Properties
Reedy Creek Ranch Lands

- Pseudonym Real Estate Development Company , Roy Davis President
Another tongue in cheek reference to the purchase of the Florida property. Roy Davis was a name used by Roy Disney when he was meeting with realtors or inspecting properties.

- Buena Vista Magic Lantern Slides
Honors the special effects group at Walt Disney Imagineering. Two of the names, Yale Gracey and Bud Martin, are also honored with headstones in the Haunted Mansion queue graveyard.

- Seven Summits Expeditions
Honors Frank Wells, former President and Chief Executive under Michael Eisner. Frank was an active outdoor enthusiast and a mountain climber. His goal was to climb the highest peaks on all seven continents. He completed all but Mt. Everest before he was killed in a 1994 helicopter accident. His window is the highest on Main Street.

- Dreamers and Doers
Honors Roy O. Disney who is credited with carrying on Walt's dream, and bringing WDW to reality.

- Walter E. Disney, Graduate School of Design and Master Planning
Known to the CMs as "Walt's window". It is the only window that faces Cinderella's Castle. The window honors Walt and his team of master planners.

There are many more. Take the time to look up at them the next time you stroll down Main Street, USA.

Thanks! I did know that the names on the windows honored important DIsney people, but I had no idea (for the most part) what many of them did.

[A Big Kid]

I have heard of this, where is it??

Do a google images for it. Pretty cool.

[kemps@wdw]

The liltle critter that pops down from the ceiling @ Splash Mt and yells..."FSU" :confused: Was he designed by an Imaginer who was a Florida State :basket: fan?