Space Mountain, The Haunted Mansion, It's a Small World, and Pirates of the Caribbean are just a selection of the fantastic rides and attractions the Disney Parks are famous for. These monuments to magic and imagination are some of the most beloved theme park features in the world, but what really lies behind the neon glow and cute cartoon characters?
The attractions are always going to be an experience for everyone to enjoy, but they also come with a bit of an unusual side lying within the whimsy. Some strange, some smile-worthy, but there's definitely something strange behind more than a few popular Disney Park pastimes.
Mr. Toad Makes A Deal
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride was once a cult favorite at Walt Disney World but it was replaced by The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in 1999. The fans of the original attraction weren't too thrilled, but if one looks carefully in the attraction, they'll find J. Thaddeus Toad was quite amicable about the split.
In Owl's house during the Blustery Day scene of the ride, guests will notice a collection of portraits on Owl's wall. One of these is a photograph of Mr. Toad handing Owl the deed to his attraction.
Toad Might Have Croaked
Then again, things might not have gone so smoothly with Toad's transition. Mr. Toad's absence from the parks wasn't just made known to the cast of the Pooh crew, but it seems Toad might have also left the park for a joyride through regions beyond.
In the pet cemetery outside the Haunted Mansion, guests will find several headstones paying homage to fallen furry friends. But in a grassy corner just before the ride entrance, there lies a rusty statue of Mr. Toad. Perhaps he became a Happy Haunt?
Figment Left His Ride But Fans Brought Him Back
Figment is to Epcot as Mickey is to the Magic Kingdom. Nowadays, modern Disney fans can't think of one without the other, but there was a time when Figment and the Dreamfinder were pulled from the ride in a controversial update.
In the late '90s, Journey Into Imagination received a modern overhaul that had a more laboratory aesthetic and a far less charming aura. Journey Into Your Imagination was essentially a science experiment crammed with cheap gags and insultingly the elimination of Figment. Fortunately, Disney came back to their senses after the panned reception.
Go Away Green
It might sound impossible, but Disney invented a color. While it would never be found on one of the attractions, there are more than a few uses of it near and around them. Specifically hidden doors or entrances to the park's inner workings.
Dubbed "Go Away Green," the hue was specifically and scientifically designed so that guests would subconsciously ignore it. It's a shade of green that was chemically designed to be ignored and avoided by the human brain, so no nosy guests go snooping around.
Close Encounters
ExtraTERRORestrial is no longer part of the Disney family, but there's a very good reason for it. Before Stitch hit the scene, this was the resident alien attraction of Tomorrowland, and it was so scary Disney had to pull the plug.
That's no exaggeration, either. This attraction featuring a predatory alien monster scared so many kids back in the day that it had to be shut down. Seems ludicrous that Disney was deemed too scary for their own parks.
What’s In The Box?
Speaking of dark Disney moments, this is a detail many Disney fans have started to pick up on recent trips to the Haunted Mansion. Constance Hatchaway is known for decapitating her husbands, but the Disneyland version of the ride offers a suggestion she might not work alone.
The Hatbox Ghost is a mysterious figure in the Manor's lore, but his collection of hatboxes implies he may have assisted in the disposal of the evidence. Perhaps he might even have been a victim himself?
Ghosts In The Machines
Disney rarely throws anything away, and that can resoundingly be said for their animatronic figures. If a ride is shut down, its characters won't just be sent to the scrap heap. On the contrary, they'll be reused and recycled for newer attractions.
Star Tours is perhaps the most prominent, and somewhat creepy, example. Many of the droids featured in the queue area in the Disney World version are actually leftovers from the birds from America Sings. One only needs to look at their feet for further proof.
They Keep Going and Going
It might be an urban legend, but it's one that warrants a mention here. There are two types of people in the world; those who love It's a Small World and those who detest it. If those of the latter group needed another reason to avoid the happiest cruise around the world, this is a pressing factor.
Supposedly, the Small World ride never shuts off, meaning that all 300 of those dancing, singing, and smiling dolls never stop moving. Imagine what that would be like after the park goes dark.
Say Hi To George
There's a tradition amongst cast members at Walt Disney World to commune with the park's resident spirit, George, before running Pirates of the Caribbean. If they don't tell him hello in the morning and goodbye in the evening, strange happenings are sure to take place.
According to the legend, George was supposedly a welder who was killed during the construction of the ride and he's very temperamental. He'll get offended if not given attention, and will often cause the ride to break down or delay. So the story goes.
Dead Men Tell No Tales
It sounds completely false, but there really is a human skull in the original Pirates of the Caribbean. Its origins are sorrowfully quite normal compared to the other entries here.
The skull was once part of an entire skeleton donated by the cadaver labs at UCLA. If one looks just above the sleeping skeleton in the captain's quarters segment of the Disneyland ride, they'll see the skull positioned in a crossbones formation. Some people might see it as an honor to have a part of their body immortalized by Disney.