10 More Things You Never Knew About Walt Disney World

There are so many secrets at Walt Disney World... Here are 10 more things you never knew about Walt Disney World.


The Golden Girls lived at Walt Disney World

Okay, so maybe Blanche, Dorothy, Rose, and Sophia didn't call Walt Disney World home, but their house was there; Right on the Disney-MGM Studios backlot! The original Golden Girls house was in Los Angeles, but when the Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios) opened in 1989, an exact exterior replica of the Los Angeles house was built on Residential Street, Disney-MGM Studio's neighborhood street set (since demolished to make room for new attractions). From 1989, exterior shots of the Golden Girls house were filmed at the Disney-MGM Studios.


The Contemporary Resort Hotel is a prefabricated hotel

The massive A-frame Contemporary Resort hotel at Walt Disney World is instantly recognisable to most visitors. But what most visitors don't know is that the hotel, build by U.S. Steel, is unique in that the rooms were meant to be removable. You see, the hotel's guest rooms were buily off site and hoisted and slid into the hotel's A-frame during construction. The idea was that when it was time for an update to the guest rooms they would be slid out and replaced with a new, updated room. However, over the years, the rooms have settled and gotten permanently stuck into the hotel's frame so no rooms have been removed since the hotel's opening (they have, however, been updated the old fashion way; one room at a time and on-site).


Two of Disneyland's most beloved attractions had their start at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

Disneyland in Anaheim, California opened in 1955, a full 16 years before Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. As such, most of Disneyland's attractions were replicated at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom for its 1971 opening. Since opening, however, some attractions that got their start at Walt Disney World have been replicated at Disneyland. These include Space Mountain and The Country Bear Jamboree (since closed at Disneyland to male way for a new ride).


Miss some characters from a closed Epcot attraction? They might be working somewhere else at Walt Disney World

When Communicore opened with Epcot Center (as it was called in 1982), one of the stars was SMART-1, a purple robot you could talk to and he would answer back (amazing technology in 1982). However, by the 1990's he wasn't so amazing as technology caught up with him and during a renovation of Communicore into a new attraction, Innoventions, SMART-1 was removed. He can now be found, silent and not moving however, as decoration at Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary Resort hotel.

And remember the famous car crash scene in the now closed World or Motion? Well, when it became Test Track, the was no use for the mechanical chickens used in the car crash scene. Luckily they found a new home at Mickey's Toontown fair in the Magic Kingdom.


Singin' in the rain... Even on a sunny day at Disney's Hollywood Studios

While there are hundreds of lamp posts at Disney's Hollywood Studios, there's one that's different. In an nod to the classic film Singin' in the Rain, there one lamp post with an umbrella attached. When someone stands under the umbrella, it pours down rain; No matter how sunny it is!


Children never get "lost" at Walt Disney World. Really!

With millions of visitors a year, you'd think that there would be at least one lost child, right? But you'd be wrong. Why? It's simple, really, Walt Disney World only has lost parents. That's right, when a child is found alone, it's handled as a lost parent rather than a lost child. The reason is to help the child to feel better about the situation by stating they're not lost, it his or her parents.


See the "real" Epcot in the Magic Kingdom

When Epcot opened in 1982, it wasn't quite as Walt Disney had imagined. Walt Disney envisioned an entire city of the future with people living and working in it. While the Epcot that was built is still a lot of fun and a great place to visit, you can see the "real" Epcot as Walt Disney dreamed it on display in the Magic Kingdom. Just ride the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (formerly the WEDWay People Mover) and in one of the tunnels is a model of a futuristic city. The model is the original Epcot model.


Watch the waters of 22 nations dance at Epcot

the Fountain of Nations in Epcot's Future World is comprised of several fountains that shoot water into the air synchronised to music. However, the water that's used isn't just local tap water. During Epcot's opening day ceremonies, representatives of 22 nations poured water from their homelands into the fountain to create a true fountain of nations.


Can you get into the VIP at Epcot? Probably not.

Sure, we all know about the velvet ropes outside today's hottest nightclubs and lounges. But did you know that there are VIP only areas at Epcot (although there's no velvet rope, there are secret doors and hidden entryways)? Most of the Future World attractions have VIP lounges that offer plush surroundings, free food and drink, and are a great place to cool off and grab a bite to eat. And you can even go directly from the VIP lounge to the front of the attraction's line (no waiting!). The catch? Well, you have to work for the company that sponsors the attraction that the VIP lounge in housed in (or be a guest of the sponsoring company).


Things are not always as they seem in the movies

The Earful Tower, the large water tower with Mickey Mouse ears at Disney's Hollywood Studios isn't really a water tower. It was built to serve only as a landmark for the Disney-MGM Studios (as it was called with it opened in 1989). In fact, it's never held any water. It does, however, sport a Santa hat at Christmas.... size 342 3/8!