Among Disney Imagineers, there’s a long-standing tradition of embedding hidden references on attractions. The sheer abundance of these Disney details is one of the things that makes the parks and resorts so special, and we’re rounding up ten that are easy to miss if you’re not paying close attention.
It’s common knowledge that the subtle shape of Mickey Mouse’s head and ears appears in clever locations throughout the Disney parks and resorts, camouflaged by its surroundings, but the fun goes beyond the estimated 1,000+ Mickeys hidden across Disney World and Disneyland. Guests with keen powers of observation might spot allusions to Disney history, famous Disney creators, inside jokes, popular culture, Disney films, and more!
Many of these hidden references can be tricky to find, even for Disney regulars like me. That just means you’ll likely discover something new on each visit, whether it’s your first or fortieth. Here are ten secret details hiding in plain sight on classic Disney rides that you might miss if you aren’t looking for them. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including a change to Lightning Lane and permanent ride closures at Hollywood Studios.
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Not only is this attraction home to possibly the most clever hidden Mickey ever, but it also pays homage to a classic Disney film and former ride in a few truly unique ways!
First, if you’re ever visiting Magic Kingdom on Mickey’s birthday (November 18), and you happen to be winding through the queue’s immersive castle and caverns at noon, Eastern Standard Time, you might see a sunny silhouette of Mickey’s head and ears projected onto the pathway through the rockwork above!
While this special hidden Mickey sighting is rare, attentive guests can spot an imprint of the Nautilus submarine from Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in the queue’s rock formations anytime. The carving is a tribute to the iconic submarine voyage attraction that formerly occupied the site where Journey of the Little Mermaid now resides.
Other connections to the original ride are the song, “A Whale of a Tale,” which features in the background music loop for The Little Mermaid queue area, and the inclusion of the words “Under the Sea” in the name of the current attraction. Finally, while it’s not exactly a hidden reference, it may interest Disney fans to know that Imagineers bottled water from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and stored it for 18 years before pouring it into the lagoon in the new attraction queue.
Look for This Popular Disney Character on Peter Pan’s Flight
Speaking of The Little Mermaid, guests might notice a familiar likeness among the mermaids lounging on the rocks in Neverland’s Mermaid Lagoon on Peter Pan’s Flight at both Disneyland and Disney World. During a refurbishment in the 1990’s, Imagineers updated the look of one mermaid in the group as a nod to the popularity of the 1989 Disney Renaissance classic.
The made-over mermaid now has flaming red hair and a purple seashell top, making her resemblance to Ariel undeniable. Unlike some of the items on our list, this reference is clearly visible from the flying pirate ships on the attraction as they enter Neverland.
Reference to an Important Disney Imagineer on Pirates of the Caribbean
Among the most common kinds of hidden references on Disney attractions are references to Disney creators. If you know where to look, you’ll find the names of famous Disney Imagineers cemented within the settings of attractions they have worked on, and sometimes in other places on Disney property, as well.
On Pirates of the Caribbean at Disney World, you’ll find a subtle salute to revered Imagineer Marc Davis. In addition to his animation on Bambi, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland, and 101 Dalmations, Davis played an essential role in creating some of Disney’s greatest attractions, like Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, and yes, Pirates of the Caribbean.
One of Walt Disney’s “Nine Old Men,” Davis often brought a sense of humor to his projects. In fact, the well-known chess stalemate between two jailed skeleton pirates in the queue for Pirates of the Caribbean was a joke he designed.
As you float past the final treasure room scene in the ride at Magic Kingdom, look for a crest just above Captain Jack Sparrow. The coat of arms features the name “Marco Daviso,” in honor of Marc Davis (the coat of arms is just beyond the frame of the photo above).
Disney Legend Has Her Own Doll on “it’s a small world”
Artist Mary Blair is a legendary Disney icon whose colorful, modern illustrations defined the visual aesthetic for animated classics like Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan. Later, Disney tapped her to design the facade, characters, and whimsical style for the original 1964 World’s Fair attraction, “it’s a small world,” which eventually moved to Disneyland.
To honor her contributions, Blair’s colleague, Disney Imagineer Rolly Crump secretly designed a doll inside the attraction to look like her. He gave the doll short blond hair and a floral poncho to match one of her favorite outfits.
You can spot the Mary Blair doll in the France scene, perched at the base of the Eiffel Tower, holding a red balloon, where she has been since the attraction’s opening.
Hollywood Studios Connection on Jungle Cruise
As you float down the Nile River on Disney World’s version of the Jungle Cruise, keep an eye out for the plane crash just beyond your first pass by Schweitzer Falls, the subject of the ride’s signature “back side of water” joke. The onshore wreckage is part of a Lockheed Electra 12A that once lived at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as part of the Backlot Tour attraction.
Ever economical, Disney used the front end of the same plane in the Casablanca scene in the Great Movie Ride at DHS until its closure in 2017. In fact, there are other nods to the Casablanca connection woven into Jungle Cruise ride lore. You may notice signage and props around the attraction referencing a fictional 1930s airline called Aero-Casablanca.
And, if you pay close attention to the queue audio, voiced by in-universe radio host Albert Awol, you’ll hear an advertisement for the same airline, offering exotic tours that “no one comes back from.”
Hidden History on Living With the Land
Epcot’s Living With the Land will always have a special place in my heart, and not only because it consistently boasts low wait times. This tranquil boat ride through three artificial biomes and five specialized greenhouses is an opening day attraction and a quintessential example of the kind of real-world innovation and “edutainment” Walt Disney envisioned for Epcot.
During the “dark ride” portion of this attraction, you’ll sail past a diorama of the American Prairie, featuring a farmhouse with a rooster on the mailbox. That mailbox features a name and “address” for a B. Jones, RFD #82.
The number 82 is a nod to the year 1982, when Epcot (and Living With the Land) opened. As for RFD, the consensus among Disney fans is that it stands for “Rural Free Delivery,” which was a service provided by the U.S. mail, delivering directly to rural residences to help individuals avoid a trip to the post office (or other pickup destination), starting in the late 1800s. For now, the identity of B. Jones remains a mystery.
Space Mountain Honors Defunct Attractions
At Magic Kingdom, you’ll find a treasure trove of Disney history references on Space Mountain. For instance, on the way to the boarding area, a glowing map of the cosmos highlights actual stars and planets as trip destinations. Among the sparkling celestial field is a fictional starport, called Disney’s Hyperion Resort. This pays tribute to the site of the original Walt Disney Studio on Hyperion Avenue.
At the end of the ride, look for a pile of futuristic luggage props in the baggage claim area. These suitcases feature stickers related to Space Station X-1, an early 1950s Disneyland attraction in Tomorrowland, and Mesa Verde, a desert colony riders could choose to visit on Epcot’s extinct attraction, Horizons.
Further nods to defunct attractions appear along the themed Space Mountain exit. Just before you enter the (formerly moving) walkway, there’s a robot work station with a “Closed Sectors” screen in the lower left-hand corner. On this screen, acronym-based codes, like FL-MTWR (Fantasyland – Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride), indicate closed Magic Kingdom attractions.
A Musical Relic on Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion
Disney’s 1954 film adaptation of Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea retains quite a legacy at the parks. In addition to the references in The Little Mermaid, pieces of this legacy abound throughout Disney World and Disneyland.
One such piece can be found in the ballroom scene on Disneyland’s beloved Haunted Mansion attraction. In this scene, ghostly couples whirl around the Grand Hall to the eerie sounds of a pipe organ playing a waltzy rendition of “Grim Grinning Ghosts.” Wispy, banshee-like, disembodied spirits rise from the pipes as the organist plays. This instrument is an original cinematic set prop, belonging to Captain Nemo.
Before moving into the Mansion for its opening in 1969, the organ appeared in a 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea walk-through exhibit in Tomorrowland. Here, it shared top billing with the giant squid from the movie. Disney replaced the mirror on the organ’s console with a large bat-shaped music stand and lengthened the pipes to achieve the floating banshee effect.
Disney Family Reference on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
The wildest ride in the wilderness is jam-packed with hidden tributes to historical Disney figures, films, and park lore. One of these references is hiding in plain sight at the attraction entrance and salutes a close member of the Disney family.
Look for a notice signed by Willard P. Bounds, U.S. Marshall. This Walt’s father-in-law was a blacksmith and a U.S. Marshall in Idaho!
Other fun references in the queue area include posters and props that allude to characters and locations from the 1975 film, The Apple Dumpling Gang, like the Hash Knife Gang and Mrs. Liddy Stockley.
Also, there’s an empty birdcage labeled “Rosita” in the queue’s ventilation room. This refers to the missing cockatoo from the Enchanted Tiki Room. As host Jose the macaw says, “I wonder what happened to Rosita?”
Mary Poppins Animatronics Now Reside in Tomorrowland
As an original 1964 New York World’s Fair attraction, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress has inherent historical value. However, another famous piece of Disney history from that calendar year appears in the first act of the show.
The animatronic robins outside the window “getting ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day” at the turn of the century, made their debut in the 1964 musical, Mary Poppins. Imagineer Harriet Burns, who also designed the tropical birds for the Enchanted Tiki Room, created the robins especially for the “Spoonful of Sugar” scene.
For more hidden secrets, check out our guide to 11 Overlooked Details at Walt Disney World!
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