Everyone's favorite mouse is turning 94.
On Nov. 18, 1928, Mickey Mouse made his debut in the short film "Steamboat Willie." Since then, his birthday has been honored by his loving fans all around the globe.
To celebrate, we've compiled some interesting facts about Disneyland. Some of them might even be new to you.
Paint is used to magnify the Sleeping Beauty Castle
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According to OC Register.
The Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland is only 77 feet tall. Walt Disney Imagineering used a method known as atmospheric perspective to make the building appear bigger and more opulent. The lower towers are painted in a warmer pink tint, and the upper towers' colors are gradually lightened by the addition of blue.
Disney California Adventure Park was originally a parking lot
According to OC Register.
Disney California Adventure Park hadn't even been built when Disneyland first opened on July 17, 1955, and it would be another 45 years before it would do so. Actually, the space for Disneyland's second theme park was formerly the parking lot for Disneyland Park.
The Disneyland Resort has a hotel inside a theme park
According to Disneyland.
Disney developed its first domestic hotel inside a theme park, the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. The building is close to Soarin' Around the World and Grizzly River Run, and it even has a private, guest-only entrance that drops guests off there. The property is located on the outskirts of Disney California Adventure Park.
Some of Tomorrowland’s vegetation is edible
According to In Fine Taste.
Everywhere you look in Tomorrowland, you can find plants that are edible. Once upon a time, every plant in Tomorrowland could be eaten and served as a prototype for a sustainable food supply in the far future. Now, advisors at Disneyland claim that only 80% of the plants in Tomorrowland can be eaten.
The Haunted Mansion features a working elevator
According to Inside the Magic.
The stretching room in the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland is a real elevator, which is different from the one in Florida. It takes people underground to a passageway that leads to the show building for the ride, which is somewhere outside of the park's berm.
Sleeping Beauty Castle has an attraction inside its walls
According to L.A. Magazine.
Within the walls of Sleeping Beauty Castle is a walk-through attraction that retells "Sleeping Beauty's" story. The castle's walkways are darkly lit to highlight the intricate details of the scenes and interactive features.
There's a time capsule at Sleeping Beauty Castle
According to Pop Sugar.
In 1995, a time capsule was buried at Sleeping Beauty Castle. On the 80th anniversary of the park, on July 17, 2035, it will be unearthed, and we'll find out what's inside.
Flight restrictions are in place over Disneyland
According to The Sun.
There is a flight restriction over the park. No planes are permitted to fly within three miles of Disneyland.
There are almost 200 feral cats in the park
According to Inside the Magic.
The felines are present to deter rodents, but you'd be lucky to see one, as the bulk are rumored to be nocturnal.
Real human remains in Pirates of the Caribbean?
According to SF Gate.
Real human skeletons were utilized as props in the original Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. To provide a sense of authenticity to the attraction, Disneyland displayed human remains on loan from UCLA, but as of today, just one human skull remains.
Disney didn't always own the Disneyland Hotel
According to Midway to Mainstreet.
In 1955, when the Disneyland Hotel first opened, it was Jack Wrather's property, and Disney only licensed the name. All of the Disneyland Resort, including the two theme parks, three hotels, and the Downtown Disney shopping and dining center, is now Disney-owned thanks to an acquisition in 1988.
New Orleans Square Train Station broadcasts a special message
According to Disney Parks Blog.
When you're waiting to board the Disneyland Railroad at New Orleans Square, pay attention to the small train house across the tracks; if you listen closely, you'll be able to pick up Morse code. The message that plays is the first two lines of Walt Disney's speech on the park's opening day at Disneyland.
Disneyland's Carnation Cafe serves Walt's favorite meal
According to Disneyland.
When it came to food, Walt Disney had simple tastes. Chili was one of his favorite dishes, and Carnation Cafe on Main Street, USA serves his favorite recipe. The savory recipe comes from the Disney family cook who was able to perfectly balance the meat and beans for Walt and was obtained from Walt's oldest daughter, Diane, and The Walt Disney Family Museum.
The park debuted with only 18 attractions
According to Touring Plans.
Of those 18, 14 are still around.
Disneyland took a year to build
According to Biography.com.
The $17 million amusem*nt park opened its gates within the projected time span of 365 days, despite initial financial difficulties.
Park admission was only $1 when it first opened
According to CNBC.
In 1955, an adult ticket to Disneyland for one day cost $1 and a child's ticket cost 50 cents. Aside from the price to get into the park, each of the 35 rides also cost money. Many of the attractions cost adults between 25 and 35 cents and children between 10 and 25 cents.
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The Matterhorn may have a basketball court
According to Wow News Today.
Above the coaster ride, there is supposedly a half-court basketball structure where workers can go to shoot hoops during breaks. It is believed to still be on top of the mountain.
The King Arthur Carrousel has been around longer than the theme park itself
According to Disneyland.
This attraction was built in 1922, but the property wasn't bought until 1953. The ride originally featured horses, giraffes, deer, and other animals. However, Walt Disney renovated the ride, so that everyone got to ride horses, just like King Arthur.
Disney’s Secret Apartment at the Disneyland Fire Station
According to WaltDisney.org.
Walt Disney was so excited about Disneyland that he wanted a place to stay and watch all the action, which is why he had a secret apartment built on the second floor of the Main Street Fire Department building. The apartment wasn't particularly spacious, but it had a bathroom with a shower, a small kitchen, and a patio.
As a tribute to Disney, the front window of the apartment is always lit, and some people even believe his ghost haunts the place.
Even though a lot of the original furniture has been taken out, the designers have kept the apartment's original look. You can actually take a VIP tour of Walt Disney's apartment the next time you're there!
The Park has a VIP Club
According to USA Today.
Club 33 is an exclusive members-only club where A-listers like Elton John and Tom Hanks are said to frequent for fine dining, premium co*cktails, and to mingle away from the massive crowds.
There's a real bullet hole in the Haunted Mansion
According to Inside the Magic.
The Haunted Mansion has a spooky secret. The ballroom has a real bullet hole, which is said to have been caused by a guest who took a concealed pistol into the park in 1974 and fired multiple rounds. The first bullet pierced the ballroom wall in the Haunted Mansion and a snowflake on the former ride Adventure Thru Inner Space (apparently he was aiming for the panes of glass that allow you to see the ghosts' reflections), and the second was discovered in the Primeval World diorama on the train. The incident has, predictably, been kept under wraps by Disney, which has made no comment. The bullet hole was covered by a spider web display created by an artist hired by Disney.
Pirates Of The Caribbean was Walt’s Last Ride
According to Disney Adulting.
The Pirates of the Caribbean ride was the last attraction designed by Walt Disney personally. The attraction opened on March 18, 1967, three months after Disney passed away on December 15, 1966 from cancer.
Before anyone came up with the idea for the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, the famous Disney ride was already there. There are many references to the ride in the movies, like the dog with the keys in his mouth and the song "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)."
