Tell me something random about Disneyland

[SaraMc]

Frito lays had a shop on main street when disneyland opened and they tested and came up with a nacho Cheese flavored corn chip that was first only sold at Disneyland. The Dorito was born in disneyland.

 

[Susie63]

I read somewhere that there are fake gum parade sensors on the street.

 

[markinmt]

When the Rivers of America are completely flushed -- which has only occurred a handful of times -- the water is pushed through storm drains and eventually travels into the Pacific Ocean. -- Source, Disneyland Security Guard.

 

[Mousequake]

When the Rivers of America are completely flushed -- which has only occurred a handful of times -- the water is pushed through storm drains and eventually travels into the Pacific Ocean. -- Source, Disneyland Security Guard.

Also, on a related tangent-- the last time it was flushed, they found hundreds (or was it thousands?) of cell phones on the bottom of the river.

 

[markinmt]

Also, on a related tangent-- the last time it was flushed, they found hundreds (or was it thousands?) of cell phones on the bottom of the river.

as well as a prosthetic leg -- from the same source.

 

[markinmt]

There are upside down orange trees planted in the river on the Jungle Cruise. The one I saw has been there since day 1. They were planted that way so that the roots of the orange trees would look like vines coming out of the water. They did this because 1) the budget was tight and 2) orange trees were plentiful. (Disneyland was built on the site of an orange grove)

Tony Baxter tells a story that they are walnut trees that were leftover from the orange groves. Either way, the knew how to stretch a dollar back in '55

 

[markinmt]

The Native American and African figures -- on the Rivers of America and Jungle Cruise -- at Disneyland's opening were modeled after the actor Woody Strode who was in many blockbuster movies of the time and was nominated for a Golden Globe as best supporting actor in Spartacus.

 

[Zzizzy]

Disneyland doesn't sell chewing gum.

I had heard this and apparently other theme parks followed the same, because it takes a lot of maintenance effort to remove it from streets and benches. Good one.

 

[Zzizzy]

When the Rivers of America are completely flushed -- which has only occurred a handful of times -- the water is pushed through storm drains and eventually travels into the Pacific Ocean. -- Source, Disneyland Security Guard.

The other thing I heard about this came from when I worked at Knott's. At the "lake" in the Fiesta Village area, where my water fountain show was located, we could not put special chemicals in the water to keep it clear. One reason was because of the koi, but the other reason was that the water naturally drained into the sewers and if it had chemicals or other pollutants then Knott's would have to pay fines to the county.

The Rivers of America also naturally drains into the area's sewers. We heard (from the company that tests the water at both Knott's and Disneyland) that the Rivers of America has a concentration of copper and other pollutants. Disneyland pays fines every year because the River leaches into the surrounding soils and sewers.

 

[jetskigrl]

This one we learned from a CM while riding in the Lilly Belle:

The buildings in New Orleans Square all have Fire Marks, same as many buildings in New Orleans used to have. This coming from back in the days when volunteer fire departments responded to fires. The Fire Marks showed that the building was insured and that meant that the volunteers could expect to be compensated if they saved the building.

 

[Lorilais_mommie]

My fav quote from Walt himself was
"They can drink Pepsi but they can't pee in the street!"

This is what he said when having to make a choice on if the bathrooms or the drinking fountains would be working order on opening day of Disneyland...

Also opening week was one of the only times pepsi was offered in the parks..
Pepsi could not keep up with demand so Walt went to coke and signed a deal with them as long as they could keep up with demand they would have exclusives rights to sell there drinks in Disney

Still to this day I can not get a Pepsi in Disney!

 

[Huff]

Above the sinks in the bathrooms there are instructions on how to wash your hands in case you didn't know.

 

[furb & dez]

...to this day I can not get a Pepsi in Disney!

And all is right with the world.

 

[MizzFran17]

And there are actually fish in the Rivers of America! I had never seen them, but a raft operator CM had told us they are there. Also, all of the "green" water in DL are one connected water system.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Here's a random thing I heard and I had to go check it out for myself...

At the Main Street train station, as you enter in the queue, on the left wall there is a big map of Disneyland. If you look closely at the railroad track you will see lights on there indicating where the trains are in the park.

This I saw last week...
In the accessible loading area at Radiator Spring Racers the cast member has a computer screen that shows where all the cars are on the tracks.

 

[Zzizzy]

...Also opening week was one of the only times pepsi was offered in the parks..
Pepsi could not keep up with demand so Walt went to coke and signed a deal with them as long as they could keep up with demand they would have exclusives rights to sell there drinks in Disney

Still to this day I can not get a Pepsi in Disney!

I am a HUGE Pepsi fan as well and I must admit that there is one simple pleasure I take advantage of on every trip. Disney allows you to bring your own bottled drinks into the parks. So each day I bring a cold 20 oz. Pepsi for that morning. A Pepsi and a blueberry muffin to start the day - nothing better! (Unless I decide to have Mickey Mouse pancakes.)

 

[Zzizzy]

...At the Main Street train station, as you enter in the queue, on the left wall there is a big map of Disneyland. If you look closely at the railroad track you will see lights on there indicating where the trains are in the park.

Glad you found this one!

For this and more, check out my blog "Have you noticed Disneyland Main Street USA?" at http://www.disunplugged.com/2012/05/05/have-you-noticed-disneyland-main-street-usa/.

 

[alicia1506]

in BBB, on the top shelf opposite the cash register, is a tiara under a glass case - this is the tiara worn by Anne Hathaway in the movie 'the princess diaries'.

 

[tffnyjean]

in BBB, on the top shelf opposite the cash register, is a tiara under a glass case - this is the tiara worn by Anne Hathaway in the movie 'the princess diaries'.

Cool I'll be checking this out in August!

 

[Zzizzy]

There's been a lot of Disneyland items, but not too many about other areas around the Resort. So, let me try to spark some ideas.

Before Disney California Adventure was built, the entire area in front of Disneyland was the main parking lot. The monorail's track was never moved and at that time the track went right over the central part of the parking lot. Monorail personnel report that the most common phrase uttered by monorail riders was, "I can see our car!"

Ok, your turn. Tell me something random about what it was like before DCA.