We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us the most insane facts they know about Disney Parks. Here are the best of the best results:
1.Disney purchases more explosives than any other entity in the United States besides the Department of Defense — but don't worry, they're mostly fireworks. 🎇
2.Besides the one atop the central flagpole, the American flags on Main Street USA aren't real American flags. That way, the park doesn't need to lower or light them at night.
3.Disney employees occasionally catch people scattering the ashes of loved ones around various rides and attractions, including the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. 💀
4.Several Disney parks have underground tunnels that keep park operations, like trash removal and cast member transportation, hidden from parkgoers.
5.Installing the Presidential Seal in the Hall of Presidents required a literal act of Congress. Plus, it's the only place the carpet seal exists other than the White House and the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia.
6.Walt Disney himself forbade the sale of chewing gum at Disney parks in order to keep the sidewalks clean (but you can still bring your own).
7.Inside a Disney park, you're never more than 30 steps away from a trash receptacle. That's apparently how far people will go before throwing their garbage on the ground.
8.Disney World has closed only six times ever — five times due to hurricanes and once following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
9.And speaking of hurricanes, Cinderella's Castle at Magic Kingdom has a steel frame and thick concrete walls that allow it to withstand wind gusts of up to 125 miles per hour.
10.The castle, however, is shorter than it appears: Imagineers used increasingly smaller windows and bricks during construction to create the illusion of height.
11.There's more to Matterhorn than meets the eye: In fact, the mountain contains a small basketball court near the top where employees can hang out.
12.Scent-emitting devices called "Smellitizers" keep Main Street USA smelling like vanilla instead of B.O. and garbage. 👃
13.Not that you should go around eating leaves, BUT the plants in Tomorrowland are "meant to be edible," according to Disneyland's website.
14.Disneyland was literally a home away from home for its founder: Walt and his family would occasionally stay in an apartment above the firehouse during the park's construction.
15.Doritos were invented at Casa de Fritos inside Disneyland (but sadly, the restaurant is no longer around).
16.Admission to Disneyland was just $1 on opening day back in 1955. Today, admission will set you back $97!
17.The red, yellow, and white pipes running above the line for the Dinosaur ride have the chemical formulas for ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise printed on them.
18.Nearly 100 feralcats call Disneyland home, and they help keep the mice population under control.
19.And finally, not to gross you out, but the brown path winding through Liberty Square is supposed to resemble the sewage that once ran through colonial streets before indoor plumbing was a thing. 💩
Want to be featured in similar BuzzFeed posts? Follow the BuzzFeed Community on Facebook and Twitter!
