Walt Disney World Facts - Magic Kingdom

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Magic Kingdom

This page documents all of the random information that I felt would be pertinent to a trip to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

All information has been gleaned off of the internet. The author cannot take responsibility for the accuracy of the statements made on this page.

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Park-wide

Setting the Mood
The only place you can see the Contemporary Resort in the park is from Tomorrowland (which ties into the futuristic theme). The only place you can see the Grand Floridian Resort is from the Walt Disney Railroad Station (which ties into the Victorian theme of the station).
Notice the sounds as you walk from land to land, especially around the front of the castle. As you move from land to land, there are barely noticable background noises that will change. It's actually hidden speakers setting the mood. Also note the change in pavement textures.
Most buildings in the Magic Kingdom are built using "forced perspective." The buildings look three stories high, but are only two stories high. The first floor is actual size, the second story is 7/8 the size of the first, and the third story is 7/8 of the second story. City Hall and the Exposition Hall are both full size.
C.H.I.P.
There is a program called C.H.I.P. at the Kingdom. C.H.I.P. (Character Hotline Information Program) allows any Cast Member to call and locate any character for a guest. This program, combined with the character accessibility of Toontown, has all but eliminated guests who complain that they didn't see a certain character.
Walt Disney World Railroad
Children often ask the train conductor for the chance to announce "All Aboard."
There are _ trains that run on the railroad and their names are: "Walter E. Disney," "Roy O. Disney," "Lilly Belle" (after Walt's wife, Lillian Bounds Disney), and "Roger E. Broggie" (the head of MAPO, the prototype manufacturing & production division of WED).

Main Street USA

Setting the Mood
Walt wanted the park to be like a show, and his guests to feel like celebrities. To keep this idea, he wanted the walkways leading up to the Magic Kingdom to be red, to seem like Disney is laying down a red carpet for the guests as they walk toward the show. As the guests near the Disney Railroad, it acts as a curtain, preventing sight of Main Street and Cinderella's Castle. Guests are then led under the railroad tracks, where there are "movie posters" of attractions in the park. As guests emerge from the tunnels, the effect is like a curtain rising over Main Street. The first smell is that of popcorn. The names located on the upper windows along Main Street serve as the opening credits when guests are entering the park, and closing credits as guests leave.
Notice the flags atop of the buildings along Main Street. They don't have to be lowered before sunset because there is a mistake in each flag. Either the number of stars are wrong or the number of stripes are wrong.
Main Street, USA was inspired by Marceline, Missouri, which is where Walt grew up.
As most people walk on the right side of the road, Main Street was designed with the food shops (and souvenir items they'd need for the day, like cameras) on the right side of the street. The majority of the souvenir stores are on the left side of the street for people to buy gifts as they leave the park.
Center Street
If you make a right onto Center St. (the street that crosses Main at its center), sometimes you will hear a singing lesson and a ballet class coming from the windows marked "Singing Lessons" and "School of Dance"
City Hall
Flag Retreat (for grown-ups, specifically Veterans) - Ask at City Hall about participating in the evening Flag Retreat. You might also receive a Disney pin, a photo with you in the event, or a certificate signed by Mickey Mouse.
General Store
Check out the old style phone in the General Store (on the right side of the street as you're headed toward Cinderella's Castle). Pick up the receiver and you can listen in on a conversation. There is also one in Tomorrowland under the Astro Orbiter.
Guest Relations
Guest Relations helps guests make priority seating and Resort reservations, and ticket upgrades. It also handles messages for separated parties, provides Guide Maps in multiple languages, and provides assistance for guests with disabilities.
Harmony Barber Shop
Why not get a haircut? The Harmony Barber Shop is open seven days a week, usually until dusk. No appointments are given, just walk-ins. It is located in the far corner of the Emporium, near Disney Clothiers.
Ice Cream Shop
Look for the name "Walt Disney" on the window above the ice cream shop "since his brother Roy gave him the best office, that faces the castle."
Kodak Store
There's a theater behind the Kodak store on the right side of Main St circle. There's a white gingerbread trim walkway with an unmarked entrance door. You go down a short hall and there's a small theater playing old Disney cartoons. They have plywood cutouts of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Steamboat Mickey, etc that you can get your picture beside. (This is noted to be the area where the characters gather who are about to go out on Main St.)
Main Street Firehouse
In honor of the year that marked the opening of the Magic Kingdom, 1971, the Firehouse is "Engine Co. 71."
Walt Disney World Railroad
As you approach the entrance to the Magic Kingdom, look above the "Magic Kingdom" sign to find the "Railroad Office." The window reads, "Keeping Dreams on Track - Walter E. Disney - Chief Engineer."

Adventureland

Jungle Cruise
Inspired by his series of True Life Adventures films, Walt Disney wanted his new park to have a place where guests could come to experience wild animals in their natural environment. He settled on creating a boat ride along the rivers of the world, and asked his Imagineers to draw their inspiration for the boat from a popular adventure film of the time -- "The Creature from the Black Lagoon."
The original design called for live animals, but it was determined that most animals would be asleep during the day and not visible to guests.
The boats were modeled after the motion picture "The African Queen," starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn and scenes from Disney's "True Life Adventure Series" that first appeared in the 1950's.
The names of the boats are: Amazon Annie, Bomokandi Bertha, Congo Connie, Ganges Gertie, Irrawaddy Irma, Kwango Kate, Mongala Millie, Nile Nellie, Orinoco Ida, Rutshuru Ruby, Sankuru Sadie, Senegal Sal, Ucayali Lolly, Volta Val, Wamba Wanda, and Zambezi Zelda.
There are two islands. They are named "Catalina" and "Manhattan."
Read the names on the chalk board in the queue line.
This ride is most interesting five minutes before closing (preferably late closings). The shade of night and the late night delirium of the captain make it very entertaining.
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Look out for the spitting camels.
Look for the "jewels" embedded in the pavement around this attraction.
Pirates of the Caribbean
This popular attraction is set in the West Indies of the 1700s, when Spain brought gold from the New World back home and is based on a pirate raid on a Caribbean island town and the rogues' adventures that \ ensue.
The building housing this ride was inspired by a famous Caribbean fortress known as the Castillo del Morro.
Look carefully and you will find the four cannons on the roof of the building.
Listen to the Peglegged Pete, the parrot at the entrance to the building singing "A Parrot's Life for Me."
Peek down into the dungeon cells while queuing. You just may find two skeletons engaged in a stlemate chess match.
Each day when the cast members arrive at Pirates of the Carribean, they must say hello to "George," the resident ghost. If a cast member fails to say "hi," or if someone goes on the ride and repeats, "George isn't real," then the ride will break down. George is rumored to be an Imagineer who designed the track system for the ride.
The left line is shorter. If you walked through both sides and timed it, you would get to the head of the lines faster through the left.
On the boat, just before it goes under one of the bridges, look for a bald pirate who is close to the water on the left side. "Just before the boat went under the bridge," one person claims, "he turned his head toward our boat and winked!"
As you pass the auction scene, watch as the pirate on the laft hand side fires his gun, the sign on the other side of the water pings and swings back and forth
You can hear a pirate's voice before the first waterfall warning that there be "squalls" ahead and "Davy Jones" waiting for those that don't hold on tight. According to one sailor myth, Davy Jones was a fiendish pub owner who used to capture and keep drunken sailors in his ale locker. He would later dispose of them by placig the lockers on departing ships. Another legend refers to Saint David, while others associate the name with the Devil.
Look for the scene with the town's Mayor, Carlos, being dunked in a well by a group of pirates who are looking for the location of the town's treasures. Listen for Carlos telling the pirats that he "weel not talk!" Also look for Carlos' wife peeking out of the upstairs window and listen to her say, "Don't tell him, Carlos! Don't be cheeken!"
Swiss Family Treehouse
The story of the movie goes like this: A shipwrecked family of five salvages material from their downed ship, the Swallow, to create a home among the leaves of a huge old tree on a South Seas island. There are bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a library, all set up just like other 19th-century homes. Eventually, the family has to battle a band of pirates, and then they are rescued -- well, sort of. You really have to see the movie to fully appreciate the detail that goes into the Swiss Family Treehouse. It's amazing the way the finer points of the film are recreated here. Watch the film, then try it for yourself.
The tree is actually it's own "species." It is known as a "Disneyodendron eximus," which means it is an "out of the ordinary Disney tree."
The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management)
If you saw this attraction before 1998, you'll remember original "cast members" Jose, Michael, Fritz and Pierre who still perform as part of the show.
The almost 10-minute show starts with the original characters listed above leading the other birds in the famously familiar tune, "In the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room..." After a few seconds of this familiar refrain, the birds' chorus is interrupted loudly by the loud-mouthed and boastful parrot Iago, voiced distinctively by comedian Gilbert Gottfried. He proclaims that as the new co-owner of the Tiki Room he's introducing a brand-new production. His co-owner, the stiff upper-lipped Zazu warns Iago that he might irk the tiki gods, but Iago forges ahead. The tiki goddess of disaster, Uh Oa, erupts from the center of the room in a cloud of green mist, and she wreaks her revenge on Iago, hurling a lightning bolt his way, zapping him ominously. The tiki gods perform a triumphant chant, and Iago reappears bandaged and on crutches. After declaring the tiki gods the greatest act he has ever heard, he joins Zazu and the rest of the Audio-Animatronics cast for a musical grand finale.

Frontierland

Setting the Mood
You can find the Marshall keepin' the peace and "Gold Dust Gus," the Prospector, at various times throughout the day. These character actors help maintain the atmosphere in Frontierland as they gladly interact with guests in improvisational acts.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Want to know the story behind the attraction? Greedy gold prospectors were plundering the hills of Wyoming's "Big Thunder Mountain," which at one time was a sacred Indian burial ground. An ancient Indian legend warned of disaster if anyone tried to remove gold from the mountain. Ignoring the warning, the miners took the train down into the deep mines where Indian spirits took control of the mine cars and spun them out of control. The miners were never heard from again. Some time later, an earthquake destroyed most of the mine and other natural disasters ensued. The miners and visitors of the nearby town, Tumbleweed, quickly vanished. Now, all that remains are a few residents and the legend of "Big Thunder Mountain."
The six trains are named: I.M. Brave, I.M. Fearless, I.B. Hearty, U.B. Bold, U.R. Daring, and U.R. Courageous.
When your train is going up the 2nd lift and you pass the goat with the stick of dynamite in its mouth, look to your left and toward the bottom as you almost complete the turn. You will see a giant set of human toes carved into the rock formation. (One of the men working on the construction before the attraction was opened actually broke his toe while on the job and carved an unbelievable likeness of his two toes sticking out of a cast.)
The sun heats and melts the grease on the tracks, making the trains go faster. So if you wait until the afternoon, the ride will feel wilder than it would have that morning!
There are five ride cars pulled by one engine. If you want to look at the theming and scenery, sit in the front car. If you want a really wild ride, take a seat in the back rows.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is beautiful at night; be sure and ride after dark if you have the chance.
Frontierland Shootin' Arcade
If you're looking for a little bit of rest & relaxation, there's a place to sit and play checkers in front of the Frontierland Shootin' Arcade.
The guns are refitted .54 Caliber Hawkins buffalo rifles.
Try to hit the possum that peeks out behind the treestumps.
There are 97 different targets to shoot at.
Parade Tip
If you want to see the afternoon parade, line up at the very start of the parade here in Frontierland. This way, you can cut over to Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and others while the parade is still going on elsewhere in the park and get a short line because everyone else is still watching the parade!
Splash Mountain
The best time to get on this ride is the first 90 minutes after park opening and the last 40 minutes before park closing.
"Slippin' Falls" is the name of the first drop. Look for the sign near the stairs on the right-hand side as you approach the drop.
Just before the lift to the big drop, at the end of the room where the water is shooting in streams, look up and you will see an animal pop out of a hole above you during the song and exlaim "FSU!" (It is an apparent reference to Florida State University, the alma mater of one of the imagineers that developed the ride.) NOTE: There is some dispute as to where this animal is. It has been said that it pops out in line with the "WATCH OUT" and "BEWARE" signs that you will see as Brer Fox has Brer Rabbit by the ears.
The key that was used in the movie "Return to Oz" can be found located on one of the boats (not the ones you ride in, one of the "scenery" boats in the ride).
If you have children too small to ride, a great place to keep them occupied is the "Laughin' Place," located at the exit of the ride.
Tom Sawyer Island
The Three wooden rafts are named after characters in "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." Their names are: Tom Sawyer, Injun Joe, and Becky Thatcher.
If you're on one of the first few trips, see if you can find a paintbrush. Turn it into the boat captain on the way back and he'll give you a Fastpass to a nearby ride.
While in Harper's Mill on Tom Sawyer Island, look closely at the wooden gears operating. On one of the gears that rotates horizontally, look closely between the cogs. You will see a little blue bird sitting there. (It may be a reference to the Disney cartoon "The Old Mill" which had a scene with a bird getting caught between the cogs of a gear.)
In the Ambush cave, when you go in a ways you will see a crystal formation in the wall with water flowing under it. If you notice even more carefully, this water appears to be running uphill.
Looking forward to challenging someone in the Fort? Why not challenge them to a game of checkers. There's a place where you can sit and play.
Walt Disney World Railroad
Check out the "Lost and Found" areas. You will see a leg and an umbrella. The umbrella is a replica of the umbrella used in Mary Poppins and the wooden leg, with the name "Smith" written on it, is a clear reference to the Wooden-Leg-Named-Smith joke from Mary Poppins.

Liberty Square

Setting the Mood
Near the Hall of Presidents is a gate around a door. The gate guards a marble slab that reportedly came from Monticello, the home, gardens and plantation of Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States.
Find the Liberty Tree across from the Hall of Presidents. The Liberty Tree commemorates the communal meeting place of the Sons of Liberty who, in 1865, protested the imposition of the Stamp Act.
Find the 13 lanterns hanging from the Liberty Tree. They represent the first 13 colonies of the United States.
The Hall of Presidents
Look for the Official Presidential Seal, located in the carpet in the rotunda.
Other than the White House in Washington, D.C., The Hall of Presidents is the only place in the world allowed to use the Official Presidential Seal.
Look at the Audio-Animatronic figure of FDR. It is so detailed that, if you look closely, you can see the braces on his legs.
Haunted Mansion
At night, look up at the top story right above the front door. If you watch it for a while, you'll notice a light pass by and the shadows make it look like two people are walking by with a lantern.
Listen to the spooky sounds outside the Mansion. During the day, the sounds of a howling dog can be heard in the distance, while at night you can hear a clap of thunder.
Look for the bat-shaped weathervane on top of the Mansion.
Look closely at the "real" front door. The two columns alongside the door are shaped like coffins.
Look atop the parapets and you will see chess pieces as ornaments. If you look carefully, you will see all the possible shapes of chess pieces except the Knight. There are two explanations for this. The first is that It is always "night" inside the mansion. The second is that the knight is inside the Mansion, wearing the suit of armor. He can be seen after the corridor of doors on the ground floor, near the grandfather clock.
At the entrance, the tombstone for Madame Leota has eyes that open only for an instant.
The tombstone mentioned above is to honor Imagineer Leota Thomas, who recently passed away.
The loyal maids and butlers who welcome you to Master Gracey's are the few Cast Members that won't greet you with a friendly smile!
Watch the portrait in the front foyer quickly age.
As you walk into the center of the stretching room, notice the eight gargoyles holding flickering candles which provide just enough light to see the paintings hanging on the walls above them.
There are sometimes Cast Members dressed in black who are placed in various locations throughout the attraction to catch "wandering ghosts."
They have a series of pressure-sensative mats all around the ride track which will detect and alert the operators if any non-ghostly form sets foot on them. You can see them when your buggie nears the unloading area (on the side nearest to the wall). They are just little mats with a wire running away from it. Don't get any ideas about sneaking around in attractions such as this, though. Most of the serious injuries occur when people try to carhop on things like the People Mover or Haunted Mansion. Some of these accidents were gruesome in nature, all due to people being "daring" and "stupid." Don't try it.
As you enter the library, notice how the volumes of books and the busts of the greatest "ghost writers" always appear to be facing directly towards you.
There are two books on the table with the lamp as you prepare to leave the library. They are separate volumes from "The National Encyclopedia" and the open book is open to the "D" section so that the entry for "Death" is shown.
After the library, you are presented with an eerie piano, apparently playing itself. However, if you look at the floor in front of it, you will see the shadow of a wretched ghost playing the haunting tune. In front of the piano on the floor is the piano stool, and three sheets of music. A close inspection of the music reveals that one of the sheets contains staff lines but no notes, meaning the poor composer never lived to complete his work.
The piano is an original, built by the Schomacker Piano Co. out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The piano is believed to have been built somwhere between 1870 and 1890.
In the ballroom scene, there is an old lady sitting in a rocking chair. This animatronic figure is a duplicate made from the grandmother in one of the scenes in the Carrousel of Progress.
Look for the only "official" hidden Mickey of this attraction. It's a grim reaper in the graveyard scene holding a scepter.
There are three hitchhiking ghosts. The little ghost with the ball and chain is Gus, the tall, skinny skeleton is Ezra, and their hunched-over friend with the top hat is Phineas. According to legend, Ezra Dobbins and Phineas Queeg were friends of Gus Gracey (they were all cellmates at the Salem Asylum for the Criminally Insane). After planning their escape, the three tried hitchhiking down the road. After meeting their demise separately, Madame Leota cast a spell on Gus banishing him from the Mansion for eternity. She eventually took pity on him, however, and summoned his old friends to keep him company.
As you exit your Doombuggy, take a good look at the wall. The torches seem to be held by the arms of ghosts.
Check out the wedding ring in the concrete at the end of the ride. The ring is supposedly hard to spot. As you come out of the ride, you will go past all the tombs, then you come to a gateway with a wide and a narrow passageway. The ring is in the ground about even with the gateway in the middle of the wide passageway. You can ask a Cast Member and usually they will show you and tell you one of the stories about how it got there.
Don't forget to stop and visit the pet cemetery on the way out. Most people just walk on by it.
Liberty Square Riverboat
If you ask a cast member of the Liberty Belle's dock nicely, you can go up to the wheel house and ring the bell, toot the horn and drive the boat. You even get a certificate.
From the top deck of the Liberty Belle you can get great pictures of Tom Sawyer Island, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the Haunted Mansion.

Fantasyland

Setting the Mood
Fantasyland is supposed to be modeled after a medieval fair/german village. The area by "It's a Small World" and "Peter Pan's Flight" are modeled after a German village (Pinnochio style) and the rest of Fantasyland is modeled after a Renaissance/Medieval fair (tents roofing, etc.)
Try to see Fantasyland during the parades since Fantasyland and the parades both tend to attract a younger crowd.
Cinderella Castle
If you stand right in front of the castle at precisely noon and look at the highest spire, the sun will reflect perfectly off the top spire and create a Tinkerbell shape. This was something that the Disney Imagineers toyed with and could never prefect.
The murals in the castle depict the Wicked Step Sisters. Look at their faces. One of the faces is Red the Other Green. The reason - one is to be "Red with Anger" and the other is to be "Green with Envy" as Cinderella tries on the slipper.
The stone railing that is along the castle's walkway has an inverted three-circle pattern along it. When the sun hits these the right way, images of Mickey are projected all along the walkway.
Notice the little mice up in the rafters of the lobby.
Find the water fountain to the left of Cinderella's Castle as you exit the rear. It has Cinderella in it holding a bird. Stand directly in front of Cinderella and curtsy to her. You will see the gold crown behind her go onto her head. The purpose is to explain the story of Cinderella in just one glance: rags to riches.
On the rear of the castle there are shields. Those are the last name shields of the main imagineers that worked on the castle. The one in the center is Walt's.
There is space for an aparatment inside Cinderella Castle. The apartment was for the Disney family and was built inside the castle's upper floors, but it was never completed or used.
Look at all five mosaics inside the castle. They tell the entirety of the Cinderella story.
Cinderella's Golden Caroussel
One horse has a gold ribbon on its tail. It also has a very wide red bridle on its face. It is on the first row of jumpers from the outside. It is Cinderella's horse; the one next to it is Prince Charming's.
Find Cinderella's coach mice atop the sign for the carrousel.
The horses are arranged in five rows. Smaller, "children friendly" horses are in the interior rows, and the horses increase in size to the outer rows.
No two horses on the ride are identical.
Take a close look at the horses. Only one side of them is very intricately detailed, the side that faces outwards. The other side of the horse is very plain.
The caroussel came from Olympic Park and was built in 1917 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
On the first ride of Dumbo each morning, Mickey and Minnie pick kids to ride with.
It's a Small World
Only two of the figures represent the United States. They are really hard to find if you don't know what you're looking for. They are the cowboy and the Eskimo.I've also read that they are a cowboy and an Indian. They can be found in the "white room."
There is a clown in a hot air balloon holding a "Help Me!" sign. He is the only character on the ride that is not smiling.
Find the window in one of the upper walls that looks into Pinocchio's Village Haus Restaurant.
There are six distinct rooms: The loading/unloading area, the European room, the Far East room, the African room, the Islands of the Pacific room, and the "white room" which celebrates children of all nations.
Some of the children in the European room are dressed to look like dancing chess pieces. They are to the left of the large clock tower.
Mad Tea Party
The "10/6" on the Mad Hatter's hat is the price of the hat - ten shillings, six pence.
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
As you enter owl's house, turn around. You will see a picture hanging on the wall of Mr Toad handing over the deed of the ride.
In the gift shop as you exit the ride, you may notice the distinct smell of honey in the air.
Mickey's PhilharMagic
The entire production was created totally on computer, representing the first time the featured classic Disney characters were completely modeled and animated by computer!
The long mural that spans the lobby is a composite of imagery from animated classic Disney movies with musical themes including "Toot, Whistle, Plunk & Boom," "Melody Time," and "Fantasia."
Peter Pan's Flight
As you fly over London, look down. London is recreated in stunning detail. Look in particular at Big Ben and the Tower Bridge. Also notice the moving headlights of the miniature cars below.
Pinocchio's Village Haus
This restaurant is divided into seven themed rooms, each named after a character from the Pinocchio film. The rooms are: Blue Fairy, Cleo, Figaro, Jiminy Cricket, Monstro, Stromboli, and Gepetto's Workshop.
Find the window that looks into the "It's A Small World" ride.
Snow White's Scary Adventures
The name of a dwarf is carved into the front of each of the ride cars, just like their names were carved into their headboards in the movie.
Swan Boat Tour - An Extinct Attraction
Look for the green-roofed dock on the water's edge between Cinderella Castle and Tomorrowland. This was the dock for the Swan Boat tour around Cinderella Castle and parts of Adventureland.
Tinkerbell's Treasures Shop
Enter the door nearest the castle (the Darling Children's Nursery side). The merchandise shelves are beds, dressers, etc. Peek in the top left keyhole in the dresser to see if you can find Tinkerbell.

Mickey's Toontown Fair

The Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacre Farm
Be sure to check out Goofy's Garden while in the queue, especially some of the interestingly-shaped vegetables. Look in particular for the squashes and the bell peppers.
Donald's Boat
Find the maps drawn by Professor Ludwig von Drake of the "Old Duck and the Sea Enterprises."
Mickey's Country House
When in the den, find the three ping pong paddles that look like the heads of Mickey, Donald and Goofy.
If you look inside Mickey's garage, you can find a license plate hanging on the wall that reads "MIK MIN".
Mickey's license plate reads "2N-TWN-FR".
Find the plans for Mickey's new dishwasher in his kitchen.
Figure out what Mickey's favorite football team is by listening to the radio in the living room.
Find the "Duckburg U" foam hand and pennants as well as the pennants for "Goofy Tech" in Mickey's den.
Near the front door, find the letters from Mickey's penpals. Find where each penpal is writing from.
Minnie's Country House
Make sure you turn all of the knobs in the kitchen. Hear the popcorn pop, etc.
Look at Minnie's computer screen where she's typing the "Letter From the Editor."
Find Minnie's blue ribbons for cooking.
Check Minnie's answering machine.
Open Minnie's refrigerator to cool off.
Pete's Garage?
Located near the entrance to Mickey's Toontown Fair. Take a look at the gas pump. Also look for the keys to the restroom.
Toontown Hall of Fame Tent
Characters each choose a child to escort into the Fair at its rope-drop opening.
Walt Disney World Railroad
If you like trains, here is the best location in the park to get a photograph of them. Look for the entrance to a path near the railroad station that leads to Tomorrowland. From this walkway the track is close and the view is unobstructed.

Tomorrowland

Setting the Mood
The metal "palm trees" fold up at night and open during the day, just like flowers.
There is a dark, heavy, water-covered sphere which sits on a low-friction base. If it's sitting still, you can give it a hard push to put it in motion, and it will continue to move for a while, in whichever direction you push it. NOTE: This is rumored to be turned off due to recent droughts.
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Some of the big points are scored when leaving the first room. Turn around and shoot the back of the orange robot's left arm or the back of the buzz saw. Also try hitting the target on the ceiling above you.
As you enter the second room, try to shoot the volcano.
The jackpot appears to be the 'Z' target at the bottom of Zurg's pulpit, reachable only just as you enter or, facing backward, just as you leave the third room. The car usually turns away from these, so use the lever to face backwards and score big.
To achieve a high score on the Buzz Lightyear Space Rangers Spin Ride, here are a couple of hidden targets. As you leave the first shooting area, there is a 'Z' target on the ceiling above you, if you hit the target directly in the center with the laser, you get 100,000 points per hit. There is also a hidden target on the wall in the room that shows you the wall video of the flying Zurg ship. You can only see it for a split second while the Zurg ship is stopped and just before it gets destroyed. This is the most challenging one to find and hitting the target (Not Enclosed in a 'Z') also gives high bonus points.
There's an invisible target. You'll go through a round-ish doorway. Turn your car completely around and imagine that there's a 3-circle Mickey head. Shoot at where the right ear would be, and if you hit the target, you'll see a white circle. NOTE: There have been some rumors that this is a 1 million point target. There have been other rumors that say that too many people have found this secret so they were "forced" to remove it.
Hold the button on your blaster down all the time. Don't let it up as you move it around to aim.
Indy Speedway
Near the Indy Speedway on the way from Fantasyland into Tomorrowland there is a high street lamp with three large round-hooded lights. It was designed to cast a Mickey figure on the ground twice a day when the sun is in the right place.
Space Mountain
While waiting in line, look up at the ceiling. Some of those space rocks you see flying by are reported to actually be Chips Ahoy cookies.
The ride is slightly different depending on which way you go at the fork in the line. The left side ends with one last pull-you-out-of-your-seat drop. The right side ends with several last sharp, blasting turns.
When Space Mountain breaks down, it takes a good 45 minutes to an hour to start it back up again. There are only a couple of ways to know that it's broken down: one being that you're in line, the other being that you're attempting to queue. If it is indeed broken down, calmly talk to the CM at the entrance to see if you can get a Fastpass for later (If you have one, hold on to it; they'll be good for the rest of the day.) Go to the Tomorrowland Transit Authority/WEDWay/People Mover. The TTA goes through Space Mountain and chances are that the lights in Space Mountain will be on. You will be able to see everything!
Another great way to see it with the lights on is to ride the TTA at the end of the night. The CMs will usually let you ride over and over and you can often see Space Mountain with the lights on.
Stitch's Great Escape
In the store adjacent to the ride, look at the wall that it shares with the attraction. You should find some tubes and wires in it, but every 10-15 minutes, the panel behind the grate comes alive, making sounds, bubbling, sparking, and flashing as if Stitch was behind it. NOTE: This was an effect used when the ride was "Alien Encounter" and I'm assuming that it is still there, as it is something that Stitch is likely to do.
The Timekeeper
Even after the show is done and everyone is gone, the time keeper keeps moving. Just as he is about to shut down and reset for the next show, he stands up very straight and gives a little wave to the center of the audience. NOTE: Be close to the doors, because the doors are extremely heavy and they close automatically.
Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress
Look for Cousin Orville's toes wiggling while he's in the bathtub.
Cousin Orville was voiced by Mel Blanc (the voice of Bugs Bunny).

Parade Tips

Setting the Mood
The "Share a Dream Come True" parade goes from Frontierland to Main St while "SpectroMagic" begins on Main St and ends in Frontierland. Why? The belief is that guests watching the parade would walk in the opposite direction of the parade's path as it ends, thereby causing people to venture further into the park during the day and towards the exit at night.
The Imagineers, when designing and building the floats, put a hidden image of Walt Disney on each float. Many are hard to spot, especially at night. Images include silhouettes, statues, or small portraits. For example, in the "Share a Dream Come True" parade, look for a silhouette of Walt's face on the left side of the "video projector" on top of the snow globe containing Mickey.
Perfect Pictures
When waiting for the afternoon parade, if you don't want to rush your pictures, here's what to do. Find a spot to wait near Pecos Bill Cafe and let the parade completely pass. Take not of anything that you will want pictures of. Quickly take the breezeway to Adventureland. From there, walk quickly (you may need to run) to Main Street, USA. Go as far as you can toward the park entrance. That's a great spot for pictures, and it's usually free. (You may not want to do this if you have kids with you; there's a lot of rushing involved.)
Spot Suggestions
Try watching the parade from: the Emporium side next to the fire house on Main Street USA, on top of the Train Station platform, or next to Splash Mountain.
Watch the Windows
During a parade, windows open and close automatically on the second-level buildings to reveal speakers which are synchronized with the floats.

The Fireworks

Watching From In the Park
On the bridge leading from Main Street to Tomorrowland
In front of a snack place called "Mrs. Pott's Cupboard" in Fantasyland. There is a long round bench area with chairs that's nearby the lake. There is a good view anywhere around this area, but the right side is recommended.
In the small rose garden to the right of the castle
Near the flower garden right outside Tomorrowland, Tinkerbell flies right overhead
From the balcony at the Main St. railroad station
Leaning on Ariel's Grotto rocks.
Watching From Out of the Park
From the top of the Contemporary Resort
From Narcoosee's Restaurant at the Grand Floridian (sometimes they dim the lights and play the fireworks music)
From California Grill at the Contemporary Resort
From the ferry. If you time it right, you can see the whole display clearly and miss the crowds for the transport afterwards.
Some Things to Try That Require Some Luck
On the Monorail as it is leaving the Contemporary
Riding Big Thunder Mountain
While riding Splash Mountain, as your boat comes down the big drop
From the front seat in the Monorail as you are leaving the park (you can ask the driver to stop and watch the fireworks) NOTE: Do not push the emergency talk button to ask him to stop. Fireworks are NOT an emergency.