Ok, so we all know that Walt Disney World is an amazing place to vacation, that it has something for everyone, and that the food is to die for. Those are all facts that are widely known – but there are plenty of other juicy tidbits of Disney information that we thought you’d enjoy. Check out these awesome little known facts about the happiest place on earth:
1. Size Matters: Walt Disney World is huge – the property is over 27,000 acres – or 40 square miles – and only about 35% of that has been developed thus far (with another 1/3 of it being dubbed as “conservation land”). That is approximately the size of San Francisco, or TWO Manhattans (the island – not the drink!)
2. Inflation: in 1971, all you needed was $3.50 in your pocket and you could buy a ticket to Walt Disney World. Now, 45 years later, a ticket will run you much closer to $100 for entry into the Magic Kingdom. Check out a history of Walt Disney World ticket prices here
3. Lost And Found: Disney has had some seriously weird items that were lost (but luckily found again by their owners!) – including a glass eye and prosthetic leg! Each year they see over 70,000 pairs of sunglasses, 6,000 cell phones, and 18,000 hats that get separated from their owners and turned in to cast members.
4. Abandoned Disney: Walt Disney World is always renovating and creating new attractions – and you might wonder – what happens to the old attractions? Well most of the time, they are demolished to make way for the new, or re-purposed into something even better….but there are a few exceptions to this – namely River Country and Discovery Island. River Country was a water park that closed in 2001, and Discovery Island was an animal filled island a short boat ride away from Disney’s Fort Wilderness that shut its doors in 1999. Both now sit empty, and Disney has offered no real explanation as to why, nor have they made any plans to create new attractions at either location. Check out photos and videos of the abandoned Island and Water Park on You Tube – but be warned – it’s pretty creepy – especially for those of us who remember what these places were like when they were open!
5. Safety First: Disney takes the safety and well-being of the animals at Animal Kingdom very seriously – so much so, in fact, that guests are not allowed to bring in balloons, straws, or drink lids when entering Animal Kingdom. It’s all necessary to ensure that the animals aren’t put in danger of strangulation or choking. And if you’ll notice, the straws they do provide there are made of paper – smart move, right?
6. Gardener’s Paradise: Walt Disney World has over 4,000 acres of gardens and maintained park landscapes (that’s the size of approximately 3,000 football fields!) – and you’ll see everything here – from tulips to roses to lush grass to topiaries and huge gardens galore!
Hopefully you found these Disney World facts interesting, and that you learned a little something too! Who knows, you might even be able to stump that “Die Hard Disney Fan” your knowledge.
Disney Addicts are encouraged to stay tuned for Part II in this series!
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