The Secrets of Disney. The Parks

LIBERTY SQUARE SECRETS

LIBERTY SQUARE

This next secret, while a tribute to Disney's attention to detail, is one countless Guests have walked right over without ever knowing it existed, though they may wish they did! The brown "rivers" winding their way down the middle of the streets throughout Liberty Square actually represent the sewage which used to flow down the streets of colonial America before the arrival of plumbing.

THE HAUNTED MANSION

As you approach the Haunted Mansion, you'll notice a horseless funeral carriage out front. It's horseless in that the horse is there...but it isn't. Disney Imagineers continue the story of the Haunted Mansion in this creative design element as the horse's hoof prints are imprinted in the pavement and stretch from the carriage house out front to its final resting place.

Most Guests will wait in the queue line and never see this next secret...or its ominous warning... even though they may be looking directly at it. In the carriage house out front, Guests will notice a number of horseshoes hanging from pegs. Horseshoes are to be hung with the ends facing up, so as to catch and hold good luck. Unfortunately, all of these horseshoes are hung with the ends facing down, signifying all the good luck has run out...just as Guests are about to enter the Haunted Mansion.

From the horseless carriage to the pet cemetery, the Haunted Mansion experience begins well before Guests enter the front door. Those who visit the attraction at night will notice another story element which is missing during the day. Stop in the queue line across from the front door of the mansion and notice the window above the door. Pause long enough and you'll notice it is often frequented by a couple of ghosts who can be seen walking by the window with a lantern in hand.

This next secret is one which requires Guests to again pause and take notice, as most simply walk past and miss it. It's a bit of a light-hearted secret, but a key element in telling the story of The Haunted Mansion. Pause for a moment in the queue line and look at the lawn. Notice anything different here? Disney Imagineers go to great lengths to ensure the landscaping all throughout Walt Disney World resort is impeccable. Topiaries are shaped into whimsical Disney characters, flowers are blooming at every turn and everything is green, lush and well watered. However, the lawn of The Haunted Mansion is purposely "neglected" so it remains brown and...dead.

The storyline of the Haunted Mansion takes place during a storm. Guests who visit the attraction at night will notice that the same storm which thunders in scenes inside is carried outside as lightning periodically flashes and thunder rumbles across the mansion's facade.

Disney Imagineers are always innovating, and they've added a fun new twist to a Magic Kingdom classic, the tombstones at The Haunted Mansion. Step into the queue line and move to the front outside the main entrance doors. To your left, you'll spot a number of tombstones, each with a witty epitaph paying tribute to one of the designers, developers and artists who originally created the attraction. Near the entrance doors, you'll find the newest tombstone, which honors the late Walt Disney Imagineer Leota Thomas. Keep an eye on the face which adorns the tombstone, as it periodically moves and the eyes open, look around and then close, often frightening those who are caught unaware.

New guests to The Haunted Mansion will want to. . .hang around. . .to see an old classic, the skeleton dangling from the ceiling in the stretching Portrait Gallery. As the narration continues, look up when the lights go out and the narrator offers. . . "Of course, there's always my way. . ."

The names of the three hitchhiking ghosts at the end of the attraction?. . . Phineas, Ezra and Gus.

When exiting The Haunted Mansion, most Guests make the mistake of passing too quickly by the wall at the mausoleum and the pet cemetery. Take a moment to stop and have a laugh while others are rushing off to the next attraction.

Throughout the Magic Kingdom, Guests will find Disney Imagineers have hidden small tributes to former attractions. Stop and look carefully at the pet cemetery and notice a small statue of Mr. Toad way in the back. This was placed as a tribute to an attraction which is "no longer with us", Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

LIBERTY TREE

The 13 lanterns hanging in the Liberty Tree in Liberty Square represent the 13 original U.S. Colonies.

The Liberty Tree in Liberty Square is a 137 year old live oak which was transplanted from another location at Walt Disney World Resort. Its acorns are used by Disney landscaping engineers to grow saplings for other areas in the park.

A famous moment in history is captured in the details of the façade of the Hall of Presidents. In a second-story window facing towards The Haunted Mansion, look up and find two lanterns placed by Paul Revere to announce "One if by land, two if by sea."

COLUMBIA HARBOUR HOUSE

The dining room on the second floor of the Columbia Harbor House is seldom crowded and has a unique view of part of Fantasyland® as well as Liberty Square.

LIBERTY SQUARE RIVERBOAT

This is a secret which gives Guests a Magic Kingdom moment very few get to experience. Board the Liberty Square Riverboat and make your way to the top deck. Stand in front of the Wheelhouse, catch the Captain's attention and ask if you may join him in the wheelhouse. There's a very good chance he'll grant you permission. Make your way mid-deck and open the door which leads to the Captain's Quarters.

You'll discover a fascinating area of the ship rarely seen by Guests. Now make your way up the narrow stairs and join the Captain as he pilots the grand ship down the Rivers of America. Be sure to ask to blow the Liberty Belle's steam whistle.

In addition, ask about receiving an official Riverboat Co-Pilot's license given to Guests who help the Captain.

This next secret, while simple, is one which many Guests pass by without a thought, but unlocks an all new perspective on the park. Board the Liberty Square Riverboat and find a place on the front railing of the top deck. From here, you'll experience The Haunted Mansion, Frontierland, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Tom Sawyer Island and more from an entirely new and moving perspective.

In addition, you'll see elements you can see only from the Liberty Belle, including the Alligator Swamp.

YE OLDE CHRISTMAS SHOPPE

A stop inside the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe reveals not one, but three different shops, each owned and decorated by a different colonial family; A woodcarver's family, a musician's family and a German family named Kepple, an homage to Walt Disney's grandfather, Kepple Disney.

LIBERTY SQUARE REFRESHMENTS

Take a look at the shutters on the windows of Liberty Square Refreshments and some of the other buildings in Liberty Square. Notice how they sag? It's not because of poor craftsmanship, but instead it's a reflection of the Disney Imagineer's commitment to detail. During the Revolutionary War, Britain refused to sell the Colonists any weapons or ammunition. As a result, the Colonists were forced to melt down any available scrap metal to forge into ammunition for their guns and cannons. Some of the metal items sacrificed were the metal hinges of their window shutters. Colonists replaced these hinges with leather straps, which eventually stretched under the weight of the shutters, causing them to sag.

A COMMITMENT TO DETAIL

Now take a moment to notice the address numbers, hinges and other ornamentation on the buildings of Liberty Square for another subtle and often overlooked attention to detail. It would've been far easier for Disney Imagineers to simply install modern day address numbers, hinges and such, but instead they chose to go the extra distance by installing items with the rough textured look of actual forged iron.