The Secrets of Disney. The Parks

DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS SECRETS I

Walt Disney World Secrets Notescast®

DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS SECRETS I

MUPPET-VISION 3D

The Muppets are a quirky and colorful collection of characters constantly engaged in well-intentioned chaos and mayhem. Disney Imagineers have captured this spirit and worked to convey it from the very moment Guests enter the attraction...and this is where you'll find the first secret.

As you enter the Muppet-Vision 3D entryway, you'll pass by a secret which is missed by thousands everyday. Just as you pass through the turnstiles, look to your right and you'll find a sign hanging in the window which reads, "Back in 5 Minutes. Key is under Mat."

Go ahead and lift the mat!

The next Walt Disney World secret is more for mom and dad. As you enter the staging area for the Muppet Vision 3-D attraction, you'll notice "a net full of Jello®" hanging from the ceiling on the left and towards the back. Ponder this, and you'll realize this is a nod to Annette Funicello, perhaps one of Walt Disney's most famous Mouseketeers.

After exiting the attraction, take a moment to study the fountain out front. Find Gonzo the Great, and you will have found a Hidden Mickey.

Now make your way to the exterior of the attraction, just to the right of the entrance. There you will find several large concrete planters atop a high wall. Take a look at the "planter" in the back, and you'll notice it's actually an empty sundae dish!

Did you catch the time as you entered the Muppet Vision 3-D attraction? If not, don't worry, Gonzo did. Take a look at the large clock at the entrance to the attraction and spot Gonzo hanging from the minute hand.

Being Disney's Hollywood Studios, there are many tributes to classic films scattered about. Behind Muppet Vision 3-D and near the "Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show" attraction, you'll find a lamppost with an umbrella attached to it near a street curb at a corner. More than just a tribute to "Singing in the Rain," it's a fun Walt Disney World secret few stop to enjoy. Grab a camera and have your subject stand under the umbrella. . .and watch it begin to rain on them while you take the picture!

THE HOLLYWOOD BROWN DERBY

The name? It was coined in 1926 when Herbert K. Somborn opened what was initially a coffee shop in Los Angeles. At the time, the Governor of New York, Al Smith, was known for wearing his signature brown derby hat. He was in town when Herbert Somborn was choosing a name for his restaurant, so Herbert named it after the Governor's. . .brown derby.

Once you step inside, take a moment to look for a spotted Dalmatian. His coat hides a Hidden Mickey.

KEEPING YOU IN STITCHES

Here's a secret which gives a personal touch to your own souvenir. Stop in at Adiran & Edith's Head to Toe at Disney's Hollywood Studios and, for a price of usually $10 or less, have any Disney-Parks purchased item, such as shirts, caps, mouse ears, t-shirts, etc. embroidered by a specialist with your own custom name, phrase or favorite Disney character.

INDIANA JONES STUNT SPECTACULAR

You may be inclined to walk by those crates marked "Don't Open", thinking they're nothing but props, but go ahead and open them. . .

As you queue in line for the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, notice a well with a rope disappearing into the darkness. Nearby is a sign which reads, "Warning! Do (not) pull rope. Sometimes, but not every time, if you pull on the rope, you'll hear someone in despair down below.

STREETS OF AMERICA

Wander to the end of the Streets of America and take a look at the large backdrop of San Francisco. Notice the numbers and letters of the license plates on the cars parked in the lower portion of the backdrop? They're the birth dates and initials of some of the Imagineers who worked to create Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Now study the newspaper stand in the lower right for a Hidden Mickey of a different kind.

HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS

Kids will delight at this secret made especially for them. Visit the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids play area and find the large dog's nose between the garden hose and the slide from a roll of film. Have your kids put their hand in one of the nostrils and listen to what happens!