Secrets & Little Known Facts about rides

[doconeill]

Honestly, If they intended for that big/long exit ramp to be used as the entrance, there is no reason it couldn't have been had the station been build "backwards" or not. it's like like either the current Gen Monorails or the old MKIV's were enter one way/exit the other. It also wouldn't be the first time they'd flipped the orientation of a Monorail station to facilitate crowd control. (the MK station I believe used to have all entry up the center ramp w/ the outer ramps the exits. This was changed to the current outer entrance and common central exit.).

True, although they may have swapped the entrance/exit for other reasons. I can't remember now, but do they at least try and keep the boarding/exiting unidirectional (resort stops excluded)?

As for the large platform /exit ramp built into the EPCOT Center Monorail station, I believe it was built that way to be used as the EPCOT Preview center prior to the park's opening. When they were still building the park you cold ride the EPCOT Center train from the TTC, you'd stop at the EPCOT station where you could see artwork and exhibits featuring what was coming in the new park, and then reboard the monorail to loop thru the park and see it's construction..

This makes a lot of sense as well, although I don't know how much you could see back then...

 

[Ziggie]

That is completely true.

Regarding that-

Virtual Tour of Walt Disneys Apt. at Disneyland

This is a fun link.

Its been around a while, but its well worth a look or two.

http://www.ocregister.com/multimedia/disneyapartment/

When the site opens, click on ENTER.

Thanks for reminding me about that link! I always enjoy it

 

[Robo]

The Contemporary Resort was (originally) entirely prefab! The structure was built, and then the rooms were slid into the holes left in the structure!

Yup - in order to meet the aggressive construction schedule, they designed it such that the rooms could be built elsewhere at the same time as the structure, and then just slide them into place.

HERE is a very short promotional film (US Steel) that shows the prefab construction of the Contemporary Resort tower rooms, and a bit of them being trucked and installed on-site.

There is a mention that this process was used for two resorts at WDW.
The other was the Poly, although it was not mentioned by name in this film.

 

[goofyernmost]

That is completely true.

Regarding that-

Virtual Tour of Walt Disneys Apt. at Disneyland

This is a fun link.

Its been around a while, but its well worth a look or two.

http://www.ocregister.com/multimedia/disneyapartment/

When the site opens, click on ENTER.

Well, that is true if you're talking about Disneyland, but I think the reference was WDW. I have heard that said myself and figured the closest he would have gotten to staying at WDW would have been in the Haunted Mansion.

 

[Robo]

As for the large platform /exit ramp built into the EPCOT Center Monorail station, I believe it was built that way to be used as the EPCOT Preview center prior to the park's opening. When they were still building the park you cold ride the EPCOT Center train from the TTC, you'd stop at the EPCOT station where you could see artwork and exhibits featuring what was coming in the new park, and then reboard the monorail to loop thru the park and see it's construction.

This makes a lot of sense as well, although I don't know how much you could see back then...

OK. If you want to see something very remarkable (and an actual look at the Epcot Monorail Station in it's infancy)
take a look at THIS.

It's from a network TV special that the Disney Company produced about the designing and building of EPCOT Center.

It was directed by one of TV's most creative (to say the least) director's Dwight Hemion.
It was hosted by the amazingly likable and talented Michael Landon.
It featured some of the country's most gifted artists, actors and scientists.
(So sad that many of these amazing people have since left this mortal plane, but what would our lives have been like without them?)

Get out a hanky...
and take a look at EPCOT CENTER... while much of the concrete was still wet.

BTW, if you look at some of the other links that will pop up as you watch the one I gave, you can find much of the rest of the show.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Yup - in order to meet the aggressive construction schedule, they designed it such that the rooms could be built elsewhere at the same time as the structure, and then just slide them into place.

One of the urban legends is that the rooms are removable as well, so they can be swapped out to refurbish them, but because the building settled they are stuck. It is false, however - it is completely impractical and would be enormously expensive compared to just doing an in-place refurb in the first place. They'd have to rip off all the external finishing work just to attempt to remove a room.

As for the EPCOT Monorail - I think Goofyernmost may have the best explanation for the "additional platform" legend. I've heard many people claim that it was another platform for the legendary DTD/EPCOT line, but a simple inspection shows that that alone is impossible - it is too close to the existing beams and boarding ramp such that there is no clearance for another monorail train. But as a "holding pen" for people leaving, that would make more sense.

I taught the "Innovations in Action" seminar for years at WDW when I was a CM. This is actually in our script that the rooms were originally designed to be removable and that settling has made that impossible. I would think that if this was an urban legend that it wouldn't have made it into the official Disney seminar script. It may have been the original plan but has since proven to be too expensive of a venture to remodel the rooms that way.

 

[doconeill]

I taught the "Innovations in Action" seminar for years at WDW when I was a CM. This is actually in our script that the rooms were originally designed to be removable and that settling has made that impossible. I would think that if this was an urban legend that it wouldn't have made it into the official Disney seminar script. It may have been the original plan but has since proven to be too expensive of a venture to remodel the rooms that way.

This would not be the only case of urban legend or incorrect information making it into scripts or CM info at Disney...for the longest time, it was actually believed that the plane in the GMR Casablanca scene could NOT have been the original, as many documents showed that no actual plane was used, and Disney admitted it, yet it was still in the script. Only more recently was it shown that it could have been the original plane, but there still isn't proof that it was THE plane.

Regarding the Contemporary: http://www.yesterland.com/contemporary.html

Would it have been possible? Maybe, but totally impractical.

 

[LuLu_5]

This is a fun thread. All these useful tidbits.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

This would not be the only case of urban legend or incorrect information making it into scripts or CM info at Disney...for the longest time, it was actually believed that the plane in the GMR Casablanca scene could NOT have been the original, as many documents showed that no actual plane was used, and Disney admitted it, yet it was still in the script. Only more recently was it shown that it could have been the original plane, but there still isn't proof that it was THE plane.

Regarding the Contemporary: http://www.yesterland.com/contemporary.html

Would it have been possible? Maybe, but totally impractical.

The plane story has been going around since the place opened. It would be a cool story if it were true.

I always thought that the Contemporary room rehab was a poorly designed idea but followed my script when teaching.

Don't know if this was mentioned further upthread but in the Great Movie Ride the original design included a tornado that took you to Oz but that had to be replaced with the Fantasia scene where you see Sorcerer Mickey because of contractual issues with MGM which limited the amount of time spent in show scenes from Wizard of Oz. You can see where it was originally designed to look like a tornado - complete with fan that blows the wind.

 

[Ziggie]

I taught the "Innovations in Action" seminar for years at WDW when I was a CM. This is actually in our script that the rooms were originally designed to be removable and that settling has made that impossible. I would think that if this was an urban legend that it wouldn't have made it into the official Disney seminar script. It may have been the original plan but has since proven to be too expensive of a venture to remodel the rooms that way.

Thanks for sharing! You're an incredibly credible source

 

[Saylan]

As you turn backwards and go down the hill from the attic where Constance is in the Haunted Mansion, it is supposed to represent you committing suicide by jumping off of the house. After that, you are dead, which is why all the ghosts and spirits get more playful and arn't hiding from you like they were during the beginning portions of the ride. This is probably also a story that Disney doesn't promote anymore because of the nature of it.

It was confirmed somewhere in this long thread (here) by Buzz that the suicide aspect of this is not true. You are indeed falling out of the building but you are not in fact dying. It's probably open to interpretation like that, but the intent was not one of dying, just falling.

 

[rustyharleton]

Dont get frustrated because they are both there youve just got to look as soon as you go into that room. Believe me Ive seen them myself!

 

[doconeill]

Never mind...this thread is so old I was repeating myself...

 

[ty93850]

They have stopped the paint brushes at Tom Sawyer Island for now. The back half is under construction.

 

[davmill]

A lot of great trivia that I never knew about and now can use to impress people I am with at WDW. Loved the tour of Walt's apartment. How neat it would be to actually live at one of the parks!

 

[pooh4evr]

bumping for fun!

 

[ArielletheMermaid]

I'm not sure how many people have said the things I am about to say, but here are some facts I know.

On Main Street USA the lights start as gas lamps, but by the time you go to Casey's Corner it turns to electrical lamps, like you just went through time.

On R&R Roller Coaster, when you see all of the posters in the line, the D5 poster has an American Flag, but it is actually covering a marijuana leaf.

At Toy Story Mania in the line look at the points of the crayons, some have been used a lot while others have been barely touched.

20+ years ago in WDW, 4 teenagers died on the HM by going in and out of buggys, so there actually is 1,003 ghosts in HM.

I've seen some talk about the Pirates Caribbean "chess", Marc Davis researched past masters tournaments for a no-win outcome because of his obsession of high accuracy.

The dogs in Haunted Mansion and Carousel of Progress are the same dog named "Rover", even though many think he is on the Pirates ride as well, it has never been confirmed by Imagineers.

 

[mesaboy2]

20+ years ago in WDW, 4 teenagers died on the HM by going in and out of buggys, so there actually is 1,003 ghosts in HM.

I have a hard time accepting that one as fact. Do you have a source?

ETA: I can be a tough crowd.

 

[emmabemmainc]

I just googled it and found nothing. I find it very hard to believe as well.

 

[Senator Tressel]

It didn't happen. How would an entire group of four die from getting out of their vehicles? Die of what? I can see maybe one person being dragged to death (and even this is a stretch), but four doesn't make sense.