Disney World, the megaplex of theme parks and attractions in Orlando, enjoys its continued success as the resort capital of Florida. Spanning 47 square miles, Disney World and its affiliates have become an entire community of Cast Members, Directors, and business networks in Florida and beyond.
Every resort and theme park has it’s own log file of history and memorable situations; from gossip to rumors, parts of every company’s culture are filled with stories, facts, and instances that sometimes make their way into employee meetings or new customer experiences. If you’re just Disney buff, or need to start working on your Disney trivia skills, here are eight interesting facts you didn’t know about Disney World:
1. Disney World is the largest single-site employer in the United States, and is the world’s second media conglomerate. In 2006, the Walt Disney Company had 133,000 employees.
2. Since 1971, an estimated 1.5 million pairs of sunglasses have been submitted to the Walt Disney World Lost and Found department. The sunshine state seems to encourage over 100 pairs of sunglasses to be stored into the Magic Kingdomevery day
3. The Walt Disney World Wedding Pavilion altar was designed to catch a panoramic view of Cinderella’s Castle at the Magic Kingdom
4. The DNA Tower at the Epcot Wonders of Life pavilion is 5.5 billion times the actual size
5. If you take a helicopter ride over the Magnolia Golf Course, you might spot an (almost) ‘Hidden Mickey’: the entire course is shaped like the Disney corporate symbol.
6. The monorail system at Disney World once cost $1 million per mile; Disney’s price? $11 million each, at a rate of $5 million per mile. Monorails start circulating at 5 a.m., and the average top speed is just 55 mph.
7. When a guest or Cast Member is injured, the standard protocol for emergency services is to request an ‘Alpha Unit.’ Anytime you here a reference to an Alpha Unit, you’ll know that it’s code for getting help.
8. The Magic Kingdom contains nine-acres of an underground complex; it’s the tunnel system used by Cast Members and other employes, and also gives secret access to delivery trucks, employee breakrooms, and support offices. The tunnel is connected through 28 different stairways and stairwells throughout the area.
It would take a lifetime to discover and explore every facet of Disney World. To get started, pick up one of the dozens of books and guides at a kiosk, or jump online to start your research!
