John C Donahue.com

The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World is a “must read’ for every Disney enthusiast and also a really spectacular read.  It is filled with information about the “Happiest Place on Earth” as well as hidden gems that only a select few people know…until now!

I’m not afraid to say it, I am in love with the Magic Kingdom.  I am in love with the magic that truly exists when you are on the Disney property.  And when I am not AT Disney, I love to READ about Disney.

So when I saw The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World on the bookshelf, I knew that I had to read it. And it did not disappoint.

In The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World, author Susan Veness lets us in on some of the best secrets of the 4 most magical parks in the world, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and the Magic Kingdom.

Some secrets are well known:  the existence of Hidden Mickeys, Animal Kingdom’s benches made of recycled milk jugs and the liberal use of forced perspective in buildings, to the NOT so well known secrets: R2-D2 and C3-P0 appearing on the Great Movie Ride in the Indiana Jones scene, and all the special water surprises in all the parks.

The book is broken down into 4 sections, one for each of the 4 parks, making it easier to utilize when you are on site, but also giving you a pretty achievable map to guide you through your day.  One other useful facet is at the end of each section (chapter).  It’s a time line for each specific park, from conception to today.

SELECTED SECRETS

• The boat used at the end of Fantasmic! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a replica of the boast used in Steamboat Willie.
• Most all of the numbers used throughout all the parks have significance, usually they are a tie-in to the parks opening day, or connected to Disney Studios.
• The fountain of World Friendship in Epcot contains water from rivers and oceans from around the globe.
• The street lights on Mainstreet USA begin as gas lamps near the Emporium, but end as electric lamps as you reach Casey’s Corner.  You are symbolically moving through time.
• As you walk down Main Street, toward Cinderella Castle, the “movie credits” roll in the upper windows above the shops.  They start with Roy O. Disney, the producer, and end with Walt Disney, the director.