Disneyland Myths and Legends

[tayalltheway]

Hi all! I got so many great answers to my thread about your Disneyland bucket lists that I'm reaching out again to try to crowdsource some ideas for another section of the piece I'm writing. Here's what I want to know:

What are some of the most pervasive myths and legends that you've heard spread about the Disneyland Resort? Could be things that sound crazy but are actually true (examples like the Matterhorn basketball court or the Disneyland cats come to mind) OR things that sound crazy because they actually are crazy—but which are spouted by cast members and/or guests as though they were facts (things like Walt's head being frozen under Pirates). I feel like I've heard some real doozies in the past, but I'm having trouble thinking of them.

Be aware that I plan to put some of the ideas that I get here into the piece I'm writing (which might potentially be a series of articles or a book), so don't respond if you wouldn't want your idea included.

 

[Zbugz]

I heard this one perpetuated by my former CM friend just this week:

That the turkey legs are actually emu.

I highly doubt it, but apparently this is a common claim.

 

[nannyz]

Considering the size of emus, I highly doubt that the turkey legs are emu legs.

 

[Patrick in Oregon]

Speaking of cats, there is an instagram account called @DisneylandCats. It's pretty cute.

I heard there is a brick wall over by the lockers on main street. When they were trying to finish the park for the initial opening, they were in a rush and had to put up some false walls. The one by the lockers is supposedly one remaing from 1955. Not sure if it is there still. Haven't they been doing construction back there?

Unfortunately, having a hard time thinking of other stories.

 

[PenguinoMF]

Speaking of cats, there is an instagram account called @DisneylandCats. It's pretty cute.

I heard there is a brick wall over by the lockers on main street. When they were trying to finish the park for the initial opening, they were in a rush and had to put up some false walls. The one by the lockers is supposedly one remaing from 1955. Not sure if it is there still. Haven't they been doing construction back there?

Unfortunately, having a hard time thinking of other stories.

That is actually a test wall they used to try out different masonry styles.

Can't forget the gold spike is the center of the park myth.

 

[Patrick in Oregon]

That is actually a test wall they used to try out different masonry styles.

Can't forget the gold spike is the center of the park myth.

Oh right, was it they didn't have time to take it down then?

 

[jliehr]

I heard this one perpetuated by my former CM friend just this week:

That the turkey legs are actually emu.

I highly doubt it, but apparently this is a common claim.

They aren't, most turkeys sold in stores are females or young, the turkey legs they use for Disney are full grown adult males. Males usually weigh 11-24 pounds vs 6-12 for females, and are about a foot longer.

 

[bumbershoot]

Considering the size of emus, I highly doubt that the turkey legs are emu legs.

Considering the size of those terrifying turkey legs, I almost believe it!

 

[krispin41]

If you do a search on YouTube for Disney turkey legs, a video of Unwrapped from the food network will pop up about The Disney turkey legs. While it was filmed a number of years ago (when they were under $5!) It explains how they make them. They are from turkeys that weigh 40-50 pounds. These are my Dad's favorite and I always bring him home one.

 

[JoanneAZ]

"If they ever drain the sub lagoon Harbor boulevard will collapse."

I haven't heard this one since they drained the sub lagoon when they started converting them to Finding Nemo.

 

[disneychrista]

"If they ever drain the sub lagoon Harbor boulevard will collapse."

I haven't heard this. I have heard that the Mattorhorn would collapse. But obviously that is not true, since it has been drained twice in the past 8 years and the Matterhorn is still standing.

 

[DizMe]

I've heard a few "haunted" myths and legends. I have read that there have been a number of incidents where people have been caught trying to scatter the ashes of a loved one in DL. The one I remember in particular was about a little boy who loved DL. After he died, his family put his ashes in the HM ride and supposedly his ghost now resides there. Kind of cliche, isn't it?! But at any rate, I read that if they discover that someone has scattered ashes in a ride, they have to shut down the ride and completely clean it out. No idea whether or not that's true.

 

[ScottyK86]

I was telling my partner about the cats myth when we were there last time and sure enough the next day we saw a cat at GRR.

IMG_0764 by ScottyK86, on Flickr

 

[ccb1212]

I heard a myth that the hearse outside the Haunted Mansion was used to carry LDS (Mormon) President Brigham Young. I believe that this was proven untrue but the story is out there.

 

[MommyJKM]

I've heard a few "haunted" myths and legends. I have read that there have been a number of incidents where people have been caught trying to scatter the ashes of a loved one in DL. The one I remember in particular was about a little boy who loved DL. After he died, his family put his ashes in the HM ride and supposedly his ghost now resides there. Kind of cliche, isn't it?! But at any rate, I read that if they discover that someone has scattered ashes in a ride, they have to shut down the ride and completely clean it out. No idea whether or not that's true.

I'm not saying who-- but someone I know scattered my Uncle John's ashes on Tom Sawyer island as he was a huge Disney fan.

 

[figment_jii]

I've read that the skull used on the headboard in the Captain's chambers in PotC is real.
http://www.hiddenmickeys.org/disneyland/secrets/square/Pirates.html

 

[CaptainEIEIO]

I'm not saying who-- but someone I know scattered my Uncle John's ashes on Tom Sawyer island as he was a huge Disney fan.

My children have instructions to do that, but not all of them, only a film canister full or so.

 

[CaptainEIEIO]

That is actually a test wall they used to try out different masonry styles.

Can't forget the gold spike is the center of the park myth.

Ummmm.....the golden spike isn't a myth except it isnt gold, its brass. Its about 10 ft inside the castle heading into Fantasyland.

 

[RichP1269]

Ummmm.....the golden spike isn't a myth except it isnt gold, its brass. Its about 10 ft inside the castle heading into Fantasyland.

The myth is it being the center of the park.

It's not.

 

[TreeDharni]

We saw a Disney Cat on Friday. I was so excited to see it. Later in the day I was talking to a cast member about it and he told me that there is an orange cat that likes to sit on top of a rock that over looks Fantasyland. They call him Simba. I never made it back over to find the rock but I will be looking for it in December.

I also had a cast member show me the parking lot sign inside the que of Indie (it's inside the projection room behind the projector. Very hard to see if you don't know it's there)

I also asked many cast members on rides where some hidden Mickeys are but I could not make them out on the first ride. I plan on researching these for our Dec trip.