The Disneyland Book of Secrets 2014: One Local's Unauthorized, Rapturous and Indispensable Guide to the Happiest Places on Earth (221 page)

Imagineers

When you’re at the resort, you
’re likely to hear or read about
Disney Imagineers
. 
Imagineers
are the imaginative architects, artists, builders, composers, developers, filmmakers, engineers, landscapers, organizers, planners, project managers, storytellers, and writers who imagine, design, and build the
Disney Parks
and their astounding attractions.  Look around you while you’re in one of the parks; just about everything you see, including the street lamps, the lawns, and the pavements were designed by a team of
Imagineers
. 
Imagineers
grew out of the
WED
(
Walter Elias Disney
) company that
Walt
created to build
Disneyland
in the 1950’s.  Today they’re members of
Walt Disney Imagineering
(
WDI
) and are headquartered in
Glendale
,
California
.  They’re big on teamwork, and believe that even the sky isn’t the limit when it comes to creating amazing entertainment for Guests.  The term “
Imagineer
” is a hybrid of “imagination” and “engineer”. 
Imagineering
combines “creative imagination” with “technical know-how”.  What do
Imagineers
do?  In a nutshell:  The
Imagineers
dream up amazing stories to tell, and then find amazing ways to tell them. 
Disney
treasures its top
Imagineers
, and rewards the most legendary with windows bearing their name over
Main Street
in
Disneyland
.  It’s a tradition of recognition that
Walt
started and it continues to this day, with windows usually installed and unveiled in a ceremony upon the
Imagineer
’s retirement.  Want to learn more?  There are many interesting books and DVDs about
Imagineering
available in the resort stores, and many of those resources are listed in the “Resources” section of this book.  My top recommendations are
Walt Disney’s Imagineering Legends and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park
, a book by
Jeff Kurtti
(who is not only a respected
Disneyland
writer but also a creative consultant for the
Walt Disney Family Museum
), and the DVD
Disneyland Resort:  Imagineering the Magic
.

International Guests

Disneyland Resort
’s Guests are primarily Californians.  That said, there’s still a significant population of out-of-state and international Guests in the parks, particularly in the summer and during the winter holiday season.  International Guests who require park information printed in different languages will find international versions of the colorful
Park Guides
, including maps, in Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish at the
Information
kiosks after they enter through the
Main Turnstiles
of either park. 
Ears to the World
headsets can be rented by Guests who speak Chinese, Japanese, or Spanish; the headsets provide translations in those languages for
It’s Tough to be a Bug!
and
Muppet*Vision 3D
in
Disney California Adventure
. International Guests with questions or special requirements should contact their hotel front desk. 
Disneyland Resort
expresses a commitment to ensuring that every Guest from every corner of the globe has an outstanding and
magical
resort visit, and
Disney Theme Parks,
especially in light of their experience with international Cast Members and consultants at
Epcot
and
Disney Theme Parks
overseas
,
have a track record of striving for cultural harmony.

J
ail

Years ago—before I’d even visited
Disneyland
—a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend told a story of having been thrown into “
Disneyland
jail” for pulling some prank during a park visit.  Does
Disneyland
, known the world over as
the happiest place on earth
, really have a
jail
?  In a sense—yes.  Guests who cross the line, whether by exhibiting dangerous or obnoxious behavior, or by stealing merchandise, etc., can expect to be confronted by
Disneyland
security, which is
everywhere
.  There are highly visible, uniformed security Cast Members, and there are invisible, plainclothes security Cast Members blending into crowds (especially in stores) to constantly observe Guest behavior.  On dark ride attractions like the
Haunted Mansion
and
Pirates of the Caribbean
, Cast Members posted in dark nooks or watching riders via remote camera ensure that Guests follow the rules.  While it might sound rather “Big Brother-esque,” the high level of nearly invisible security keeps
Disneyland
property, Cast Members, and Guests extremely safe.  Guests nabbed for bad behavior are quickly removed from the public eye.  There is a security office at the
Disneyland
administration complex behind
Main Street
and
Space Mountain
, and for more serious offenses, the
Anaheim Police
operate a substation behind and below
Tortilla Jo’s
at
Downtown Disney
.  So brawlers, shoplifters, vandals, and the intoxicated (among others) are indeed likely find themselves cooling their heels at what is, for all intents and purposes, a “
Disneyland
jail,” before either being ejected from the park or given a free ride to the
Anaheim
Police Station
!

Junior Cast Members

One reason that children love
Disneyland
is that
Disneyland
views them and treats them as equal to, and sometimes more important than, adults.  At
Disneyland
children are cherished.  Cast Members address them directly and often speak with children at eye level.  In the hotels, there are rooms designed for Guests with children, featuring furniture, safety latches, shower heads, hangers, and door peek-holes all built at kid’s eye levels and scaled for them.  Water fountains are built at kid-height as well as adult-height.  The
Junior Cast Member
experience is an opportunity for randomly selected children to take on the role, briefly, of a Cast Member in the parks or the hotels.  Upon completing an assignment as a
Junior Cast Member
, the child receives a card signed by Cast Members congratulating them on a job well done, and gifts like balloons and signed
Disney
character photos.  I knew this opportunity existed, but didn’t see it in action until my niece was chosen to be a
Junior Cast Member
at the
Disneyland Hotel
during the weekend of the 2009
D23 Expo
.  Cast Members lent her a little
Disneyland Hotel
vest and showed her how to use the computer to check us into the hotel!  It was a
magical
experience for her, and for every kid lucky enough to experience it.

L
imited Time Magic

In 2013,
Disney Parks
offered Guests a program of
Limited Time Magic
–special contests, merchandise, films, lectures, foods, and experiences.  At
Disneyland Resort
, that meant surprises like an “abridged” revival of the famous, long-running
Golden Horseshoe Revue
, new limited-edition
Ear Hats
every month, vacation contests, and new holiday celebrations like
Christmas in July
, when Guests could purchase
Disney
winter holiday treats like cupcakes, peppermint mochas, and decadent peppermint sundaes.  Guests were invited to late-night dance parties with
Disney Villains
during the Halloween season.  One of the most delightful
Limited Time Magic
events was a March 2013 lecture and slide show by
Dave Smith
,
Disney
’s Archivist Emeritus, at the
Main Street
Opera House
. 
Smith
shared rare color slides of
Disneyland
, from its construction through the 1960’s.  Sitting in an armchair on the same stage where the
Audio-Animatronic Lincoln
usually entertains Guests,
Smith
sipped water and beamed genially at the audience of
Annual Passholders
as he related interesting stories and little-known facts about
Disneyland
’s early years.  Although some fans weren’t crazy about the name
Limited Time Magic
–
Disney magic
is never “limited”–the year of fun and surprises proved popular with Guests.

Locals

Southern Californians who live near
Disneyland
are locals. They often know a lot about the resort, especially if they’re long-time residents and/or
Annual Passholders
and spend a lot of time at
Disneyland
.  Some locals have been going to the parks for years and even for decades—maybe since they were kids.  If you encounter gregarious locals, don’t be shy about chatting with them; they often love to share interesting history, observations, insights, and tips about this
magical
place!

Lockers

There’s simply no need for
Guests to lug heavy, bulky, uncomfortable bags all over the resort.  Be comfortable.  You’ll be doing a lot of walking during your visit, and a lot of sitting and standing and climbing into and out of vehicles.  The less you’re toting, the better you’ll feel.  If you need books, sweatshirts, medications, and other assorted stuff on hand, stow it in one of the lockers just outside or just within the parks.  There are lockers to the west of the
Disneyland Main Entry Turnstiles
and to the east of the
DCA Main Entry Turnstiles
.  There are also lockers available on
Main Street
in
Disneyland
(look for the giant golden key sculpture advertising the
Main Street Lockers
at the end of east
Center Street
) and to the right just after you enter
Buena Vista Street
in
DCA
.  All-day locker rentals, with unlimited access throughout the day and night, begin at $7 for small lockers and go up to $15 for the jumbo size.  Exciting news for anyone who ever had their cell phone “die” on them during a park visit:  There are now
charging lockers
for cell phones and electronics.  Charging lockers cost $2 for the first hour and an additional $2 for every hour thereafter. Some of them include cables/cords in case you didn’t bring yours with you.  When you rent a locker, you receive a ticket with a “secret access code”.  You’ll key in the secret code every time you reopen the locker.  So go ahead, lighten up; ditch all that extra baggage!  If you make a purchase, stow it in the locker–remember, you get unlimited access and can reopen your locker repeatedly until the park closes.

Lost and Found

Both parks have
Lost and Found
facilities where you can submit items you found or check whether your lost item has been turned in.  The
Lost and Found
facilities for the resort are located next to
Guest Relations
near the
Main Entry Turnstiles
.  Didn’t notice your loss until
after
you left the park?  Call (714) 817-2166 between 10:30 am and 6:00 pm to see if your item was found and, if so, arrange for its return.  If you lost your hat, call ASAP;
Disneyland
finds so many lost hats, they don’t have room to store them, and donate unclaimed hats to charity after about one week. 
Disneyland
’s
Lost and Found
is remarkably efficient and well-organized.  One case in point:  In 2013, my brother misplaced his prescription sunglasses during a
Disneyland
visit.  He didn’t know precisely where he’d lost them.  But
Disneyland
’s
Lost and Found
had them, and returned the sunglasses to him via “snail mail” but free of charge.

Lost Children

Please s
ee “Child Safety”.

Magic

Disney Theme Parks
are all about creating
Disney magic
, in the attractions, the entertainment, and the interactions among Guests, Cast Members, and the park and resort environments.  The
magic
is derived from so many different things that it’s hard to pin it down with a simple definition.  Superlative customer service, that anticipates and exceeds Guest expectations–that’s part of the
magic
.  So are the unique and always surprising entertainment, attractions, and landscapes.  When you’ve been a lifelong fan of
Snow White
, and you see her gliding toward your family through the fairy tale village of
Fantasyland
, that’s part of the
magic
.  Having such a perfect, fun time with your friends and family that it’s a trip you’ll always remember with a smile on your face and tears in your eyes? 
Magic
.  Cast Members do everything possible to preserve and create
Disney magic
for Guests.  That’s why Cast Members go the extra mile to assist and even surprise you, and why they always speak of
Disney
characters and stories as if they are real.  Treating playtime seriously–that’s part of the
Disney magic
.  But the greatest
magic
of all is what we as Guests get out of the experience, the way our imaginations soar.  Guests—we’re a big part of the
magic
, too.

Magic
al Moments (and Take 5’s)

Magical moments
and
Take 5’s
are extensions of the overall
Disney magic
concept discussed above.  A
Magical moment
or a
Take 5
at a
Disney Theme Park
is a moment when something so beautiful, surprising, thrilling, or all of the above happens that it’s a moment that you’ll never forget.  Cast Members are empowered and encouraged to create
Magical Moments
and
Take 5
’s for
Disney
Guests as frequently as possible.  Strictly speaking,
Magical Moments
are planned and organized in advance, while
Take 5
’s are spur-of-the-moment opportunities that Cast Members identify and act upon to enrich a Guest’s experience.  A good example of
Magical Moments
:  Around the time of
Disneyland
’s
50
th
Anniversary
,
Dream Teams
of Cast Members patrolled the parks, randomly giving special
Ear Hats
,
FastPasses
, and other treats to Guests.  You never knew when or if they’d choose you, but when they did, it was a
Magical Moment
!  A kind word, special treat, or genuinely interested question from a Cast Member can be a
magical
Take 5
experience for a child; the Cast Member is taking time out of their regular duties and schedule to make the Guest’s experience more special.  When a Guest receives a
Disney
balloon out of the blue (a spontaneous
Take 5
), or sees a trash container suddenly rise up on telescopic legs and start rolling along the path (a planned
Magical Moment
), these are events Guests will never forget!  Cast Members who are truly following the
Disney way
observe Guests carefully and ask the right questions so that they can create
magical
Take 5
experiences for you and your friends and family.  It might be simple and pragmatic:  A child whose balloon has floated away or whose ice cream has spilled might be handed a replacement balloon or a fresh ice cream cone.  It might be breathtaking, as when a favorite
Disney
character singles out a youngster for a special hug.  2013 was be a year of special
magic
(
Limited Time Magic
) in
Disney
parks.  Whatever form it might take, enjoy the
magic
!  Remember,
Disneyland
is all about
you
!

Magic Shots

Please s
ee “PhotoPasses”

Mickey Cookies

Sold in park
patisseries
,
Mickey Cookies
are shaped like the famous head and ears of
Mickey Mouse
, his cheerful face presented in dark and light frosting.  Seasoned Guests swear by these delicious treats and pick up a few cookies when they arrive at
Disneyland
and before they leave for the day.  They’re available at the
Jolly Holiday Bakery Café
in
Disneyland
, or the
Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café
at
DCA
.  A recommended indulgence!

Military Guests

Are you an active member of the military–or a military spouse?  Are you a military retiree?  Or a member of the National Guard, or a reservist?  If you fall into any of these categories, you might qualify for special discounts on
Disneyland Resort
hotels,
Disneyland
tickets, or
Disneyland
passes.  Visit
www.disneyland.com/military
to see what special offers you’re
presently qualified to receive.  And thank you for your service.

Onstage

In the show business-inspired parlance of the resort, any area that’s
onstage
is a place where Guests are allowed and where the
magic
must be maintained.  Cast Members must stay in character (unless safety demands otherwise) and must speak about
Disney
characters as if they’re real individuals.  Except in the event of a life-threatening emergency, costumed characters cannot remove their masks or any part of their costume while they’re
onstage
.  Cast Members aren’t to complain or engage in any un-
Disney
-like attitudes or actions.  That includes chatting about personal and non-
Disney
-related subjects while they’re on duty,
onstage
, and within earshot of Guests.  A Cast Member’s entire focus is to be on Guests and providing Guests with
magical
experiences.  This positive
onstage
attitude is at the center of the euphoric Guest experience.  All
onstage
attractions, buildings, streets, and walkways are to be scrupulously clean.  If Cast Members, including top
Disney
executives, see a piece of litter, they’re to pick it up and throw it away, a tradition started by
Walt
.  Flowers and plants are to be perfectly maintained.  As much as possible, food prep, maintenance, and administrative activities are banned from
onstage
areas and occur either after hours or
backstage
in concealed buildings, streets, tunnels, and corridors ingeniously secreted throughout and around the edges of the resort.  After the park closes, up to 5,000 Cast Members descend, trimming trees, power-cleaning the streets, testing and tuning
Audio-Animatronic
characters, touching up paint, polishing brass, and so on.  Because
Disneyland
lacks an “underground”
Utilidor
, during operating hours you’ll sometimes see Cast Members pushing carts of food or supplies or garbage bins across the landscape, and you might even see Cast Members in
Tomorrowland
costumes incongruously traversing
Frontierland
(or vice versa).  These jarring encounters can mar the
magic
, and inspired
Walt
to mandate a ground-level
Utilidor
for
WDW
, with the
Magic Kingdom
built above it.  Even without a
Utilidor
, today, as in
Walt
’s day, most
Disneyland
Cast Members do their utmost to maintain the illusions of the
Disneyland Resort
and give Guests
magical
experiences far, far removed from everyday cares.  Although
Disneyland
has no
Utilidor
it does have
backstage
channels through which, as much as possible, the park’s Cast Members and mundane operational functions are routed.