10 Hidden Details In Walt Disney World You Probably Didn’t Know

By Sarah Myatt / April 2, 2020

Walt Disney World attracts families from all over the globe to the Sunshine State to live out their version of a fairytale with Micky and Minnie, but how well do you really know ‘the happiest place on earth’?

There are so many layers to the details littered around Walt Disney World, it is easy to overlook some of the very best easter eggs disney has to offer. The resort is full to the brim with secrets and little-known tidbits that even the biggest Disney enthusiast wouldn’t know.

This article will dive headfirst into some of Disney World’s best and worst kept secrets - from the infamous hidden Micky hunt, to some of the world’s best secret eats, to the staggering authenticity within the parks.

Disney really doesn’t overlook a single detail, and with the knowledge of these little known secrets, your next trip to Florida could be even more magical.

10. Walt Disney World Resort Is NOT In Orlando

Orlando is synonymous for being the unmistakable home of Disney, with Mickey and Minnie living their best lives in the sunshine state. However, Walt Disney World is NOT technically in Orlando at all.

While the Anaheim based California complex was the first Disney park to open, Walt’s second venture over in Florida is by far the biggest and most ambitious. After watching a host of quick-thinking businesses buy up the land and buildings around the Cali-base to capitalise on Disneyland’s success and thus restritcing future planning potential, Walt wanted to make sure this didn’t happen over on the east coast.

The answer? Petition the Floridian Government to sanction control of the whole area to Walt. This is why the site and the surrounding area is called Walt Disney World, and not just the parks themselves. This means Walt Disney World runs as a separate entity to Orlando entirley, and even has its own governmental board - the Reedy Creek Improvement District, Disney’s answer to the Vatican-Rome situation.

The district has minimal permanent residents, all of which are Disney employees and all emergency services and utilities are contracted out of neighbouring Orlando.

All of this so Walt didn’t have local businesses ride the coattails of his success.