DizBuff.comThere’s quite a story behind the Snow White Grotto just off the East side of Sleeping Beauty Castle. One account claims that it all started with an unexpected gift from an Italian sculptor to Walt Disney. Could Snow and her 7 dwarfs have been based on a European boxed, soap set?
We don’t have to guess – Walt Disney told us in his own words. He was sitting on a bench in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, watching his daughters ride the Merry-Go-Round when he had a thought. There ought to be a place where both parents and children can enjoy themselves together.
Have you seen those little dressed-up characters cranking popcorn canisters all over Disneyland? They’re called Roastie Toasties and they’re awesome. In the early days, they were all clowns. Not any more …
The Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe in Disneyland, CA is no ordinary restaurant. Why? Because it’s “practically perfect in every way.” This restaurant in Disneyland is loaded, and I mean loaded, with Mary Poppins references. From stained glass penguins on the windows, to Bert’s chalk drawings on the floor, to the weather vane on the roof and everything in between! And I don’t think I’ve seen HALF of what’s actually there. Let’s take a tour.
You’ve walked past the Disneyland Partners Statue many times, but have you really looked at it? I will show you 3 hidden details on the Walt & Mickey Partners Statue that you probably haven’t seen or heard of before.
This is one of the most famous and recognizable scenes in all of Disney. The view above captures three Disney icons – Walt, Mickey and Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Have you seen the chesire cat appear and disappear in the magic mirror at Disneyland? You know, the one that looks like a normal mirror, but then the grinning chesire cat suddenly appears? And then disappears?
I found a scary-looking griffin (or gryphon) in Disneyland, and it was hiding in plain sight. Do you know where it is? And, by the way, what is a griffin anyway?
What is 55-70 million years old and been on display in Disneyland since 1957? If you guessed a 10-foot petrified tree stump, you’d be right. Find out all about it.
Did you know that there’s a palm tree in Disneyland that was planted way back in 1896, and is still there today? This story has to do with a promise Walt made to a family whose land he purchased to help build Disneyland in the 1950’s. That palm tree was already over 50 years old then, and the Disney company continues to protect this proud tree to this very day.
You will never guess what the oldest living thing in Disneyland is. If you’re thinking along the lines of a plant, or hedge, or tree, you’re on the right track. This has everything to do with Walt’s meticulous attention to detail and desire to get things precisely right for his guests. It’s a fascinating story to hear about the lengths to which Disney went in 1955 to get everything as perfect as possible. (2020 update – this is definitely not a Mugo Pine – it’s been misidentified for years. Read further below for the correct identification of this oldest-living tree in Disneyland.)
Arrow points to a Mugo Pine – Disneyland’s oldest living tree