Walt Disney World 101 - It's all about the story

Walt Disney's first full length animated film was taken from a Brothers Grimm fairytale, but in true Disney style, it was watered down some what, but the key thing here was, it was a classic story that was, at the time of its release,  nearly 100 years old, and that ethos in story telling has followed through in all of Disney's films.
So when Disney's Imagineers (the creative and constructive talent at The Disney Company) created Disneyland, they continued to tell their stories.
From each land that take you on a unique journey of the past, the present, future and imagination, to the attractions inside them that could be classed as the chapters to each story.
The parks are full of detail that will have a story, a factual reference or in honour of someone that has contributed to the world of Disney entertainment. The easiest examples of this can be found in Main Street USA, which you walk through after entering the Magic Kingdom. Here above the shops you'll find sign written windows that seem to emulate that may see in an office or trade. When you actually read them, they each represent a Disney legend, this is someone who has made a lasting contribution to the Disney Company, either in their films or parks.
Some will seem recognisable like "Sail maker - Roy E. Disney - Specializing in the Gentlemanly Sport of Racing at Sea - Sailing Lessons" This was Walt's brother and co-founder of the Disney Company and can be found above the Crystal Arts shop. 

source: www.mouseonthemonorail.com

Some are not so known, such as above the Magic shop you'll find "Can Do Machine Works - Mechanical Wonders - Live Steam Engines - Magical Illusions - Cameras - Roger Broggie, Shopmaster - Advisor to the Magic Makers" Roger was an Imagineer and life long friend of Walt's. Starting as a machinist for his films and later developing special effects and Audio Animatronics (moving and talking mannequins) for the parks.

source: www.phil-sears.com

And there are thousands more like that across the resort, most of which are not so obvious, but just as meaningful and when you delve into these stories and understand their meaning, these discoveries can enhance your appreciation for these attractions and only Disney provide this much detail in their story telling. 

So when most people will rush around the parks with their smart phone apps planning their day with attraction line times and show schedules to fit as much as possible in a day and believe me these apps exist, there are a lucky few that will take their time to search and discover these details.
I hope to be one of these people on my next visit, but then again, with a 9 and 6 year old in-tow I may have a bit of a struggle on my hands.

Cliff Huet was the principle Imagineer
on the Haunted Mansion www.micechat.com

Now I realise that most people who go to Orlando will have a limited time to see as much as they can and get in as many rides as possible and so think they won't get the time to look for these details, but they can find them too. Some of the attraction queues are filled with these stories. Again some are pretty easy to spot, like the names on the tomb stones at the Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom are mostly dedications to past legends, imagineers and cast members (Disney employees).
So on your next visit I hope you get a chance to seek these details and stories out.

There are also plenty of books out there that can help you find them.

But I'm going to tell you one more that happens to be one of my favorites. If you are at the Frontier Land Rail Road station, you should find a wooden leg with Smith written on it. This references the joke that Bert (famously played by Dick van Dyke) told in Mary Poppins. 
"I knew a man with a wooden leg named Smith."  "Oh yeah, what was the name of his other leg?"

So I hope you find some more of these references on your next visit and please share with me on any you do manage to find. I would gladly share it on a future blog.

I hope you enjoy more.

Dale